Description
This traditional Mexican horchata recipe is a refreshing, creamy rice-based beverage infused with cinnamon and sweetened with evaporated and condensed milk. Perfectly chilled and served over crushed ice, horchata offers a sweet and aromatic drink that’s ideal for warm weather or alongside spicy meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Rice Mixture
- 1 cup uncooked white rice
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 cups hot water
Sweetened Milk Blend
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 3 cups cold water
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- ¼–½ cup sugar (optional; to taste)
Instructions
- Roughly blend rice and cinnamon: Add the uncooked white rice and 4 cups of hot water to a blender. Quickly blend for about 30 seconds just to roughly chop the rice, then add the cinnamon sticks. Transfer the whole mixture to the refrigerator to soak and infuse flavors for at least 2-3 hours.
- Blend mixture until smooth: After soaking, blend the entire rice and cinnamon mixture again, including the cinnamon sticks, for 30 to 60 seconds until the texture is smooth and creamy.
- Strain the horchata: Pour the blended mixture through a triple layer of cheesecloth and a fine-meshed sieve into a large bowl or pitcher. Use a spatula or spoon to press the liquid through, separating out the rice solids for a smooth drink.
- Mix in milks and flavors: Stir in the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, 3 cups of cold water, and the optional vanilla extract. Taste your horchata and adjust sweetness by adding up to ½ cup sugar if desired. Mix well to combine.
- Chill and serve: Refrigerate the horchata until cold. When ready, pour over glasses filled with crushed ice. Enjoy your refreshing, homemade horchata!
Notes
- There may be leftover rice grains that settle to the bottom; try not to stir them up as this can give the drink a gritty texture.
- Use a ladle to serve horchata gently, avoiding disturbing the settled rice grains.
- You can adjust the sweetness to your taste by varying the sugar addition or the amount of condensed milk.
- For a vegan version, substitute evaporated and condensed milk with plant-based alternatives, but note the original recipe uses canned dairy milks for authenticity.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: horchata, mexican drink, rice drink, cinnamon beverage, sweet rice milk, traditional mexican horchata
