Champurrado - Wikipedia

Mexican chocolate beverage For the porridge from the Philippines, see Champorado.

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages) This article's tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia. See Wikipedia's guide to writing better articles for suggestions. (April 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this message) This article should specify the language of its non-English content using {{lang}} or {{langx}}, {{transliteration}} for transliterated languages, and {{IPA}} for phonetic transcriptions, with an appropriate ISO 639 code. Wikipedia's multilingual support templates may also be used. See why. (May 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Champurrado

Hot bowl of champurrado as served at a Mexican breakfast
Type	Beverage
Place of origin	Mexico
Region or state	Mesoamerica
Serving temperature	Hot
Main ingredients	masa de maíz or masa harina, chocolate, piloncillo cinnamon and aniseed or vanilla
Ingredients generally used	Ground nuts, orange zest, and egg
Food energy(per serving)	304 kcal (1,270 kJ)
Nutritional value(per serving)	Protein 6 g Fat 8 g Carbohydrate 56 g
Similar dishes	Champorado
Media: Champurrado

Champurrado is a chocolate-based atole,[1] a warm and thick Mexican beverage. It is prepared with either a masa (lime-treated corn dough), masa harina (a dried version of this dough), or corn flour (simply very finely ground dried corn, especially local varieties grown for atole); piloncillo; water or milk; chocolate; and occasionally cinnamon, aniseed, or vanilla.[2][3] Ground nuts, orange zest, and egg can also be added to thicken and enrich the drink. Atole drinks are whipped up using a wooden whisk called a molinillo. The whisk is rolled between the palms of the hands, then moved back and forth in the mixture, until it is aerated and frothy; a blender may also be used.

Champurrado is traditionally served with a churro in the morning as a simple breakfast or as a late afternoon snack. Champurrado is also very popular during Day of the Dead and at Las Posadas (during the Christmas season), where it is served alongside tamales. Champurrado may also be made with alcohol.[4]

History

[edit]

Chocolate is native to Mesoamerica, and it was first cultivated by the Mayans and the Mexicas. The Mayans used the cacao beans in various ceremonies such as marriage and trade. Natives drank chocolate with corn puree, or masa. These drinks were thought of as magical and upon drinking, would give the drinker power and strength.[5]

Since sugarcane (originally from Southeast Asia) came to the Americas sometime after Europeans did, chocolate was said to have an acquired taste as it comes off as bitter without added sweetener. Spaniards created a drink consisting of chocolate, vanilla, and other spices which was served chilled. This drink cannot be compared to modern-day hot chocolate as it was very spicy and bitter, contrasting with the modern notion of very sweet, warm chocolate.

The invention of champurrado shows the adaptation of ancient practices by European colonialists. Upon the production of the drink, special tools like the molinillo were made to assist in the making of the drink which is now also used to make traditional hot chocolate in former Spanish colonies.[6]

There are many versions of champurrado in different countries. A unique variant in the Philippines is champorado. Although adapted directly from Mexican champurrado via the Manila galleons, it differs in that it uses whole grains of glutinous rice instead of masa. Instead of a drink, it is a sweet rice porridge traditionally eaten during cold rainy days and in the Christmas season.[7]

Many Latin Americans, especially Mexicans, enjoy champurrado around the holidays when the weather is colder. It differs significantly from hot chocolate in its taste and texture. The taste of the beverage also varies based on how it was made.

Terminology

[edit]

Champurrado is a type of atole (corn masa drink) with its main characteristic consisting of chocolate.[8] The difference between traditional hot chocolate and champurrado is the use of masa harina (corn flour). Atole is made by toasting masa on a griddle, then adding water that has been boiled with cinnamon sticks. The resulting blends vary in texture, ranging from a porridge to a very thin, liquid consistency. In northern Mexico, a variation is also made using pinole (sweetened toasted corn meal). Although atole is one of the traditional drinks of the Mexican holidays Day of the Dead and Las Posadas, it is very common during breakfast and dinner time at any time of year. In the state Chiapas, it is common for the indigenous Tzotzil people to sell atole. It is usually sold as street food but can be found in various Latin restaurants. The inclusion of chocolate to the atole gives birth to champurrado.

There are many different types of recipes to make champurrado. Different states in Mexico for example, use spices to enhance its taste. Cooking champurrado in a clay pot is also traditional and brings out the flavor even further.

See also

[edit]

• Abuelita
• Champorado
• Tejate
• Ibarra (chocolate)
• List of chocolate drinks
• List of hot drinks
• List of maize dishes

References

[edit]

1. ^ Palazuelos, Susanna; Tausend, Marilyn; Urquiza, Ignacio (1991). "Oaxaca: Champurrado". Mexico: The Beautiful Cookbook. HarperCollins. p. 53. ISBN 9780002159494.
2. ^ Aliseda, Andrea. "Classic Champurrado". Epicurious. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
3. ^ Orozco-Moore, Isabel (2024-12-04). "Champurrado Recipe (Mexican Chocolate Drink)". Isabel Eats. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
4. ^ "Champurrado | Local Non-alcoholic Beverage From Mexico". www.tasteatlas.com. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
5. ^ SF, My Mission: Tastes of (2014-12-11). "Champurrado Recipe and History: Enjoy it on December 12, Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe". my Mission: Tastes of SF. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
6. ^ "On the Preparation of Champurrado: The Cultural Relevance of the Molinillo | Chocolate Class". Chocolateclass.wordpress.com. 2016-02-19. Retrieved 2019-06-09.
7. ^ "Champurrado to Champorado: origin of a favorite Filipino breakfast | Lola Jane's World". Lolako.com. 2014-05-15. Retrieved 2019-06-09.
8. ^ "El champurrado, una deliciosa y nutritiva bebida mexicana". Viajerosblog.com. 30 June 2011. Retrieved 2019-06-09.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Champurrado.

v t e Mexican cuisine
List of Mexican dishes
Soupsand stews	Birria Caldo de pollo Caldo de queso Caldo de siete mares Caldo tlalpeño Caldo Xóchitl Chileatole Clemole Cocido Lime soup Manchamanteles Menudo Mole de olla Pozole Sopa de fideo Sopa de nopal Tortilla soup
Rice and pasta dishes	Arroz a la tumbada Arroz blanco Arroz negro Arroz poblano Green spaghetti Arroz rojo Morisqueta
Bean dishes	Borracho beans Frijoles charros Frijoles negros Frijoles Puercos Refried beans
Egg dishes	Huevos a la mexicana Huevos divorciados Huevos motuleños Huevos rancheros Machacado con huevo
Vegetabledishes	Chile relleno Chiles en escabeche Chiles en nogada Chipotle Elote Esquites Guasanas Nopal asado Rajas con crema Romeritos Tortita de papa
Meat dishes	Al pastor Barbacoa Cabrito Discada Entomatada Mixiote Moronga Pastel azteca Relleno negro Tripas Poultry Arroz con pollo Patitas Escabeche oriental Mole poblano Pollo motuleño Tinga de pollo Pork Adobada Calabacitas con puerco Carne de chango Carnitas Chicharrón en salsa Chileajo de cerdo Chilorio Chorizo Cochinita pibil Cueritos Poc chuc Beef Alambre Aporreadillo Albóndigas al chipotle Beef brain Beef tongue Cabeza Carne a la tampiqueña Carne asada Carne seca Criadillas Machaca Milanesa Pachola Picadillo Puntas Quesobirria Salpicón Tinga de res Seafood Aguachile Cahuamanta Camarones al ajillo Ceviche Huachinango a la Veracruzana Mixmole de pescado Mojarra frita Pan de cazón Pescadito Pescado al ajillo Pulpo a la campechana
Otherprotein dishes	Chahuis Chapulines Escamoles Huitlacoche Jumiles Maguey worm
Cheese dishes	Chicharrón de queso Quesadilla Queso en salsa Queso flameado
Antojitos	Empalme Enchilada Enfrijoladas Guajolota Nachos Quesadilla Taco Taquito Corn dough Cazuelita Chalupa Chilaquiles Chimichanga Chochoyote Corn tortilla Corunda Doblada Duros Gordita Huarache Molote Panucho Papadzules Piedra Salbut Sope or Memela Tamale Tlacoyo Tlayuda Tostada Totopo Wheat dough Burrito Cemita Gringas Mollete Pambazo Paste Sincronizada Torta Wheat tortilla
Sauces andcondiments	Adobo Mole Mole blanco Mole poblano Mole verde Recado rojo Salsa Salsa macha Salsa verde
Dessertsand sweets	Agave syrup Alegría Alfajor Arroz con leche Bionico Brazo gitano Cajeta de Celaya Capirotada Chongos zamoranos Churros Cocada Coyotas Flan de leche Dulce de leche Fried ice cream Mango con chile Marquesita Mazapán Mosaic gelatin Nicuatole Orejas Panela Polvorón Tres leches cake Turrón
Salads	Caesar salad Curtido Nopalitos Guacamole Pico de gallo
Breads	Bolillo Buñuelo Cemita Cochinito de piloncillo Cocol Concha Pan de muerto Pan dulce Rosca de reyes Sandwich roll
Beverages	Agua de Jamaica Atole Beer Café de olla Chamoyada Champurrado Curado Horchata Licuado Margarita Mexican tea culture Ponche Popo Pozol Tascalate Tejate Tejuino
Variants	Regional Chiapas Nuevo León Oaxaca Mexico City Veracruz Yucatán Fusion and diaspora American Korean-Mexican New Mexican Tex-Mex Baja Med Historical Aztec Maya
Comal Escuela de Gastronomía Mexicana Taco stand
Food portal Mexico portal Category Commons Cookbook WikiProject

v t e Chocolate drinks
Traditional drinks(maize and cacao)	Champurrado Pinolillo Pozol Tejate
Generic drinks	Bicerin Caffè mocha Chocolate liqueur Chocolate milk Crème de cacao Egg cream Espressino Hot chocolate Koko Samoa Marocchino Popo Ratafia Submarino Tascalate Tsokolate Vermeer Dutch Chocolate Cream Liqueur Xicolatada
Brand names	Mexican-style Abuelita Ibarra Mayordomo Taza Ready to drink, syrups and powdered mixes Akta-Vite Banania Boost Bosco Bournvita Brownie Chocolate Drink Cacolac Canfield's Carnation Choc-Ola Chocolate Soldier Chocomel (Cécémel) Cocio Cocodirect Cola Cao Fox's U-bet Frijj Kayo Kókómjólk Liqueur Fogg Milo Nescau Nesquik Ovaltine Pucko Sabra liqueur Shoko B'Sakit Stephen's Gourmet Swiss Miss Toddy Vana Tallinn Vi-Co Yoo-hoo
Lists	Outline of chocolate
Category: Chocolate drinks

v t e Maize and corn
Varieties	Amylomaize Baby Blue Dent Field Flint Flour Genetically modified List MON 810 MON 863 Purple Quality Protein Maize Shoepeg Sweet Varieties Visayan white Waxy Lagkitan By origin Bolivia Ecuador Italy Peru
Parts	Cob Kernel Stover
Processing	Corn construction Maize milling Nixtamalization Wet-milling Popcorn maker
Pathology	BBCH-scale Corn allergy Corn smut Maize streak virus
Production	Biofuel Corn crib Cornstalk fiddle By country United States Tanzania International corn production statistics List of popcorn brands Three Sisters (agriculture)
Culture	Corn Palace Corn School Field of Corn (1994 sculpture) National Cornbread Festival Sweet Corn Festival Zea (film)
Maize dishes	Ingredients Cornmeal Masa Mielie-meal Oil Samp Starch Steep liquor Syrup Glucose syrup High-fructose Public perception High-maltose Soups, stews, and porridge Banku Binte biluhuta Bulz Cocoloși Corn chowder Corn crab soup Corn pudding Corn soup Corn stew Cou-cou Creamed corn Fufu Ginataang mais Grits Hasty pudding Kačamak Mămăligă Mămăligă în pături Mush Pashofa Polenta Pozole Sagamite Suam na mais Ugali Xarém Tamales Acaçá Tamale Binaki Guanime Hallaca Humita Nacatamal Pamonha Pasteles Breads and cakes Arepa Bollo Broa Cachapa Chipa guasu Cornbread Corn cookie Corn tortilla List of tortilla-based dishes Johnnycake Makki ki roti Pastel de choclo Piki Proja Pupusa Sloosh Sope Sopa paraguaya Spoonbread Talo Tortilla Totopo Wotou Fried dishes Battered sausage Corn chip Corn dog Corn fritter Corn nut Cornick Corn schnitzel Hushpuppy Milho frito Nachos Sorullos Tostada Tortilla chip Other foods Alivenci Binatog Conkies Corn flakes Corn on the cob Corn relish Corn sauce Gofio Hominy Huitlacoche Kenkey Kuymak Maíz con hielo Maja maíz Maque choux Mote Pinole Popcorn Succotash Beverages Atole Bourbon whiskey Cauim Champurrado Chicha Chicha de jora Chicha morada Colada morada Corn beer Corn tea Corn whiskey Mazamorra Pinolillo Pozol Tejate Tejuino Tesgüino

v t e Christmas
Blue Christmas Boxing Day Children's Day Christmas Eve Saint Nicholas Day Saint Stephen's Day Sol Invictus Yule
In Christianity	Holy Family Jesus Christ Child Mary Joseph Biblical Magi Adoration of the Magi Adoration of the Shepherds Advent Angel Gabriel Annunciation Annunciation to the shepherds Bethlehem Christmastide Epiphany Herod the Great Massacre of the Innocents flight into Egypt Nativity Fast Nativity of Jesus in art in later culture Nativity scene Neapolitan Star of Bethlehem Twelfth Night
In folklore	Badalisc Caganer Christkind Grýla Jack Frost Korvatunturi Kallikantzaros Legend of the Christmas Spider Mari Lwyd Miner's figure Nisse North Pole Old Man Winter Perchta Santa's workshop Tió de Nadal Turoń Wenceslaus Yule cat
Gift-bringers	Saint Nicholas folklore Santa Claus Befana Ded Moroz Father Christmas Grandpa Indian Joulupukki Julemanden Noel Baba Olentzero Père Noël Sinterklaas Others
Companions ofSaint Nicholas	Belsnickel Elves Knecht Ruprecht Krampus Mrs. Claus Père Fouettard Sack Man Santa Claus' daughter Santa's reindeer Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Snegurochka Zwarte Piet
Traditions	Advent calendar Advent candle Advent wreath Boar's Head Feast Candle arches Chalking the door Cards Carols by Candlelight Cavalcade of Magi Christingle Christmas jumper Christmas Peace Crackers Decorations Didukh Eggbert The Elf on the Shelf Feast of the Seven Fishes Flying Santa Gifts Google Santa Tracker Hampers Las Posadas Letters Lights Lord of Misrule Markets Midnight Mass Moravian star Mummers' play Nine Lessons and Carols NORAD Tracks Santa Nutcrackers dolls Ornaments Parades list Piñatas Poinsettia Pyramids Räuchermann Christmas seals Secret Santa Spanbaum Szopka Stamps Stockings Tree Twelve Days Vertep Wassailing Windows Yule goat Yule log
By country	Australia Bangladesh Colombia Denmark Ethiopia Finland France Germany Nazi Germany Hungary Iceland folklore Indonesia Ireland Italy Mexico New Zealand Norway Philippines Poland Romania Russia Scotland Serbia Sweden Ukraine United States American Civil War Hawaii New Mexico
Music	Carols list Operas Hit singles in the UK Hit singles in the US Music charts (Billboard) Music books Carols for Choirs The Oxford Book of Carols The New Oxford Book of Carols Piae Cantiones
Other media	In literature A Christmas Carol Films Santa Claus in film Christmas horror Poetry "Old Santeclaus with Much Delight" "A Visit from St. Nicholas" "Christmas Day in the Workhouse" "Journey of the Magi" "Tomten" Christmas television specials United States Yule Log Apollo 8 Genesis reading
Inmodernsociety	Black Friday (partying) Black Friday (shopping) Bronner's Christmas Wonderland Christmas and holiday season Christmas club Christmas creep Christmas Day (Trading) Act 2004 Christmas jumpers Christmas Lectures Christmasland in New Taipei City Christmas Mountains Christmas seals Christmas truce Controversies Cyber Monday Economics GivingTuesday Grinch El Gordo Jews and Christmas In July In August NBA games NFL games Pikkujoulu SantaCon Santa's Candy Castle Santa Claus Village Scrooge Small Business Saturday Super Saturday Virginia O'Hanlon ("Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus") White Christmas Xmas
Food anddrink	Dinner Joulupöytä Julbord Julebord Kūčios Réveillon Thirteen desserts Twelve-dish supper Wigilia Sweets Baked Alaska Candy cane Cake Cookie Cozonac Fruitcake Gingerbread Kutia Makówki Melomakarono Mince pie Pampushka Panettone Pavlova Pecan pie Poppy seed roll Pudding Pumpkin pie Qurabiya Red velvet cake Sugar plum Stollen Szaloncukor Turrón Yule log Soup Menudo Borscht Sauces Bread sauce Cranberry sauce Redcurrant sauce Beverages Apple cider Champurrado Coquito Eggnog Hot chocolate Kissel Mulled wine Smoking bishop Ponche crema Snowball Dumplings Hallaca Pierogi Tamale Meat and fish Carp Gefilte fish Ham Pickled herring Roast goose Romeritos Stuffing Tourtière Turkey
Category