Honey Cacao Latte Recipe (Hot or Iced)

A honey cacao latte sits somewhere between a mocha and a hot chocolate. It's rich and chocolatey without the heavy sugar load of café syrups, and you can make it with or without coffee. Here's how.

Why cacao?

Raw cacao is made from cacao beans that are processed at lower temperatures than standard cocoa. It tastes deep and slightly bitter and contains flavanols and theobromine. Theobromine is a mild stimulant that's gentler than caffeine. Cacao does contain a small amount of caffeine too, but far less than coffee.

Ingredients (makes 1)

• 1 cup (8 oz) milk of choice (oat and whole milk froth best)
• 1 tablespoon raw cacao powder
• 2 teaspoons honey, or 1 HYVE packet
• 1 shot espresso or ¼ cup strong coffee (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract (skip if using HYVE, which already has vanilla)
• A pinch of sea salt
• Optional: a pinch of cinnamon or cayenne

Hot version

1. Make a paste. In your mug, mix the cacao powder with 2 tablespoons of hot water or hot espresso until smooth. This prevents clumps.
2. Heat the milk. Warm it on the stove or in the microwave until steaming but not boiling, about 150–160°F.
3. Froth. Use a milk frother, a French press (pump the plunger), or shake hot milk in a sealed jar wrapped in a towel.
4. Let it cool slightly, then sweeten. Stir the honey into the cacao paste once it's just below scalding.
5. Combine. Pour the frothed milk over the cacao, holding back the foam with a spoon, then top with foam. Dust with cacao or cinnamon.

Iced version

1. Whisk cacao powder with 2 tablespoons hot water or hot espresso until smooth.
2. Stir in honey while it's still warm so it dissolves completely. Cold liquids make honey clump.
3. Fill a glass with ice and pour in cold milk.
4. Pour the cacao-honey mixture over the top and stir. Or shake everything in a jar with ice for a frothy finish.

Tips for the best latte

• Bloom the cacao in hot liquid. It brings out more flavor and stops it from floating in dry clumps.
• Use a pinch of salt. It makes chocolate taste more chocolatey.
• Don't boil the milk. Overheated milk tastes flat and won't foam as well.
• Adjust the bitterness. Raw cacao can be intense. Start with 2 teaspoons and work up.

Variations

• Mexican-style: Add cinnamon and a tiny pinch of cayenne.
• Mint: Add a drop of peppermint extract.
• Protein: Blend in a scoop of chocolate or vanilla protein powder.
• Mocha: Add the espresso for a coffee-forward drink.

Nutrition notes

Two teaspoons of honey add about 12 grams of sugar. The total depends on your milk choice. If you're watching added sugar, start with a smaller amount of honey and let the cacao and vanilla carry the flavor.

Raw cacao vs cocoa vs hot chocolate mix

Not all chocolate powders are the same. Raw cacao is minimally processed and tends to taste the most intense. Natural cocoa powder is roasted at higher temperatures and is a little mellower. Dutch-processed cocoa is treated with an alkali to reduce acidity, which gives it a darker color and smoother taste but also lowers its flavanol content. Hot chocolate mixes are usually mostly sugar, often with milk powder and only a small amount of cocoa. For this latte, raw cacao or natural cocoa gives you the most chocolate flavor for the least sugar.

The one-ingredient shortcut

HYVE Mind Focus & Memory already tastes like vanilla-chocolate, because it's made with organic raw cacao and organic vanilla in raw, USDA Organic honey. That makes it a natural fit for this latte: one packet replaces the honey and vanilla, and adds a layer of cacao flavor.

Each 14g packet also has 222mg of organic lion's mane extract (20:1, from 100% fruiting body), 80mg of L-theanine and organic bee pollen, at 45 calories and zero caffeine.

Use code WELCOME20 for 20% off your first order.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Not for infants under 12 months or anyone with bee or bee-product allergies.