This post was last updated on April 18, 2015 to include new images and a recipe video.
With Cinco De Mayo coming up around the corner, I have a delicious horchata recipe for you to enjoy.
I have such a fondness for horchata. I just love the creamy, cool, soothing feeling I get when I drink an horchata. It’s like tasty rice milk, but with cinnamon and other goodness.
Oddly enough, I had never really thought about making it for the longest time. But, for some reason, it felt like it was was calling to me, after all these years.
Recipes like this make me realize just how many easy things are out there that can be made easily and well at home. Once you break down that barrier and realize it’s something that can be made from scratch, everything opens up.
All the ingredients you really need are some rice, milk, cinnamon sticks and water. See? I told you it was crazy simple.
You will either need some cheesecloth on hand or a very fine mesh sieve to remove the tiny pieces of rice that sneak through the fine mesh sieve. Otherwise, you probably have everything you need in your kitchen right now.
Oh yea: It's horchata time!To print the recipe, go to https://www.asweetpeachef.com/drinks/horchata-recipe/ or share it to save it to your timeline.
Posted by a sweet pea chef on Sunday, April 19, 2015
Oh, and be sure to let the rice soak in the water for at least 8-10 hours, preferably overnight, to get the tasty horchata flavor. It’ll still work if you only let it sit for a few hours, but the flavor won’t be nearly as rich.
Try it out for yourself and enjoy a refreshing Mexican horchata at home for Cinco De Mayo!
Or, you know, tonight…whatever works 🙂
Horchata Recipe
- 1 cup long grain white rice rinsed
- 4 cups water
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon plus more for garnish
- 1 cup almond milk can also use regular milk
- 1/3 cup brown sugar plus more to taste
- 1 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ice
- Wash and drain rice. Combine rice with cinnamon sticks in water and soak overnight in the refrigerator.
- After the rice has soaked for at least 8-10 hours, preferably overnight, discard the cinnamon sticks and pour rice and water into a blender.
- Add 1/4 tsp. cinnamon and blend on low for 3-5 minutes until well blended.
- Pour blended rice mixture through fine mesh sieve two times and then through cheesecloth one more time to remove all gritty bits of rice.
- Pour strained mixture into a pitcher, add milk, brown sugar and vanilla and stir well to combine. Add more sugar if needed, to taste.
- To serve, pour over ice and garnish with ground cinnamon, if desired.
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Sounds good for the summer
i was wonder how many cups does this recipe make?
I would like to make a gallon at a time. Would I have to double or triple this recipe?
I believe it makes about 4-6 cups, though I can’t say for certain as I’ve never measured the exact final recipe. I hope that helps! Since there are 16 cups in one gallon, it seems like you’d need to triple or quadruple the recipe…if my math is correct lol. 🙂
? awesome thank you!!!
My husband and I have tried this multiple times and we absolutely love it! The only thing we change about the recipe is we also put in sweetened and condensed milk. It just makes it more creamy and delicious!
Amanda, please tell how much sweetened an condensed milk?
Hi Amanda! Yes, some recipes do add sweetened condensed milk and this definitely adds a sweet richness to the horchata.
I am also wondering.. is the rice cooked?
Nope! Use raw rice 🙂
I tried this today and thought it was pretty close to my favorite horchata I’ve ever had. I will try to blend the cinnamon sticks next time because I didn’t feel like there was enough cinnamon flavor. It was good but I like more. Also, my vanilla was double strength so I would probably only use 1 Tbsp next time. Thank you for this awesome recipe!
I make this all the time and to my opinion horchata tastes better with a can of condensed milk than with regular milk. It is a lot more creamier. I also blend the soaked rice with the cinnamon sticks so that it has that cinnamon taste in the water and all of the debris will be sifted out in the end.
Tried the recipe today. The overall flavor was good, but it was a bit watery.
Hi!! My husband and I love this recipe!!! We also add some sweetened and condensed milk to make it a little my creamy and delicious. Thanks for posting!
I’m assuming you’re soaking “cooked” rice? You didn’t say and I’ve never done it..
You have have been late for last year, but you posted just in time for my Cinco de Mayo menu planning! (see the post below!):) Thanks for this – I adore Horchata!
Hi Lacey, I’m Lacey 😉 but funny, i just saw this pinned and i’m stoked! we had it last night at a local mexican restaurant because was saw some ethnic folks drinking it glass after glass. Thank-goodness we had it! SO yum. it’ll be perfect for a little cinco-de-mayoing. Your recipe looks far better (for you) than what they described at the restaurant. Thank-you!
YUMMM! I am so making this! 🙂
My daughter and I will be trying this for a school project and can’t wait! How long can this be left prepared in the fridge before serving? Thanks so much for the recipe!
Thanks, Lacey! My first attempt at horchata turned out very well!
Hooray! Congrats 🙂
is it ok if my rice was in the frige for about 24 hours?
Do you mean soaking in the fridge, Iryna?
Yes, thats what i ment)
But I already did it and it tasted just awesome! Luv horchata 🙂
Thanks!
@nik @Seize
Calm down people, THIS IS how Orchata is made in Mexico, good gawd.
I laughed at the above exchange. Food/drink can really get people riled up…
@ Seize: Horchata? OMG! This is definitely how horchata is made in Mexico. From Wikipedia: “In Mexico, horchata is made of rice, sometimes with vanilla and always with cinnamon.”
Horchata? OMG! This is definitely NOT horchata.
First: Horchata is Valencian product (Spanish, not Mexican).
Second: It’s made from tigernuts as Nik said.
This is a kind of weird fussion of “Leche Merengada” (also Spanish) and “Arroz con Leche” (Rice pudding)
The original horchata is made from tigernuts.
This is some kind of rice milk with cinammon…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horchata
Hi! We usually buy kilos of rice, but it’s not the longrain variety. Will that be okay? Also, how long does horchata keep for?
I love making horchata. It’s one of my favorite late night treats. And I have friends that make strawberry horchata…oh so good!
Wow — strawberry horchata — how interesting! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
How many servings of horchata does this yield? Can’t wait to make it!
Hi Elena! It made a large pitcher of horchata — about 4-6 servings, depending on the size of your glasses. Enjoy!
I love horchata! It’s the first thing I look for in a Mexican market. I get a glass of plain vanilla horchata, sprinkle some cinnamon on top, and enjoy it while I shop. It’s so lovely and refreshing. Now I can make my own. Thanks, Lacey!
I am bummed I didn’t get to try this I was really looking forward to it.
Yeah, I wanted you to try it also. Jordan had it and loved it. It was so easy to make, I can do it again soon.