No trip to Cabo San Lucas necessary; now you can make this iconic Mexican Coffee with Tequila and Vanilla Ice Cream at home!
This post about Mexican Coffee with Tequila and Coffee Liqueur came about simply. I had published it almost 5 years ago and when someone asked for a recipe I went to find the one on this site and I could barely stand to copy and paste the link…oh those photos; absolutely cringe-worthy. Like many food bloggers; I started to share recipes online from a love of cooking; no one ever told me I would also have to be a food and beverage photographer!
For a long time I was not. I started with a point and click camera which died shortly afterwards. It has been used for the requisite family photos but really…we never catalogued those shots or looked at them much again and I never thought much about things like composition or lighting; it was simply ‘Smile’ and we were done.
I moved on to a nicer camera when it died but truth be told that model lasted less than a year. The DSLR bug hit me and I bit the bullet, got a nice camera and an even nicer lens and then did the only thing that can really make a difference. I practiced…and practiced some more. I still have good days and bad days; some photos I love and others I think totally ‘meh’ but I don’t hate them like I used to and I’m hoping I won’t feel drawn to redo most of the ones of the past 3 years. When I moved into a home with a dedicated space for photos right next to the kitchen it got better; I think sometimes the carting of food and equipment had me weary before I ever started!
So I will sort of redo a photo at the drop of a hat like I did today if I have ingredients on hand and for this I did. As a matter of fact I had been given a bottle Ricardo’s Coffee Liqueur that is made in Colorado and I was dying to try it. It tastes fantastic; absolutely measures up to brand ‘X’ and I love supporting companies in my home state so a great win win. The only negative? It’s only available in Colorado so use your favorite coffee liqueur if you can’t find this one.
I made these this morning so all I can afford is one little sip but fear not…they will not go to waste; I’m already anticipating a nice ‘Iced Mexican Coffee’ in a couple of hours…yum right? Want to do the same? I’ve included notes with the recipe below so check it out.
I originally made these after a friend visited Cabo San Lucas and came back insisting that I come up with a recipe for Mexican coffee. I thought of my Aunt Maria and the Mexican hot chocolate she would make for me; the real stuff. Maria was from Mexico, having met my uncle when he went on a photography assignment to Mexico. He went with a camera and came back with a bride and her young daughter Esmerelda. How I wish she were still alive; to see me change from turning my nose up at her food to loving it and learning how to prepare it for my own friends and family.
A quick search did set me straight…this cocktail is just vaguely similar to Mexican hot chocolate. Very vaguely. No chocolate but instead coffee liqueur and there is a dusting of cinnamon but beyond that? One is a child’s treat and this one is most certainly an adult one.
I could not imagine tequila in coffee…and it was an OH MY moment. It is amazing; a fantastic blend of coffee, coffee liqueur, creamy ice cream and a bite from the tequila. You must try it!
I decided to not risk burning down my home to get photos of flaming the spirits but it is apparently quite the spectacle when made in Cabo. Here? Just a very nice warming cocktail. I even eliminated the flaming in the recipe…I imagine it’s fun in Cabo but in my kitchen I decided to forgo playing with fire. I tried it and even tried taking a photo but when all was said and done; the difference was not worth the effort so I guess you’ll just have to go on vacation for that…Cheers!
PIN ‘Mexican Coffee with Tequila and Vanilla Ice Cream’
Mexican Coffee
10 min
10 mins
Great coffee drink with an extra touch of heat from Tequila!
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons sugar, divided
- 3 ounces tequila, divided
- 3 ounces coffee liqueur (I used Kahlua)
- Ground cinnamon, to dust
- 2 cups prepared coffee, divided
- 2 scoops vanilla ice cream, dividedPour some coffee onto a saucer, do the same with the sugar on another plate.
Directions
- Dip the rim of your glasses into the coffee and then into the sugar to coat the rim.
- Using a kitchen torch or a lighter, caramelize the sugar on the rim.
- Add 1 1/2 ozs of both the tequila and the coffee liqueur to each glass.
- Dust the Kahlua/tequila mixture with cinnamon, add 1 cup of hot coffee and finish each glass with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Dust the ice cream with a shake of cinnamon
Recipe Notes
I did not flame the mixture of tequila and Kahlua; as dramatic as it is in the video...it tastes great without and my house is still standing.
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I love Mexican coffee. By the by which vanilla ice cream is perfect?
I prefer any vanilla bean ice cream with natural ingredients, so real cream, real vanilla, etc. Brands will vary by location so just check ingredients of one you choose.
It Looks delicious, Grind the beans by yourself, pre-ground coffee will lose the flavor!
Thanks for sharing!
Interesting comment since I don’t recommend pre-grinding.
Food and particularly beverage photography is nether easy or intuitive, is it? Really hard work, and I would love to fire my food stylist. Of course that’s me, so I’m stuck. 🙂 Anyway, great drink — love coffee-flavored anything. Thanks.
Particularly beverage photography but still I love it the most. But all of it takes time to learn. I still have so many photos that I just hate so I just redo them as I can; this effort today was pretty quick and dirty but SO much better than what was there. Who knows maybe I’ll need to redo it again 5 years from now (I hope not!). 🙂
How good does this drink sound right about now?!?! And so easy to make!
Make it! I had a friend who had it and I agreed to make it for her. I thought it sounded OK but I was not prepared for how much I loved it. That bite from tequila is just the BEST to keep it from being way too sweet. Hope you enjoy.
Darn – I want one of these right now! However, it’s not even noon and I still have work to do – darn, darn, darn! Definitely has been bookmarked so I can find it this weekend. Gotta have one!
I was not quite prepared for how much I loved this drink. That tequila is sly and just adds a nice, pleasant kick. Did you do it. Can I…it’s only breakfast time here right now!
Hmmmm what it be wrong to make this as my MORNING coffee? 😉
I hear that a lot. Great morning coffee if you ask me. If you have no other plans for the day. 🙂
Glad to hear you didn’t burn the house down. I need one of these. Probably not just yet, though…
No, burning the house down would not be good. If I hadn’t been so tired I might have tried it…but let’s all be glad I didn’t!
I just recently tried Kahlua and I realize I’ve been living under a rock! This looks fantastic and I can’t wait to try it!
Next? I’m making my own Kahlua. Pretty easy too. But back to this drink: I LOVED it…sweet and that heat from tequila. SO good.
As soon as I get some coffee in the house I’m making this. I love dessert cocktails but usually skip them in favor of regular dessert. I think I’ll have to rectify that.
Kahlua I knew before I knew any other liquors so it holds s entimental value. I also love any dessert made with kahlua and it somehow reminds me of a spiked tiramisu. Love your travels through cocktails.
I think I did too Shulie…doesn’t everyone love Kahlua? As chilly as it is today, wish I was doing real travels to those warm locales!
Wow!!! OMG I want one of these! This is not a drink….this is dessert! And come on, Barb, do the flame thing for me! Scrumptious. And what a romantic story! Love this post and love this drink (for the non-drinker that I am!)!
I want to do the flame thing but add to it that it was late and I was so tired…I just took the chicken route for fear of blowing up my house. Next time, promise.
Yum 🙂 I think I need to start celebrating Happy Hour Friday!
Yes…join us. Like we need an excuse for a cocktail, right?
Great cocktail. I can’t believe I watched the entire video, too. Thanks for posting it…now if only I can find a bartender to play with fire while making Mexican coffee!
I hope you are actually using a Mexican grown coffee! While not as robust as its higher elevation cousins, Mexico does actually grow a very nice coffee and some at over 4000 feet!
http://toydogcoffee.com/collections/single-origin-coffees/products/mexico-spirit-of-the-aztec-coffee
I’m using my regular coffee which may or may not be from Mexico. How would I know?
The drink looks amazing. Elegant and beautiful.
It was both and tasted divine to boot. A keeper for sure!
This looks beyond amazing
It is. So good and really the hardest part is the rimmed edge and it’s not even hard; just takes a bit of time to get the sugar just caramelized. Which you smell in every sip. Perfect.
Now you won’t want to have your coffee any other way! Cheers to a warm and sunny time in Cabo 🙂
So true…but I fear starting each morning like this might be a problem? Maybe? NO?
We love torching food at our house, so I may take the risk and flame one of these soon! This sounds like an incredibly tasty drink and perfect for those chilly nights in your neck of the woods and soon to be my part of the country. Have a nice weekend!
I made a quick attempt but think what I would do next time? Warm the tequila and Kahlua; my other flaming dishes call for that. But I was super tired and did not want to lose my home in the effort and it really was amazing even without.
Oooh! How divine! I adore coffee drinks and Kahlua is my favorite mix-in. I know how you feel about your Aunt Maria. There are several women in my family that I would give anything to cook with once again. Just imagine how great it would be if they had written a blog. Maybe someday our children will use ours for needed reference and comfort. I hope.
That’s what I hope too Karen. And there just might me Mexican coffee on the menu tonight!
A trip to Cabo just to witness this bartender in action would be worth the airfare! Great looking and sounding cocktail and I like that you used Kahlua. Love that stuff!
Let’s go…I’m cold and could probably be persuaded pretty easily. Warmer climate and more tequila please. 🙂
YUM! This sounds so tasty right about now. I have a feeling my pumpkin empanada would taste yummier with your Mexican Coffee versus the boring cup of Joe I’m drinking right now. Oh and I love the video — Extraño mexico. Salud!
Yes, the video was a plus..I was not going to attempt to recreate this in my home with their drama!
yummy !! i love coffee based drinks….ice cream makes everything better 🙂
Hehe…so very true. It was like after dinner coffee dessert with a kick.