Mexican Hot Chocolate Brownies

These Mexican Chocolate Brownies Are a Winner!

Even better than regular Gluten Free Brownies, Mexican brownies are gently spiced up with cinnamon and cayenne pepper, and finished with a pinch of espresso powder. These extra spices give them the name “Mexican” brownies, turning a simple brownie into an amazing sweet-spicy bite! The warm flavors make these chocolatey treats really stand out.

I love eating a warm brownie while I sip a glass of Mexican Hot Chocolate, and they are the perfect complement to a plate of Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies or a bowl of Mexican Hot Chocolate Popcorn! Here are a few more highlights:

• Not your ordinary brownies! Use dark chocolate chips and dark cocoa powder to create a not-too-sweet base, then stir in some dried spices to elevate them even more.
• Easy to adjust. Don’t like it too spicy? No problem, you can easily reduce the amount of added spices. On the flip side, you can add more if you want more warmth.
• Complex flavors. I love a good old-fashioned brownie, but these brownies are a step up. The dark chocolate contrasted with a kick of heat keeps these complex and interesting.
• Gluten-Free. These brownies are easily made gluten free with gluten-free flour!

What You’ll Need

Here’s a look at the ingredients needed for Mexican chocolate brownies, along with some specific notes you can use to guide you while preparing to make them. Make sure to check the recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredient amounts.

• Dark Chocolate Chips: You can use any variety of chocolate chips you would like for this recipe. I find that dark chocolate is more flavorful and less sweet so it’s my preference here. I have made these brownies with 60% cacao and 72% chocolate chips and they have both been delicious.
• Oil: Use vegetable oil, avocado oil, or another neutral-flavored oil.
• Gluten Free Flour: This recipe has not been tested with all almond or rice flour, and I recommend King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour. If you aren’t gluten-free, standard all-purpose flour can be used in this recipe and the brownies will retain their fudgy texture and flavor.
• Cocoa Powder: I have used both Hershey’s brand baking cocoa as well as organic cacao powder.
• Baking Powder
• Salt
• Spices: Cinnamon and cayenne pepper.
• Espresso Powder: The espresso powder deepens the chocolate profile, but is not necessary for baking success. You can leave it out if you don’t have it and can’t find it.
• Eggs: Large eggs brought to room temperature are best.
• Granulated Sugar: White sugar is what gives these brownies their shiny, crackly top. You could use brown sugar for additional flavor, but you will lose the shine on top.
• Milk: Dairy or non-dairy milk is fine.
• Vanilla Extract: Use pure vanilla extract or swap vanilla bean paste.

How to Make Mexican Chocolate Brownies

Have your ingredients ready before you start making the batter to streamline the process. Here’s a look at the steps that go into these brownies, with the detailed instructions in the recipe card lower down.

• Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Melt the chocolate chips, then combine them with the vegetable oil in a bowl.
• Mix dry ingredients. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a bowl.
• Combine wet ingredients. Beat together the eggs and sugar, then add the milk and vanilla.

• Add chocolate. Mix the melted chocolate into the sugar mixture.
• Combine. Stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture.

• Add chips. Fold in the remaining dark chocolate chips.
• Bake. Spread the batter evenly into the baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes.

• Cool. Remove the brownies from the pan and cool completely.
• Cut! Now cut the cooled brownies into 16 squares.

Tips and Variation Ideas

• Try other chocolate. I prefer dark chocolate! But if you have milk chocolate or semi-sweet on hand, they will also work. You can omit the additional ½ cup of chips if you don’t want the extra chocolate, or swap it for toasted nuts, chopped chocolate, chocolate chunks, or even white chocolate or marshmallows! Or give them a swirl of dulce de leche!
• Bring eggs to room temperature. Make sure your eggs are at room temperature before adding them to the batter. If they are fresh from the refrigerator, you risk the possibility of the melted chocolate becoming too stiff to work with when combined with the cold eggs.
• Adjust the spices! The cinnamon and cayenne pepper can be adjusted to your preferred flavor profile. (If you have heat-sensitive taste buds, the cayenne can be eliminated.) Or, substitute the combination of cinnamon and cayenne with 1-1 ½ teaspoons of my Mexican Chocolate Spice Mix.
• Use coffee. If you wish to use cooled brewed espresso coffee or cold brew coffee, you could potentially eliminate the milk and use the cooled espresso or coffee instead. Note that I have not tested this myself!
• Binder clips: When lining my baking pan with parchment paper, I use binder clips to keep the parchment in place until the batter has been spread evenly. Then I remove the clips and slide the baking pan into the oven.
• Enjoy warm or cold. These brownies are lovely served with milk, coffee, or hot chocolate, or topped with a scoop of homemade No Churn Nutella Ice Cream or No-Churn Dulce de Leche Ice Cream!

How to Store

• Counter – Fully cool the brownies, then transfer them to an airtight container and keep them on the counter for up to 5 days.
• Fridge – Store the container of brownies in the fridge for up to 7 days.
• Freezer – Transfer brownies to a freezer-safe bag or container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. They may change texture a bit after thawing, but I have found they are just as delicious as they were when fresh.

More Brownie Recipes

• Cheesecake Brownies
• GF Red Velvet Brownies
• Flourless Turtle Cheesecake Brownies
• Gluten Free Red Velvet Brownies for Two