This Horchata recipe makes a cool refreshing rice-based drink that is best for hot summer days. Perfect for the Cinco de Mayo party. This is my take on the traditional Mexican rice milk drink with cinnamon and almonds.
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What is Horchata?
Horchata or orxata is a popular Mexican/Spanish drink that is generally plant-based but sometimes contains animal milk (dairy milk) in it.
This Mexican rice milk drink is made by blending soaked rice, almonds, and cinnamon. It’s flavored with cinnamon and sweetened with condensed milk. This recipe may not be the authentic Mexican horchata recipe. This is my version. The version of Spanish horchata is made of tiger nuts and authentic Mexican horchata has rice and no nuts.
Best served chilled with ice. Summer is just around the corner and this cold refreshing drink is perfect to sip on.
You probably had this drink in your favorite Mexican restaurant. It goes by the name “aqua de horchata”. It’s easy to make it at home and healthy too. You’ll need a few simple pantry ingredients.
What is horchata made of?
This sweet, rich, creamy drink is made of rice, almonds, cinnamon, condensed milk, evaporated milk, and a dash of vanilla extract.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need-
- Long grain white rice
- Almonds
- Water
- Cinnamon sticks
- Milk
- Condensed milk
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
All ingredients exact measurements are mentioned in recipe card below.
Rice – you need uncooked white rice for this drink. Long-grain white rice is best. Other white rice like basmati rice, short-grain white rice or jasmine rice will work too.
Almonds – sliced almonds, chopped almonds, or whole almonds all work.
Cinnamon – to infuse strong cinnamon flavor blend the sticks with soaked rice and almonds. I like the subtle cinnamon flavor. For subtle flavor break each stick into two and soak with rice and almonds. Before blending remove some of the cinnamon stick and blend. Depending on how strong the cinnamon flavor you want to infuse, discard sticks accordingly.
Milk –animal-based or plant-based milk can be used. Plant-based milk like almond milk, coconut milk or cashew milk can be used. I used evaporated dairy milk. I used both evaporated milk and condensed milk. Condensed milk for sweetness and evaporated milk adds extra richness and creaminess. Feel free to use whole milk too.
Vanilla – pure/real vanilla extract for extra flavor.
How to make horchata recipe
Add raw long-grain white rice, sliced almonds, and cinnamon sticks to a large bowl. Rinse the mix under tap water well. Drain.
Pour 4 cups water and let it soak in water for a minimum of 4 hours, best overnight in the refrigerator.
Drain rice and collect water in large bowl.
For strong cinnamon flavor blend all cinnamon with rice and almonds. For subtle flavor, remove some of the cinnamon. I used 2 large cinnamon sticks soaked overnight to infuse flavor while blending left just ½ cinnamon stick.
Add drained rice mix to high power blender. Pour 1-2 cups of soaked water to help blend rice.
Note: you can use all water used to soak rice while blending. I like my horchata drink a bit more thick, and rich, so I used only 1 ½ cups of soaked water.
Blend for 3-4 minutes.
Strain rice milk through a fine mesh sieve. Best use cheesecloth lined over a mesh strainer and drain the liquid. Discard all the grits. It’s important to get rid of all the grits, they are not pleasant to drink.
If needed strain the milk 2-3 times through a fine mesh sieve.
To a large pitcher pour rice milk, evaporated milk, condensed milk, vanilla extract, and a dash of salt.
Stir it well.
Chill in the refrigerator before serving.
Best served chilled over a glass of ice.
Tips for success
- Soak overnight. It’s best to soak rice, almonds, and cinnamon stick overnight in the refrigerator. The longer soaking time ensures flavors of rice and cinnamon are infused well and you also get creamier milk.
- Use a powerful blender. Soaked rice mix should be blended well to exact the milk.
- Whole cinnamon stick is best. Use 2 sticks of cinnamon for strong flavor, and 1 stick for subtle flavor. Although cinnamon powder can be used, it does not taste the same. I highly recommend you use whole cinnamon sticks.
- Strain milk. Although unstrained rice milk can be served and in some places, you get the thick unstrained horchata, I find the strained drink better. The unstrained drink has rice grits which are not pleasant to drink. For a smooth creamier horchata recipe, always strain milk using a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth lined over the sieve to ensure no grits are left in the drink. If needed strain milk 2-3 times.
- Extra tip: there is always a possibility of some rice grits left in the drink even after straining. To make sure 100% grit free drink, after straining allow rice milk to sit for couple of minutes on counter undisturbed. All grits will settle at the bottom of the jar/bottle. Then carefully pour rice milk into pitcher holding back some of the milk in the end.
- Serve chilled. The Horchata recipe tastes best served chilled over ice.
Common questions
Authentic Mexican horchata is made of only rice and cinnamon, white some Spanish version nuts (ground chufa nuts also called tiger nuts)in it.
While it can be made vegan, this horchata recipe is not vegan. I have used evaporated milk and condensed milk in the recipe. To make vegan drinks replace evaporated milk with plant-based milk like almond milk, coconut milk, or cashew milk. Replace condensed milk with sugar or maple syrup.
You can keep it in the refrigerator for 3-5 days in airtight container. When serving do not leave it at room temperature for longer than 1-2 hours, it can go bad.
Yes simply omit almonds.
If your drink is chalky, it was not strained properly. If not strained properly, rice grits in the drink will make it chalky, it’s not pleasant to drink.
Yes. Pour boiling water over rice and let it soak for 4 hours instead of waiting overnight.
You can thin it down to the consistency you like by adding some milk or chilled water.
OTHER REFRESHING SUMMER DRINKS
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📋Horchata Recipe (Easy Mexican Rice Milk Drink)
Ingredients
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- ⅓ cup almonds sliced
- 4 cups water
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 cups milk any plant-based or dairy milk, I used evaporated milk
- ½ cup condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add raw long-grain white rice, sliced almonds, and cinnamon sticks to a large bowl. Rinse the mix under tap water well. Drain.
- Pour 4 cups water and let it soak in water for a minimum of 4 hours, best overnight in the refrigerator.
- Drain the rice and collect water in a large bowl.
- For strong cinnamon flavor blend all cinnamon with rice and almonds. For subtle flavor, remove some of the cinnamon. I used 2 large cinnamon sticks soaked overnight to infuse flavor while blending leaving just ½ cinnamon stick.
- Add drained rice mix to high power blender. Pour 1-2 cups of soaked water to help blend rice.
- Blend for 3-4 minutes.
- Strain rice milk through a fine mesh sieve. Best use cheesecloth lined over a mesh strainer and drain the liquid. Discard all the grits. It’s important to get rid of all the grits, they are not pleasant to drink.
- If needed strain the milk 2-3 times through a fine mesh sieve.
- To a large pitcher pour rice milk, evaporated milk, condensed milk, vanilla extract, and a dash of salt.
- Stir it well.
- Chill in the refrigerator before serving.
- Best served chilled over a glass of ice.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe Notes
- Soak overnight. It’s best to soak rice, almonds, and cinnamon stick overnight in the refrigerator. The longer soaking time ensures flavors of rice and cinnamon are infused well and you also get creamier milk.
- Use a powerful blender. Soaked rice mix should be blended well to exact the milk.
- Whole cinnamon stick is best. Use 2 sticks of cinnamon for strong flavor, and 1 stick for subtle flavor. Although cinnamon powder can be used, it does not taste the same. I highly recommend you use whole cinnamon sticks.
- Strain milk. Although unstrained rice milk can be served and in some places, you get the thick unstrained horchata, I find the strained drink better. The unstrained drink has rice grits which are not pleasant to drink. For a smooth creamier horchata recipe, always strain milk using a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth lined over the sieve to ensure no grits are left in the drink. If needed strain milk 2-3 times.
- Extra tip: there is always a possibility of some rice grits left in the drink even after straining. To make sure 100% grit free drink, after straining allow rice milk to sit for couple of minutes on counter undisturbed. All grits will settle at the bottom of the jar/bottle. Then carefully pour rice milk into pitcher holding back some of the milk in the end.
- Serve chilled. The Horchata recipe tastes best served chilled over ice.
Created by Jyothi Rajesh
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I’m Jyothi Rajesh (Jo for short) and i’m the founder of the food blog, Curry Trail where I share my culinary Adventures. I live in Bangalore, India. I’m a mom of two beautiful kids. My passion is creating and sharing delicious and easy recipes for the home cook. I have been blogging since 2007 and many of my recipes have appeared in both online and print publications over the years. Learn more about Jyothi Rajesh.
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