This atole de elote (corn atole) will warm you with its thick and creamy flavor. Lightly sweetened with piloncillo and cinnamon, this is comfort in a cup!

Mexico has some stellar iced beverages including aguas frescas and horchatas. Agua de jamaica and Strawberry Horchata are great examples of these.

But Mexican hot drinks are just as good, especially now in the winter months!

What is Atole?

Atole is a hot Mexican beverage thickened with corn masa and sweetened with piloncillo.

If you’ve never tried it, it tastes like a thin corn porridge with cinnamon and vanilla!

It’s especially popular around the holidays of Día de Los Muertos and Christmas.

It’s warm and comforting and absolutely delicious for breakfast with some pan dulce or easy buñuelos, but it’s great anytime of the day or year.

This recipe is for atole de elote (corn), but it can also be flavored with chocolate which is called champurrado, fruit such as pineapple or strawberry, or even made with rice instead of corn.

In Mexican grocers you can find atole packets to make it instantly, but the best flavor is homemade with real ingredients.

There are many different ways to enjoy this. Do you put some milk or just water? Do you use masa or another flour to thicken?

Mexico is a large, diverse country with many influences and culinary regions.

Please use my recipe (which I think is the BEST!) and adapt to your family’s taste.

Ingredients You Will Need

Corn masa harina – this is a type of corn flour used to give the atole a sweet, nutty flavor. My favorite brand is Maseca. Some parts also use cornstarch to thicken, or even white wheat flour.

Piloncillo – unrefined cane syrup in the shape of a cone. You can also substitute brown sugar for a similar flavor.

Cinnamon sticks – I use cinnamon sticks to flavor the atole, but also add extra ground cinnamon at the end.

Vanilla – Mexican vanilla is the best!

Milk – I like to use a little whole milk in my atole for an extra creamy texture. Feel free to use only water and you will have a dairy/lactose free recipe.

How to Make Atole

• In a large pot add water, milk, piloncillo and cinnamon. Warm over low heat until sugar is melted. Stir it frequently so nothing burns.
• In a bowl, mix together hot water and masa harina. Whisk vigorously to remove any clumps. I love my beautiful molinillo which is a traditional Mexican whisk.
• Add masa mixture to pot and whisk again to ensure there are no clumps. This is the most important part because no one wants lumpy, grainy atole. It should be velvety smooth.
• Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, stirring constantly. Cook until mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes.
• Remove cinnamon stick and stir in vanilla. Serve while hot.

P.S. I got the beautiful molinillo (traditional Mexican whisk) and mugs from Verve Culture.

Curious about the name “atole”?

Atole in English is atole. There is no translation, just as there is no English word for taco.

Atole is the Spanish word for atolli, which is what the ancient Nahautl or Aztec people called their drink.

The original beverage was a thin gruel made from ground maize and water.

I hope you enjoy the amazing recipe that has developed after hundreds of years!