This Mexican coffee is a warm and boozy blend of freshly brewed coffee, cinnamon, and chocolate spiked with coffee liqueur and tequila. It’s the perfect dessert cocktail, or you can skip the alcohol for a cozy morning pick-me-up!
If you love the creamy, indulgent flavors in this Mexican coffee recipe, you might also like this authentic Horchata recipe.
Once upon a time, I learned about Mexican coffee from a family-owned restaurant in my neighborhood. I was told that Mexican coffee recipes are many and varied, but that their version with tequila, Kahlua, and cream is as authentic as it gets. Obviously, I took their advice and recreated it at home.
This warm and spiced Mexican coffee is like the Spanish cousin of Irish coffee. Or maybe it’s the boozy aunt of a cinnamon dolce latte. Either way, it makes the perfect after-dinner treat! It’s rich and velvety, brewed with cinnamon and mixed with chocolate syrup.
What Makes This Boozy Mexican Coffee So Good?
- Sweet and spiced. In Mexico, brewing coffee with cinnamon and sugar is commonplace. The result is a sweet and spicy drink that’s enjoyed any time of the day. This nightcap version with chocolate, tequila, and coffee liqueur definitely warms the cockles!
- Perfect for dessert. Top your coffee with whipped cream for an after-dinner cocktail that doubles as dessert.
- Simple ingredients. You don’t need anything fancy to make a creamy Mexican coffee at home. This recipe is very adaptable, too. Booze or no booze, sweet or less sweet, it’s delicious any way you make it.
What You’ll Need
If you’ve heard of Mexican hot chocolate, you’ll know it’s hot cocoa spiced up with cinnamon and chili (get a taste with my Mexican hot chocolate fudge).
Mexican coffee is a little different, especially when it’s made as a coffee cocktail. Check out my notes below. Scroll down to the recipe card for a printable ingredients list.
- Coffee – This can be regular coffee, espresso, or decaf. Choose your favorite ground coffee blend.
- Cinnamon – A key ingredient in Mexican coffee. You’ll brew the cinnamon with the coffee grounds for a cozy, spiced kick.
- Milk and Heavy Cream – I cut the cream with milk for a lighter drink. You can use whole milk, 2% milk, or skim. You can also make this recipe with your preferred dairy-free alternatives.
- Chocolate Syrup – Any chocolate syrup will work. Of course, the better the quality of your chocolate sauce, the better your coffee will taste!
- Brown Sugar – You can also use granulated sugar, or skip the added sugar altogether for a less sweet drink.
- Coffee Liqueur – I use Kahlua, but you can use any brand of coffee liqueur you’d like, such as Tia Maria, Amarula, or Galliano.
- Tequila – You can use either silver or gold tequila, though I prefer silver (Blanco). Since you’ll be mixing it with coffee, you don’t have to use top-shelf tequila here. Choose one that you like to drink.
- Vanilla – A dash of real vanilla extract rounds out the flavors.
- Garnishes – Whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and extra cinnamon for topping your coffee.
How to Make Mexican Coffee
If you can brew a cup of coffee, you can make Mexican coffee! These are the easy steps.
- Brew the coffee. Grab your favorite ground coffee and brew it with a couple of teaspoons of ground cinnamon.
- Heat the milk mixture. In the meantime, heat the milk, heavy cream, chocolate syrup, and brown sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. Once it starts to simmer, remove it from the heat.
- Combine. Whisk in the Kahlua, tequila, vanilla, and finally, the brewed coffee.
- Enjoy. Divvy up your Mexican coffee between four cups, top with whipped cream, and serve it immediately. Cheers!
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Try not to overheat the milk. Warm the chocolate milk mixture gradually over low heat and take it off as soon as it hits a simmer. Heating milk too quickly or too long can cause it to curdle.
- Make an iced coffee. Instead of serving right away, allow the Mexican coffee to cool completely before pouring it over ice.
- Alcohol-free. As mentioned, simply leave out the tequila and Kahlua to make this recipe without alcohol.
- Don’t forget the toppings! Serve this Mexican coffee with a swirl of whipped cream, shaved chocolate, and a dusting of ground cinnamon for an extra indulgent, cozy treat.
Serving Suggestions
With its rich and creamy flavors, a boozy Mexican coffee is a dessert on its own. If I’m entertaining friends, I’ll serve it after a meal of beef birria with more sweet treats like these mini lemon cakes or coconut macaroons.
I love an alcohol-free version of this coffee at breakfast with a slice of blueberry coffee cake or a fluffy morning glory muffin (try these egg muffins as a savory option). At brunch, pair your Mexican coffee with a French toast casserole or cheesy hashbrowns and a side of crispy bacon.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Mexican coffee is best enjoyed right away. That being said, if you have leftovers, you’ll want to store them in the fridge. Wait until the coffee is cool and store it airtight. It’s nice as an iced coffee the next day, or you can reheat it.
- Reheat. Warm the coffee gently in the microwave in increments, stirring in between until it’s hot.
More Coffee Recipes
Mexican Coffee
Ingredients
- ¾ cup ground coffee, use your favorite regular or decaf coffee
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 5 cups water
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup chocolate syrup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 ounces Kahlua
- 2 ounces tequila
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- whipped cream, chocolate shavings, ground cinnamon, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Add the coffee grounds and cinnamon to the filter basket of your coffee pot.
- Then add 5 cups of water to the pot and brew as usual.
- In the meantime, whisk together the milk, heavy cream, chocolate syrup, and brown sugar in a saucepan; set the saucepan over low heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- When it starts to simmer, remove it from the heat; whisk the brewed coffee, Kahlua, tequila, and vanilla into the milk mixture.
- Divide the coffee among 4 cups and top with whipped cream, ground cinnamon, and chocolate shavings.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- For Iced Coffee: Allow the mixture to cool completely and pour it over ice.
- For Alcohol-Free Coffee, leave out the tequila and Kahlua.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
