Pinolillo is an ancestral Central American drink made from toasted white corn and cacao ground together, very popular in Costa Rica thanks to Nicaraguan influence.
It stands out from other similar corn drinks because it contains cacao and spices like cinnamon, giving it its characteristic chocolatey flavor.
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Costa Rican Pinolillo Drink
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Beverage
- Cuisine: Costa Rican
Ingredients
- 1 cup of white corn
- 3 tablespoons of cacao beans
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Allspice or cloves, to taste (optional)
- Sugar, to taste, to sweeten
- 1 cup of water or milk for every 3 to 4 tablespoons of the powder
Preparation
- Toast the corn, toast the white corn on a griddle or skillet until evenly browned.
- Toast the cacao, toast the cacao beans separately, until fragrant; let them cool and peel them.
- Grind, grind the toasted corn, cacao, cinnamon, and, if using, the allspice or cloves together until you get a fine powder.
- Dissolve, dissolve 3 to 4 tablespoons of the resulting powder in 1 cup of water or milk, hot or cold, as preferred.
- Sweeten, add sugar to taste and mix well.
- Serve, serve right away, hot or over ice.
Tips for getting it right
- Toasting the corn and cacao separately lets you better control the roast level of each ingredient.
- The pinolillo powder can be made in bulk and stored in an airtight container for use over several days.
- The cacao ratio is what sets pinolillo apart from other toasted corn drinks, giving it its chocolatey flavor.
- It can be dissolved in water for a lighter version or in milk for a creamier one.
Traditional variations
- It’s a Nicaraguan-origin drink, also very popular in Costa Rica and Honduras.
- Some families add allspice or cloves to intensify the aroma.
How to serve
Pinolillo is served both hot and cold, depending on the occasion and season.
It’s a very popular drink in Costa Rica, adopted from the Central American tradition shared with Nicaragua and Honduras.
Recommended sides
- Rosquillas (corn rings)
- Homemade bread
Did you know?
Pinolillo differs from pinol in that the latter is made only with corn, without cacao.
It also differs from tiste, which has a notably higher proportion of cacao and a more chocolatey flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's a Central American drink made from toasted white corn and cacao ground together, popular in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras.
Pinol is made only with ground toasted corn, without cacao, while pinolillo combines corn and cacao.
Tiste has a notably higher proportion of cacao than pinolillo, giving it a more chocolatey flavor.
Yes, pinolillo can be dissolved in cold water or milk, though it's also enjoyed hot.
