The Most Delicious Hot Cacao Recipe (Nourishing & Easy)
There’s something so delightful and special about a warm mug in your hands, especially when it’s cacao. Unlike hot chocolate mixes, this recipe uses pure cacao, rich in minerals and antioxidants, to create a healthy drink that’s both comforting and nourishing.
When made with intention, a cup of cacao feels like a hug for your whole body, softening even the most armored hearts. It has the power to support you bringing your dreams into actions, to center and calm you, and to awaken your intuition and psychic abilities.
Whether you’re making this as part of a morning ritual, an evening wind-down, or a sweet moment of self-care, this simple recipe will become a favorite.
First: Why Choose Cacao Instead of Cocoa?
Cacao is the purest form of chocolate, made by cold-pressing cacao beans. Because it’s less processed than cocoa, it retains more of its natural nutrients, health benefits, and heart medicine.
Benefits of cacao:
High in magnesium (supports relaxation, muscle recovery, and balances mood)
Rich in antioxidants (supports overall wellness)
Contains iron and potassium (helps energy and balance)
Provides gentle, stimulating uplift from theobromine (without the crash of coffee)
The Spirit of Cacao
Cacao is a plant with a long history of being used in ceremonies and rituals for grounding and opening the heart. Originating from a large red fruit native to Central America, Cacao seeds are large, brown, and resemble the shape of an almond. Beyond its familiar role as food, cacao is revered as medicine that nurtures unity, ease, and deep emotional comfort.
There are stories passed down through families here in Mexico of warriors who discovered the cacao tree. One in particular where a rivaling tribe showed for a battle and, instead of fighting, the warriors shared cacao seeds, both as resources for trade and medicine for the community. The act of offering cacao brought a pause, a moment of healing, and for a time, the conflict dissolved.
When cacao was first cultivated by Mayans more than 2,500 years ago, it was called “Ku-Ku” (pronounced koo-koo). In the Mayan language, Ku means sacred, and Ku-Ku translates to above sacred. Aztecs learned from Mayans how to cultivate and prepare it, calling the bitter drink “Xocolatl” (pronounced sho-co-LAH-tul) (pronounced sho-co-LAH-tul), a name that would eventually inspire the modern word chocolate. This sacred, ceremonial drink, made from “Kakaw” (pronounced kah-kah-ow), was reserved for the Emperor and the nobility. In the Mayan tongue, Kakaw means Drink of the Gods.
According to Mayan elders, the Spirit of Cacao is one of the most powerful divine forces in Mayan cosmology. Cacao is considered a psychotropic plant, meaning it has natural compounds that gently open the heart and expand consciousness without removing us from reality. With the Spirit of Cacao, we can travel inward where our wisdom and love live, opening doors to a deeper, more loving relationship with ourselves, and with live. It’s no wonder cacao continues to be honored in ceremony to this day.
Sitting with this delicious, heart-healing elixir has become a favorite ritual of mine, and I want to share it with you. Cacao medicine has supported me in navigating anxiety, transforming emotional blockages (hello, triggers!) with greater ease, dissolving negative thought loops, and aligning with deep internal truths.
“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”
- Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
How to Make Hot Cacao at Home
I received this original recipe from my dear friend and renowned healer Stephanie Burg, and I will share its origin here. Since moving to Mexico, I've been blessed with the permission to serve cacao in ceremony, and have added my favorite recipe below as well.
Note: Although its not traditional to add milk to ceremonial cacao, when I’m outside of ceremony and making it for my own pleasure and practice, I absolutely love adding milk.
It’s also important to note that Stephanie and I both suggest purchasing the highest quality ingredients you can find, as organic foods retain more of their healing properties and keep their minerals intact.
Stephanie’s hot cacao recipe
Ingredients (3 servings):
4 heaping tbsp raw organic cacao powder (Stephanie suggests Keith’s Cacao and now shares her own recipe seasonally in her healing products shop.
¼-½ tsp ashwagandha powder
1 tsp powdered maca root
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups filtered water
1 cup non-dairy milk of your choice
Raw organic honey to taste
Directions
Whisk together all ingredients (except honey) and heat on the stove until simmering. Remove from heat and add honey to taste, perhaps about 1 tbsp.
Note: This recipe also makes a delicious pudding if you’re not in the mood for a hot beverage. (I actually learned this by accident!) Just add cold milk instead of filtered water, and instead of heating the ingredients on a stovetop, blend in a blender. Add raw organic avocado for a more mousse-like texture.
My favorite hot cacao recipe
Ingredients (1 serving)
2-4 tbsp raw organic cacao (When I’m not making this from seed here in Mexico, I love using Ora Cacao)
½ -1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp of vanilla
½ - ¾ cup whole milk or heavy whipping cream from the can (or organic oat milk)
Substitute filtered water for Rose tea and/or Hibiscus tea (steep separately and add in)
Raw organic honey to taste
Pinch of Himalayan pink salt
Optional add-ins for flavor & benefits:
Add a magical potion of Hibiscus, Rose Glycerite
Dash of cayenne pepper for a subtle kick
Adaptogens like reishi, maca, or ashwagandha for balance
Substitute ginger tea or chai for the filtered water
Add Maca or Ashwaganda for hormonal balancing during pre-menstrual times and nervous system support
Directions
For the most intentional ritual, heat all of your ingredients (except honey) on the stove and whisk gently until simmering. This is the best option if your cacao is in a paste (i.e. a block where you chop it) or tablet form. Remove from heat and add honey to taste, perhaps about ½ tsp-1 tbsp, depending on your desired sweetness.
If you want it more quickly…. add all liquids and powdered ingredients into a heated frother and froth it up!
Or, add all ingredients (even whole cacao beans) into a high-powered blender and blend until smooth. If you’re using a blender, I recommend heating your milk, filtered water, or tea before blending. Then pour directly into your favorite mug and enjoy.
Other Options
In the past, I’ve blended all the dry ingredients together and kept them in a container in my pantry. When I’m just serving myself, I place 1-2 heaping tablespoons in a large mug with honey, add boiling water (or hot tea) and heavy cream, and whisk them all together. It’s quick and easy and doesn’t leave any leftovers.
Go Deeper
Some days you wake up feeling really off or anxious for no clear reason. You try meditating, moving your body, practicing mindfulness… and nothing seems to touch it. On days like this, when my inner critic feels like it’s on steroids and I can’t seem to get out of my head, I turn to cacao.
Sometimes it’s as simple as eating the seeds with a little honey. I’ll slowly chew three to twelve cacao seeds, pausing when I start to feel my energy shift — when my breath feels easier, my thoughts start to slow down, and presence returns.
It’s subtle, but powerful medicine, and I trust it most in times of uncertainty.
Sacred ritual, ceremony, and heart healing are deeply vital during these turbulent times. Your energy is sacred. Connecting to this truth each day will gently change the way you see yourself and the world around you.
This hot cacao recipe is a ritual for slowing down and nourishing your body, mind, and heart. Try it with different spices, add-ins, or plant milks until you find your perfect cup. And most importantly, enjoy each sip as a moment of care for yourself.
For more ways to nurture your body, mind and spirit, discover my book Sacred Alchemy — a practical guide to transforming emotions and creating peace within.
More About the Healing Properties of Rose and Hibiscus
Rose
Rose reminds us of the power of love in its purest form. Her gentle yet protective nature (i.e. thorns) helps us open our hearts while feeling safe and supported. Being with Rose invites calm, warmth, and compassion; like receiving a soft hug that reminds you you’re loved and enough just as you are. Flavor wise, rose brings a touch of sweetness and delicious floral notes to cacao.
Hibiscus
Hibiscus brings the energy of joy, renewal, and beauty. She reminds us to slow down, savor life, and reconnect with the simple pleasure of being in our own skin. Her bright energy awakens the senses and helps the physical and emotional body release what no longer needs to be held. Flavor wise, hibiscus brings a deep, rich sweetness balanced by a bright, tangy sharpness that beautifully enhances the flavor of cacao.
Together, Cacao, Hibiscus, and Rose weave a loving trio of heart medicine that grounds us in love, restores balance, and brings harmony to the mind, body, and spirit. And they taste absolutely divine together. ❤️
