Cozy Up with Esmeralda Cardenas' Irresistible Champurrado

A cup of velvety, flavorful champurrado
December 13, 2024

When temps drop, our champurrado cravings set in. The sweet, chocolatey atole is a winter staple across Mexico.

Esmeralda en la Cocina's champurrado recipe brings the warmth of tradition straight to your kitchen. Made with Mexican chocolate, piloncillo, cinnamon, and masa harina, it's the perfect drink to cozy up with on a cold winter evening or share during the holidays. Esmeralda's version utilizes milk and evaporated milk, but champurrado can also be made with water. Enjoy it with tamales for a classic winter pairing or savor it on its own for a comforting moment.

La Familia Masa Harina Bundle
Champurrado (Mexican Hot Chocolate)

Champurrado (Mexican Hot Chocolate)

Esmeralda Cardenas

Ingredients

  • 1 cinnamon stick

  • 1 cone piloncillo (or to taste)

  • 1 disc of Mexican chocolate (Ibarra or Abuelita)

  • ½ cup Heirloom White Corn Masa Harina

  • 1 can evaporated milk

Directions

  1. In a medium saucepan, combine 4 cups of water, piloncillo, chocolate, and cinnamon. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to ensure the piloncillo and chocolate dissolve fully without sticking to the pot.

  2. Once dissolved, remove and discard the cinnamon stick. If the stick has broken into pieces, strain the liquid to remove any bits.

  3. In a small bowl, whisk the masa harina with 1 cup of warm water until smooth and lump-free.

  4. Gradually pour the masa harina mixture into the pot, whisking constantly to combine. Add the evaporated milk and stir well.

  5. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Continue to cook, whisking frequently, for about 15–20 minutes, or until the champurrado thickens to a creamy, velvety consistency. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

  6. Taste and adjust sweetness if needed by adding more piloncillo or chocolate. 

3 comments

MASIENDA |

Hi Mary! Thanks for reaching out. If you’re referring to our champurrado mix (https://masienda.com/products/champurrado), it doesn’t contain cloves, and the cinnamon is intentionally subtle, adding just a touch of warmth without being overpowering. If you’d like, you can customize the flavor to your preference by adding a bit more cinnamon or clove powder. Let us know if you have any other questions—we’re happy to help!

LORI M |

Gracias por mostrar la receta sabrosa en espanol! Es buen practico para mi. Thank you for teaching the recipe in Spanish! Great listening practice for this intermediate life-long learner. Muy divertido decirle el nombre de este bebida. Even saying the name of this drink is new to me! It was easy to make and delicious! Muy deliciosa y facil de hacer. Had to substitute the evaporated milk for sweetened condensed milk and Red for White Masienda Heirloom corn. Fue necesario replacar unos ingredientes. Next time, I will add nixtamalized Masienda Bolita Yellow Heirloom corn kernels after grinding them in the Mockmill 100 machine for even more depth and earthiness of flavor. El proximo vez voy a agregar el maiz amarillo de granos a polvo. Disculpa mis errores en espanol! Le agradezco mucho! Saludos!

MARY SENA |

I purchased champurada mix from you but it didn’t have the flavor of cinnamon or cloves. What did I do wrong. Please help

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