dessert

Chocolate Tamal

Name: Chocolate Tamal
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 12–15 tamales
Ingredients: 264g (9.3 oz) Abuelita chocolate, chopped; 195 ml (6.5 oz) hot water; 908g (2 lb) masa para tamal; 480 ml (2 cups) brown sugar; 142g (5 oz) cocoa powder; 1 tsp vanilla extract; salt, to taste; corn husks, soaked

↓ Jump to recipe

Prep

30 minutes

Cook

1 hour 15 minutes

Total

1 hr 45 min

Serves

12–15 tamales

Unwrapped chocolate dessert tamal on a corn husk

Soft, chocolatey, and just sweet enough, a dessert tamal that smells like hot chocolate and tastes like a thick brownie wrapped in masa. The steam is what makes the texture what it is.

Ingredients

264g (9.3 oz) Abuelita chocolate, chopped
195 ml (6.5 oz) hot water
908g (2 lb) masa para tamal
480 ml (2 cups) brown sugar
142g (5 oz) cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
salt, to taste
corn husks, soaked

Instructions

1
Dissolve the chopped Abuelita chocolate in hot water, stirring until smooth.
2
In a large bowl, combine the masa with the melted chocolate mixture.
3
Add vanilla extract, brown sugar, cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt. Mix until fully incorporated.
4
Scoop 60g (2 oz) of the chocolate masa onto a soaked corn husk.
5
Fold and seal the husk.
6
Steam for 45 minutes.
7
Remove from the steamer and let rest for 30 minutes before serving, they firm up as they cool.

Cook's Note

The 30-minute rest after steaming is not optional. Hot tamales straight out of the steamer are too soft and wet, they fall apart when you unwrap them. Let them firm up completely before serving.

Best Served With

A mug of champurrado (Mexican chocolate drink) or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Good with mezcal-soaked cherries on the side.

Why This Recipe Works

Abuelita chocolate brings cinnamon and sweetness that regular cocoa doesn't. The masa soaks up the melted chocolate as it steams, so the flavor goes all the way through rather than sitting on the surface. Steaming instead of baking keeps the texture soft and moist.

Make It Yours

Stuff with a piece of dark chocolate before folding for a molten center
Add a pinch of cayenne to the masa mix for a spicy-chocolate version
Serve with a drizzle of chocolate syrup and a spoonful of crema
Add chopped pecans or walnuts to the masa for texture

Leftover Strategy

Keeps refrigerated 3 days still in the husks. Reheat by steaming 10 minutes or microwave still wrapped for 1–2 minutes.

Want to impress guests with this dish? Ask Jeff →

Pairing

Champurrado or Mexican hot chocolate. Or a small pour of aged rum that echoes the sweetness of the Abuelita chocolate.