Horchata Recipe

Save this recipe!

Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Email *

Post Post Permalink

Save

I love a Horchata on a hot day alongside Chicken Tinga or  Easy Cod Fish Tacos. 

There is something so refreshing and satisfying about the flavors in a Horchata. 

You might be wondering what a Horchata, also known as Orxata is? White rice is soaked overnight and then mixed with water, cinnamon, vanilla, condensed and evaporated milk and blended into the most delicious drink. It originated as far back as 13th-century Valencia, where it is known as orxata de xufa.

In Spain it is made with soaked, ground, and sweetened tiger nuts, but in Mexico and other parts of the Americas the base is white rice. Today’s recipe uses white rice like the Authentic Mexican recipe. This has other names depending on what country you are in whether it is Spain, Latin American or African countries. In West African countries such as Nigeria and Mali, it is known as kunnu aya.

Different varieties can be served hot or cold, and may be used as a flavor in other beverages, such as frappé coffee.

Horchata, which comes from the Latin term hordeata, which in turn comes from hordeum (barley), is a term related to a Mediterranean tradition of grain-based beverages and also the linguistic root of orgeat syrup.

Recipe Ingredients

See full list of simple ingredients below in recipe card with exact measurements.

• White Rice
• Water
• Almonds
• Cinnamon Stick
• Vanilla
• Condensed Milk
• Evaporated Milk

How do you Make Horchata

Step 1: Place Rice in Strainer & Rinse: Place the rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse until the water runs clear.

Place the rice in a bowl with water and cover. Make sure the amount of water is just enough to over the rice. Let it soak overnight. (You will notice the rice is lighter and has absorbed most of the water.)

Step 2: Combine Ingredients in Blender: Combine the rice, almonds, cinnamon, vanilla, and milk in a blender until it is completely smooth and you don’t have any more rice grains.

Step 3: Strain: Strain the liquid into a pitcher and add the additional sugar if you would like it to be sweeter.

Add the rest of the water into the pitcher and mix well.

Serve with ice and enjoy! You can garnish with extra cinnamon, anise or coconut.

Recipe Tips

• Cold: You can serve this at room temperature but I suggest serving this drink over ice or refrigerate it for 2 hours before you serve it. 
• Soaking: Soaking the rice is one of the most important steps of this recipe. You want the rice to become tender.
• Straining: Make sure you use a fine mesh strainer to strain the mixture before adding it to the blender. If you skip this step the drink will have a chalky, gritty texture. 
• Cinnamon: The cinnamon is one of the main flavors of this recipe so don’t skip it! If you can get your hands on cinnamon sticks I suggest using that over ground cinnamon to get more flavor infused in the drink. 
• Sweetener: This drink tastes nice without the added sugar or sweetener but some people like it to be sweeter. If you like a sweet drink feel free to add sugar or a natural sweetener to the drink.
• Rice: Any white rice will work in this recipe like long grain, jasmine, basmati, short grain.