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    "Home" » Drinks

    Caribbean Cocoa Tea

    Published: Jan 18, 2022 by Althea Brown · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Caribbean Cocao Tea is spiced hot cocoa beverage popular in Guyana and the Caribbean. It is perfect for a cool rainy day or if you live in the US fall and winter months.

    cocoa tea in a white enamel cup

    In Guyana we call all hot beverages tea. There is regular tea, milk tea, bush tea, baby milk or formula is also tea and even coffee tea. So there is no surprise that this is called cocoa tea and not hot chocolate. The addition of spices takes this beverage up a notch from your every day hot cocoa or chocolate.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients for Cocoa Tea
    • Step by Step Cocoa Tea Recipe Guide
    • Substitutions
    • Variations to Cocoa Tea
    • Storing the cocoa sticks
    • Buying enamel cups
    • Printable Recipe Card

    Ingredients for Cocoa Tea

    Ingredients for cocoa tea on a white background
    • Pure Cocoa Sticks (Also comes in a cocoa ball). If you are in the US you can buy cocoa sticks here)
    • Milk of your choice
    • Cinnamon Sticks
    • Fresh Grated nutmeg'
    • Bay Leaf (optional)
    • Sugar (I love Demerara Sugar)

    See recipe card for quantities.

    Step by Step Cocoa Tea Recipe Guide

    First step in making cocoa tea is grating the cocoa sticks. I use the small shred side of a box grater.

    grating cocoa sticks with a box grater

    I love this box grater with a pull out drawer. It is so convenient. You can get one by clicking on my amazon affiliate link here.

    grated cocoa in a box grater pull out drawer

    Once you have your cocoa ready, boil your milk with the spices, but keep an eye on it so that it doesn't spill over the pot.

    milk and spices in a pot

    Then add the grated cocoa in and continue too boil until all of the cocoa dissolves into the spiced milk and sweeten how every you like.

    cocoa tea in a pot

    Finally brew (also called cooling) the tea.

    Brewing tea with two enamel cups
    Brewing/cooling tea with two enamel cups

    If you love cocoa tea, you may also like my Vanilla Chai Recipe!

    Substitutions

    Hersheys cocoa powder and cocoa sticks

    Although the ingredients for cocoa tea are pretty simple, the cocoa sticks may be hard to find. Here are a few substitutions to make the recipe accessible where ever you are in the world

    • Cocoa Sticks - instead of cocoa sticks, you may also use pure cocoa, like Hershey's cocoa found in the baking section in most supermarkets. Or any other kind of 100% pure cocoa
    • Milk - In this recipe I used unsweetened almond milk, but feel free to use any milk you like.
    • Sugar - I used Demerara sugar because it adds a flavor to the cocoa tea that connects me to my childhood, but regular brown sugar or any sweetened that you would typically add too hot chocolate or tea works well
    • Bay Leaf - The bay leaf used in this recipe is the fresh bay leaf but the dry bay leaf also works and is optional based on taste preference.

    Variations to Cocoa Tea

    birds custard powder

    Some people like to add a tablespoon of custard powder or cornstarch to their cocoa tea to give it a smooth creamy texture. I prefer mine without it.

    Storing the cocoa sticks

    If you are using cocoa sticks or a cocoa ball for this recipe, feel free to store any left over in your refrigerator. It keeps the sticks fresh longer.

    Cocoa tea and crackers

    A childhood fave was always cocoa tea and salt biscuits (saltines) with butter. Dipping the buttered crackers into the tea is still my favorite thing!

    Buying enamel cups

    Want to buy a set of enamel cups like these? In the US they are called camping cups and you can find them at my amazon affiliate link.

    cocoa tea in a white enamel cup

    Printable Recipe Card

    cocoa tea in a white enamel cup

    Caribbean Cocoa Tea

    A rich spiced hot cocoa beverage
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course Beverage
    Cuisine Caribbean

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 ounce Raw Cocoa or ¼ cup
    • 6 cups Milk
    • 2 Cinnamon Sticks
    • ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg freshly grated
    • 1 Bayleaf optional
    • 1 tablespoon Custard Powder optional
    • Sugar to taste ½ cup

    Instructions
     

    • If using cocoa sticks or balls, grate about 1 ounce or ¼ cup of cocoa
    • To a large saucepan add milk, cinnamon sticks, bayleaf and grated nutmeg. Then add to high heat and bring to a roaring/rolling boil
    • Reduce the heat to medium, then continue to simmer for 5 minutes, then add the cocoa powder and mix well until it dissolves into the spiced milk
    • If using custard powder, scoop ½ cup of the warm milk into a cup, then add the custard powder to the cup and mix until dissolves. Next add the milk back into the pot and mix well. Continue to simmer for a minute or two
    • Then sweetened to your liking
    • Before serving you can brew the tea by using two cups and pouring the tea with a lift of about a foot and pouring into the other cup. This aerates the tea and makes it light and frothy

    Notes

    Please note that I do not add the optional custard powder to my cocoa tea as this is not the typical way that we make it in Guyana, but in some Caribbean countries it is added as a thickener, so I added it to the ingredients in case that's the version you know. 
     
    Keyword Caribbean cocoa tea, Caribbean hot chocolate, Caribbean hot cocoa, Cocoa tea
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    Comments

    1. Lillian says

      January 01, 2023 at 4:36 am

      5 stars
      Such a warming delightful drink!! I’d never seen bay leaves in a drink before or heard of cocoa tea and it did not disappoint. I’ve been making this for two winters now, exactly as the recipe says and it ends up perfect every time.

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Althea! I have a real passion for cooking, especially traditional Caribbean recipes with deep roots! I was born and raised in Georgetown, Guyana and now live in Denver, Colorado with my husband and 3 kids. I am a Whole30 Certified Coach and love sharing wholesome remixes to traditional Guyanese and Caribbean dishes.

    More about me →

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