This Mexican Horchata recipe is sweet, nutty, and incredibly easy to make. It takes a few hours to soak the rice, but otherwise, it's extremely quick and simple. You can soak the rice in the morning and have horchata by lunch!
About This Recipe
I LOVE this Horchata recipe! It's sweet, nutty, and sooo easy to make. If you follow this blog, then you may remember my coffee horchata from last year. If not, I highly recommend you check it out because it's still one of my favorite versions of horchata.
Today, though, I wanted to share a more authentic version- no coffee, just plain horchata. The method of making it is the same, but I've learned some new tips over the last year, which I will be sharing throughout this post.
In my opinion, the most important step is straining the rice properly. I really hate when horchata is grainy. You'll need at least a triple layer of cheesecloth and a fine mesh sieve. The cheesecloth is going to be doing the bulk of the straining. The sieve is mainly for holding the cheesecloth in place.
If you don't have cheesecloth or a sieve, you can also just let the horchata sit in the fridge overnight. The sediment will eventually sink to the bottom, leaving the smooth liquid at the top. When you're ready to drink the horchata, just scoop the liquid from the top without disturbing the sediment at the bottom. Don't pour, and absolutely do not stir it.
Key Ingredients
White rice: My favorite rice for horchata is jasmine rice because it's more aromatic than other kinds of rice. I've also used short-grain sushi rice before, which was not as flavorful, but still good.
Cinnamon sticks: You can also use ground cinnamon, but I like cinnamon sticks because they are easier to strain out.
Sweetened condensed milk: The majority of the sweetening comes from this. I personally think 1 can for the entire recipe is more than enough sweetness, but I know a lot of restaurants make their horchata VERY sweet, so feel free to add more condensed milk (or more sugar) if you like.
Evaporated milk: Evaporated milk has some caramelly notes, which give the horchata its signature flavor.
Vanilla extract: Optional.
Instructions
STEP 1: Add the rice and water to a blender. Blend for about 30 seconds to roughly chop up the rice. Add the cinnamon sticks, then transfer to the fridge for 2-3 hours.
STEP 2: Once the rice has softened, blend everything, including the cinnamon sticks, until smooth, about 30-60 seconds.
STEP 3: Pass the liquid through a triple layer of cheesecloth and a fine-meshed sieve. I use a spoon to push the liquid through. If the liquid is too grainy, strain it again.
STEP 4: Add the condensed milk, evaporated milk, water, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine. Taste the horchata, and if you want it sweeter, add more sugar.
Horchata
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked white rice
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 cups hot water
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 3 cups cold water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- ¼-½ cup sugar (optional; to taste)
Instructions
- Add the rice and hot water to a blender. Quickly blend for about 30 seconds to roughly chop the rice. Add the cinnamon sticks and transfer the entire blender to the fridge for at least 2-3 hours.
- When you're ready, blend the entire mixture again, including the cinnamon sticks, until smooth, about 30-60 seconds.
- Strain the rice mixture through a triple layer of cheesecloth and a fine-meshed sieve. Use a spatula or spoon to push the liquid through.
- Stir in the evaporated milk, condensed milk, cold water, and optional vanilla extract. Taste and add more sugar as needed. Chill until ready to serve, then pour into glasses with lots of crushed ice. Enjoy!
- Note: There may be leftover rice grains that settle to the bottom of the horchata. Try not to stir those up, as they will give the horchata a gritty texture. I use a ladle to scoop out the horchata so as not to disturb them.
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