My Sister-in-law Introduced Me to a Colombian Cheese Drink, and It Absolutely Rules

I don’t think I could deal with winter if I didn’t have a few hot, comforting drinks to rely on; steaming mugs of hot chocolate, tea, or coffee feel like burying my head in the sand for 10 minutes. But I’ve been growing a little tired of the usual suspects. Luckily, on a cold November morning, my sister-in-law introduced me to the most wonderfully rejuvenating drink: aguapanela con queso. This drink-snack combo has given me something to look forward to this winter. 

Aguapanela, simple and satisfying

Aguapanela is a comforting sweet drink made from dissolving chopped panela, or piloncillo, into water. Panela is raw, unrefined cane sugar. It’s usually sold in cones or large rounds, and shrink-wrapped in plastic. Panela is used all over Latin America but raw cane sugar is used frequently in other countries bearing different names, like jaggery or muscovado. Depending on the cooking method and the plant, the flavors and intensity of sweetness differ slightly.

I started seeing panela available in the international aisle of large supermarkets and specialty markets around 10 or 15 years ago. It seems to be becoming more available as time goes on, and you can buy an eight-ounce cone for about $1.50. I promise it’ll be worth the splurge.

Have your drink and cheese it too

You don’t have to speak fluent Spanish to understand that the “con queso” (with cheese) in this drink's name. It was the first time I ever spooned cheese out of my drink, and before I knew it, I couldn’t stop. 

My sister-in-law explained that she was making us (me, my brother, and our dad) a breakfast drink she and her family would make in Colombia all the time. She handed us cups of brown liquid with a spoon in it and white blobs at the bottom. That was the queso. I spooned up a hunk of cheese and ate it, sipping some of the liquid at the same time. The cheese was soft (semi-melted in the steaming liquid), chewy, and a bit salty in a similar way to low-moisture mozzarella. The drink itself was sweet but full of flavor—smoky caramel, molasses, and did I detect anise?

I asked her how she made this clearly complicated and nuanced drink. Well, you simply dissolve chopped panela sugar in water.

How to make aguapanela con queso 

She explained that in Ibagué, Colombia they make aguapanela as an energizing drink that can be enjoyed hot or cold, and if you’re feeling sick it’s common to drink it with fresh lime juice.

1. Chop the panela

These cane sugar bricks are hard, so you have to cut them. Even though it’s a type of brown sugar, it’s not like the kind you might be used to baking with. I use a large, sharp knife and run it down the edge to shave off strips. I think it dissolves a bit faster this way rather than to cut off big clumps. I’ve read that some folks grate it with a microplane, but I feel like that would take a while. 

2. Dissolve it in hot water

Put the chopped sugar into a pot with water to dissolve over medium-low heat. Alternatively, you can put the sugar and water in a microwave-safe measuring cup and microwave it in 30-second-to-one-minute intervals. Stir to help dissolve the sugar. 

3. Add the cheese

Once the drink is piping hot and the sugar has all dissolved, add small hunks of cheese to the cup to soften. Serve extra cheese on the side. 

This sweet and slightly salty combination is my current obsession. This type of cheese gets stretchy and chewy but it doesn’t melt away to cloud up the drink. I like to eat a piece of cheese and sip the drink while I chew. It’s a fun activity and, above all, a new way for me to enjoy cheese.

You don’t have to add cheese to your aguapanela, but I heartily suggest you give it a try. Check your supermarket’s cheese fridge and look for Latin American cheeses. Tropical is probably the biggest brand supplier I’ve seen in New York and it offers a wide variety. You can use quesito Colombiano, queso campesino, queso blanco, or panela cheese, and if you simply can’t find those cheeses, you can use mozzarella. Personally, I would take low-moisture mozzarella over fresh mozzarella because of the saltiness, but it’s up to you.  

During this particularly gusty week in Brooklyn, I’ll be doing ice-cold marathon training runs with one thing on my mind—not personal records, but hot aguapanela con queso when I get home.

Aguapanela Con Queso Recipe

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup chopped panela (or piloncillo)

• ¾ cup boiling water

• As many chunks of queso as you’d like (or try lime juice, or cinnamon)

1. Combine the chopped panela and water in a microwave safe cup. Stir and heat in the microwave in 30 second installments until the sugar is dissolved and the drink is piping hot. Taste it to see if you want more panela or more water.

2. Add pieces of queso and let them soften for a few moments before enjoying.