By Melissa Pette

If you're in the mood for something cozy, sweet, and straight-up comforting, you’ve got to try Atol de Elote, a traditional Costa Rican favorite that’s been passed down through generations.

It’s kind of like a creamy corn soup-meets-drink, and whether you're sipping it at a friend's party or curled up on the couch, it just hits the spot.

So, let’s get cookin’!

This recipe serves about 4 people, and the ingredients are super easy to find at any grocery store in Costa Rica (and pretty accessible elsewhere too). Here's what you’ll need:

• 4 cups fresh corn kernels (or canned sweet corn, just rinse and drain it first).

• 4 cups milk.

• 1 cup water.

• 1/2 cup sugar (or adjust to taste).

• 1 cinnamon stick.

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

• A pinch of salt.

If you’re using fresh corn, go ahead and cut the kernels off the cob. If you’re using canned, just give them a good rinse and drain.


Toss the corn into a blender with 1 cup of the milk and blend until smooth.


For that smooth, creamy texture, pour the blended corn through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Press down with the back of a spoon to get all that liquid goodness out.


Pour the strained corn mixture into a large saucepan. Add the rest of the milk, the cup of water, sugar, cinnamon stick, vanilla, and a pinch of salt.


Bring it all to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring often so nothing sticks to the bottom. Once it starts to bubble, lower the heat and let it simmer for 15–20 minutes until it thickens up nicely. Don’t forget to fish out the cinnamon stick before serving.


You can enjoy Atol warm or chilled, totally up to you! Warm version, ladle it into mugs and sprinkle a bit of ground cinnamon on top.  Chilled version, let it cool to room temp, pop it in the fridge for a few hours, and serve it cold.


No matter how you serve it, this creamy corn delight is a cozy little trip to Costa Rica in a cup. Give it a try, you might just find a new favorite!

Have a "pura vida" weekend!

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Feel free to share your own recipes by emailing a horizontal photo of your dish to food@amcostarica.com. You can find more tasty Costa Rican recipes over on the AM Costa Rica Food page.

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