my comfort recipes
♥ Log in Sign up
  • en
  • fr
  • es
  • pt
  • de
  • it
  • nl
    • 🌍 World Kitchen
    🌍 World Kitchen
    Log in Sign up
    Home / Dinner / Colada Morada

    Colada Morada

    A deep-purple, spice-scented fruit drink thickened with purple corn — the ceremonial brew of Ecuador’s Day of the Dead, served with guaguas de pan.

    ⏱ 25 minPrep time
    🔥 1 hrCook time
    🍽 8Servings
    🏷 DinnerCategory
    ☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet
    Colada Morada - Purple Corn Fruit Drink

    Colada morada is Ecuador’s most storied drink, made every November 2nd for Día de los Difuntos, when families take it and sweet bread dolls called guaguas de pan to the cemetery to honor loved ones. Purple corn is simmered with blackberries, pineapple, and a unique spice called ishpingo, then thickened into a fragrant, fruit-packed brew served cold.

    Purple, perfumed, and full of fruit

    The drink is thick and glossy, like a fruit pudding you sip, with a deep berry-purple color and a heady perfume of cinnamon, clove, and allspice. Every spoonful brings blackberries, strawberries, and pineapple suspended in the silky corn base — sweet, tart, and unmistakably festive.

    Ecuadorian recipes →

    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Simmer the purple corn with the water, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and pineapple rind for 45 to 50 minutes, until the liquid is deep purple and fragrant.
    2. Strain the liquid into a clean pot, discarding the solids (or keep the corn to snack on).
    3. Blend the blackberries, strawberries, pineapple, and naranjilla with 1 cup of the corn liquid until smooth, then strain into the pot.
    4. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, add the sugar, and stir until dissolved.
    5. Whisk in the cornstarch slurry and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes, whisking, until the colada turns glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon.
    6. Add the diced apple and simmer 5 minutes more.
    7. Chill thoroughly and serve cold, traditionally with guaguas de pan (sweet bread dolls) alongside.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    If dried purple corn is hard to find, use purple corn flour plus regular corn for body. The drink should be spoonably thick — serve it well chilled, and it keeps 4 days refrigerated.

    Rate this recipe

    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
    ☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet
    Sign in to rate this recipe.

    Recipe details

    Prep25 min
    Cook1 hr
    Servings8
    CategoryDinner
    PublishedAugust 17, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

    Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

    Keep browsingYou might also like

    View all recipes →