Atol de Platano: Guatemalan Plantain Drink

When the rainy season settles over the Guatemalan highlands and evenings turn cool and damp, the drink that warms you from the inside is atol de platano. Thick, sweet, fragrant with cinnamon and ripe plantain, it is somewhere between a drink and a dessert – warm enough to cup in both hands, sweet enough to satisfy, and thick enough to be genuinely filling.

Atol de platano uses the same ripe plantains that make rellenitos and empanadas de platano possible. When a plantain reaches the point where its skin is almost entirely black, it has converted most of its starch to sugar. This natural sweetness is the foundation of the atol – the added sugar just rounds it out.

The drink is sold by street vendors, particularly outside churches during evening masses and at market stalls in the early morning. You can smell it before you see it – the warm, spiced aroma of plantain and cinnamon drifting through the air. It costs Q5-10 a cup and is often enjoyed alongside molletes, bunuelos, or pan dulce.

Ingredients

• 4 very ripe plantains (skin should be black)
• 6 cups water
• 1/2 cup sugar (or to taste)
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• Ground cinnamon for garnish

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Cook the plantains. Do not peel the plantains yet. Cut them in half crosswise, keeping the skins on. Place in a pot with 4 cups of water and the cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes until the plantains are very soft and the skins are splitting.

Step 2: Peel and reserve water. Remove the plantains from the pot using a slotted spoon. The skins will slide off easily when the plantains are hot. Reserve the cooking water with the cinnamon sticks – it is now flavored with plantain starch and cinnamon.

Step 3: Blend. Place the peeled plantains in a blender with 2 cups of the cooking water. Blend on high until very smooth, with no chunks remaining.

Step 4: Combine and cook. Pour the blended mixture back into the pot with the remaining cooking water and cinnamon sticks. Add the sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Place over medium-low heat.

Step 5: Thicken. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking. The atol will gradually thicken to a creamy, pourable consistency – thicker than milk, thinner than pudding. If it gets too thick, add a splash of water.

Step 6: Serve. Remove the cinnamon sticks. Pour into mugs or cups. Sprinkle a pinch of ground cinnamon on top. Serve hot, preferably on a cool, rainy evening with sweet bread on the side.

Como Lo Hacemos en Guatemala (Local Tips)

Cook with the peel on. The peel protects the plantain from disintegrating in the boiling water and also releases starch into the cooking liquid, which helps thicken the atol naturally.

The riper, the better. Black-skinned plantains are essential. They bring natural sweetness that means you need less added sugar. A plantain with yellow or green skin will produce a bland, starchy atol.

Pair with pan dulce. The traditional accompaniment is sweet bread – conchas, champurradas, or any pan from the panaderia. Dunking pan dulce into atol de platano is a Guatemalan ritual.

A rainy evening tradition. In Guatemala, atol de platano is associated with the rainy season. There is something deeply comforting about a thick, warm, sweet drink when the rain is pounding on the tin roof.

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Approximate Nutrition (per serving)

More Guatemalan recipes: Atol de Elote (Corn Drink) | Atol Blanco | Chocolate Caliente

Related: Guatemala Food Guide | Weather in Guatemala | Food Prices