Antigua Chocolate Workshop: From Cacao Bean to Your Own Bombones

Ready to dive hands-deep into the ancient art that gave the world chocolate? This 90-minute chocolate workshop in Antigua Guatemala, hosted at the iconic Ek Chuah Chocolatería, takes you from raw cacao bean to handmade bombones — and yes, you get to take your creations home. It's one of the most delicious, hands-on, and fun things to do in Antigua Guatemala, and a deep dive into 4,000 years of Maya cacao history.

A Journey Through Maya Cacao History

The workshop begins with a 25-minute storytelling session on the history of cacao: how the Maya used it as currency, sipped it in sacred ceremonies, and eventually transformed it into the chocolate the world adores today. You'll taste pure cacao paste (100%) and work your way up through different commercial chocolate percentages — a flavor journey that changes how you see chocolate forever.

Get Your Hands Dirty: Roast, Grind & Create

This isn't a sit-and-watch tour. You'll get hands-on with every step:

🔥 Roast Cacao Beans

Toast the beans yourself and breathe in that unmistakable aroma — the moment you'll understand why the Maya called this "food of the gods."

🧉 Grind with Stone Tools

Pulverize the beans on a traditional metate, the way Maya cooks have done for centuries.

☕ Prepare 3 Authentic Cacao Drinks

You'll craft and taste three iconic Maya-inspired beverages:

• Cacao tea — a delicate infusion made from the bean shells

• Ceremonial cacao — the sacred Maya drink with chile and honey

• Nuevo Mundo — a contemporary cacao creation

Make & Take Home Your Own Bombones

Here's the sweetest part: you'll receive 70g of 70% dark or milk chocolate, plus a topping bar with anise, blueberries, coconut, almonds, cookies, and more. Mold, decorate, and design your very own handmade bombones — and yes, they're yours to take home (and brag about).

Beauty Tastings & Sweet Surprises

The experience also includes a tasting of Ek Chuah's artisanal cacao beauty products — a delightful twist that shows just how versatile this superfood truly is.

Why This Is One of the Best Things to Do in Antigua

Antigua sits at the heart of Central American cacao country, and Ek Chuah is one of the city's most beloved chocolate makers. This Antigua chocolate making class is a favorite because it's:

• ✨ Hands-on — you do the work, taste at every step, and leave with your own chocolates

• 🌎 Culturally rich — real Maya history, not a watered-down version

• ⏱️ Compact — 90 minutes that fit perfectly into any itinerary

• 🗣️ Bilingual — available in English or Spanish (pick when you book)

• 💸 Affordable — at just $25 per person, one of Antigua's best-value experiences

Perfect for Couples, Families & Solo Travelers

Whether you're traveling with kids, on a romantic trip, or solo and craving authentic culture, this bean-to-bar Antigua experience delivers. It's social, educational, and absolutely delicious — a guaranteed highlight of your Guatemala trip.

Daily Sessions, Easy Booking

The workshop runs three times a day, every day: 11:00 AM, 1:30 PM, and 4:00 PM. The meeting point is Ek Chuah Chocolatería on 4a Calle Oriente #14, easily walkable from anywhere in Antigua's historic center. Heads up: come back 20 minutes after the workshop ends to pick up your hardened bombones.