Everything You Need To Know About Adding Cheese To Hot Chocolate

When most people make a cup of hot chocolate, their idea of dressing it up is to add a dollop of whipped cream or throw in some marshmallows. Or, if you're after an adults-only vibe, perhaps you'll create a spiked hot chocolate recipe with rum, brandy, or another alcohol (try adding red wine to your hot chocolate for extra richness and warmth). However, there's one ingredient you probably haven't thought to add to your hot chocolate: cheese. While this might sound odd, it's actually a common beverage in Colombia. Daily Meal spoke with Nicole Patel, founder of Delysia Chocolatier in Austin, TX, and winner of over 88 awards including 2025's Best Chocolatier in the Americas, to get some insider insights into this unique drink. 

Patel explains that Colombian hot chocolate with cheese, or chocolate con queso, is made using water, cinnamon, cloves, and unsweetened hot chocolate to make a rich, deeply cocoa-flavored beverage. It's a contrast to sweet, milky American hot chocolate that's often made from powdered mixes. (Though if you're looking for the best hot chocolate mix, check out Daily Meal's round-up of the best brands.) Patel notes, "Chocolate con queso is so popular because the combination of rich, velvety chocolate and salty, melty cheese creates an irresistible flavor contrast," and adds that it's steeped in tradition in the country, with many families creating their own special recipes that they pass down.

When making chocolate con queso, it's important to note that not all cheeses will work in the drink. Nicole Patel explains that mild, white cheeses are the go-tos, with common picks being queso doble crema, queso campesino, queso cuajada, or even a Mexican queso fresco. She notes that these fresh cheeses maintain their structure and absorb the chocolate's flavors, all without becoming oily. Plus, she explains, "The saltiness stimulates our taste receptors, heightening our sensitivity to other flavors, which makes the chocolate taste richer and more intense." Pair that with the chewy texture they have that works against the frothy drink and you've got a match made in heaven.

If you don't have these cheeses on hand, however, don't panic. Patel explains that although queso Colombiano is the traditional pick, "those aren't always so easy to find so some excellent swaps include white cheeses like a halloumi, queso de freir, Oaxaca cheese, or a firm mozzarella can be used as well." Other choices Patel suggests include gruyere, comte, and fontina, although she says, "For something similar, but not exactly traditional, we love grating parmesan on our hot chocolate — again for the saltiness the cheese provides."

While the cheese is certainly a major part of this beverage, the chocolate is important, too. Nicole Patel explains, "You can chop up raw chocolate couverture or opt for a more simple preparation with a premade mix like Delysia Chocolatier's drinking chocolates, made from high-quality cocoa and bits of finely ground cacao." Traditionally, the drink is made with blocks of unsweetened chocolate that are melted into the water, but you can experiment with your own picks if you don't have these on hand.

Patel also offers a few different types of chocolate that you can use to make the drink your own. One choice she suggests is a cayenne drinking chocolate. This pick, she notes, brings on a touch of heat and she says, "perfectly complements a young aged manchego cheese (6 months)." 

Another suggestion Patel offers is to go with a gold drinking chocolate paired with triple cream cheese. She explains, "Gold chocolate gets its natural pale amber hue from caramelized sugars and milk fat, giving it a unique caramelized chocolate taste with notes of rich toffee, butter, cream, and a hint of salt." That, paired with 72% bittersweet chocolate creates a dark and stormy brew perfect for pairing with melty cheese.

If you want to make chocolate con queso at home, there are a few tips you can use to ensure you get a truly delicious cup of chocolate. For starters, pay attention to how you incorporate the cheese into the drink. Nicole Patel explains, "Typically there are cubes of mild white cheese sprinkled on top of a piping hot chocolate." That way, you can easily scoop the cheese into single mouthfuls with a spoon, rather than getting one giant lump of cheese floating in your cup. Patel also notes that you should let the cheese steep in the chocolate for 1 minute. Not only does this help it to melt into that gooey texture, but it also lets it absorb the chocolate beverage.

Another thing to keep in mind when making chocolate con queso is how you stir the drink. Patel explains that constant stirring helps to create a frothy drink, adding that in some homes in Colombia, "a traditional wooden whisk called a molinillo [is used] to create a frothy texture." The constant stirring, paired with slowly heating the water, helps to prevent burning and unwanted bitter flavors in your drink.

Finally, don't forget about how you serve the drink. Patel explains, "This drink is often enjoyed as a breakfast or afternoon snack, typically served with almojábanas or pandebono." Almojábanas are cheesy breads made using cornflour while pandebonos are made using cheese and yuca flour. However, you could also serve the drink alongside crackers or a bread roll. Then, as you drink, enjoy dipping the bread into the brew like they do in Colombia!