Authentic Mexican Horchata

Don’t you get excited when you see the Horchata fountain drink containers at Mexican restaurants? This sweet and creamy rice drink is a favorite amongst the agua frescas probably because it gives an excellent contrast to the spicy Mexican food, other than the fact that it’s absolutely delicious! I’ll show you how easy it is to make at home!😊

What Is Horchata?

Horchata is a sweetened rice drink. It has origins in North Africa and Spain but has made its way to other nations. Today there are many variations of the drink. The most popular version, the one I am sharing with you, is the Mexican version. Traditionally it is made with white rice, cinnamon, water, and sugar; however, some regions in Mexico also include nuts or seeds in the recipe.

Ingredients

Long-grain white rice: The star of this drink is the rice, which is pretty bland and flavorless by itself, but when combined with the following ingredients, it shines through.

Cinnamon stick: Use Ceylon cinnamon, which is usually found in Hispanic markets. Ceylon cinnamon is thinner with multiple layers and milder in spice flavor than its cousin Cassia cinnamon, which is a thick single-layered cinnamon bark.

Water: 6 cups of filtered drinking water are used for the recipe in 2-cup increments.

Milk: Almond or oat milk work best in my opinion, but regular milk is just fine as well.

Sweetened condensed milk: This is added for just a touch of sweetness and creaminess, but it does not overpower the rice, and that’s what you want. You may leave it out if you prefer.

Sugar: I use natural cane sugar, but use the sweetener you like, and adjust to taste.

Ice: Served over ice is absolutely perfect, especially on those hot summer days!

How To Make Horchata From Scratch

Wash rice, then add it to a large bowl. Add 2 cups of water and 1 Ceylon cinnamon stick. Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least 6 hours( see recipe card for my “quick method” ). Add the soaked rice, cinnamon stick, and water to a blender. Blend for 4 minutes, or until mostly smooth ( it will be grainy ).

Add ½ cup of sugar and 2 cups of water to a large pitcher. Set it aside and allow it to sit for a few minutes so that the sugar dissolves. Using a fine mesh sieve, sift the rice mixture into a large container. Then add 2 cups water to the blender and shake it up. Pour that over the sieve.

Discard the rice and cinnamon bits and rinse out the sieve. You may add a double layer of cheesecloth to the sieve or use an ultra-fine mesh sieve to pour the rice and cinnamon water into the pitcher with the sugar. Double-straining the rice mixture will give you smooth horchata( DON’T SKIP THIS STEP).

Add 2 cups of milk and ½ cup of sweetened condensed milk to the mixture and stir well. Taste for sugar and add more if you like. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Tips For Best Results

• Use regular long-grain white rice. Other rice may be too hard or will alter the flavor.
• Soaking the rice and cinnamon for as long as possible will give you the best flavor, however, you can use my “quick method” if you are short on time.
• Use Ceylon cinnamon sticks. They have a mild spice, but more complex flavor and are softer than the Cassia cinnamon sticks. The thin layers of the Ceylon cinnamon will be easier to break down.
• Using sweetened condensed milk adds sweetness and creaminess. You may use the whole can if you desire, but keep in mind that this milk has a distinct flavor and may overpower the rice. I use only half a cup and use the rest of the sweetened milk for my coffee or arroz con leche.
• Rice “paste” may settle at the bottom. This is normal, you may stir before serving or just allow it to sit at the bottom and discard when horchata is gone.

FAQ?

This horchata pairs perfectly with any Mexican dish and is so refreshing during the summer months. Try serving it with my zucchini beef tacos or chicken enchiladas. I hope you like this recipe!

Until the next one,

Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating and leave your thoughts in the comment section below. Snap a picture of the recipe you made and tag me @mariasblisscorner with the hashtag #mariasblisscorner. Thank you!

Horchata Recipe

Maria Felipa

Sweet and creamy rice drink. Flavored with Ceylon cinnamon and sweetened with cane sugar. Mexicos most popular Agua Fresca!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 8 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Quick Method 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course Drinks

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 8

Equipment

• 1 large bowl
• 1 large pitcher
• 1 fine mesh sieve
• 1 ultra-fine mesh sieve optional
• 1 cheesecloth optional

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 1 cinnamon stick use Ceylon cinnamon
• 6 cups water
• 2 cups milk I reccomend almond
• ½ cup sweetened condensed milk optional
• ½ cup cane sugar + more to taste
• ice optional

Instructions

 

• Wash rice, then add it to a large bowl. Add 2 cups of water and 1 Ceylon cinnamon stick. Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least 6 hours.
• Add the soaked rice, cinnamon stick, and water to a blender. Blend for 4 minutes, or until mostly smooth ( it will be grainy ).
• Add ½ cup of sugar and 2 cups of water to a large pitcher. Set it aside and allow it to sit for a few minutes so that the sugar dissolves. Using a fine mesh sieve, sift the rice mixture into a large container. Then add 2 cups water to the blender and shake it up. Pour that over the sieve.
• Discard the rice and cinnamon bits and rinse out the sieve. You may add a double layer of cheesecloth to the sieve or use an ultra-fine mesh sieve to pour the rice and cinnamon water into the pitcher with the sugar. Double-straining the rice mixture will give you smooth horchata( DON'T SKIP THIS STEP).
• Add 2 cups of milk and ½ cup of sweetened condensed milk to the mixture and stir well. Taste for sugar and add more if you like. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Serve over ice and enjoy!

Quick Method

• Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add washed rice and cinnamon stick to a large bowl. Add the hot water to the bowl. Set aside to cool for 30 minutes.
• Add the rice mixture to a blender and blend for 4 minutes or until mostly smooth.
• In the meantime, add ½ cup of sugar and 2 cups of water to a large pitcher. Set it aside and allow it to sit for a few minutes so that the sugar dissolves. Using a fine mesh sieve, sift the rice mixture into a large container. Then add 2 cups water to the blender and shake it up. Pour that over the sieve.
• Discard the rice and cinnamon bits and rinse out the sieve. You may add a double layer of cheesecloth to the sieve or use an ultra-fine mesh sieve to pour the rice and cinnamon water into the pitcher with the sugar. Double-straining the rice mixture will give you smooth horchata( DON'T SKIP THIS STEP).
• Add 2 cups of milk and ½ cup of sweetened condensed milk to the mixture and stir well. Taste for sugar and add more if you like. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or longer until ready to serve.
• Serve over ice and enjoy!

Notes

Horchata will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator if stored in an airtight container.