When is freezing cold outside, and on a cool fall day a corn masa atole is an excellent way to keep me warm. There are many different ways to make this creamy drink, with the texture of a milkshake. Cooks use corn masa, corn starch, flour, oatmeal, toasted cornmeal or rice, just to mention some.
Sweet Corn Atole and Masa Harina Atole
During the times of the Aztec Empire, Atole was a common and popular drink. It was made of cooked corn grains that were ground and then diluted with water. Sometimes sweetened with piloncillo, our unrefined whole cane sugar. Nowadays, Atoles are so diverse; we use sugar and add fruits like pineapple, guavas, strawberries or nuts to have a flavorful drink. Vanilla, cinnamon, almond, orange or lemon peel gives a sublime aroma to the drink. We also have the famous champurrado, which is an atole with chocolate.
The word Atole comes from the Nahuatl “atolli”, which means "watery drink. And when it is made of just corn and water is called “White Atole”
Today you can just go to a grocery store and buy a packaged mix of cornstarch with flavors as chocolate, almond, vanilla, strawberry, and coconut. Or, use the dry masa harina to make an easy and warm drink since it is hard to get fresh nixtamalized corn masa outside México.This version of Atole uses fresh corn grains and cornstarch, but you can substitute the corn for a banana in case you like bananas, no need to strain after blending or just add Vanilla and skip the fresh corn. Mexican Vanilla is my favorite.
How to make Sweet Corn Atole Recipe
Instructions:
- Dissolve the cornstarch in a cup of water until there are no lumps. Set aside. Puree corn grains with 1 cup of the milk in the blender. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- Using a colander or sieve strain the liquid and pour into a pot adding the sugar, milk, the cornstarch-milk mixture, and cinnamon.
- Cook over medium heat bringing the mixture to a boil and stir frequently to avoid sticking, until mixture thickens.
- Remove from heat and serve warm.
How to make Corn Masa Harina Atole with milk Recipe
Directions:
- In a medium size, pot pours the milk and add the piloncillo, milk, and cinnamon.
- Dissolve the masa harina with the cup of water until there are no lumps left. Add to the rest of the ingredients in the pot and turn the heat to medium. Cook stirring frequently until boiling point.
- Remove from heat and remove the cinnamon stick. When the atole gets cold, it will thicken a little more. reheat and add more milk or water.
Have you tried Atole? I love Tamarind Atole but have a hard time liking Black bean Atole.
Yes, it is cold outside. More Atole, por favor!! (Originally posted January of 2011)
Buen Provecho!
Mely,
Leave a comment and share your experience with the recipe.
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More recipes:
Oatmeal Recipe
Orange Atole
Sweet Corn Cake
Receta en Español Atole de elote.
Sweet Corn Atole and Corn Masa Harina Atole
Ingredients
Sweet Corn Atole
- 2 cups of fresh corn kernels
- 4 cups of milk
- ¾ cup of water
- ½ stick of cinnamon
- ⅓ cup of sugar or more to adjust to your personal taste
- 5 Tablespoons of cornstarch
Corn Masa Harina Atole with milk
- 3 & ½ cups of milk
- ⅓ cup of piloncillo or brown sugar
- ½ cup of masa harina
- 1 cup of water
- 1 inch of a cinnamon stick.
Instructions
Sweet Corn Atole
- Dissolve the cornstarch in a cup of water until there are no lumps. Set aside. Puree corn grains with 1 cup of the milk in the blender until smooth.
- Using a colander or sieve strain the liquid and pour into a pot adding the sugar, milk, the cornstarch-milk mixture, and cinnamon.
- Cook over medium heat bringing the mixture to a boil and stir frequently to avoid sticking, until mixture thickens. It could take 15 minutes or more to get to this point.
- Remove from heat and serve warm.
Corn Masa Harina Atole
- In a medium size, pot pours the milk and add the piloncillo, milk, and cinnamon.
- Dissolve the masa harina with the cup of water until there are no lumps left. Add to the rest of the ingredients in the pot and turn the heat to medium. Cook stirring frequently until boiling point. Keep cooking until the drink begins to thicken.
- Remove from heat and remove the cinnamon stick. When the atole gets cold, it will thicken a little more. reheat and add more milk or water.
Francis
I really enjoy exploring Latin American recipes especially Mexican cuisine. Some of the recipes that I have searched so far have their Filipino counterparts. Thanks for sharing your home-style recipes. Here in the Philippines, home-style recipes are refer to lutong-bahay, and I love lutong-bahay: kare-kare, pinakbet, sinigang na hipon, nilagang baka, champorado, arroz caldo, arroz valenciana, menudo, potchero, adobong baboy with pineapples, pancit guisado, tamarindo, caldereta, lechon paksiw... Me gusta mucho comer pero no se cocinar. How I wish I could cook...
Sarah Garcia
Do you have a dairy-free version of this recipe?
Mely Martínez
Hello Sarah,
To make it dairy-free, only use water instead of milk.
Carol De Luna
Absolutely delicious. Kids and husband loved it. I've made it three times already. Definitely a keeper recipe.
Heather Tomasini
I discovered Atole on my second trip to Mexico during the month of December. What a treat! I fell in love with this delicious, warming, filling beverage. I"m excited to make it and try your recipe! Thank you! Heather
Eva Lynn Blagburn
I love this cereal. Mamma always made it with two sticks of cinnamon. She made cinnamon tea and sweetened with sugar then added a can evaporated milk. The trick she taught me was to toast the harina. It gave it more of the roasted corn flavoring. She then made a creamy rue by mixing it with water. Strained it through a colander into the cinnamon tea mix and cooked until thickened to liking..
For added twist I dissolve a few pieces of ability chocolate in the tea before adding the corn mix. Delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Eva Lynn Blagburn
Abuelita chocolate.
Alisha Christian
Please forgive my ignorance, but is "fresh corn grain" just fresh corn kernels cut off the cob or frozen? Thank you, this looks and sounds so delicious.
Mely
Hello Alisha,
You are right, this is fresh corn the one you cut off the cob and you can also use the frozen corn.
Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to comment.
Happy cooking!
Mely
Jessica D'Amico
Muchisimas gracias por compartir la receta del atole hecho con masa harina. Acabo de prepararlo y me encanto! Perfecto para calentarse cuando esta frio afuera de la ventana. Le anadi un poquito de canela espolvoreada encima en lo que me lo tomaba de una de mis tazas favoritas. Delicioso y se demora poquisimo a hacerlo! Feliz an~o nuevo!
loves2spin
Mely, thanks for commenting on my water kefir post. Hey, when I wrote that, I mentioned that I put a dried apricot in the brew in the text, but then when I wrote the "recipe" I left that out. It's corrected now, but I wanted to mention it to you!
Mexico in my kitchen
Hello Karen,
Sorry for the late reply. I am having some sort of cabin fever syndrome lately.
You could use New Mexico or California Chiles instead of the guajillo peppers. Some are spicier that others but they will do Ok for the pozole.
Saludos y bendiciones para ti y tu familia tambien.
Ziho
Hola
Acabo de descubrir tu blog y me encantó, qué bueno que no pierdas el deleite en la gastronomía mexicana y que la impulses desde donde resides ahora.
Salu2 desde Monterrey, MEXICO
Lori
Sounds very warm and comforting.
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I just found your blog today. Your pictures are beautiful. I am working on a project featuring recipes from food bloggers and chefs. I hope I can showcase your recipe.
La Dama
I been thinking of makin arroz con leche pero me falta comprar las almendras..a el no le guste el atole.oh perdon no era mi birthdaypero me senti como que era. muchas gracias for your lovely recipe.
Erica
I love atole!!!! This is so good for this weather!
LaBarbie0426
hola mely! just stopping by to say hello oh and PS i made the salsa verde con aguacate for the first time! (mi papa no le gusta el tomatillo) but everyone ate it up! it was soo good mely and refreshing!
hope your doing good! Now, I need to try this atole recipe.
Mexico in my kitchen
La Dama, Hey Girl! I wonder if you make atole for your English boy. Do you?
Catherine,
Thanks a los for your kind words. I hope you have a blessed day.
Taste of Beriut, kids love this drink in winter time. You should try to make it with rice or rice flour.