Celebrate the Day of the Dead with these Sugar Skull-shaped Mexican Hot Chocolate Truffles. Each bite-sized dark chocolate candy has a lusciously creamy ganache center that is spiced with cinnamon and cayenne pepper.

Last week during the Fun Food Blogger Retreat's Facebook live event I showed you the Sugar Skull shaped Mexican Hot Chocolate Truffles I made for the Day of the Dead Dinner I hosted for my blogging friends. Several of you asked for the recipe so I whipped up a new batch of the creamy ganache-filled chocolates and I even made a video tutorial so you can easily see how these candies are created.
If you've had Mexican hot chocolate you know it has a very distinct flavor. With notes of cinnamon and a bit of heat from a sprinkling of cayenne pepper, the spicy hot chocolate warms you through.
When I created these chocolate truffles I wanted the heat of the cayenne to just linger on the tongue and warm the throat. My first batch was a bit too mellow so with this recipe I added a bit more cayenne and the heat was really nice. You can adjust the spice to your liking.

Ingredients
- dark chocolate - You will need to make skull-shaped chocolate shells filled with chocolate ganache. To make the outer shells, you can use pure dark chocolate or compound chocolate (candy melts, almond bark, melting wafers, etc.) If you use pure dark chocolate, you'll need to melt and temper the chocolate. If you use compound chocolate, you will just need to melt it.
Read my Chocolate Making Tips for details about melting/tempering chocolate.
- heavy whipping cream - Use this to make the creamy chocolate ganache filling.
- cinnamon - This is a classic flavor of Mexican hot chocolate.
- cayenne pepper - Adds spice to the chocolate ganache.
- silver luster dust - You can brush edible luster dust over the chocolate sugar skulls for a cool-looking effect.
Supplies
- sugar skull candy molds - I found my Day of the Dead Sugar Skull Silicone Mold at Michael's in 2017. If you can't find a sugar skull mold, you can use this same recipe in any other skull-shaped mold.

Instructions
Read the recipe below and watch the video tutorial to see how to make your own Mexican Hot Chocolate Truffles.
To make my chocolate ganache centers, I heated my cream just until it started to bubble then I removed it from the heat and sprinkled on the cinnamon and cayenne pepper. I set that aside and let it steep for 15 minutes to really infuse the flavor into the cream.
When you watch the video, you'll notice that the cinnamon and cayenne pepper do not completely dissolve in the cream. I wanted a really smooth chocolate ganache center so once the cream had steeped, I poured it through a fine-mesh strainer. If you don't mind the texture of the spices in your chocolate ganache then you can skip that step.
Tips
- Each candy will take about ½ an ounce of chocolate to make the outer shell, so you'll use about 9 ounces of chocolate to make all of the shells. However, if you use the method shown in the video where you fill each mold and then pour the excess chocolate out of the mold, you'll need more chocolate, so the recipe calls for 16 ounces but you'll have some leftovers.
- You can, if you prefer, paint the chocolate into the molds creating the candy shell. Just be sure you cover the bottom and sides of the skull-shaped cavities completely with a thin layer of chocolate.
- If you are using pure chocolate (with cocoa butter in the ingredients) then you must melt and temper the chocolate. Otherwise, you can use dark cocoa candy melts (confectionery coating made with palm kernel oil) instead. Read my chocolate making tips page for more information.
- If you only use one mold your ganache may thicken by the time you make your second set of chocolate shells. So you may need to reheat your ganache in the microwave on the defrost or low setting for 5-15 seconds, just until it warms through. Don't fill your chocolate shells with hot ganache. Make sure it cools so that it is just slightly warm.
- To speed things up you can refrigerate the filled chocolates until the ganache firms up. Just be sure you allow the mold to sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before topping them with a layer of chocolate. If the mold is too cold the chocolate will harden too quickly and it will be difficult to scrape off the excess to create a nice smooth surface.
Storage
- Store your chocolate truffles in an airtight container (preferably) or in a candy box set on your counter at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
- If you have to refrigerate the candies because your house is too hot (over 74 degrees), place them in a cardboard box inside an airtight container. The cardboard box will help wick up any moisture that forms due to condensation in the refrigerator.
- To freeze these chocolates, wrap them in plastic wrap, then overwrap them in a cardboard box, and place that in a zip-top bag. To thaw, refrigerate them overnight, then place them on your counter and allow them to warm to room temperature in their packaging for at least a few hours.
Related Recipes

Be sure to check out these other festive Day of the Dead Recipes.
Learn how to make other candies. See a wonderful selection of homemade candy recipes (including more chocolate truffles).
Recipe

These Day of the Dead Sugar Skulls are great for any Halloween party. Made into skull shaped Mexican Hot Chocolate Truffles, they are the perfect dessert
- 16 ounces pure dark chocolate (melted and tempered) or dark cocoa candy melts (melted)
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- optional edible silver luster dust
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Fill all the cavities in one Day of the Dead sugar skull silicone mold.
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Turn the mold upside down over a piece of parchment paper allowing the excess chocolate to drip out.
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Shake the mold until you just have a thin coating of chocolate around the side and bottom of the skulls.
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Turn the mold over and use an offset spatula to scrape the chocolate off the top of the mold.
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Refrigerate until the chocolate hardens then remove and let sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes.
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Repeat using a second mold.
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In a small saucepan or in the microwave, heat the heavy whipping cream just until it begins to bubble around the edges. (Scald the cream).
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Sprinkle the cinnamon and cayenne pepper into the cream.
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Stir until well combined.
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Set aside for 15 minutes.
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Reheat just until hot.
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Strain through a fine mesh sieve that is set over the bowl of 8 ounces of melted chocolate.
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Begin stirring in the center of the bowl until the chocolate and cream start to blend together.
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Continue to stir through the entire bowl until the chocolate ganache completely comes together.
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Pour ganache into a disposable pastry bag.
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Pipe the ganache into all 18 skull shaped chocolate shells filling each so that you have between ⅛th and 1/16th of an inch of space between the ganache and the top edge of the chocolate shell.
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Refrigerate until the ganache firms up.
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Remove and let the filled mold sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes.
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Spread a thin layer of chocolate over top of each candy, scraping off any excess.
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Refrigerate for a few minutes until that chocolate hardens.
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Remove the chocolates from the molds.
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If desired, brush some silver luster dust over top of each candy.
Recipe Video
Store your chocolate truffles in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
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Maria
Hi Beth, I'm wondering if I want to make mexican hot chocolate Rolled truffles, do I hace to increase the amount of spices since I hace to increase the chocolate to make it firmer ???
Beth
Hi Maria, yes, you will probably want to add more spice. You can make the ganache with the extra chocolate, then taste it and add more spice until you like the flavor. The ganache will still be quite liquid even when made with more chocolate until it begins to cool, so you can easily stir in more spice. Just note that the flavor may get stronger as the ganache cools, so don't add too much.
Bonnie Butler
These are so fun! How do you store them? Can they stay at room temp or do you need to refrigerate them? How long do they last at room temp or in the fridge? Thank you!!
Beth
Thanks, Bonnie. Store your chocolate truffles in an airtight container (preferably) or in a candy box set on your counter at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. If you have to refrigerate the candies because your house is too hot (over 74 degrees), place them in a cardboard box inside an airtight container. The cardboard box will help wick up any moisture that forms due to condensation in the refrigerator.
Jenna
Do you sell the day of the dead molds? And how much are they?
Beth
I bought my silicone mold at Michaels back in 2017. I did find a nice sugar skull silicone mold from Amazon here - https://amzn.to/3exlKOk
Susan Dieseth
Hi! I’m new to candy making and I love this recipe. I have little pink flamingo moulds and would love to use a pink covering instead of brown. Would you have a recommendation as to what I could use?
Beth
Hi Susan, I would suggest you use pink Candy Melts to make your pink flamingos. Wilton sells a light pink candy melts and bright pink candy melts. I might actually buy both and mix them together to get a good pink flamingo color. You can find Candy Melts at JoAnn's, Michael's, and even Walmart. For detailed information about melting candy melts (or coloring white candy melts) check out my Chocolate Making Tips page. - https://hungryhappenings.com/chocolate-making-tips/
There is also a page there with tips on using Candy Melts to "paint" lollipops. It would be a good one to read too. - https://hungryhappenings.com/chocolate-making-tips/how-to-color-white-chocolate-paint-candy-molds/
If you have any other questions let me know. Have fun!
Louise Jackson
Love the Day of the dead designs and these chocolates are great.
Beth
Thanks I'm glad you enjoyed them!
Elizabeth from Sugarhero
These are so cute! I saw these molds this year and was tempted to buy them, but am already drowning in candy molds I forget to use. Now I want to go back and get it because these are just too adorable!
Beth
I feel the exact same way. I have over 200 molds boxed up and ready to sell or donate and that's only a fraction of my collection. But sometimes a mold is just too much fun that I just have to have it.