The Best Champurrado Recipe

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Champurrado is a rich, creamy, and perfectly sweet traditional Mexican drink that combines the rich flavors of Mexican chocolate and piloncillo with the comforting texture of masa harina. The addition of cinnamon and star anise makes this recipe perfect for the holidays, special occasions, or as a way to warm up on a rainy day!

Champurrado in a Cup. — Enjoy your champurrado on its own or with a snack!

Table of Contents

❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe

Balanced: With its chocolatey richness, this champurrado feels indulgent yet is satisfying and nourishing at the same time.
Easy to prepare: Despite its complex flavors, this recipe is so simple to make!
Vegan-friendly: This champurrado recipe is made with soy milk, meaning it’s suitable for anyone following a dairy-free or vegan diet.
Versatile: Champurrado can be served as a breakfast beverage, a comforting dessert, or a dip for sweet antojitos like pan dulce.

If you love champurrado, you should really check out our other warm drink recipes like atole de guayaba, atole de elote, and atole de arroz.

🍫 What is champurrado?

Champurrado is a thick, warm, and sweet drink often consumed on special holidays like Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) or Las Posadas (Christmas season). However, It’s also extremely popular to serve during any of the colder months of the year.

This beverage is made from a unique blend of Mexican chocolate and masa harina, flavored with piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar) and aromatic spices like cinnamon and star anise. The result is a rich, chocolaty drink with an earthy undertone and a hint of spice.

Champurrado is best served as a warm breakfast drink, a dessert, or as a side to snacks like churros or tamales. Each sip feels like a warm, comforting hug, making it perfect for chilly days or whenever you need a comforting snack!

Champurrado on a Spoon Over a Cup. — Champurrado is best served in a clay cup

📜 History

Cultivated in Mexico, cacao beans were a huge part of the Mayan and Aztec cultures. They were utilized in various ways such as ceremonial drinks or as a means of payment and trade.

One of the ceremonial drinks they often consumed consisted of unsweetened cacao, masa, water, and an assortment of spices.

During the Spanish colonization of the Americas, Spaniards took chocolate from the Indigenous people and brought it home with them where they heated it and drank it on its own.

Over time, early colonists experimented with mixing chocolate, sugar, and milk into a well-known Aztec drink — atole. This became what is now known as champurrado.

🤔 Champurrado vs atole vs Mexican hot chocolate

When it comes to traditional Mexican beverages, it can be easy to get confused by the different names and variations. Atole, champurrado, and Mexican hot chocolate all offer unique flavors and textures. Here’s how they differ:

Atole: This corn-based drink is typically made with masa (corn dough), water, cinnamon, piloncillo, and vanilla. Variations might include milk and different spices or even replace the corn dough with rice to create atole de arroz.
Champurrado: Champurrado is essentially a variation of atole (aka atole de chocolate. It follows the same base recipe as atole but incorporates chocolate, adding a layer of richness and complexity.
Mexican hot chocolate: This beverage also features a beautiful blend of chocolate and spices, just like champurrado. However, it differs from champurrado as it’s made without masa harina. The lack of masa harina gives Mexican hot chocolate a thinner consistency compared to the thicker, hearty texture of champurrado or atole.

🌱 Is champurrado vegan?

Many people like to add dairy to their champurrado nowadays, so it’s not typically vegan-friendly. In this version, we’ve added plant-based milk to make this drink a little creamier, but it’s not even completely necessary!

Whether option you go with, you can rest assured this recipe is 100% vegan and gluten-free.

Ingredients for a champurrado recipe. — Use whole spices for the most balanced taste

🛒 Ingredients & substitutions

Spices: Whole cinnamon and star anise add a festive aroma and complexity to the drink. If star anise is unavailable, you can omit it or substitute it with a pinch of ground anise seed. You can also use ground cinnamon for a similar effect.
Masa harina: This corn flour gives the champurrado its characteristic thickness. Cornstarch is another common addition to thicken atole and champurrado, but we prefer the flavor of masa harina. Look for it at Latin American food markets.
Salt: A small amount enhances the flavors of the chocolate and other ingredients. Don’t skip the salt!
Piloncillo: Unrefined cane sugar that gives the champurrado a unique, deep sweetness. It’s also known as panela in other parts of the world, so check for this as well. You should be able to find it in international aisles or Latin American food markets. You can substitute it with coconut sugar or organic dark brown sugar.
Mexican chocolate: This special chocolate has a unique flavor profile that is slightly grainy and includes spices like cinnamon. If you can’t find it, use a combination of bittersweet chocolate and a pinch of cinnamon.
Soy milk: Makes the drink rich, creamy, and comforting. You can use any plant-based milk you prefer, like cashew, almond, or coconut.

For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.

📝 How to make champurrado

Step 1: Prepare the spice-infused water

Start by bringing a cinnamon stick, star anise, and water to a gentle boil in a pot. Lower the heat and let these spices simmer until they fill your kitchen with their festive aromas. Strain the water to remove any bits of the spices.

Cinnamon, Star Anise, and Water in a Pot. — Steep the cinnamon and star anise

Cinnamon Stick, Star Anise Pod, and Water in a Bowl With Strainer. — Steep the cinnamon and star anise

Step 2: Mix the masa harina

While your spices are infusing the water, whisk together the masa harina, salt, and hot water. This mixture forms the base of your champurrado, providing its distinctive thickness. Meanwhile, grate or finely chop the piloncillo and Mexican chocolate to help them dissolve easily.

Masa Harina Mixture in a Measuring Cup. — Combine the salt, hot water, and masa harina

Step 3: Combine everything

Now, add the piloncillo, chocolate, and soy milk to the spice-infused water. Pour in the masa harina mixture while whisking continuously. Let it simmer until it thickens into a creamy, dreamy beverage. Happy eating!

Champurrado in a Pot. — Whisk it vigorously to froth it up

If you have questions about this champurrado recipe, check out our FAQs or leave a comment down below!

🍩 What to serve with champurrado

Once your champurrado is made, you need to try serving it with some toppings and sides like these:

A dusting of cinnamon or cocoa powder
A side of fresh raspberries or strawberries
A dollop of vegan whipped cream
A side of vegan churros or buñuelos
Strawberry tamales or sweet corn tamales
After a savory breakfast spread of chilaquiles verdes and enfrijoladas

🌡️ Storage & reheating

For any leftover champurrado, follow these quick and easy storage instructions:

Fridge: Once fully cooled, keep leftover champurrado in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Champurrado can be frozen for up to a month. It’s best to freeze it in ice cube trays, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag.
Reheating: Warm leftover champurrado on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally to keep the texture smooth. You can add a bit more plant-based milk if it has thickened too much.
Prep ahead: The spice-infused water can be prepared a day ahead and stored in the fridge. Everything else should be prepared on the day of.

Two Cups of Champurrado. — Save some champurrado for later!

♻️ Variations

Mocha champurrado: Add a shot of espresso for a caffeine kick.
Spicy champurrado: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper for heat.
Tropical champurrado: Use coconut milk instead of soy milk for a tropical twist.
Holiday champurrado: Add a dash of nutmeg or cloves for a more festive flavor.
Champurrado with alcohol: For an adults-only version, add a splash of rum or tequila.
Protein champurrado: Add a scoop of plant-based protein powder for a protein boost.

🧑‍🍳 Top tips

Chop small: Chop the chocolate and piloncillo finely to help them dissolve quickly.
Strain: Use a fine strainer to remove all traces of the spices from the water.
Adjust the sweetness: Adjust the sweetness to your liking by adding more or less piloncillo.
Smooth consistency: Whisk continuously when adding the masa harina mixture to avoid lumps.
Froth it up: Use a molinillo or a blender to create a traditional frothy texture.
Low heat: Watch the heat to prevent the champurrado from sticking to the pot.
Mexican chocolate: Use high-quality Mexican chocolate for the most authentic flavor. Check out our Mexican chocolate post for ideas.
Leftover tips: Reheat the champurrado gently, adding extra plant-based milk if needed.

💬 FAQ

What do I do if my champurrado is too thick?

If your champurrado is too thick, just add more plant-based milk while heating it gently and stirring until you achieve your desired consistency.

What do I do if my champurrado is too thin?

Champurrado should have a thicker consistency compared to traditional hot chocolate. If it’s too thin, it might be because it hasn’t cooked long enough. Let it simmer a bit longer on the stove. Remember, it will also thicken up as it cools.

Why is my champurrado lumpy?

If your champurrado turns out lumpy, it may be because the masa harina wasn’t whisked continuously when you added it to the water. To prevent this, make sure you whisk the mixture constantly as you gradually add the masa harina.

Why didn’t the chocolate in my champurrado fully melt?

If your chocolate isn’t fully melted, it likely wasn’t chopped finely enough before being added, or the heat wasn’t high enough. To ensure it melts properly, chop it into small pieces and make sure the mixture is hot enough to melt the chocolate, but not boiling.

Why does my champurrado taste bland?

If your champurrado tastes bland, it might need a bit more piloncillo or chocolate. The flavor of champurrado relies heavily on the quality of the chocolate used, so opt for high-quality Mexican chocolate for the best results. You can also adjust the sweetness by adding more piloncillo or a teaspoon of vanilla extract.

🍴 More drink recipes

If you enjoyed this champurrado recipe, check out some more of our favorite drink recipes like these:

Dirty Chai Latte: Easy, at-home chai latte with espresso.
Taro Milk Tea: A vibrant purple bubble tea beverage from Taiwan.
Horchata: Creamy, refreshing Mexican agua fresca.
Tejuino: Fermented, sweet, and creamy drink hailing from Jalisco.
Hokkaido Milk Tea: A plant-based version of this popular Japanese beverage.
Wassail Recipe: The perfect way to invoke the smells of the holidays!

Note: We’ve updated this post to include new information and helpful tips about the recipe.