Sweet Corn Atole and Masa Harina Atole
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.
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.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.
Corn Masa Harina Atole with milk Recipe
- 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.
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.
- 2 cups of fresh corn grains
- 4 cups of milk
- 3/4 cup of water
- ½ stick of cinnamon
- 1/3 cup of sugar or more to adjust to your personal taste
- 5 Tablespoons of cornstarch
- 3 & 1/2 cups of milk
- 1/3 cup of piloncillo or brown sugar
- 1/2 cup of masa harina
- 1 cup of water
- 1 inch of a cinnamon stick.
-
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.
-
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.
You can use honey or any other kind of sweetener.
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.
If you are on Pinterest, check our boards with hundreds of delicious ideas I’m pinning for you! Or if you are on Instagram, check out the meals pictures or stories ideas.
More recipes:
Orange Atole
Sweet Corn Cake
Oh! Mi esposo LOVES atole! He was asking for some the other day, but I have yet to make any. Yours looks so warming and comforting, Mely. I've only ever tried the "regular" masa variety. I'll have to look into trying alternate versions. Yum 😀
Nice view, outside of your window but I am glad its not outside mine.
Snow is beautiful but very disrupting, well here in England.
Lovely photos and a very welcoming warm drink ♥
Atole Lo preparamos mucho en mi casa
saludos
Mely, yes memories are defintely linked to ATOLE. I wrote about that not very long ago. Oh it looks so delish. I see that you have HOW TO's on your sidebar and I love that. I'm sure I'll find something there I'll want to make. Thanks for sharing and I sure could go for a nice cup of atole. Take care.
Hola querida Mely!!! me encanta ese atole! es más, me antojaste tanto que ya me voy a preparar! jaja… y eso que no tengo esa hermosa vista desde mi ventana, pero no me puedo quejar, puedo ver el Popocatépetl desde mi balcón y se ve un poco de nieve en la punta 😉
besitos!
I wouldn't have guessed that it would be cold outside your window! Your atole looks so good. It would be the perfect drink for New England. Thanks so much for stopping by to see me! I have to say that the black bean burgers were amazingly good. We will definitely have them again. Hope you are having a great weekend, Candace
I need to try that drink with masa harina, looks delicious . I bought some from Fiesta need to be used up. Stay warm and enjoy the weekend.
I remember my grandmother making atole during Christmas, with lots of vanilla and cinnamon. I had no idea it came in such a variety of flavors. I'll have to make some of my own.
thats funny – we have some of those packets (well not that exact same brand but we have vanilla and coco) I grew up eating blue corn atole every morning for breakfast in the winter – I love it. I never thought to use masa harina – I might just make up some yellow atole today.
Mely – Atole is something that my mom used to make all the time. My dad loved it, me… not so much. I have never been a fan of atole but members of my family can kill for it! I don't like it but your pictures look so inviting that I almost wish I do. Great recipes and beautiful pictures! Stay warm.
Hay Mely ; qué foto taaan linda !!! a mí no me gusta el frío pero esa foto está preciosa !!! El atole me gusta muchísimo ;), el de guayaba es mi preferido, el de tamarindo no mucho, se me hace una combinación rara 🙂
El strusel? la verdad no sé, quizá struddel? no sé !!!
Saludos Mely, un abrazo fuerte 😉
Hi, Girlichef, I hope you make so for your husband. It is really easy.
Hello Ana, the snow was disturbing this time around leaving many drivers in the middle of the road.
Hola Cocina Con C, gracias por visitar.
Hola Gloria, I will have to look for that post in your blog.
Hola Gaby, disfruta la vista del Popo con tu rico atolito.
Hello Candace, I will try those bean burgers and let you know.
Swathi, I hope you try it!
Hi, Kirby, Nice to see you visiting. Yes, there are so many flavors now a day.
Hola Prieta, si no a todos les gusta la textura del atole. 😉
Hola Pily, Todavia me falta hacer un atole de Guayaba este invierno.
Hey! Doggubloggy, great idea to make it with blue corn. I have some blue corn that need to be cooked. I will reserve some to make atole. I bet you will also add something else.
Thanks all for visiting, have a great week!
Mely
wow this is a new drink to me looks wonderful thanks for your sweet comments on my blog, hugs love learning from you Mely
Rebecca
Such a healthy and yummy drink! I'd love to try it…
looks very comforting :),I heard masa harina is type of corn flour, is there a substitute for that if I am unable to get it?
Hello, Rebecca.
I hope you try it. I am sure your little girl will like it.
Treat and Trick:
Thanks for stopping by. You can use the first recipe that uses cornstarch or rice flour.
Mely
I never made or heard of a beverage with corn grains or corn before.Very interesting and looks really comforting too with cinnamon !
This sounds very interesting, something I have never tried. A warm drink right now would be wonderful, it's cold out.
-Brenda
I've never heard of this drink before, but it looks and sounds really delicious! Thank you for sharing about it, and how to make it, I'll be sure to try these recipes out because it's freezing here in England too 🙂
I'm also taking part in the Hearth & Soul hop and that's how I found your blog.
Wow, this is so cool, I cannot wait to try this recipe, I love the idea of trying this out. I'm imagining that this is similar to horchata but instead of rice its the corn.
Mely! I really love discovering new ethnic recipes and this one looks right up my alley for the cold we are having right now! Thanks so much for posting it on the hearth and soul hop and I love that you gave instructions for a few different versions. All the best! Alex
I have never tasted it but the pics look very tempting
Just what I need right now, looks really warm..thanks for sharing 🙂
Mely, Absolutely beautiful. And Terrific instructions as always!!!!
Abrazos Amiga,este post te ha quedado presioso!
Besotes,
Aldy.
Hi…..Please visit my blog an award is waiting for you ….. 🙂
Mely, yo estoy hecha paleta -3 grados Nikki y yo estamos en el solecito que entra por el ventanal
Quiero mi atoleeeee
Besos
se antoja mucho el atole.te ve bien rico.
I also love tus intructions. en estos tiempos..a me me gusto mucho los tiempos frio.
My kids used to love horchatas; I bet they would like these drinks too!
This sounds wonderful! I have never heard of this, but I would like to try this.
You have a lovely blog,
Cheers~
Hi, Tanvi, I hope you try the Atole, thanks for visiting.
Sense of Home, you are right a warm drink is something good to have during these cold days. ☺
Hello Aurelia, Glad you stop by. This winter has been one of the coldest. Keep warm, and thanks for stopping by.
Hi Oyster Culture, you can also try to make atole with rice or rice flour. That is another way we make it in Mexico. I do hope you try it.
Hello, Alex. I do wish to try to make it. With all the things you cook and post in your blog, I am sure you will love the drink.
Priyanka, I am not sure if there is something similar in India but it is so comforting like having a hot chai. ☺
Thanks for stoping by Aipi.
Hola Aldy, tus fotos son mas bonitas amiga. Saludos.
Hola Nora, Gracias por las anotaciones. Un abrazo.
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.
hola mely! como estas! so Leslie i had to make a new blog! because my link was broken an no one could see my updates! and it was making me sad bcus i have already posted 2 small recipes but no one could see them bcus my post wasnt showing up on there blog feeds! so just stopping by to say hello! and if you ever can get the chance it would mean alot if you followed me back! 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!
I love atole!!!! This is so good for this weather!
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 comment.
I just found your blog today. Your pictures are beautiful. I am working on a project featuring recipes from food bloggers and chefs. Can you e-mail me to see if you'd be interested? I'll give you all the details.
My e-mail is slim-shoppin@comcast.net
Thanks!
Sounds very warm and comforting.
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.
Ayer leí una receta de atole, viene siendo como receta básica para incluirle el sabor o fruta a nuestro gusto, si la deseas, te la comparto con gusto, dylmem@gmail.com
Salu2 desde Monterrey, MEXICO
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.
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!
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!
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.
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
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