Atole

Atole is a thick, corn-based drink native to Mexico and Central America, where it is consumed as a breakfast drink or sipped in the evening after dinner. It can be made from cornmeal, cornstarch, or masa harina, a type of flour used in traditional Mexican cooking.

The consistency and texture very much depend on the type of starch used, ideally, it should be thick, creamy and without any lumps. The original, pre-Spanish Conquest recipe always called for water as it’s base liquid; nowadays it can be made with milk, water, or a combination of both.

Atole is traditionally sweetened with piloncillo (a thick, crystalline syrup made from cane juice) but brown sugar, white sugar, or honey and can also be used as well as fruit (atole de sabor), chocolate (champurrado), nuts, vanilla, cinnamon, and seeds to add extra flavor.