ki’XOCOLATL Authentic Mexican Chocolate
Many who have read my 2016 Top 10 Chocolate Shops list in National Geographic Traveler mentioned how they hadn’t heard of several of the entries I included. That’s great! It’s my job to introduce you to the world of chocolate and seek out the most innovative and creative chocolate makers and chocolatiers. One of the entries on that list is ki’XOCOLATL Authentic Mexican Chocolate located in the city of Mérida, in the Yucatan region of Mexico. (This is the site for North American customers. They also have a site for domestic orders in Mexico here.
Stephanie Verbrugge, one of the partners at ki’Xocolatl, was happy to take us through a tasting of ki’Xocolatl’s unique blend of flavours. In addition to the bars, I loved the cocoa dusted cocoa nibs that come in a decorative tin.
I introduced you to the highlights of my Mérida visit in this post. But my primary reason for visiting the city was not for sightseeing, but rather to explore both the ki’XOCOLATL chocolate factory, as well as one of its retail locations. I was pleased with both. All ki’XOCOLATL chocolate products are made with organic low-temperature roasted Criollo cacao grown primarily in the Tabasco and Chiapas regions of Mexico. All flavour additives are local and organic other than the cane sugar, which is not organic.
I enjoyed the Mayan art at ki’XOCOLATL almost as much as the chocolate!
The name “ki’XOCOLATL” is Mayan for delicious chocolate and a tribute to the Mayan culture’s love of cacao. The company produces 10 different flavours of bars, and 90 different flavours of chocolate products. Ever tried chocolate shampoo? ki’XOCOLATL makes that from pure cocoa butter, aloe vera, coconut, and honey. They also make chocolate soap and other personal products as part of their “xocotherapy” line.
The ki’XOCOLATL chocolate shop in Santa Lucia Park in downtown Merida is a great place to enjoy a chocolate treat inside or outdoors at these comfortable tables adjacent to the stage where you might catch an outdoor performance or activity.
The ki’XOCOLATL chocolate factory is located in a secured property on the west side of Mérida. It is generally not open to the public. There are three retail locations where you can shop and sample the ki’XOCOLATL edible and topical cocoa products as well as enjoy café creations made with ki’XOCOLATL cocoa such as the amazing hot chocolate. It may just be the best I’ve ever had!
The Traditional Mexican Hot Chocolate made at ki’Xocolatl with organic chocolate paste, natural cinnamon, and cane sugar. You can have it whitened and whipped with milk or water, I chose the whole milk, and the result was a creamy delicious elixir that was not too sweet and not too heavy. Pure perfection!
I really loved the ki’XOCOLATL chocolate as it is made with great pride, and an intent to keep the flavours as authentically Mexican as possible, while being creative in the flavour blends. My favourite bar is the 72% dark Criollo chocolate bar made with Lima Lime from Campeche and almonds. ki’XOCOLATL chocolate bars have a shelf life of one to two years and are packed first in a foil envelope and then in a colourful cardboard sleeve, so they travel well and make an excellent gift or souvenir from your chocolate travels to the Yucatan. Enjoy!
Doreen Pendgracs, this exploration of ki’XOCOLATL and authentic Mexican chocolate is fascinating! I love how you dive into the rich history and flavors of this treat. What’s your favorite way to enjoy authentic Mexican chocolate—drinking it or using it in a recipe?
Found a supplier importing and selling it in the US now on kixocolatl.us
Thanks for drawing this to my attention, Susan. I’ve now updated the post to include both the US and the new link to the Mexican site for ki’Xocolatl in Merida, Mexico.
Hi Doreen
Just by happenstance picked up this chocolate while passing through duty free from Mexico. When I tried it at home, instantly fell in love! I’ve searched the web and it appears there are no importers to the US (at least still open). Have you found this to be true, or do you know of anywhere to get it in the states?
Thank you
Nina
Hello Nina and thanks for your comment. Mexican chocolate is available in only limited quantities in Canada. I know that ki’XOCOLATL Authentic Mexican Chocolate is not available outside the country and that is unfortunate as it is SO good.
We just got back from Merida and our hotel was just across the street from Ki’xocolatl. Oh my! I brought cookies home on the plane. So delicious. My hubby wasn’t interested in my shopping there so I was whisked away before I could look into their products.
Hello Janice and thanks for stopping by. It’s too bad you didn’t have a chance to try the chocolate bars and hot chocolate. Amazing!
Desperate to get some of this in the states. Stopped by this shop in October (with about 15 friends) as I always hunt down the premier chocolatier wherever I travel. Brought back half a dozen of their bars and a bag of cooking chocolate–their cookies, fresh out of the oven are indescribably delicious. I am on my last baron the dark chocolate with coffee beans from Oaxaca. I guess I’ll have to return to Merida if I want to restock!
Hello Cameron and welcome to Chocolatour! If you search for good chocolate wherever you travel, you’ve come to the right place! I’ve personally researched dozens of countries and locations where I have found great chocolate and have interviewed hundreds of fantastic chocolate makers and chocolatiers. Please subscribe to the site and you will find other chocolate makers that may meet the mark of ki’Xocolatl with you. Cheers!
The 72% dark Criollo chocolate bar made with Lima Lime from Campeche and almonds sounds interesting, Doreen. Would love to taste it too! 🙂
Hi Jessica. I hope you’ve had the opportunity to try some ki’XOCOLATL chocolate. If not, I will be giving some away to anyone who books the Chocolatour of the Hawaiian Islands that I am hosting during Valentine Week, 2018. All the companies on my Top 10 Chocolate Shops list have been asked to donate some of their chocolate. See the Tours & Events page on my site for details.
Congrats on your National Geographic feature. Great article. You go girl!
Thanks so much, Pat. It’s been quite the journey, and it’s great to see that people are beginning to acknowledge the knowledge I have gained about the world of chocolate over the past seven years.
I am fascinated by the Mayan Culture and somehow these chocolates seem to exude the flavour of the Mayan heritage. I am sure they taste lovely and exotic.
Yes, there is indeed something quite exotic and mystical about the Mayan culture. And yes, the k’XOCOLATL chocolate really does taste good! I think you would enjoy a trip through the Yucatan region to explore both!
Hi Doreen, Wow, what an impressive article in National Geographic. Loved it! I was just thinking, wouldn’t gift baskets with different chocolate items from your Top 10 Chocolate Shops around the world be outstanding? I wish I could buy one. 🙂
Hi Susan and thanks for the great idea! This is a golden nugget that I will file away for the future. You are brilliant at marketing. And … you have great taste! Have a wonderful day, and thanks for stopping by.
Wow, looks like an amazing place! Have fun, Doreen
I really enjoyed Merida, Kristina, and ki’XOCOLATL is really a highlight for any chocolate lover visiting the region.
Sounds delicious! Definitely something to try when for the next time I’m in Mexico!
Yes, ki’XOCOLATL proudly has the widest distribution of its chocolate products in all of Mexico. Enjoy!
Another great post, and informational about chocolate. This has been an eye opening experience reading about different types of chocolate from around the world, nice that you have come back to the place of what is considered its origins.
Thanks, William. Yes, I had no idea what I’d find when I began investigating Mexican chocolate. Most of what I’d previously had had been flat and grainy. But I’ve now discovered a whole world of fabulous Mexican chocolate options that I’m happy to share with all. That’s the thing about chocolate. It’s everywhere. You just have to know where to look to find the good stuff.
I usually go for milk chocolate, but the 72% with lime sounds delicious as an afternoon snack. I never knew chocolate could keep for up to 2 years!
Hi Mar. Yes, pure dark chocolate bars that don’t have fruit or nuts in it will keep very well for one to two years. Thx for your comment.
Sounds delicious. I like when hot spices are included in dark chocolate. Oh, and throw in a handful of nuts. 🙂
HI Rose, and thx for stopping by. Yes, I love nut infusions with chocolate, too. I love nuts and caramel with chocolate. That turtle-style blend really makes me blissful.
Oh my, even your cup looks really tempting and based from how you describe it, it looks like they can really offer the best cocoa and/or chocolates ever. I don’t mind not being open to the public but I hope they can market themselves to different places (or countries) as well.
Hi Karla: The chocolate shop locations of ki’XOCOLATL are definitely open to the public! It’s the factory that is not open to the public, except by special invitation. So you could enjoy the hot chocolate and other delectable treats just as I did. Cheers, and thanks for stopping by.
90 different chocolate flavoured products – really?
I am fast becoming a chocolate connoisseur – chocolate and chilli, chocolate and orange, chocolate and ginger, chocolate and beetroot………..
I always enjoying reading your chocolate tales.
Hello Phoenicia. I think the “90 chocolate products” includes the chocolate toiletries as well. Congrats on expanding your chocolate tastings to include some adventurous pairings. It makes the world of chocolate a whole lot more fun!
Thanks for the introduction to ki’XOCOLATL chocolate. There are so many choices in chocolate to explore. It’s hard to know where to start, but you’re a great guide in that process.
Thanks, Jeri. It is a never-ending process. That’s why I’ve devoted the rest of my writing life to chocolate. 🙂
Thanks for sharing a bit about ki’XOCOLATL chocolate. Is the Lima Lime actually lime flavored? That would be interesting as I’ve never had lime flavored chocolate before. I’m a big fan of dark chocolate so that would be good too.
Hi Erica and thx for your comment. The Lima Limes are generally what’s known as sweet limes. They are smaller than the limes we usually see in America or Canada, but not as small as the Key Limes. Lime and dark chocolate go surprisingly well together.
Every time I read one of your beautiful pieces on the chocolate of Mexico I can’t help but flash back over the dozens of times we visited the country and had no clue about the connection to chocolate. My ex-husband would have been in heaven since he absolutely loved the stuff! Beautiful photos and you look like you are having a great time!
Hi Marty. Mexican chocolate has gone thru quite an evolution. It is now much more sophisticated in texture and flavour, but yet authentic in ingredients of the Mexican tradition. I hope you get to try some soon!
Doreen — you get to visit the most beautiful places, and the Mexican hot chocolate sounds delicious. I don’t remember (or maybe didn’t know) that you wrote about the best 10 chocolates for National Geographic. Quite an honor for you to be highlighted in that great travel magazine.
Hi Jeannette and thx for your comment. It was indeed an honour to be asked by National Geographic to write a post highlighting my choices for the 10 best chocolate shops. Keep in mind that that story was highlighting the experience of what you’d find in the shop (or in the case of Cicada, what you’d find in the market) and not just the act of tasting a chocolate. Which in itself can indeed be divine. But sometimes we want a little more …
Ahh…my favorite too! Especially the dark chocolate with organic coffee from Oaxaca. And I can get them here in Ajijic on Lake Chapala (also at the Guadalajara airport). Thanks for sharing their headquarters, Doreen—Merida is on my list to visit this winter!
Thx so much for your comment, Kate! It’s always great to hear from you. I’m glad you enjoy ki-XOCOLATL and that it is available in places outside of Merida. It truly is delicious and creative authentic Mexican chocolate.
Yes; I would be interested in joining other chocolate lovers in a tour. Please keep me posted as to your next group adventure.
That’s fantastic! I will be doing a scouting trip in Sept there to find some great culinary experiences that we can share. Stay tuned! As a subscriber to my site, you will be the first to hear of the updates. 🙂
Thank goodness for your adventurous heart. You give us chocolate lovers a reason to take our taste buds abroad.
Yay, Janie! That is precisely;y what I am attempting to do. Thx for your encouragement, and I hope you might consider joining us in the group Chocolatour next Sept. Details to follow!
I would love to sit at an outdoor table at the shop located in downtown Merida and enjoy a cup of creamy, steamy hot chocolate!
It’s an amazing experience, Bev. I feel so blessed that I am not only able to enjoy these experiences at the moment, but am able to relive them with I share them with you. Cheers, and have a lovely day.
I have in fact tried both chocolate shampoo and chocolate soap when I stayed in the Hershey, Pa., hotel. I have to say that when it comes to cleansing products I prefer the more conventional variety. When it comes to chocolate, however, ki’XOCOLATL sounds awesome.
You’re one up on me, Ken. I’ve not yet stayed at the Hershey Rerort & Spa, although it is on my list! How did you like it?
And I agree with you about the chocolate shampoos. They certainly smell divine, but I have not found them to clean quite as well as others. I do believe in the restorative powers of cacao, however, and am confident that the cocoa-based products are good for our skin and our hair.
The Hershey Resort and Spa is pretty nice and there are a couple of good restaurants. There’s also some chocolate making experiences that I ended up liking more than I expected. I had made the trip for my son’s benefit because of the amusement park.
Thx for the update, Ken. I hope to get there this fall. I’m not into the amusement part of it, but the spa and culinary aspect coupled with the history of the company will make it an important stop along my US Chocolatour. Cheers!
This place looks beautiful. It looks like you were having a great time. When we were in Mexico, I don’t even think we tried any chocolate. So sad. One question: did you bring home chocolate as a souvenir?
Always, Sabrina! I don’t go anywhere without bringing home chocolate. My husband, friends, and family like it just as much as I do.