Homemade Cinnamon Horchata
This creamy refreshing horchata is made from scratch by soaking long grain rice with cinnamon sticks and blending it into a smooth sweet drink that is perfect over ice. It is a beloved Mexican agua fresca that cannot be compared to any store-bought powder version.
A cool and creamy rice-based Mexican drink flavored with cinnamon and vanilla.
Nutrition per serving
Ingredients
base
flavoring
sweetener
Instructions
Soak the Rice and Cinnamon
Combine the uncooked rice and cinnamon sticks in a large bowl with 2 cups of warm water. Stir briefly and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Allow the rice and cinnamon to soak at room temperature for at least 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator for the deepest flavor.
Blend Until Smooth
Transfer the soaked rice, cinnamon sticks, and all the soaking water to a high-powered blender. Blend on high speed for 2 full minutes until the mixture is as smooth as possible. Do not rush this step as thorough blending is what creates the creamy texture.
Strain the Mixture
Pour the blended rice mixture through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or a thin kitchen towel into a large pitcher. Press and squeeze to extract every drop of liquid. Discard the rice solids and cinnamon sticks left behind in the cloth.
Sweeten and Finish
Stir the remaining 2 cups of water, sugar, vanilla extract, and milk into the strained horchata until the sugar is fully dissolved. Taste and adjust sweetness as needed. Refrigerate until very cold and serve over plenty of ice with a dusting of ground cinnamon on top.
Substitutions
Common mistakes
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