Name: Champurrado
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Latin American
Ingredients: 3 cups milk; 1 cup water; 1/4 cup masa harina; 4 ounces Mexican chocolate disks; 1/3 cup brown sugar; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon salt; Dash cayenne pepper

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Champurrado – Creamy Mexican Hot Chocolate

Craving a sweet treat on a chilly day? Champurrado, a creamy Mexican hot chocolate, is the answer. See what makes this drink so special and why it is a favorite during the holiday season.

The weather is getting cooler. This means it’s sweater weather. And it also means that it’s hot chocolate season! I am going to admit that hot chocolate is not something I drink often. For me, sometimes it’s a little too sweet when I order it out or buy the box mix. I really should make my own mix that’s lower in sugar. Food for thought.

I have been wanting to make a Mexican style hot chocolate. I’ve never had one, but it just sounds delicious. With all the flavors, spices, and different types of chocolate you can use. Oh, and then there’s the spice from cayenne you can add to bring the heat. Which would technically warm you up even more when combined with the hot and creamy hot chocolate. Champurrado is a beloved Mexican chocolate drink. It is thicker and heartier than American hot chocolate and has been warming hands for generations.

The History of Champurrado

Champurrado traces its roots back to pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. Indigenous peoples created drinks from cacao and corn called atole. The Aztecs and Mayans enjoyed variations of atole and sometimes enhanced it with chocolate, spices, and honey. When Spanish colonists arrived, they brought sugar and milk. These items influenced the Champurrado we know today. Over the centuries, Champurrado became a staple at fiestas, family breakfasts, and religious celebrations. It is enjoyed especially during the winter holidays and Day of the Dead festivities. It’s not just a drink; it’s a celebration of Mexican heritage and togetherness.

American Hot Chocolate vs. Champurrado

At first glance, Champurrado might remind you of American hot chocolate. Both drinks are chocolatey, comforting, and perfect for cold days. However, their differences make each unique. Champurrado is thicker and almost pudding like from the corn masa added to thicken the drink.

American Hot chocolate often uses cocoa powder and sugar combined with milk. This makes it a favorite sweet treat or dessert. Champurrado is made with Mexican chocolate discs. These discs include cinnamon and sometimes other spices adding more flavor to the cocoa. Since it’s less sweet it’s part of breakfast or festive gatherings. It’s often paired with tamales or sweet breads.

Champurrado vs. Atole: What’s the Difference?

Both Champurrado and atole are iconic hot drinks in Mexico. They also share a base of masa harina or cornmeal. Where they differ is chocolate. While atole can be flavored with vanilla, fruits, nuts, or spices, Champurrado specifically features Mexican chocolate. While it is an atole drink, Champurrado is a chocolate only drink. It’s like squares. All squares are rectangles, but not a rectangles are squares. If that makes sense.

What Are Mexican Chocolate Discs?

When I started researching this drink, I kept reading about these Mexican chocolate discs. I wasn’t sure what they were, but I bought a package of them to make Champurraado. These chocolate discs are round tablets of stone-ground chocolate. They’re often blended with sugar and cinnamon.

Brands like Abuelita and Ibarra are common in American grocery stores. The chocolate is grainy and aromatic. It melts beautifully into hot milk giving Champurrado its distinctively rich flavor and spice. If you can’t find Mexican chocolate discs, you can substitute with bittersweet chocolate and a pinch of cinnamon. It works in a pinch, but the depth of the chocolate flavor will be different.

Ingredients for this Champurrado Recipe

Outside of the Mexican chocolate discs and maybe the masa, everything else should be in your kitchen already.

Pantry ingredients – water, masa harina, Mexican chocolate discs, cinnamon stick, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cayenne powder

Refrigerator ingredients – milk

Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Champurrado

Simmer the milk with the cinnamon stick, brown sugar, and Mexican chocolate disk. Stir frequently to make sure everything else and dissolves properly and doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

Combine the masa harina with 1 cup of warm water. Stir with a whisk until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps. When you begin to see bubbles form around the edges of the pan, reduce the heat to a simmer.

Whisk in the masa mixture. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until the mixture thickens. Stir constantly as it cooks to prevent any lumps from forming. If it gets too thick, add more milk. Sprinkle with the salt and cayenne pepper. Simmer an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with a cinnamon stick or a dried chile pepper before serving.

Tips for Serving and Enjoying Your Champurrado

To get an authentic Mexican Champurrado experience, serve it in clay mugs. It makes for for a rustic experience and authentic feel. Serve your Champurrado with tamales or Mexican sweet breads at breakfast. This would be a great brunch recipe for the holidays. You can have it slowly simmering away in the slow cooker. Your guests can ladle their own as the mosey down to breakfast.

Variations to Try for a Unique Twist

If you’re looking for a non-dairy option, make your Champurrado with oat milk, nut milk, or soy milk. If you would like to make it vegan, just use your favorite vegan chocolate and add cinnamon and coconut sugar or cane sugar to sweeten it to your liking. And make sure to add a dash of cayenne for a more warming experience.

If you want your champurrado to be super creamy, try stirring in some peanut or almond butter while the milk simmers. You can also elevate the flavor by simmering the mixture with an orange peel or stir in some orange liqueur before serving. Or try stirring in some rum or even spiced rum before serving.

Why Champurrado Is the Perfect Comforting Indulgence

Champurrado isn’t just a drink. It truly is an experience. With it’s creamy texture, deep chocolate flavor, and hint of corn, it’s a uniquely satisfying drink. Whether you’re gathered with family on a chilly morning or simply treating yourself after a long day, Champurrado offers comfort and a taste of tradition in every sip. If you have some leftovers, you can store them in the fridge and then add a little more milk before you reheat this drink.

What does Champurrado taste like?

For me, it was rich and creamy. It had a texture that reminded me of cream of wheat. To make it smoother, you can take an immersion blender and make it even smoother. I would be careful with blending hot liquids. You can also cut the masa harina in half if you’re concerned about the texture. I like cream of wheat, so I enjoyed it.

Champurrado is comforting without too much sugar and without an overpowering chocolate flavor. If you want more chocolate flavor, add a half a disc to 2 discs more. I like the cinnamon flavor that came through. And of course, the kick of cayenne at the back of the throat. It really warms you up!

Champurrado

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Champurrado Creamy Mexican Hot Chocolate is an exotic treat that promises just that. Dive into the creamy decadence and let the flavors dance on your tongue.

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Ingredients

3 cups milk
1 cup water
1/4 cup masa harina
4 ounces Mexican chocolate disks
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash cayenne pepper

Instructions

Simmer the milk with the cinnamon stick, brown sugar, and Mexican chocolate disk. Stir frequently to make sure everything else and dissolves properly and doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
Combine the masa harina with 1 cup of warm water. Stir with a whisk until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps. When you begin to see bubbles form around the edges of the pan, reduce the heat to a simmer.
Whisk in the masa mixture. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until the mixture thickens. Stir constantly as it cooks to prevent any lumps from forming. If it gets too thick, add more milk. Sprinkle with the salt and cayenne pepper. Simmer an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with a cinnamon stick or a dried chile pepper before serving.