How To Make Mexican Coffee

Author: Melissa Collins

Updated: October 19, 2022

Mexican coffee is well known for its sweet yet spicy flavor profile. For years, people have turned to Mexican coffee for an interesting taste and Certified Organic beans. Mexico is often overlooked when it comes to the great coffee bean producers of the world. However, its coffee is sweet, delicious, and provides a unique experience, as well as many health benefits.

A Quick History of Mexican Coffee

Mexico first had coffee plants in the 1700s, when colonists from Spain brought the plants from the Dominican Republic and Cuba. However, growing coffee plants didn’t take off at the time because the country focused more on exporting minerals such as silver and gold. Coffee didn’t become more of a valuable export in Mexico until the 1860s.

In the 1860s, Mexico had to register land due to a border dispute. Lots of land was put up for auction, and wealthy Europeans from countries like Germany and Italy began to invest in Mexican land. These investors began coffee farms in the southern regions of Mexico. At first, these farms were tended to by locals who essentially functioned as indentured servants until labor laws freed them in 1914.

These locals, now skilled and freed, continued to work in the coffee industry as it became bigger and bigger in Mexico. From 1973-1990, production in Mexico experienced another boost. Some of the farming land was bought back. Unfortunately, the worldwide coffee industry experienced a bust in the 1990s, and coffee’s price plummeted.

Mexico’s coffee industry hasn’t quite returned to its previous strength, but today it is among the biggest producers in the world. It’s the 10th largest producer and the #1 source of Fair Trade and Certified Organic beans. Mexico is an excellent example of how skilled farming and innovation can revive an industry, and thankfully most of the land is back under Mexican ownership.

What Is Mexican Coffee Made Of?

An important note to make is that the phrase “Mexican coffee” can mean different things. If you are ordering a bag of coffee beans, Mexican coffee likely indicates that the beans came from Mexico. If you order Mexican coffee at a restaurant, however, you are likely ordering a coffee drink that has additional things added to it.

Usually, a Mexican coffee drink is made of brewed coffee beans sourced from Mexico, together with cinnamon, sugar, and chocolate. Mexican coffee at a restaurant will likely be a thicker, sweeter mixed drink akin to a latte or a mocha. It pairs perfectly with breakfast pastries such as cinnamon rolls.

You can also order a Mexican coffee cocktail. This drink will be made of brewed Mexican coffee, cinnamon, and chocolate, but additionally with some type of liquor such as tequila or rum. Some places top the cocktail off with whipped cream or even ice cream.

Either way, when you order Mexican coffee, it’ll be a sweet, delicious treat. If you would prefer to leave out the alcohol, make sure the Mexican coffee you’re getting is not a cocktail version.

Does Mexican Coffee Have Caffeine?

Like many other kinds of coffee, Mexican coffee does indeed have caffeine. It’s also available in decaf, which still has some caffeine but in a smaller concentration.

Decaffeinating Mexican coffee beans is most successful when the beans are still green. At this stage, the caffeine can be removed successfully and the taste, aroma, and flavor characteristics of the coffee aren’t altered. If you are cutting back on caffeine or looking for another decaf option, don’t worry: You can have the medium-bodied taste and unique aroma of Mexican coffee, without the caffeine.

Typically, Mexican coffee is enjoyed two ways–as traditional drip coffee with Mexican coffee beans finely ground, or as a popular drink with cinnamon and chocolate. You can even enjoy Mexican coffee cocktails. No matter which way you consume Mexican coffee, you will be getting caffeine out of it.

How To Make Mexican Coffee

With Mexican coffee beans and a few other simple ingredients, you can create a delicious and traditional Mexican coffee drink. Topped with whipped cream, this drink is perfect for a pick-me-up in the afternoon or for weekend brunch.

The ingredients you’ll need for Mexican coffee:

5 cups water
¾ cup ground
Mexican coffee (decaffeinated or regular)
½ cup milk
½ cup heavy cream
⅓ cup chocolate syrup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whipped cream for topping, or chocolate shavings

How to make it:

Brew the coffee grounds and cinnamon together. Add the cinnamon and grounds to the filter basket of your coffee maker, then add water and brew as normal.
In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream, chocolate syrup, milk, and brown sugar to a simmer over low heat.
Once simmering, remove from heat. Add brewed coffee to the mixture.
Add vanilla extract with a whisk.
Pour the Mexican coffee mixture into individual cups and top with chocolate shavings and/or whipped cream. Enjoy!

What Does Mexican Coffee Taste Like?

Mexican coffee tastes great! Higher quality Mexican coffee beans that are of a specialty grade are often compared to high-quality white wine: Delicate and dry with a little bit of fruitiness and sweetness. Drinking Mexican coffee is definitely an experience.

Specialty-grade Mexican coffees are grown in the mountains of Chiapas. In these mountains, coffee plants are able to rival Guatemalan coffee in sweetness and complexity. Like many other coffee sources, however, Mexican coffee does present a range of flavor profiles. Some Mexican coffee has spicy or earthy flavor notes. Either way, your cup of Mexican coffee will likely provide a gentle sweetness with a little kick.

Mexican coffee is also great for blending. Its flavor profile pairs well with a variety of coffee beans, so a lot of specialty coffee blends feature Mexican beans. The sweetness is a great way to bring out flavors from other types of beans. No matter what, Mexican coffee is highly delicious.

10 Health Benefits of Mexican Coffee

Not only does Mexican coffee taste sweet, spicy, and amazing, it also helps you stay healthy. The health benefits that Mexican coffee offers include:

It protects your liver. Your liver is a highly important organ that can, unfortunately, be commonly affected by diseases such as hepatitis. Some of these conditions lead to cirrhosis, where scar tissue replaces your liver. Research has shown that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of developing cirrhosis. Having Mexican coffee may help you protect your liver.
It can boost your physical performance. Since caffeine is a stimulant and Mexican coffee contains caffeine, drinking a cup can make a drastic impact on your physical performance. Caffeine stimulates the nervous system and increases adrenaline levels. Studies have shown it increases physical performance by 12% on average, so it might help to have Mexican coffee a half an hour to an hour before you hit the gym.
It aids fat burn. Many fat-burning supplements contain caffeine because caffeine is a natural substance that burns fat. The good news is, your cup of Mexican coffee can help you burn fat as it enhances the release of fatty acids, which your body uses for fuel. Caffeine has also been shown to boost the rate of metabolism.
It can help lower your risk of dementia. Dementia is a neurodegenerative disease that is preventable. Together with healthy eating and exercise, drinking can help lower your risk of getting dementia. Studies have shown that coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of suffering from neurodegenerative diseases.
It helps prevent colon cancer. Cancer is a leading cause of death, but luckily research has shown that drinking coffee can help prevent two kinds of cancer in particular: liver cancer, and colon cancer. In one study, people who drank a few cups of coffee per day had a 15% lower risk of developing colon cancer.
It can help lower your risk of Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes impacts millions of people globally and is an important health issue. Diabetes develops due to a resistance to insulin. Studies have shown that drinking coffee helps to lower the risk of getting this common disease. In one study, a daily cup of coffee was associated with a 7% reduction in risk.
It improves mood. Since caffeine is a stimulant, drinking coffee provides a boost not only to your physical performance but to your brain and mental wellbeing as well. It appears that having coffee lowers your risk of developing depression. Not only does a morning cup help you become alert but it can make you happier, as well.
It helps prevent heart disease. While caffeine does increase blood pressure and may be bad for people who have high blood pressure, in general, drinking Mexican coffee lowers your risk of stroke and can help prevent heart disease. Typically, any increase in blood pressure that coffee provides diminishes over time.
It contains stimulant properties. Coffee is well known to provide a boost of energy, thanks to its caffeine content. Drinking Mexican coffee can improve your energy levels, and help you feel more alert. However, it’s important to keep in mind that caffeine is a stimulant drug. This is why you need to limit your intake and only have a cup or two of coffee per day.
It can provide an overall boost to your health. Beyond all of these individual benefits, coffee contains essential nutrients that support your health in general. Just one cup of Mexican coffee has riboflavin, magnesium, potassium, and more. Research has also shown that coffee can help you live longer.

Coffee provides a variety of antioxidants and other nutrients. Overall, it’s regarded as quite healthy. Just remember to keep it that way by refraining from adding too much sugar to your Mexican coffee, and hold yourself to no more than a few cups a day.

Summary

Mexican coffee is well known around the world for its sweet and delicate flavor profile. If you haven’t experienced Mexican coffee yet, try it out! Remember:

Mexico is becoming one of the largest coffee producers in the world, and your purchase of Mexican coffee helps support Mexican farmers who have been able to reclaim ownership of Mexico’s coffee industry.
“Mexican coffee” can indicate both coffee beans that derive from Mexican farms, and a specific type of coffee drink. Ordering Mexican coffee at a restaurant may result in a creamy, milky, sweet drink being brought to you.
It is possible to make Mexican coffee cocktails, so check to be sure that your order is alcohol-free if that’s what you would prefer.
You can make Mexican coffee at home! Brew Mexican coffee grounds with cinnamon added right to your coffee maker. Then add the brewed coffee to a simmering mixture of spices, heavy cream, and milk.
Mexican coffee is sweet and spicy, and pairs well in coffee blends. It also provides a variety of health benefits, so your whole health is supported when you drink a cup of Mexican coffee!

Making Mexican Coffee

Mexican coffee is a sweet and delicious drink. It provides a kick of caffeine and a variety of health benefits. You’ll find that it goes well with many different foods and drinks–other coffee blends, breakfast pastries, and even alcohol in a cocktail. Mexico is becoming more and more recognized for its coffee production, and rightly so! The next time you see Mexican coffee on the menu at a restaurant, give it a try, or make it at home for a sweet treat.