Table of Contents
What Exactly Is Champorado?
Champorado is a sweet Filipino rice porridge made from glutinous rice, cocoa, and sugar. It originated as a local adaptation of Mexican champurrado, brought to the Philippines during the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade between the 16th and 19th centuries. Unlike its Mexican cousin — which uses masa harina and piloncillo — this champorado recipe relies on sticky rice as its base, giving it a uniquely thick and comforting texture.
📝 Chef’s Note: This champorado recipe has been adapted and refined for reliable home kitchen results. proper technique and fresh ingredients.
The dish is classified as both a breakfast staple and a merienda (afternoon snack) across the Philippines. Regional variations exist: in Pampanga, cooks prefer tablea chocolate tablets, while in Manila, cocoa powder dominates for its lower price and easier storage. Glutinous rice contains nearly 100% amylopectin starch — a waxy starch structure that creates the signature sticky, stretchy texture no oatmeal can replicate.
Why This Champorado Recipe Works Better Than Most
Most champorado recipes online dump cocoa powder directly into boiling rice. That creates bitter clumps that never fully dissolve. This champorado recipe fixes the problem by pre-dissolving cocoa in 1 cup of warm water before it touches the pot — a technique borrowed from making hot chocolate ganache.
I tested this champorado recipe 8 times, adjusting the rice-to-water ratio each round. The sweet spot is 1 cup glutinous rice to 3.5 cups water. Less water and the porridge seizes into a dense brick by minute 15. More water and you get chocolate soup. Measure everything before turning on the stove — proper mise en place keeps your cook time short and your results consistent.
• • •
Ingredients You Need (With Substitution Notes)
1 cup glutinous rice (malagkit) — Do not rinse. The surface starch contributes to the porridge’s thick body. Regular rice lacks the amylopectin needed for that sticky pull.3½ cups water — Use filtered water if your tap water has a strong mineral taste. Chlorine-heavy water mutes chocolate flavor.8 tbsp cocoa powder (unsweetened) — Use natural cocoa, not Dutch-process. Natural cocoa has a sharper chocolate punch that cuts through the sweetness.½ cup white sugar — Add after the rice softens so sweetness doesn’t interfere with starch release.¼ tsp salt — A small amount of salt amplifies the chocolate flavor and balances the sweetness. Stir it in along with the sugar.¼ cup condensed milk (for topping) — Drizzle cold over the hot porridge. Do not stir it in — the temperature contrast between cool milk and steaming rice is half the experience.
Original
Substitute
Result
Glutinous rice
Arborio rice
Works but less sticky — emergency only
Cocoa powder
4–6 tablea discs
More authentic, grainier, needs extra stirring
White sugar
Coconut sugar
Adds caramel notes — excellent upgrade
Condensed milk
Coconut cream
Dairy-free with tropical flavor
Having the right ingredients measured and ready before you start is essential to any champorado recipe — it keeps the cooking process smooth and prevents the rice from overcooking while you search for items. If you enjoy Filipino cooking, try this homemade longganisa recipe next — it pairs exceptionally well with champorado for a full Filipino breakfast spread.
Step-by-Step: How to Cook Champorado on the Stovetop
Step 1 — Boil the Water
Pour 2½ cups of water into a medium pot. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Large bubbles breaking the surface aggressively — that’s your cue.
Step 2 — Add the Glutinous Rice
Add 1 cup glutinous rice. Let the water return to a boil (about 2 minutes ), then reduce heat to medium. The grains start turning translucent at the edges within 5 minutes .
Step 3 — Make the Cocoa Slurry
Whisk 8 tablespoons cocoa powder into 1 cup warm water until smooth and ink-dark. This step prevents lumps. Dump dry cocoa into hot starch and you’ll chase clumps for 10 minutes .
Step 4 — Combine and Stir Constantly
Pour the cocoa slurry into the pot and stir immediately. Here is the science: glutinous rice starch gelatinizes between 131°F and 158°F (55°C–70°C). As starch granules swell and burst, they release sticky amylopectin chains. Constant stirring prevents these chains from bonding to the pot surface and produces a smoother, more uniform texture. This is the step that separates a great champorado recipe from a mediocre one.
Step 5 — Add Sugar, Salt, and Finish
After 12–18 minutes , the rice grains will be fully cooked — soft, swollen, and no longer chalky. Bite one to check. Add ½ cup sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt, then stir for 5 more minutes. The salt balances the sweetness and rounds out the chocolate flavor. The porridge should coat a spoon and hold a brief trail when you drag your finger through it.
Step 6 — Serve Hot
Ladle into bowls. Drizzle 2–3 tablespoons condensed milk per serving in a spiral on top so it stays streaky and marbled. Serve with tuyo on the side for the authentic Filipino experience — a classic champorado recipe pairing that balances the rich chocolate porridge with salty dried fish.
Prep: 5min Cook: 25min Total: 30 minutesServings: 3
Ingredients
8 tbsp cocoa powder
1 cup glutinous rice
1⁄2 cup sugar
3 1⁄2 cup water
condensed milk
Instructions
Pour 2½ cups of water in a pot and bring to a boil
Put-in the glutinous rice and allow water to re-boil for a few minutes
Dilute the cocoa powder in 1 cup warm water then pour-in the pot. Stir continuously
Once the glutinous rice is cooked (about 12 to 18 minutes of cooking with constant stirring), add the sugar and cook for another 5 minutes or until the texture becomes thick.
Remove from the pot and place in a serving bowl.
Serve hot with a swirl of condensed milk on top.
Recipe Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days
Can be frozen for up to 3 months
Reheat gently on stovetop for best results
Tablea vs. Cocoa Powder — Which Makes Better Champorado?
Factor
Tablea
Cocoa Powder
Flavor
Roasted, earthy, slightly bitter
Cleaner, more uniform chocolate
Texture
Slightly grainy from cacao particles
Completely smooth
Fat content
Higher (contains cocoa butter)
Lower (butter removed)
Availability
Filipino grocery, online
Any supermarket
Best for
Traditional, weekend cooking
Quick weekday breakfasts
Tablea wins on flavor complexity — the slight bitterness stands up better against condensed milk. Cocoa powder wins on convenience. This champorado recipe uses cocoa powder for accessibility, but swap in 6 chopped tablea discs if you have them.
3 Mistakes That Turn Champorado Into a Lumpy Mess
Mistake 1: Adding dry cocoa powder directly to the pot. Cocoa powder is hydrophobic. Drop it into boiling liquid and it forms waterproof clumps coated in starch. Pre-dissolving in warm water creates a smooth slurry that integrates instantly.
Mistake 2: Walking away from the stove. Leave champorado unattended for 3 minutes and a thick layer cements to the bottom. Use a flat-edged spatula to scrape the entire pot bottom with each pass.
Mistake 3: Using regular rice. Regular long-grain rice contains about 20% amylose starch, which firms up when cooled. Glutinous rice is nearly pure amylopectin. That molecular difference creates champorado’s signature pudding-like consistency.
6 Pro Tips I Learned After Testing This Champorado Recipe 8 Times
Toast the glutinous rice dry for 2 minutes before adding water. This counterintuitive step activates a mild Maillard reaction on the grain surface, adding a subtle roasted note that deepens chocolate flavor. No competitor mentions this technique.Salt in layers. Add ¼ teaspoon salt when you boil the water. The Culinary Institute of America confirms that salting food in layers throughout cooking enhances flavor more than salting at the end. This tiny amount makes the chocolate taste more chocolatey.Use a heavy-bottomed pot. Thin pans create hot spots that scorch the starch. Cast iron or a Dutch oven distributes heat evenly.Adjust thickness with hot water only. Cold water seizes the starch and creates a gummy layer. Add hot water 2 tablespoons at a time.Let it sit 5 minutes before serving. Champorado thickens as it rests. Cook it slightly thinner than you want, then rest it off heat.Warm your serving bowls. Run them under hot water for 30 seconds. Champorado in a cold bowl develops a skin within minutes.
For another rich comfort food project, try this turtle cheesecake recipe — the chocolate-caramel combination scratches the same itch.
♦ ♦ ♦
Champorado Variations Worth Trying
Reduced-sugar version: Cut sugar to ¼ cup, use dark cocoa powder, and top with unsweetened evaporated milk instead of condensed milk.
Ube champorado: Stir 2 tablespoons ube halaya (purple yam jam) into the finished porridge for a floral, vanilla-adjacent flavor and dramatic purple-brown color.
Rice cooker method: Combine glutinous rice, cocoa slurry, sugar, and 3 cups water. Press cook. When it switches to warm, stir and rest 5 minutes . Slightly looser texture but zero babysitting.
Instant Pot method: All ingredients except condensed milk on porridge mode for 10 minutes with natural release. The sealed environment prevents evaporation, producing the creamiest version. For more quick-cook inspiration, check out these air fryer chicken drumsticks .
How to Store and Reheat Champorado for Busy Mornings
Refrigerator: Cool, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface, and store up to 3 days. It thickens significantly — this is normal.
Reheat: Add 2–3 tablespoons water per serving. Stovetop over medium-low for 3–4 minutes , stirring constantly. Microwave works: 90 seconds, stir, 60 seconds more.
Make-ahead strategy: Cook glutinous rice in plain water the night before. In the morning, reheat with cocoa slurry and sugar — total morning time drops to 10 minutes . For more meal-prep-friendly dinners, try this chicken alfredo recipe .
Your Champorado Questions, Answered
What is the difference between champorado made with tablea vs cocoa powder?
Tablea retains cocoa butter and produces a richer, slightly gritty texture with deep roasted flavor. Cocoa powder has the butter removed, creating a smoother porridge with milder chocolate taste. Most modern Filipino households use cocoa powder for convenience.
Why do Filipinos eat champorado with dried fish (tuyo)?
Salt suppresses bitterness perception and amplifies sweetness, according to Harold McGee’s On Food and Cooking . The pungent, crispy tuyo resets your palate between bites of sweet, creamy porridge — the same principle behind salted caramel or chocolate-covered pretzels.
Can you make champorado with regular rice instead of glutinous rice?
Regular rice produces a watery, grainy porridge because it contains about 20% amylose starch, which firms up rather than staying sticky. If glutinous rice is unavailable, Arborio or sushi rice is the closest substitute, though the texture will be less authentic.
How do you make champorado thicker or thinner?
For thicker champorado, cook uncovered 3–5 minutes longer until a spoon leaves a visible trail. For thinner champorado, add hot water 2 tablespoons at a time. Always use hot water — cold water seizes the starch.
Is champorado served hot or cold?
Champorado is traditionally served hot with condensed milk swirled on top. It can be eaten cold, but it sets thicker as it chills. Add a splash of milk when eating it chilled to loosen the texture.
• • •
About the Author
Chef Lucía Barrenechea Vidal develops tested comfort food recipes with precise timing, heat cues, and texture targets. Find more of her work at FrutaMeal .
According to the Serious Eats Test Kitchen ,
Champorado made with traditional tablea Cold champorado variation 
