Ceremonial cacao in Oaxaca has a long and living history. In this southern Mexican state, home to many indigenous peoples such as the Zapotec, Mixtec and Mazatec, cacao has been a drink of daily life, a sacred offering and a medicine for centuries.
Traditionally, cacao was valued for her nourishing and energising qualities and was shared in moments of celebration, healing and prayer. She was part of ceremonies, offerings to the spirits and everyday meals alike.
Over time, the deep spiritual meaning of cacao has been overshadowed by her commercialisation as chocolate. Many people are unaware of the rich heritage of ceremonial cacao and know her only as a sweet treat.
My name is Sharon Fernie and I am the founder of Herbal Cacao, where we share high-quality ceremonial cacao blends with herbs, spices and mushrooms. I have a deep passion for holistic wellness and ancient traditions, and through Herbal Cacao our mission is to support our community on their journey of self-discovery and spiritual growth, while spreading awareness of the profound benefits of ceremonial cacao and other medicinal herbs, adaptogens and mushrooms.
Here in the Herbal Cacao Journal, I explore the fascinating world of active medicinal ingredients, rituals, ancient healing practices and modern wellness, often woven together with experiences from my own life. This post comes straight from my travels through Mexico, where Oaxaca stole my heart.
So whether you are an experienced cacao lover or just beginning your journey, this is your invitation to deepen your understanding of this sacred plant and her profound impact on mind, body and spirit.
Cacao was not only a form of currency in ancient Mesoamerica, but also a key part of rituals and ceremonies, honoured for her nourishing and spiritual qualities.
How Old Is the Cacao Tradition in Oaxaca?
The oldest known traces of cacao drinks in Mexico were found at Paso de la Amada, on the Pacific coast of Chiapas, Oaxaca’s neighbouring state. Residue in a pottery jar there dates to around 1900 to 1500 BCE. Across the wider region, including the Valley of Oaxaca, cacao went on to play a central role for thousands of years.
In Oaxaca, the Zapotec civilisation built the great city of Monte Albán, and cacao was traded, offered and enjoyed throughout the region. Across Mesoamerica, cacao beans were so precious that they were used as a form of currency and paid as tribute, a story I also share in the story of 3 sacred cacao beans. To learn more about her sacred roots, read Cacao: The Divine Food of the Gods.
The Forgotten Legacy of Ceremonial Cacao: Why This Matters
Unfortunately, the commercialisation of cacao has led to a loss of traditional knowledge and practices. The sacred use of cacao in rituals, her place in community life and the wisdom of the people who grow her are often overlooked. This affects not only cultural heritage, but also the livelihoods of indigenous farmers who still cultivate cacao in traditional, sustainable ways.
What Are the Traditional Cacao Drinks of Oaxaca?
On my travels through Mexico, I came across many traditional cacao drinks in the state of Oaxaca. Here, cacao drinks are still an important part of daily life and have a long ceremonial history. Some of the classics are:
Tejate is a pre-Hispanic drink from the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, made from toasted maize, cacao, roasted mamey seeds and rosita de cacao, a fragrant flower that rises to the top as a thick foam. It is served cold, often from large painted bowls, and is known as the drink of the Zapotec and Mixtec peoples. You find it at markets and street stalls across Oaxaca. It is truly a must-try when you visit.
Chocolate Oaxaqueño is ground cacao mixed with sugar, cinnamon and often almonds, pressed into tablets. Many families take their own cacao to one of the chocolate mills in Oaxaca City to have it ground to their own recipe. It is usually whisked with hot water or milk and served in clay cups or bowls. Most tablets already contain sugar, so if you want it less sweet, ask the mill for a custom grind.
Chocolate de agua is Oaxacan chocolate whisked with water instead of milk, frothy and light. It is an everyday drink, often enjoyed with a piece of sweet egg bread for dipping.
 Chocolate de agua |
 Frothing cacao |
 Grinding cacao nibs |
 Tejate |
 Grinding cacao beans |
 Cacao |
 Tejate street vendor |
 Tejate |
Mexico has many more traditional cacao drinks than these 3, but they are the classics you will find all over the state of Oaxaca. Each of them has a long history and is still passed down from generation to generation.
Where Can You Try Traditional Cacao Drinks in Oaxaca?
Local markets: markets such as the Benito Juárez Market in Oaxaca City or the Sunday market in Tlacolula are wonderful places to try tejate and chocolate Oaxaqueño.
Chocolate mills: in Oaxaca City you can watch cacao being ground with sugar and cinnamon, smell the warm chocolate in the air and buy freshly made tablets.
Restaurants and cafés: many restaurants and cafés in Oaxaca City and the surrounding towns serve traditional cacao drinks made with local recipes.
Hotels and B&Bs: some hotels and B&Bs offer chocolate Oaxaqueño at breakfast or in the evening, often in traditional clay cups.
If you want to try traditional cacao drinks, ask locals or local guides for their favourite places. In some indigenous communities, cacao is still used in rituals and ceremonies, which are usually only shared when you are invited by the community.
A Traditional-Style Oaxacan Cacao Recipe
Ancient cacao recipes varied between the different indigenous cultures and communities of the region. Common ingredients in Mesoamerican cacao drinks included water, chilli, vanilla and honey. Here is a simple traditional-style recipe:
- Roast and grind cacao beans into a paste.
- Heat water and add a pinch of ground chilli and some vanilla.
- Mix in the cacao paste and honey or another sweetener to taste.
- Whisk until frothy.
- Serve hot in clay cups or gourds and enjoy.
Depending on the culture and the ceremony, other ingredients such as maize, flowers or other plants could be added, creating a wide variety of flavours and rituals. For a modern ceremonial cup, read how to use ceremonial cacao.
Traditional cacao preparation
Experience the Authentic Taste of Ceremonial Cacao
Nourishment: ceremonial cacao is naturally rich in antioxidants, flavanols and minerals such as magnesium. Unlike most commercial chocolate, pure ceremonial cacao has no added sugar or additives. Curious about the difference? Read is ceremonial cacao chocolate?
Spiritual and cultural meaning: cacao ceremonies connect you with the spiritual heritage of Oaxaca. In these rituals, often held by local curanderas (traditional healers), cacao is shared for purification, healing and setting intentions.
Ethical sourcing: when you choose cacao that is traceable and fairly paid, you help sustain the farmers and communities who cultivate this sacred plant.
Chocolate de agua
Oaxaca is world famous for her chocolate culture, but very little cacao is actually grown there. Most Mexican cacao comes from the states of Tabasco and Chiapas. Oaxaca’s mills and families turn that cacao into the chocolate traditions the region is loved for. How cacao is grown matters, which is why we chose to work with certified organic cacao, as I explain in why Herbal Cacao is certified organic.
Apart from drinks, cacao is also used in Oaxaca for sweets, soaps and cosmetics.
In the rural areas of Oaxaca, many people still honour cacao as a sacred food. She is part of many rituals and ceremonies as an offering to Mother Earth, and in some ceremonies cacao seeds are seen as a source of energy for abundance and prosperity. In the Maya world too, cacao was often offered alongside copal, her sacred sister.
My Experience of a Mazatec Healing Ceremony
The Mazatec people live in the Sierra Mazateca in the far north of Oaxaca. Their language belongs to the Oto-Manguean family, one of the oldest language families in Mexico. I have had the honour to take part in a very special local healing ceremony there, a ceremony with sacred mushrooms that has been held in these mountains for generations.
The local curandera used cacao seeds as an offering to the local spirits, and also prepared a drink of only cacao and water, to softly bring your soul back into the physical world with love.
She also used this agua de cacao for purification, to draw out heavy energies from the body. After the ceremony she made sacred bundles from local herbs, wrapping cacao seeds in 7 different packages, each blessed with her love, to be sent out to the 4 cardinal directions, the sky, the earth and a local sacred place.
These 7 packages were her gift for me to return to the universe, asking the local spirits for strength and support so that the intention I set in the ceremony could manifest in the physical world. The cacao seeds were an offering asking for abundance and prosperity.
In short, ceremonial cacao has a long history in Oaxaca and is still a sacred food and an important part of the culture of the region today.
Begin your own ritual with Herbal Cacao. Discover our Natural ceremonial cacao
Frequently Asked Questions
Is cacao grown in Oaxaca?
Only a little. Most Mexican cacao is grown in Tabasco and Chiapas. Oaxaca is famous for what happens next: grinding cacao into chocolate and turning her into traditional drinks such as tejate and chocolate Oaxaqueño.
What is tejate?
Tejate is a pre-Hispanic drink from the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, made from toasted maize, cacao, mamey seeds and the rosita de cacao flower. It is served cold with a thick foam on top.
What is the difference between Oaxacan chocolate and ceremonial cacao?
Oaxacan chocolate is usually ground with sugar and cinnamon into tablets. Ceremonial cacao is pure cacao paste with nothing added, made to be enjoyed in ritual. Read more in what is ceremonial cacao exactly?
How old is the use of cacao in Mexico?
The oldest known cacao residue in Mexico comes from Paso de la Amada in Chiapas and dates to around 1900 to 1500 BCE.
Where can I drink cacao in Oaxaca?
Try the Benito Juárez Market in Oaxaca City, the Sunday market in Tlacolula, the chocolate mills in Oaxaca City, and local cafés and restaurants.
Sources and Further Reading
- Powis, T.G. et al. (2007). Oldest chocolate in the New World. Antiquity, Project Gallery. Link
- Soleri, D. and Cleveland, D.A. (2007). Tejate: Theobroma cacao and T. bicolor in a traditional beverage from Oaxaca, Mexico. Food and Foodways, 15(1), 107 to 118.
- Geo-Mexico. Cacao production in Mexico by state. Link
- Sophie D. Coe and Michael D. Coe, The True History of Chocolate
