Mexican Champurrado

Mexican Champurrado is a warm, traditional drink often referred to as Mexican hot chocolate. This thick and creamy recipe, straight from my aunt in Mexico, is so comforting and perfect for the cold-weather.

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I learned today's recipe from my tia Olga, my mom's oldest sister. My tia Olga lives in Chihuahua, Mexico where I was born. She is one of the kindest, gentlest, most loving people that I know.

She is also an amazing cook, just like my mom was, and was more than happy to let me share her amazing recipe for champurrado here on the blog.

Jump to:

• What is Champurrado?
• Why You'll Love This Champurrado Recipe
• The Ingredients
• How to Make Champurrado
• Recipe

What is Champurrado?

Champurrado is a traditional Mexican drink that is often referred to as Mexican hot chocolate. This is no ordinary hot chocolate though.

Champurrado is a type of atole. Atoles are hot drinks made with corn flour, known as masa harina, resulting in a creamy, thick consistency. Atoles are usually sweet and flavored with spices, fruits, nuts or in the case of champurrado, with Mexican chocolate.

Like other atoles, champurrado is typically served during the winter months and especially during the holidays.

Why You'll Love This Champurrado Recipe

• Comforting: Warm, rich and hearty, this is the perfect, comforting drink.

• Thick and Creamy: The mix of milk and masa harina create an amazing consistency.

• Great for Entertaining: Easily double this recipe for big gatherings and parties.

• Traditional Recipe: Dating back to Aztec and Mayan times, champurrado is an important part of the Mexican culture.

The Ingredients

• Piloncillo:  Piloncillo is an unrefined whole cane sugar with a sweet, caramel-like flavor. Piloncillo (sometimes called panela) can be found at Mexican and Latin American supermarkets. Look for the ones that come in medium-sized cones. If you are unable to find piloncillo, you can substitute dark brown sugar.

• Cinnamon Stick: I prefer Ceylon cinnamon (known as canela) which has a mild, sweet flavor. Click here to buy online.

• Water

• Masa Harina: Masa Harina is corn flour that is used to make corn tortillas, sopes, gorditas and so much more. Find masa harina at many grocery stores and Latin American supermarkets. You can also find many brands sold online. Check the bottom of the post for links.

• Milk: You can use either whole milk or 2% but whole milk will result in a creamier, richer drink.

• Evaporated Milk: Evaporated milk adds more richness and creaminess to the champurrado. If you don't have any, you can use more regular milk in its place.

• Mexican Chocolate: Mexican chocolate is a blend of cacao, cinnamon, and sugar. You can find it sold in discs. The most popular brands include Abuelita and Ibarra. I also recently found a brand called Taza that uses high-quality, organic ingredients in their chocolate.

How to Make Champurrado

1. Toast Masa Harina

• Add ½ cup of masa to a medium pan.
• Toast the masa on low heat until lightly golden.
• Be sure to stir frequently so the masa toasts evenly and to keep it from burning.
• Set aside to cool.

2. Boil Water

• Add 6 ½ cups of water to a large pot. Bring to a boil.
• Add one medium cone of piloncillo and 1 stick of cinnamon.
• Simmer on medium heat until the piloncillo dissolves.

3. Add Chocolate

• Add one chocolate disc.
• Mix until dissolved.

4. Add Milks

• Add the milk and evaporated milk.
• Bring to a slow simmer. Be sure it doesn't come to a full boil.
• Stir occasionally to keep the milk from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

5. Blend Masa

• Add the toasted masa and 1 ½ cups of warm water to a blender.
• Blend until the masa is smooth.

6. Add Masa Mixture

• Slowly add the masa mixture to the pot, whisking constantly as you pour.
• Cook on low for about 10 minutes, continuing to whisk every couple of minutes.
• Discard cinnamon stick.
• Serve.

How to Serve

This warm drink can be enjoyed by itself just like regular hot chocolate. Often times it is served with tamales or pan dulce (Mexican pastries).

You can also accompany this rich drink with:

• Pozole Blanco
• Chile Colorado with Pork
• Gluten-Free Powdered Donuts
• Gluten-Free Apple Oat Muffins
• Coconut Flour Oatmeal Cookies

Storing and Reheating

Store champurrado in the refrigerator in a tightly-sealed jar or other air-tight container for up to 4 days.

After storing, the drink may thicken even more. Add a little bit of milk or water when reheating to thin it out.

To reheat, place in a small pot on medium heat until steaming. You can also reheat in a microwave safe mug for about one minute or until heated through.

Tips and Variations

• Make it dairy-free! Replace the milk with almond milk and use a dairy-free evaporated milk.
• If you cannot find dairy-free evaporated milk (such as coconut evaporated milk), use light coconut milk or just use all almond milk.
• If you like a champurrado that isn't as thick, simply use less of the masa harina than what the recipe calls for.
• Traditionally a molinillo, a Mexican wooden whisk, is what is used to froth and mix champurrado. You can find a molinillo here.

I hope you enjoy!

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW IF YOU MAKE THIS OR TAG ME ON INSTAGRAM @EVERYDAYLATINA.

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