Atole De Avena (Oatmeal Drink)

Atole De Avena, or oatmeal drink, is a warm, comforting drink so versatile that it can be enjoyed as a snack, dessert or as a calming bedtime drink. It is surprisingly filling and only lightly sweetened with coconut sugar or your choice of sweetener. 

Atole De Avena, is a variation of a traditional Mexican drink. Atole is typically made with Masa Harina (corn flour) but this version is made with oat flour.

The texture and consistency of Atole can be adjusted to your personal preference. I prefer mine to be very creamy so I blend the oats thoroughly into a fine flour. If you prefer more texture in your Atole, just pulse the oats slightly. I also prefer my Atole to be a thicker consistency that I can eat with a spoon, almost like oatmeal. I love it that way as it reminds me of the Cream of Wheat cereal I ate as a child. However, as many people prefer their Atole to be a drinkable consistency, I have created this particular recipe to be more like a beverage. 

For more delicious oatmeal recipes check out Matcha Crinkle Cookies, Date Oatmeal Cookies, Coconut Haystacks, Coconut Flour Oatmeal Cookies.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• It's a comforting drink that can be enjoyed hot, making it perfect for cold weather or when you want something cozy.
• It's customizable - you can use whole milk or non-dairy milk, and sweeten it with your choice of coconut sugar, maple syrup, or brown sugar.
• It's easy to make - all you need is a blender (or purchase ready made oat flour) and a pot. It only takes 5 minutes to cook.
• It's a healthy option for breakfast as the oats and milk combination is high in fibre and protein.
• It's versatile! You can enjoy it for breakfast, as a midday snack, or as a cozy bedtime snack.
• It's a great option for those who are gluten-free as long as you use certified gluten-free oat flour.

Ingredients

• Oat flour - did you know you can easily make your own oat flour at home if you have a blender or food processor?
• Whole milk - or swap for any dairy-free milk of your choice like oat milk, almond milk or soy milk.
• Coconut sugar- one of my favorite natural sweeteners.
• Vanilla extract - splurge for the pure stuff!
• Ground cinnamon - I recommend Ceylon cinnamon otherwise known as "true cinnamon." Plus a cinnamon stick for adding to the drink if you'd like!
• Sea salt - just a pinch to enhance flavor!

See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Substitutions & Variations

• Oat Flour – you could swap for Masa Harina (corn flour), rice flour or amaranth. There are many thickeners used in Atole recipes. 
• Coconut sugar –  You can swap the coconut sugar in this recipe for your preferred sweetener. Try sweetening with maple syrup, brown sugar, traditional piloncillo or blended dates.
• Cinnamon – You can exchange cinnamon for other flavours. Try cardamom, pumpkin pie spice, chai spice or an earl grey tea bag.
• Whole milk– You can use your favourite non-dairy milk. You can even make your own oat milk or pumpkin seed milk at home for the occasion.
• Add chocolate -If you add chocolate to this recipe the Atole becomes a drink called Champurrado.
• Vanilla extract - You can omit the vanilla extract if you don't have it, or use a few drops of almond extract.
• Nut butter: For a nutty flavor, you can add a tablespoon of almond butter, peanut butter, or hazelnut butter to the mixture.
• If enjoying Atole for breakfast you could consider half a scoop of unflavored protein powder for an extra boost of nutrition.

I have not experimented with any other substitutions or alterations for this recipe. If you decide to make any changes by adding or substituting ingredients, I would love it if you could share your results with us by leaving a comment below.

How To Make The Best Atole de Avena

Here are the step-by-step instructions to make this recipe.

Step 1: Make the oat flour

Begin by grinding the oats into oat flour in a high powered blender. (If you prefer a more textured consistency, just pulse the oats once or twice.)

Step 2: Combine ingredients and heat

Add all ingredients to a medium sized pot or dutch oven and stir thoroughly. Bring to a gentle boil. Stir frequently so the milk won’t burn or boil over.

Step 3: Thicken Atole

Reduce the heat and simmer for approximately 5 minutes while stirring frequently until the Atole has thickened slightly and reaches your desired consistency.

Step 4: Taste and adjust for flavor and serve

Add more milk if the Atole is too thick at this stage and taste to adjust for sweetening or flavour. Pour into mugs, serve hot and enjoy!

Expert Tips

• It can be hard to know what consistency you're aiming for when you make Atole for the first time. One way to describe the texture you're looking for is like a runny pudding. But don't get too caught up in nailing the "correct" consistency. My recommendation is simply to make the consistency you prefer!
• If the consistency of your Atole is too thick, simply add more liquid until you reach the desired consistency. (After adding additional liquid always taste again to adjust for seasoning or sweetness.) When adding liquid, keep in mind Atole will thicken more as it sits.
• Top with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon if desired or serve with a cinnamon stick.
• Pure vanilla extract is a must for this recipe in my opinion. I know it can be really expensive but the taste of real vanilla in Atole is such a treat.

Recipe FAQs

Storage

Refrigerator

You can store Atole in the fridge for 2-3 days.

How To Reheat:

Atole continues to thicken as it sits in the fridge so when you wish to eat it simply warm it up in a saucepan (or microwave if you prefer) with a little more milk and enjoy!

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