Homemade Mexican Horchata
Mexican horchata is sweet, creamy, and oh-so-addicting! Traditionally made of rice blended with water and cinnamon, my version takes it up a notch by adding dairy for richness and extra creaminess.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup uncooked Carolina Enriched Long Grain Rice
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 can (14 ounces) evaporated milk
- 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, optional
- ½ cup heavy cream, optional
- Ice, for serving
- Ground cinnamon, for garnishing (optional)
Equipment
Instructions
- Place the rice on a fine-mesh sieve and rinse until the water runs clear. Transfer the rice to a large bowl and add the cinnamon with 1 quart (4 cups) of cold water. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 4 hours.
- Transfer the soaked rice with the cinnamon sticks and water into the jar of a high-speed blender. Blend until as smooth as possible.
- Place a cheesecloth (or a fine-mesh sieve) over a pitcher and strain the liquid so all the solid bits stay behind.
- Stir in the evaporated milk, sweet condensed milk, salt, vanilla extract and heavy cream (if using)
- You can serve immediately, over ice, or chill for a couple of hours until ready to serve. If desired, garnish with ground cinnamon or cinnamon sticks.
Notes
Cheesecloth VS Fine-Mesh Sieve
I recommend using a cheesecloth for a smoother drink. If all you have is a fine-mesh sieve, I would strain the horchata at least twice to make sure you get all the ground pieces of rice and cinnamon.Serving
While you can pour your freshly made horchata over ice and enjoy it right away, I like to chill mine for 1 or 2 hours so it's even more refreshing. Just make sure to give it a good stir as some of the starch will sink to the bottom as it sits in the fridge.Making Ahead or Storing Leftovers
This homemade horchata will keep for up to 3-4 days in the fridge. However, I find that it's best enjoyed the day it is made!Why is my horchata chalky?
Since horchata is made of rice, it is naturally a little chalky. If that bothers you, remove the rice grains before blending, using only the water that resulted from soaking the rice overnight.Nutrition
Calories: 548kcal, Carbohydrates: 81g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 69mg, Sodium: 261mg, Potassium: 522mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 43g, Vitamin A: 630IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 398mg, Iron: 1mg