• Home
  • Press
  • Meet Sweet Life
  • Work with me
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

Sweet Life

Cooking, Eating, Living My Sweet Life in Texas

  • Home
  • New Cookbook!
  • Videos
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Entrees
    • Salsas & Dips
    • Soups & Stews
    • Sides
    • Sweet Treats
    • Drinks
    • Holidays
  • Cocktails
    • Margaritas
    • Tequila
    • Pisco
    • Rum
    • Vodka
    • Bourbon
    • Brandy
    • Whiskey
    • Champagne
    • Gin
    • Wine
    • Beer
    • Rum
    • Campari
    • Infusions
    • Holiday Cocktails
  • Entertaining
  • DIY Projects
  • The Tex-Mex Queen
  • En Español
Baked Goods » Tamales de Chocolate y Nuez

Tamales de Chocolate y Nuez

2.4K shares
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Tamales de Chocolate y Nuez

Tomorrow is December 12 a day dedicated to La Reina de Mexico (The Queen of Mexico), The Celebration of the Virgin Mary. We will bundle up as a family and head out to 5:30 am mass to sing Las Mananitas to the Virgin Mary and attend mass. This year I am even more excited as my little sister and her kids will be joining us.  The more the merrier! After mass, as we always do we will head out to our favorite panderia (bakery) and pick up freshly made bolillos to enjoy with our breakfast.

Last year I baked bolillos for the occasion, but this year I plan to arrive home to a steamy pot of sweet tamales. A chocolate based masa with a hint of chile and lightly sweetened with piloncillo. Filled with pecans and chocolate chips these tamales are best accompanied by una taza de café bien cargado, like my papi would say. And after such an early start to the morning a strong cup of coffee and sweet tamale is exactly what I crave, Enjoy!  

 

 

On December 12 millions will gather for processions, prayer, song, dance and community to celebrate La Reina de Mexico (The Queen of Mexico) on her feast day. The Celebration of the Virgin Mary begins on December 3 and ends on her dedicated day the December 12.

This day is set aside to honor the day she appeared on Tepeyac the pre hispanic site of the temple Tontanslin where her imaged appeared on Juan Diego’s tilma (cloak) as he consulted with the Bishop Zumárraga.

 

 

My mom re-heats her tamales the next day on a warm comal. The tamale husk crisp slightly and the masa toasts up a bit like a gordita. The house wafts a corn smell that quickly draws everyone into her tiny kitchen. Give it a try next time.

Print
Tamales de Chocolate y Nuez
Author: Vianney Rodriguez
Ingredients
  • 18 corn husks
  • 2 cups masa harina Maseca
  • 1/3 cup cocoa
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground chile ancho powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 ¾ cups warm milk
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • ¾ cup piloncillo grated
  • 3 tablespoons warm milk
  • Filling
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips
  • ½ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
  1. Prepare the corn husks: Place corn husks into a large heatproof bowl or stockpot. Cover the husk with enough boiling water to cover. Place a heatproof plate on the husks to keep them submerged. Soak for 1 hour.
  2. In a large mixing bowl stir together masa harina, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, chile powder, and salt. Slowly add warm milk and beat until all the liquid is absorbed and semi-firm dough forms; remove dough shape into a ball and cover with lightly damp paper towels, set aside. In the same mixing bowl cream the butter and piloncillo until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula occasionally. Add masa harina dough to the mixer with creamed butter/piloncillo mixture. Continue to beat the dough, adding the warm milk one spoonful at a time to create soft creamy dough. If the dough is too wet beat in one tablespoon of masa harina at a time, you do not want your masa too crumbly. The chocolate masa will be the consistency of a brownie batter.
  3. Spread chocolate masa about 1/2 inches thick on corn husk with spoon, leaving about ½ inch border along the sides and 2 inch border along the top and bottom of husk. Sprinkle with pecans and mini chocolate chips and fold sides until they just overlap, fold narrow end under using the husk to press dough over filling. Place tamale folded side down and repeat.
  4. Place the tamales in a large steamer upright. Fill the pot of water with only enough water to touch the steamer, about 2 inches. The water should not touch the tamales. Lay a damp cloth over the tamales and cover with lid. Keep the water at a low boil, checking the pot occasionally to make sure the water doesn’t boil away. Add more water as needed. Steam the tamales for 45-55 minutes.
Recipe Notes

Tamales are done when the inside pull away from the husk. The tamale should be soft, firm and not mushy.
You can use thin strips of corn husks to tie the tamale together, although this is isn’t necessary.

Baked Goods// Desserts// Holidays// Mexican11 Comments

Related Posts

Tamalada con La Michoacana – Homemade Pork Tamales
Bean Cheese and Potato Tamales with Roasted Poblano Salsa
Tamale Pies

 

 

« Christmas Cream Cookies with Rompope Frosting
Cinnamon Persimmon Margarita »

Comments

  1. A Canadian Foodie says

    December 18, 2012 at 6:10 am

    I love tamales – but would not be interested in these. Odd, eh? Have certainly missed you stopping by!
    🙂
    V

    Reply
  2. mjskit says

    December 12, 2012 at 6:58 pm

    Oh I love sweet tamales, but I’ve never made chocolate ones! These look fabulous and might just be the sweet tamales I make this year. Your pictures definitely make me want to eat a couple of them (to start). Have a wonderful holiday season my friend!

    Reply
  3. yummychunklet says

    December 12, 2012 at 5:42 pm

    What sweet looking tamales!

    Reply
  4. Paz says

    December 12, 2012 at 5:03 pm

    Have a wonderful celebration!

    Reply
  5. Heather @girlichef says

    December 12, 2012 at 6:20 am

    I need a couple of these…they look so rich and delicious! Curious though… what is ?cocoa ;P (but really, I’d love to know the amount because I’m adding these to my to-make list)

    Reply
  6. Pilar says

    December 12, 2012 at 4:42 am

    You got me, the deep color of the chocolate with the nuts, sounds so delicious.
    I always warm my tamales using a comal…. love the crusty and the melt in your mouth texture.

    Reply
  7. Lea Ann says

    December 12, 2012 at 4:26 am

    Enjoy the celebration Vianney. Those tamales look truly amazing. How much cocoa do you put in? It looks like the recipe has a ?

    Reply
  8. rebecca says

    December 11, 2012 at 7:04 pm

    wow these look so good, enjoy the festivities lovely lady

    Reply
  9. Rosa says

    December 11, 2012 at 10:46 am

    Original! Those must taste wonderful. A lovely treat.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Welcome to Sweet Life.

I'm Vianney, an Award-Winning Food Blogger, Recipe Developer and the Author of The Tex-Mex Slow Cooker and Latin Twist. Here in South Texas, we love to entertain and spend time in the company of good people. Sweet Life is a celebration of that connection and the vibrant, unique culture of South Texas.

Featured Cocktails

El Muerto Cocktail recipe

El Muerto Cocktail

October 30, 2023 | Leave a Comment

how to make the donkey lady cocktail

The Donkey Lady Cocktail

October 28, 2023 | Leave a Comment

cazuela tequila cocktail

Hibiscus Mint Tequila Punch

August 11, 2023 | Leave a Comment

Cocktail Catering

cocktail catering services, texas, south texas, aransas pass, port aransas, corpus christi texas, south padre island, harlingen, brownsville, mcallen, edinburg, san antonio, houston

Sweet Life on Google +

Follow me on Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2025 · Sweet Life · Privacy Policy