This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This horchata recipe is a refreshing, cinnamon-flavored Mexican drink filled with flavor! It’s festive and perfect for any occasion.
Horchata is practically a cinnamon-filled treat like our Arroz con Leche. If you love horchata, you’ll also love our Mexican hot chocolate recipe!
We Love Horchata!
But what is horchata (pronounced “or-chaa-tuh”)?
It’s a drink made with milk and ground rice, mixed with cinnamon and a little vanilla. Everyone loves this cinnamon drink, especially with your Mexican meal.
Why we love this horchata recipe:
- Easy. It is SUPER easy and prepped in minutes.
- Delicious. It’s deliciously sweet and found in most Mexican restaurants.
- Enjoy any time. It is a refreshing beverage served with a main meal, dessert, or on its own.
Mexican horchata is made with ground rice and Spanish horchata is made with tiger nuts. We love both, but we are especially obsessed with this Mexican version!
Ingredients
- long-grain white rice uncooked – Rinse the rice to remove any dust before using it in the recipe. Soaking the rice in a bowl of water all night will soften it and make it easier to blend and grind. Strain the rice before beginning to make this homemade Horchata recipe.
- water
- cinnamon sticks
- milk – Replace cow’s milk with almond milk or coconut milk. The drink will have a different taste, but both are wonderful dairy-free alternatives
- vanilla extract
- ground cinnamon – Add more flavor by mixing some other spices like nutmeg, cloves, or star anise.
- sugar – The sugar can be increased or reduced depending on preference. Use an alternative sweetener like stevia, honey, or maple syrup
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 heat it and serve it warm. There is no wrong way because both are divine!
Quick Tips
- Chill the rice mixture for at least 4 hours, overnight is best.
- Rice. Due to the blended rice, the texture with be grittier than traditional milk but this horchata recipe should still have a liquid consistency.
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 Treats:
Horchata Recipe
Ingredients
- 1⅓ cup long-grain rice uncooked
- 5 cups water divided
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅔ cup sugar
Instructions
- 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 this into a pitcher and refrigerate overnight.
- Strain the mixture through a mesh strainer (or cheesecloth) and discard chunks.
- Add milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar into the rice water and chill before serving over ice.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What changes do I need to make if I use rice flour for the horchata ?