Champurrado is a thick Mexican hot chocolate made with masa harina, the corn flour used for tortillas and tamales, simmered with milk, chocolate, piloncillo or brown sugar and cinnamon until it is creamy and spoon-coating. This version uses unsweetened cocoa powder instead of a chocolate tablet, so you can set the sweetness yourself, and it is ready in about 20 minutes.
On a cold morning in Mexico City, street vendors ladle champurrado from steaming pots into paper cups, and people drink it standing up with a tamal in the other hand. It is the drink of Día de Muertos and Las Posadas, of early starts and late nights, and it belongs to a family of warm corn drinks called atoles that are older than chocolate’s arrival in Europe. The corn is not a thickener added for convenience; it is the point. It gives the drink a body no cream can imitate and a faint toasted sweetness under the cocoa. Here is how to make it from the cocoa in your pantry, and how to get the texture right the first time.
What do you need for champurrado?
Makes: 4 mugs · Prep: 5 minutes · Cook: 15 minutes
- 1 cup (240 ml) warm water
- ⅓ cup (40 g) masa harina
- 3 cups (720 ml) whole milk
- ⅓ cup (28 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup (100 g) chopped piloncillo or packed dark brown sugar, to taste
- 1 cinnamon stick (or ½ tsp ground cinnamon)
- Pinch of fine salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
How do you make champurrado with cocoa powder?
- Dissolve the masa. Whisk the masa harina into the warm water until completely smooth, with no lumps.
- Warm the milk. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the milk, piloncillo or brown sugar, cinnamon stick and salt to a gentle simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the cocoa. Whisk the cocoa with a ladle of the hot milk into a smooth paste, then whisk it back into the pan.
- Thicken. Pour in the masa mixture while whisking. Simmer over medium-low heat, whisking often, for 8 to 10 minutes, until it thickens enough to coat a spoon.
- Finish. Remove the cinnamon stick, stir in the vanilla and taste for sweetness. Serve hot, whisking or frothing just before pouring.
How is champurrado different from Mexican hot chocolate?
They share the cocoa and the cinnamon and then part ways. Mexican hot chocolate is light and frothy, whipped with a molinillo until the foam stands up, and it is drunk with churros. Champurrado is thickened with masa harina, so it is creamy, almost like a thin pudding, and it belongs to the atole family of warm corn drinks, served with tamales and pan dulce. One is a drink; the other is closer to breakfast. For the lighter, cinnamon-and-chile version, see our Mexican hot chocolate with cocoa powder.
How do you get the texture right?
Lumps mean the masa went in dry or unstirred: dissolve it fully in warm water first, whisk while you pour it in, and strain if you must. Too thin means it needs a few more minutes at a simmer, or another tablespoon or two of masa dissolved in water. Too thick, which happens fast as it cools, is fixed with warm milk whisked in a splash at a time. A scorched bottom means the heat was too high; keep it at medium-low and whisk along the bottom of the pan, because masa settles and catches.
Which cocoa powder works best?
Any unsweetened cocoa, since nothing here needs to rise. Natural cocoa gives a brighter, fruitier chocolate flavor that pairs well with cinnamon; Dutch-process makes a darker, mellower cup. For more on choosing, see the best cocoa powder for drinking. Either way, make the cocoa into a paste with a little hot milk before adding it, as in our hot chocolate with cocoa powder, or it will clump. Grevista is a one-ingredient natural cocoa powder from Vietnamese Trinitario cacao; one pot of champurrado uses about 28 g. Compare sizes on the Grevista cocoa powder page.
How can you change it?
For dairy-free, use oat or almond milk, or the traditional all-water version for a lighter drink. For a spiced pot, add a star anise or a pinch of chile with the cinnamon. For less sweet, start with a quarter cup of sugar and add more at the end. To make it ahead, know that it thickens as it cools; reheat gently with a splash of milk. For a party, set it out next to the toppings from our hot cocoa bar ideas.
Masa and cocoa also meet in savory cooking: our mole sauce with cocoa powder uses unsweetened cocoa to deepen a chile-based sauce for chicken.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use cornstarch instead of masa harina?
You can thicken the drink with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, but it will not have the toasted corn flavor that makes champurrado taste like champurrado. Masa harina is worth finding.
Is champurrado the same as atole?
Champurrado is a type of atole. Atole is the family of warm masa drinks; champurrado is the chocolate one.
How long does champurrado keep?
Up to 3 days in the fridge. It sets thick when cold, so reheat it slowly, whisking in milk until smooth.
Can I make champurrado with water instead of milk?
Yes. The traditional version is often made with water alone, which gives a lighter, more corn-forward drink. Milk makes it richer.
Commercial relationship: Grevista distributes this cocoa and earns revenue from sales on Amazon. See our Affiliate & Commercial Disclosure.
Written by the Grevista Editorial Team. Last updated November 2, 2026. How we check facts: Editorial Policy.