How to Make Champurrado
Cold winter nights call for a nice hot mug of champurrado. Champurrado is a pre-Colombian drink made with fresh masa or masa harina, water, piloncillo, and Mexican chocolate. It is especially good with perfectly tender tamales.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Though made with simple ingredients the combination is irresistible. This Mexican hot chocolate is creamy and comforting making it the perfect anytime treat and great for the upcoming holidays whether it be Thanksgiving or Christmas. Feel free to add more or less cinnamon or a touch of spice.
Champurrado History
Before the Spanish arrived in Mexico with their cows and their milk, champurrado was made with water. It is said that the great Aztec emperor Moctezuma Xocoyotzin enjoyed this beverage that he drank in ceremonial vessels made of gold, sweetened with agave honey, and spiced with a bit of chile.
Fray Bernardino de Sahagún documented the consumption of atoll or atolli which was drunk warm or cold by the indigenous people of Mexico, for breakfast or sometimes as a meal in itself. It was also used for medicinal and ceremonial purposes.
Atole vs Champurrado
So what is the difference between atole and champurrado?? Atole is also a drink from pre-Columbian times that can be sweet or savory depending on the region in Mexico where you are. Traditionally, it is made by dissolving ground dried corn in milk or water and adding fruits or different flavorings to it. Champurrado is simply atole with chocolate added to it, in other words, chocolate atole.
Ingredients
Ceylon cinnamon stick: I used a Ceylon cinnamon stick for the best and most authentic Mexican flavor. A regular cinnamon stick will also work.
Piloncillo: This is unprocessed cane sugar, which is similar to brown sugar in look and taste.
Hernan Mexican Chocolate: : Use Hernan Mexican Chocolate (1 Ibarra tablilla), for the best chocolate flavor.
Masa harina: I like to use white masa harina in this hot chocolate recipe.
How to Make Champurrado
Making champurrado is quite easy, the piloncillo and cinnamon are simmered in water until completely dissolved, then a Mexican chocolate tablet is added. Once the chocolate has melted into the piloncillo mixture the fresh masa is added. The masa thickens the chocolate creating a thick, sweet, and chocolatey drink. Then everything is stirred and served hot.
Place 3 cups of water or plant milk in a pot.
Add 1/3 cup chopped piloncillo and simmer until the piloncillo has dissolved.
Add the cinnamon stick and continue to simmer.
Add 2 tablillas Mexican chocolate and simmer.
Pour the 4 cups water or milk milk into a bowl.
Add 1/2 cup masa harina.
Whisk to combine.
Pour the milk and masa mixture into pot with the chocolate mixture.
Mix to combine.
Pour into a cup and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
This authentic Mexican champurrado is made with water instead of milk, just like in pre-Columbian times.
- If you want to use milk you can use your favorite plant-milk. Choose unsweetened or reduce the amount of piloncillo you add.
- The recipe calls for masa harina, but it is also delicious with fresh masa.
- I’ve used my favorite Mexican hot chocolate, but I also recommend Ibarra chocolate.
- If you want to make this with fresh masa, use 1/2 cup diluted in 1 cup of water.
Serving
This traditional Mexican drink is best consumed right away.
Storing
Leftover champurrado can be stored in a mason jar or airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. I do not recommend freezing.
FAQs
You can use regular hot chocolate but you won’t get the same flavor.
Yes, you can add more or less piloncillo if you like. You can also adjust the amount of cinnamon you add.
Champurrado
Ingredients
- 4 cups Water or plant milk
- 1 Ceylon cinnamon stick
- ⅓ cup (3-4 oz) Chopped piloncillo
- 2 tablillas Hernan Mexican Chocolate or (1 Ibarra tablilla)
- ½ cup Masa harina
Instructions
- Place 3 cups of water, chopped piloncillo, and cinnamon stick in a medium sauce pot and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes or until the piloncillo has completely dissolved.
- Add the Mexican chocolate and continue to simmer and stir until chocolate has completely dissolved, about 3 minutes.
- In the meantime place the masa harina in a large bowl and pour 1 cup of water over the masa. Use your hand to dissolve the masa into the water.
- Pour the masa liquid into the simmering hot chocolate. Stir.
- Simmer for 6 to 8 minutes or until the champurrado has thickened. Serve hot!!
Hi,
Can I use harina trigo if I don’t have harnia de maíz??
Thank you
No that wouldn’t work with this. You could use cornstarch instead.
Could masa harina P.A.N be used?
I have never tried it, but I don’t see why not.
Hello, i had a question on how many Ibarra chocolate tablets would be used instead of Hernan. On the serving for 4cups it says to use 2 tablets of Hernan or 1 of Ibarra. Is that correct or just and example as it’s not clear. So when I increase the amount to 40cups serving would I need 20 tablets of chocolate Ibarra or 10.?
1 Ibarra tablet
I’m a little confused on the advice for using fresh masa: 1/2 c. plus 1 cup of water PLUS the other water specified, or does that 1 cup take the place of one of them from the ingredient list? Thanks.
The one cup takes the place of one of them on the ingredient list. So you use three cups of water to simmer the piloncillo and then use the remaining 1 cup to dissolve the masa
Hola Dora–thank you for another great recipe! If fresh masa is readily available, how would you recommend adjusting the recipe to use Maseca (corn flour) instead?
Whoops–sorry! I meant, if fresh masa is NOT readily available, how would you recommend adjusting for Maseca harina instead?
I will definitely try this! Already love what you have made is this recipe ;-)
Hi!
I’m from Mexico too and I’ve been having a hard time trying to make my traditional foods vegan, thank you for sharing and making it easy for us, I’ve only been vegan for 2 months now and I’m definitely not going back, I tried to become vegan 5 years ago but there was not as many videos and information about how to make your own food so I didn’t succeed but I will succeed this time.
Hi, there are so many more resources than before. Hang in there!!