DrinksMedium

Champurrado (Chocolate Atole)

Name: Champurrado (Chocolate Atole)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 litre Water; 90 g Mexican drinking chocolate; 1 tsp Vanilla extract; 500 ml Whole milk; 150 g Masa (corn dough); 120 g Piloncillo; 1 Cinnamon stick

40 min (10 prep + 30 cook) Medium 6 servings Nacional

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 4 Feb 2026 · Updated: 16 Apr 2026

Thick, warming chocolate atole made with masa, piloncillo and cinnamon.

About this recipe

Champurrado is a rich, thick hot chocolate drink thickened with masa (corn dough) and sweetened with piloncillo and Mexican chocolate. Spiced with cinnamon and a touch of vanilla, it is the quintessential warm drink for accompanying tamales on cold Mexican mornings. Velvety, comforting and deeply satisfying.

History & Origin

Champurrado is a beverage of pre-Hispanic origin that the Aztecs prepared by combining sweetcorn dough with cacao and water, a ritual drink offered to the gods and served at important ceremonies. With the arrival of the Spanish, sugar, milk and cinnamon were added, transforming it into the version known today, whilst preserving the ancestral base of sweetcorn dough and chocolate. It is the inseparable partner of tamales at the Mexican breakfast, especially during the Candlemas celebrations on the 2nd of February, when whoever found the figurine in the Rosca de Reyes must treat everyone to tamales and champurrado. It is prepared by whisking with a molinillo, a pre-Hispanic wooden utensil that is spun between the palms to create froth, and served in small clay cups that retain its warmth.

Estimated cost

£16.34

Total cost

£2.73

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

200

Calories

Protein

28g

Carbohydrates

Fat

Fibre

30mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Dissolve the masa in 500 ml of cold water, mixing well with a whisk or blending to ensure there are no lumps. Strain and set aside.
2
In a large pan, heat the remaining 500 ml of water with the cinnamon stick and piloncillo broken into chunks. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the piloncillo dissolves, about 5 minutes.
3
Add the Mexican chocolate tablet, broken into pieces. Stir until fully melted and incorporated, about 3 minutes.
💡 Mexican drinking chocolate (such as Abuelita or Ibarra) has cinnamon and sugar already blended in, which gives champurrado its distinctive flavour.
4
Pour in the milk and stir well. Bring to a gentle simmer.
5
Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour in the dissolved masa in a thin, steady stream, whisking constantly with a balloon whisk or molinillo to prevent lumps.
6
Cook, stirring constantly, for 15-20 minutes until it thickens to the desired consistency. The champurrado should coat the back of a spoon.
💡 If it becomes too thick, stir in a little more warm milk. If you have a traditional molinillo, use it to create a lovely froth.
7
Add the vanilla, stir and remove from the heat. Discard the cinnamon stick. Serve piping hot in clay mugs or large cups.