Horchata

Horchata is a refreshing, cinnamon-flavored Mexican drink filled with flavor! It’s festive and perfect for any occasion.

Everyone loves this cinnamon drink. Horchata is practically a treat like this cinnamon-filled Arroz con Leche. If you love Horchata, you’ll also love this Mexican hot chocolate recipe!

What is Horchata?

Have you ever tried Horchata?! Horchata (pronounced “or-chaa-tuh”) is a refreshing beverage served with a main meal, dessert, or on its own.

It’s a drink made with milk and ground rice, mixed with cinnamon and a little vanilla. It’s deliciously sweet and found in most Mexican restaurants.

But did you know you can make it right in your own kitchen? This recipe is SUPER easy too. If you’ve never tried Horchata, now is your chance!

What’s the difference between Mexican Horchata and Spanish Horchata? Mexican Horchata is made with ground rice and Spanish Horchata is made with tiger nuts (a tuber—like a sweet potato—but smaller and striped on the outside).

Today we are making a Mexican Horchata made with ground rice. Follow the recipe and enjoy!!

How to Make Horchata

RICE. Add uncooked rice, 2 cups water, and cinnamon sticks to your blender and blend until roughly ground. Add the rest of the water and blend for an additional minute. Pour the rice milk into a pitcher and refrigerate overnight.

STRAIN. Strain the mixture through a mesh strainer (or cheesecloth) and discard chunks.

SEASON. Add milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar into the rice water and chill before serving over ice or you can heat it up and serve it warm. There is no wrong way because both are divine!

Recipe Tips

Chill. Make sure to chill the rice mixture for at least 4 hours. I usually do this step the day before so I can chill it overnight.

Rice. Rinse the rice to remove any dust before using it in the recipe. 

• Soak the rice in a bowl of water all night to soften slightly. This will make it easier to blend and grind. Strain the rice before beginning to make this homemade Horchata recipe.
• Due to the blended grains of rice, Horchata will always have a grittier texture than traditional milk. However, it shouldn’t be thick but have a liquid consistency. 

Spices. Add flavor by mixing some other spices like nutmeg, cloves, or star anise.

Dairy-free. Replace cow’s milk with almond milk or coconut milk. The drink will have a different taste, but both are wonderful dairy-free alternatives. 

Sweetener. The sugar can be increased or reduced depending on preference. Use an alternative sweetener like stevia, honey, or maple syrup.

Storing Info

STORE. Store your easy Horchata recipe in a pitcher chilled in the fridge. It will last for about a week!

FREEZE it in a freezer-safe container for up to a month.

For more Mexican recipes, check out:

• Mexican Soup
• Mexican Cornbread
• Steak Fajitas
• Mexican Lasagna
• Taco Pie
• Creamy Chicken Enchiladas