Atole De Fresa is a delicious and warming beverage made with strawberries, milk, sugar and cornstarch. This creamy and sweet drink is a popular choice in Mexico, especially during the cooler months.

Strawberry Atole de fresa in two white mugs with Mexican bread and strawberries on the side.
Atole De Fresa Easy Recipe.

Strawberry Atole

Atole de fresa, or strawberry atole, is a popular variation of the Atole drink that is made with fresh or frozen strawberries. The strawberries give the drink a sweet and fruity flavor that is perfect for a morning or afternoon pick-me-up.

The consistency of atole is similar to a light pudding, and it’s served hot in a mug. Its texture is smooth and creamy, and it’s enjoyed as a drink but also as a dessert or a snack.

For this recipe we’re not using masa harina (maseca), the thickening agent is cornstarch and the flavor is less nutty than plain atole. This version is so delicious and it reminds me of a warm strawberry milkshake. In fact, my husband likes to drink it cold!

I have no doubt you’ll love it too. Let me show you how to make it:

Strawberry Atole de fresa in two white mugs with Mexican bread on the side.
Mexican Atole De Fresa

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Ingredients

To make this homemade recipe, you will need the following ingredients

  • Strawberries: Preferably fresh ripe strawberries. Frozen can be used as well.
  • Sugar: I’m using white sugar here but brown sugar will work too.
  • A small cinnamon stick
  • Milk: regular milk and evaporated milk. Plant based milks can be used for a dairy free atole.
  • Maizena (Cornstarch): this is the thickener that will give a wonderful texture to this atole. Some maizenas are sold with Atole De Fresa flavor but it does not compare to making the real deal at home!
  • A pinch of baking soda
  • Vanilla extract
  • Plus a couple of red food coloring for an extra pink drink (optional)

Can I use other types of fruit besides strawberries to make atole?

Yes you can! Make it other fruits such as mango, guava, or pineapple and follow the same steps as in this recipe.

More Atole Recipes:

Atole De Pinole, Atole De Avena and Atole De Maizena.

The ingredients for this recipe on a pink background.

How To Make Atole De Fresa

This is a visual overview of the steps to make this recipe. See the detailed list of ingredients & instructions in the recipe card below.

Two images side by side. One with strawberries in a pot and the other with cornstarch mixture in a cup.
  1. In a small saucepan, add the strawberries, ½ cup water, ⅓ cup sugar and a small cinnamon stick. Cook over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. About 10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining of the water. Set aside.
Two images side by side. One with a pot and milk, the other with blended strawberries in a blender.
  1. In a separate medium pot, add the milk, evaporated milk, baking soda. Heat over medium heat and mix to integrate without bringing it to a boil. Just enough to warm it up. (Stir once in a while to prevent the milk to sticking to the bottom of the pot).
  2. Remove the cinnamon from the strawberries and set aside. To a blender, add the cooled strawberries with all of the juices. Blend for a couple of minutes.
Two images side by side. One with strawberries and milk mixture in a pot and the other for adding the cornstarch to same pot.
  1. Add the strawberry puree to the pot with the milk and whisk to integrate. Add the cinnamon stick and vanilla extract into the pot as well. Whisk the cornstarch mix and add to the strawberry and milk mixture slowly while whisking the ingredients.
  2. Lower heat to medium-low and cook for about 15 minutes while stirring with a spoon or whisking most of the entire time.
  3. Serve while hot and enjoy!
Atole de Fresa pouring from a ladle in the same pot.


How to Store & Reheat

Fridge – For leftover atole, allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for up to 3 days. Store in a glass jar with a lid or any airtight food storage container.

To reheat on the stove: To reheat, transfer it into a small sauce pot and heat through just until hot. Make sure to reheat it slowly over medium heat

In the microwave: Atole can be reheated in the microwave until hot but not boiling. About 2 minutes depending on the size of the mug.

Atole de fresa in two mugs with Mexican bread on the side.

Serving Suggestions

Drinking it just by itself is perfect! But if you want to make it more of a feast, make it for breakfast and enjoy with a savory dish like chilaquiles verdes or papas con chorizo for the perfect balance of sweet and spice.

Also serve with red tamales, or corn tamales or any pan dulce like conchas, marranitos or mantecadas.

A hand dipping a concha pastry in the mug with the warm drink.

What does “atole” mean in the Nahuatl language?

Atole comes from the Nahuatl language spoken by the Aztecs and means “hominy water” or “thickened water.”

What are the traditional ingredients in atole?

The traditional ingredients in atole are masa harina (corn flour) and water, although other ingredients such as fruit, chocolate, or cinnamon may be added for flavor.

Strawberry Atole de fresa in two white mugs with Mexican bread on the side.

I hope you like this recipe! Share it, or leave a rating and comment below. For questions that need an answer right away, please contact  me and I’ll get back to you asap. Gracias!!!! xx, Ana

Print Recipe:

Strawberry Atole de fresa in two white mugs with Mexican bread and strawberries on the side.

Atole De Fresa

Servings 6 cups
Ana Frias
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Atole De Fresa is a delicious and warming beverage made with strawberries, sugar, cinnamon. milk, and cornstarch. This creamy and sweet drink is a popular choice in Mexico, especially during the cooler months.
6 cups

Ingredients  

  • 2 cups fresh strawberries (or frozen) (about 200g) Cleaned, stems removed and quartered.
  • cup white sugar
  • 1 small cinnamon stick
  • ¼ liter water, divided
  • 2 cups milk (16 ounces)
  • 2 Tablespoons Maizena (Cornstarch) (23 grams)
  • 1 can evaporated milk (180 grams)
  • teaspoon baking soda (just a pinch)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Couple drops of red food coloring (optional)

Instructions 

  • In a small pot, add the strawberries, ½ cup water, sugar and cinnamon.
  • Cook over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. About 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining of the water. Set aside.
  • In a separate medium pot, add the milk, evaporated milk, baking soda. Heat over medium heat and mix to integrate without bringing it to a boil. Just enough to warm it up. (Stir once in a while to prevent the milk to sticking to the bottom of the pot).

Puree

  • Remove the cinnamon from the strawberries and set aside. To a blender, add the cooled strawberries with all of the juices. Puree for a couple of minutes.
  • Add the strawberries to the pot with the milk and whisk to integrate. Add the cinnamon stick and vanilla extract into the pot as well. Whisk the cornstarch mix and add to the strawberry and milk mixture slowly while whisking the ingredients.
  • Lower heat to medium-low and cook for about 15 minutes while stirring or whisking most of the entire time.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 175kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 311mg | Potassium: 311mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 21g

The nutritional information and US conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this data. If this is important to you, please verify with your favourite nutrition calculator and/or unit conversion tool.

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One Comment

  1. 5 stars
    This is a perfect for cool spring weather! I love this warming and delicious strawberry drink, thank you for sharing the recipe, Ana!