The holidays in the United States are filled with sweets galore from cakes, pies and candy to all kinds of cookies. In Guatemala, cookies are not a common part of the celebrations. The closest thing to a cookie in Guatemala is a champurrada. Years ago we shared a recipe for champurradas and it’s so good we thought we would bring it back!
Buttery, crisp cookies with the flavors of corn and sesame, champurradas are perfect for dunking into a warm beverage. As a customer recently pointed out, they are not to be confused with “champurrado” from Mexico. Champurrado is a warm chocolate beverage made with milk and thickened with masa corn flour.
Champurradas can be found in bakeries across Guatemala. They are actually a flat sweet bread found among the regular daily bread offerings. Recipes for champurradas vary – some have eggs, some don’t. Many champurradas have sesame seeds on top, but not all do. Typically, a champurrada is fairly large – about 4-5 inches across. Some recipes call for using a tortilla press to shape the cookie while others direct you to roll and cut with a cookie cutter. Recipes also differ in the type of fat and the type of flour called for; coconut oil, butter, lard, pastry flour, whole wheat or all purpose. What they do all have in common is corn. Each recipe uses some type of corn flour and/or cornmeal. Our recipe uses both!
Corn is an important part of the Maya identity. For thousands of years maize has been a significant staple in their diet (think tortillas, tamales and atole). Maize also plays a role in their spirituality. Corn is sacred and Maya people believe that humans were created from different types of corn. The Maize God is one of the most important deities and many Maya ceremonies are centered around the stages of the corn growing cycle.
We decided to show off these tasty cookies on our newest Cuadritos Table Runner named after this valued grain, Blue Corn Cuadritos.
Making champurradas is pretty simple! To get started, in a medium bowl, combine flour, corn masa flour, cornmeal, baking soda and salt. Cream together butter and sugars with a mixer. Add milk and mix. Add dry ingredients from medium bowl into the butter mixture and mix until thoroughly combined. The dough comes together quickly and is easy to work with.
After rolling the dough out on a floured surface, cut into circles and transfer to an ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, pressing them gently so they stick. Bake the champurradas at 375⁰F until lightly browned. Our cookies took about 8-10 minutes. They will harden completely as they cool. Next, get your coffee ready, it’s time for a treat!
You can download the recipe for champurradas here. Check out our Kitchen Collection where you'll find durable handwoven towels, aprons and pot holders that help make your time in the kitchen, easier and more beautiful.
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