Homemade Horchata
Creamy rice milk with cinnamon and vanilla. This Mexican classic is like drinking liquid comfort.
Drinks · Prep 10 min · Serves 6 · Easy · By Tina · Published
Ingredients
- 1 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked
- 2 cinnamon sticks, Ceylon preferred
- 1.5 L water
- 100 ml condensed milk, or sugar to taste
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
Horchata is one of those drinks that sounds odd if you have never had it — rice milk? cinnamon? — but one sip and you are hooked. It is creamy, sweet, and has this warmth from the cinnamon that makes it feel like a hug in a glass.
The traditional way is to soak rice and cinnamon overnight, blend, and strain. It takes time but the result is so much better than any store-bought version. The rice gives it a natural silkiness that dairy alternatives just cannot match.
I make a big batch and keep it in the fridge. It is great on its own, over ice, or — secret move — mixed with cold brew coffee.
Pro Tips
- Soak the rice for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. Longer soak = creamier result.
- Blend in a powerful blender and strain through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth twice.
- Ceylon cinnamon sticks give a better, more delicate flavor than cassia.
- Stir before pouring — the rice settles to the bottom.
Serving
Serve over lots of ice with a cinnamon stick. For a cocktail version, add a shot of rum.
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