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Champurrado

Prep 2 hr 0 min
Total 2 hr 30 min
Ingredients 6
Servings 12

Champurrado (Mexican hot chocolate) is one of my favorite winter drinks. It keeps me warm, comforts me and brings back beautiful childhood memories. During the holiday season, it’s perfect to go with tamales or to serve with pan dulce (sweet bread) on a chilly night. Champurrado is a very Mexican recipe. It’s basically chocolate in water, which is thickened with corn dough and sweetened with piloncillo (raw sugar). In some regions, milk, pinole (ground corn) and spices like cinnamon, anise or cloves are added. The recipe may have variations, but one thing that never changes is that many Mexicans start and end their day with a champurrado. Several years ago, I visited a small town in the state of Michoacán where I was given sort of a blackberry atole for breakfast, whose consistency was very similar to that of champurrado, but instead of making it with dough, they used oatmeal. My friend Blanca would say that’s not champurrado, it’s atole. And she’s probably right, but the consistency and flavor are very similar. Since anything goes in the kitchen, I now share my version of champurrado with oatmeal, which helps me add more fiber to my diet, by the way. MORE + LESS -

Ingredients

cups whole oatmeal

cinnamon sticks

star anise

Mexican chocolate tablet

cone piloncillo or regular sugar, to taste

cups water

Directions

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1

Place the oatmeal in a glass container with 3 cups of water and let it rest for about two hours. If you prefer, you may leave it overnight. The oatmeal will soften and become soft.
2

Pour oatmeal and liquid from glass container of blender and blend until there are no lumps. If necessary, you may add more water. Strain it and place the liquid oatmeal in a large pot.
3

Place the oatmeal on the stove; add rest of the water, chocolate, cinnamon and star anise. Cook over low heat until the chocolate melts and the champurrado has the desired consistency. Sweeten with piloncillo or sugar to taste.
4

Prior to serving, remove the cinnamon and the star anise.

Expert Tips

Try champurrado in other flavors. Instead of chocolate, you may use fresh fruit, such as strawberries or blackberries.
If you’d like, you may add milk. Use skim milk for each cup of water. You may also add soy, almond, rice or coconut milk. Be mindful of whether these milks contain sugar, if they do, don’t add any more.

Nutrition Information

No nutrition information available for this recipe

More About This Recipe

Champurrado (Mexican hot chocolate) is one of my favorite winter drinks. It keeps me warm, comforts me and brings back beautiful childhood memories. During the holiday season, it’s perfect to go with tamales or to serve with pan dulce (sweet bread) on a chilly night. Champurrado is a very Mexican recipe. It’s basically chocolate in water, which is thickened with corn dough and sweetened with piloncillo (raw sugar). In some regions, milk, pinole (ground corn) and spices like cinnamon, anise or cloves are added. The recipe may have variations, but one thing that never changes is that many Mexicans start and end their day with a champurrado. Several years ago, I visited a small town in the state of Michoacán where I was given sort of a blackberry atole for breakfast, whose consistency was very similar to that of champurrado, but instead of making it with dough, they used oatmeal. My friend Blanca would say that’s not champurrado, it’s atole. And she’s probably right, but the consistency and flavor are very similar. Since anything goes in the kitchen, I now share my version of champurrado with oatmeal, which helps me add more fiber to my diet, by the way.