Cheers with a Mexican Marzipan Atole or Peanut Atole Hot Drink with Maicena!
The Mexican Marzipan Atole or Peanut Atole Hot Drink recipe has cornstarch or maicena, peanut marzipan, and milk. A true delight. It comes together in a few minutes, a must-try for breakfast or dinner.
What is atole or atol?
Atole (ah-toe-lay) comes from the From Nahuatl atolli, which means “watery.” Atol is a quintessential Mexican hot beverage with Maicena (cornstarch). The powdery flour dilutes in water and is then added to hot milk or water to make the Mexican marzipan atole.
Atoles have either fruits or nuts. But we cannot confuse champurrado with atol. Champurrado results in the mixing of chocolate and corn masa. While atole has maicena and not masa. We love them all, especially the guava atole.
Traditional Mexican cooking and Mexican hot chocolate.
Mexican hot chocolate and atoles are part of traditional Mexican cooking and have been enjoyed by generations since pre-Hispanic times. In the old times, fresh masa was common to make the nourishing hot beverage with water.
The name of that drink is “atole blanco” or “atole de maiz.” But milk became a water replacement after the conquest and the arrival of cows and dairy products.
With the introduction of other ingredients to the Mexican diet, such as brown sugar (piloncillo) and spices like the cinnamon stick and vanilla became widespread use as sweeteners and flavorings.
Atol varieties and recipe versions.
Atole is one of the most popular drinks in Mexico. Each region has its own version using different ingredients and different flavors. Some common sweeteners are sugar, piloncillo, or honey in some recipes. As well as the use of fruit purees and spices.
Although atole is conceived as a hot drink with a thick consistency, some exceptions do not contain sweeteners or sugar. Some atoles can be sour, salty, and spicy. And can be rather watery.
In Mexican culture, atoles are a valued nutritious drink. Some consider it an ailment and use it for ceremonial and ritual purposes.
What is maicena or corn starch?
Maicena, cornstarch, maize starch, or cornflour comes from the corn kernel. It is a valued ingredient in cooking because it acts as a thickener for soups, desserts, puddings, sauces, drinks, and much more.
Some use it to make corn syrup and other sugars. It is also gluten-free, so maicena could be a replacement for wheat flour in baking.
In Mexican and Latino cuisines, cornstarch is present in many of our recipes and used to make hot nutritional breakfast drinks such as atole.
The Mexican Marzipan Atole is a delight. Are you ready to try it?
Below are our recommendations on how to make it correctly and suggestions for substitutions. The recipe for the marzipan atole is simple. It has peanut Mexican mazapán, maicena or cornstarch, and milk.
1- First, mash the peanut marzipan using a fork. Add this to the blender along with milk.
2- Pour the peanut marzipan milk mix into a saucepan or an aluminum jug and cook it on the stove. While the blend warms, dilute cornstarch with water in a separate bowl.
3- When the peanut milk mix is bubbling, add the diluted cornstarch and stir until the peanut atole comes together. It is ready when the drink is smooth and velvety.
4- Serve the Mexican marzipan atole hot on your favorite cup, and enjoy.
After the first sip, the feeling of warmth and coziness makes the hot drink special. Then you will understand why atole is a favorite drink among many Mexican households.
REPLACEMENTS
- A good replacement for peanut marzipan is peanut butter in powder or peanut butter spread.
- You can use dairy-free options such as soy, almond, or oat milk.
- Replace the sugar with brown sugar (atole will be darker in color).
- Maple or agave syrup, honey, or sugar-free sweetener of your choice.
Atole is a sweet tasty hot beverage that hugs you inside out.
This peanut atole beverage is comforting and fulfilling. The hot beverage for breakfast and dinner is paired with Mexican pastries or Pan de Muerto.
This year we include the atole in our altar offering since many of my family members enjoyed peanut marzipan. Besides, this candy brings me so many childhood memories.
What is a mazapan or Mexican marzipan?
Mazapan or marzipan is a product that came from Spain and became famous thanks to the nuns. The original mazapan has almonds, but that ingredient was difficult to come by and expensive, so peanuts became an alternative.
Peanuts, named in Spanish “cacahuates,” are an oilseed native to South America that arrived in Mexico during pre-Hispanic times. The peanuts were a crop sold at the big tianguis market in the great Tenochtitlán. Spaniards then took them to Europe and Africa, allowing their cultivation and consumption worldwide.
Where to find mazapanes?
Depending on the region in Mexico, you can find mazapanes de pepitas (pumpkin seeds) mixed with orange blossom water and cut into diamond shapes. The texture is soft, like American fudge and usually comes in pink and white.
But the most popular Mexican marzipan is pressed, not cooked. The name in Spanish is mazapán de cacahuate. It has roasted peanuts and powdered sugar. They are round, mimicking a cookie.
In Mexico, you can find mazapanes in almost all candy stores and at the supermarket. I was lucky to find them here in Florida and couldn’t resist buying a box and preparing the peanut atole using Mexican marzipan as the main ingredient.
Mexican Marzipan Atole is on the Menu for Day of the Dead
Our altar is ready, and the menu this year includes an almond mole with chicken, tlacoyos, cactus salad, sugar skull cookies, candied pumpkin and yams, pan de muerto, and the Mexican marzipan atole.
Other atole options include:
- Atole de vanilla (vanilla). Made with milk, Mexican vanilla, sugar, and cornstarch.
- Atole de fresa (strawberry). Made with cooked strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, and milk.
- Atole de chocolate (chocolate). Made with Mexican chocolate, cornstarch, and milk or water.
- Atole de guayaba (guava). Made with guava puree, cornstarch, and milk or water.
- Atole de canela (cinnamon stick). Made with cinnamon spice, cornstarch, milk, or water.
- Atole de coco (coconut). Made with coconut milk, coconut extract, cornstarch, and coconut flakes.
- Atole de manzana (apple). Made with apple sauce, cinnamon, brown sugar, cornstarch, and milk.
- Atole de almendra (almond). Made with almond paste, sugar, cornstarch, and milk.
- Atole de calabaza (pumpkin). Made with candied pumpkin, piloncillo syrup, cornstarch, and milk.
Mexican Marzipan Atole with Maicena
Equipment
- Aluminum milk jug
- Wooden spoon
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring spoons
- Blender
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk or water
- 2 peanut marzipan pieces or 2 tablespoons of powdered peanut butter
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch or maicena
- 1 teaspoon sugar optional
Instructions
- Dilute the cornstarch with water and mash the peanut marzipan pieces.
- Add the crumbled marzipan to the blender and pour the milk. Blend like a smoothie.
- Add the blended milk with the peanut marzipan to an aluminum milk jug or a saucepan and cook until milk starts bubbling and you know it is hot.
- Until then add the diluted cornstarch and continue mixing with a wooden spoon or a milk frother. The atole will be ready when getting a smooth velvety consistency.
- Serve hot and enjoy with pastries or tamales.
Video
Notes
- A good replacement for peanut marzipan is peanut butter in powder or peanut butter spread.
- You can use dairy-free options such as soy, almond, or oat milk.
- Replace the sugar with brown sugar (atole will be darker in color).
- Maple or agave syrup, honey, or sugar-free sweetener of your choice.
- Atole de vanilla (vanilla). Made with milk, Mexican vanilla, sugar, and cornstarch.
- Atole de fresa (strawberry). Made with cooked strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, and milk.
- Atole de chocolate (chocolate). Made with Mexican chocolate, cornstarch, and milk or water.
- Atole de guayaba (guava). Made with guava puree, cornstarch, and milk or water.
- Atole de canela (cinnamon stick). Made with cinnamon spice, cornstarch, milk, or water.
- Atole de coco (coconut). Made with coconut milk, coconut extract, cornstarch, and coconut flakes.
- Atole de manzana (apple). Made with apple sauce, cinnamon, brown sugar, cornstarch, and milk.
- Atole de almendra (almond). Made with almond paste, sugar, cornstarch, and milk.
- Atole de calabaza (pumpkin). Made with candied pumpkin, piloncillo syrup, cornstarch, and milk.
Nutrition
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