Champurrado

In Mexico, cold mornings and festive nights call for champurrado, a thick, velvety hot chocolate made with masa (corn dough). It belongs to the family of warm corn drinks called Atoles, and it’s a must during Día de Muertos, Las Posadas and Christmas, usually served alongside tamales or a sweet pan dulce. Mexican chocolate, cinnamon and dark piloncillo sugar give it a cozy, slightly rustic flavor that’s completely different from regular hot cocoa.

Prep: 5 min
Cook: 25 min
Total: 30 min
Serves: 6 mugs

Ingredients

• 4 cups (1 liter) water, divided
• 1 cinnamon stick (Mexican canela if you can find it)
• 1 star anise (optional)
• ½ cup (60 g) masa harina
• 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
• 1 tablet (about 90 g / 3 oz) Mexican chocolate, roughly chopped
• ⅓ cup (70 g) chopped piloncillo or packed dark brown sugar, plus more to taste
• A pinch of salt
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Pour 3 cups of the water into a medium saucepan, add the cinnamon stick and star anise, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes to infuse.
2. Meanwhile, warm the remaining 1 cup of water slightly and whisk it with the masa harina in a bowl until completely smooth, with no lumps.
3. Remove the cinnamon and star anise from the pan. Add the piloncillo and chopped chocolate and stir until both have melted.
4. Slowly pour the masa mixture into the pan while whisking constantly, so it blends in smoothly.
5. Stir in the milk and salt. Cook over medium-low heat for 10–15 minutes, stirring often and scraping the bottom, until the champurrado thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
6. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the vanilla. Whisk vigorously (or spin a wooden molinillo between your palms) until frothy on top, then pour into mugs and serve hot.

Tips for Perfect Champurrado

• Whisk the masa first. Always dissolve the masa harina in water before adding it to the pot; dropping it in dry makes lumps.
• Keep stirring. Masa likes to stick and scorch on the bottom of the pan, so stir often over gentle heat.
• Adjust the thickness. Champurrado thickens as it stands. Loosen it with a splash of hot milk or water, or simmer a little longer for a spoon-coating drink.
• No Mexican chocolate? Use 90 g dark chocolate plus an extra ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1 tablespoon sugar.
• Make it dairy-free. Swap the milk for oat or almond milk, or use all water as many families do.
• Serve it the traditional way. Pair it with warm tamales, churros or conchas for breakfast or a cozy evening snack.