If you love horchata and who doesn’t, you’re going to love this homemade horchata! Creamy and refreshing with a hint of cinnamon, it is so good!
What is Mexican Horchata?
It is so sad that I had never heard of or tried horchata before last year! I was at a Mexican restaurant and saw it on the menu and decided to give it a try. I loved it!
After much googling, I discovered that there are several different kinds of horchata. Horchata de chufa originated in West African countries and is made with ground tiger nuts. Horchata de ajonjoli is made from sesame seeds and is popular in Puerto Rico. There are even more types and you can read about them – All About Horchata.
The Mexican horchata that I am talking about is also called horchata de arroz and is made with rice.
Ingredients for Easy Homemade Horchata.
There are many different recipes floating around for how to make a homemade horchata. Some use almonds, some use sweetened condensed milk. The recipe that I am using is one I found in The New Cocktail Hour. It was simple and I had all the ingredients, so I decided to give it a try!
Water – use filtered water if possible.
Simple Syrup – equal parts of water and sugar heated up and stirred until the sugar dissolves. Can use the same amount of sweetened condensed milk.
Salt.
Vanilla Extract – I used my homemade vanilla extract.
Rice – preferably organic.
Cinnamon Stick.
How to Make Mexican Horchata.
Once you see how easy it is to make this horchata drink, you’ll be making it all the time!
Step one is to soak the rice. In a jar, combine the rice, cinnamon stick and 2 cups of water. Cover and let it sit for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Next, pour the rice mixture into your favorite blender and blend on high for about 15 to 20 seconds. You want the rice ground to a sandy consistency. Add 2 more cups of water and blend again, briefly.
Strain the rice mixture through a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth. You might have to stir it a bit to get the liquid to drain through.
Then stir in the simple syrup, vanilla and salt. Chill. Will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Homemade Horchata is so good!
We loved this horchata! We drank it over ice and it was so refreshing!
Of course, we had to make our own RumChata cocktail which is coming up on Friday!! So delicious!
Add a shot of espresso to horchata for a coffechata – my new favorite drink!
Some other ways to use this horchata:
Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding – use it in place of the almond milk.
Blueberry Almond Smoothie – it would be a delicious substitute for the almond milk.
Vanilla Yogurt Panna Cotta – use it in place of the milk.
In all of these, you might want to decrease the amount of sugar or sweetener in the recipe, since the horchata is already sweetened.
If you’re looking for more no alcohol drinks, be sure and follow my Drinks – No Alcohol Board on Pinterest.
Homemade Horchata
Ingredients
- 1 cup white rice long grained, uncooked
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 cups water divided
- 1/2 cup simple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a jar, combine the rice, cinnamon stick and 2 cups of the water. Put a lid on it and let it sit for 8 hours or overnight.
- Pour the rice mixture, including the cinnamon stick, into a blender and blend for 15 to 20 seconds.
- Add the remaining 2 cups of water and briefly blend again.
- Line a strainer with cheesecloth and strain the rice mixture through it. You might have to stir it a bit to get it to strain through.
- Add the simple syrup, vanilla and salt. Stir and chill. Serve over ice.
Kirsten/Comfortably Domestic says
August 13, 2019 at 1:50 pmI absolutely love horchata! Homemade is nicer because you can control the sweetness. I haven’t seen a recipe that uses simple syrup before. I like the idea of that far better than sweetened condensed milk.
Pam Greer says
August 13, 2019 at 2:15 pmYes, give it a try and let me know what you think!
Debra says
August 11, 2019 at 2:29 pmYum. A tasty alternative to plain rice milk. Perfect to make a sweet chia pudding with. Especially with that added cinnamon. WEll done.
Pam Greer says
August 11, 2019 at 2:49 pmOh my gosh, it would be great with chia pudding!
Tracy says
August 11, 2019 at 12:47 pmWow um I’m embarrassed this is the first time I’ve heard of it! But I love that you can make it so easily from scratch. Your step by step is so helpful. Love all your recipes, thanks for another great one!
Pam Greer says
August 11, 2019 at 2:49 pmI hadn’t heard of it either until a little bit ago!
Jenni LeBaron says
August 11, 2019 at 11:08 amI’ve never had a proper horchata before, but I see it on the menu at a bunch of restaurants we frequent and have always been curious. This one looks really simple to put together and the ingredients sound tasty! I can’t wait to give this drink a try!
Pam Greer says
August 11, 2019 at 2:50 pmYou’ll have to let me know what you think!
Tina says
August 11, 2019 at 7:40 amI’ve been seeing recipes for Horchata everywhere it seems, and I wasn’t sure what it was. This looks delicious! We recently discovered my son is mildly lactose intolerant so I’ll have to make some so he can use it as a dairy replacement alternative as you suggested in the post. Thanks so much!
Pam Greer says
August 11, 2019 at 10:20 amIt’s really good. You’ll have to let me know what he thinks!
Meagan Johnson says
August 11, 2019 at 3:31 amIs the nutrition information that’s listed per serving or per batch?
Pam Greer says
August 11, 2019 at 10:22 amIt’s per serving, but as I mentioned in the notes, it is definitely inflated. It is counting all of the rice, when a lot of it is strained out. So the nutrition information is not completely accurate.
Gloria says
August 6, 2019 at 5:47 pmI have never tried this. We love Mexican food. I think I need to give this a try it. Love the sound of the cinnamon i this tasty drink.
Pam Greer says
August 7, 2019 at 3:13 pmIt’s really good and refreshing!
Marjie says
August 4, 2019 at 7:26 pmI’ve never heard of horchata, but it sounds interesting. Cinnamon is always a winning flavor!
Pam Greer says
August 5, 2019 at 2:16 pmIt is surprisingly refreshing!
Sharon says
July 29, 2019 at 8:08 pmI had no idea that making horchata right at home was so simple! I can’t wait to make my own soon.
Pam Greer says
July 30, 2019 at 2:30 pmYou’ll have to let me know what you think!
Beth says
July 29, 2019 at 5:31 pmThis looks cool and refreshing and for us cinnamon lovers, this is a delicious drink!
Pam Greer says
July 30, 2019 at 2:30 pmFellow cinnamon lover here!
Irina says
July 29, 2019 at 5:14 pmI have never heard about Mexican Horchata, but it sounds delicious! I should try to make it for sure! Thanks for sharing.
Pam Greer says
July 30, 2019 at 2:31 pmYou’ll have to let me know what you think!
Mary says
July 29, 2019 at 5:00 pmI love horchata! I always order it when I’m at a taqueria, but I’d never made it myself! Thanks for demystifying it!
Pam Greer says
July 30, 2019 at 2:31 pmYou need to try it, it’s so easy and so good!
Annissa says
July 29, 2019 at 5:00 pmI confess that I’ve never heard of horchata. Sounds delicious as I love anything cinnamon. I can’t believe I went to Mexico last year and didn’t try it!
Pam Greer says
July 30, 2019 at 2:31 pmYou need to try it!