How to make ceremonial cacao

Five minutes, one ingredient, a bit of care.

Start simple

15g

New to cacao

If you're new to cacao, start with around a 15g serving.

20–25g

Everyday cup

For an everyday cup, 20-25g is a great place to be.

40–42g

Traditional ceremonial

A traditional ceremonial serving is often around 40-42g. Unless you have some experience with cacao, there's no need to start there.

Make it smooth

Roasted Witoca Shaman coffee beans with pineapple, passion fruit and star fruit

1

Chop your cacao with a sharp knife, keeping the pieces roughly the same size so they melt evenly. Alternatively, use our easy-to-melt cacao drops — each one is approximately 1g.

Bowl of loose guayusa leaves and a cup of brewed Guayusa tea

2

Add your cacao to a pan with a small amount of hot water and gently melt it into a smooth paste. Take your time here and combine the cacao and water really well — we believe this is one of the secrets to an exceptional cup.

HASA honey in a bowl with a honey dipper, a cup of tea and honeycomb

3

Gradually add around 250ml of hot water or plant milk, stirring as you go. Keep it hot, but never let it boil.

Ceremonial Cacao Bar segments with Palo Santo and a cup of cacao drink

4

Whisk by hand, use a milk frother or blend until beautifully smooth and frothy.

Bowl of Ceremonial Cacao Drops and a cup of cacao drink with Palo Santo

5

Water gives you the purest expression of the cacao. Plant milk will make it softer, richer and creamier. There really isn't a wrong choice — make the cup you enjoy drinking.

"A pinch of good-quality mineral salt can also bring out the flavour beautifully."

Real 100% cacao is rich, deep and naturally slightly bitter - not sweet. That's exactly how it should be.
Drink it as it is, or sweeten to taste with a little honey, maple syrup or agave. A pinch of good-quality mineral salt can also bring out the flavour beautifully.
Once you've got the basics right, it's time to experiment and make it your own. Cinnamon, chilli, orange oil and other spices can all work beautifully, but we like to say that really good cacao doesn't need much.

Quick answers

It won't dissolve / it's gritty. It won't dissolve / it's gritty.

Melt it into a paste with a small amount of hot water first, then add the rest gradually. Whisk, froth or blend. Even-sized pieces melt more evenly.

It tastes bitter. It tastes bitter.

Real 100% cacao is naturally slightly bitter — that's how it should be. Sweeten to taste with honey, maple or agave, and try a pinch of mineral salt.

Water or milk? Water or milk?

Water gives the purest expression of the cacao; plant milk makes it softer and creamier. There's no wrong choice.

How much should I use? How much should I use?

Start at around 15g. 20–25g for an everyday cup. 40–42g is a traditional ceremonial serving — no need to start there.

Ready to try it?

Our 1kg hand-cut Arriba Nacional is the bag for a daily ritual — around fifty cups.

Shop the 1kg Shop the Drops

Go further

Once you've got the basics, our recipes take it from there.

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