Nothing is more refreshing than a glass of icy-cold drink on a sun-blistering day in Mexico or Spain. Learn how to make this Easy Mexican Horchata (Cinnamon Rice Drink) using already-made rice milk.
What is Horchata?
Horchata is a summer drink made of plant milk beverages, sugar, and cinnamon. This drink has its origins in Spanish cuisine, where it is made out of tiger nuts. In Mexico and other Latin countries, horchata is made out of rice, sometimes almonds, or even melon seeds.
Mexicans made it their own, and there are multiple variations of this "bebida" based on the regions of Mexico. In the United States, rice horchata is very popular in Mexican restaurants, taquerias, and ice cream shops.
If you ever travel, you need to look on the menus for Agua Fresca De Horchata, or bebida de arroz.
Aguas Frescas translates to "fresh water," beverages made of ripe fruits, rice, seeds, or flower petals blended with sugar and water. I smile in happiness when I see these large glass jarras filled with creamy white horchata, dark brown tamarindo, or deep red jamaica.
Horchata is one of the three most popular Aguas Frescas in Mexico, next to tamarindo and hibiscus(or jamaica). The rainbow of colors, from pink guava watermelon to light orange cantaloupe or mango, makes me love summertime even more.
Why should you try this recipe?
- It is incredibly easy to make.
The original recipe is made by soaking ground rice overnight, then adding sugar and cinnamon. I took a shortcut here and used bought rice milk.
There are times in everyone's life when taking a shortcut in the kitchen is a good thing. If you have met me before, you know that I like making most of my food from scratch. However, I am also very busy, and there are days when convenience is the way to go.
- It is delicious and perfect for Mexican meals.
Horchata is a beautiful beverage to accompany any meal, but it is beneficial to put out that fire in your mouth after eating spicy foods. Serve it on Taco Day. Make Chicken Tinga or Mexican Pork in Salsa Verde and serve horchata with the meal.
- Using rice milk is better than horchata instant mixes.
You can choose to soak rice overnight and make this drink the next day, but you can also use rice milk or instant mixes.
I tried them all, and I can tell you from my own experience that using rice milk was the easiest way to make this drink. The instant mixes are gritty and don't taste good. Artificial flavors are not my cup of tea.
- This recipe is dairy-free and nut-free.
This is a perfect choice for those out there who are looking for a healthier drink. My recipe is dairy-free and nut-free.
Ingredients
- Rice milk- Rice is the traditional Mexican way of making horchata. However, there are regions in Mexico where this drink is made with coconut OR almond milk. I also saw recipes that add whole milk or even condensed milk. Use your common sense here and make this recipe your own, but keep in mind that if you want an almost authentic Mexican horchata, you need to use rice milk.
- Granulated sugar- You will need only ½ cup of granulated sugar. I would not advise using powdered sugar, as it contains cornstarch and changes the texture of the drink. I have never tried brown sugar and never saw a recipe using it, so I do not know how horchata would taste with it.
- Ground Cinnamon- Use the best cinnamon you can put your hands on. The flavor of horchata comes from cinnamon and vanilla. Good cinnamon will ensure that your horchata will be delicious.
- Vanilla- a vanilla bean would be my choice in this recipe. However, vanilla beans are expensive and harder and harder to find, so we need to go for replacements. Vanilla extract is a good way to go. Europeans: Bourbon Vanilla Sugar from Dr. Oetker is a good option for you.
- Cinnamon Sticks(optional)- we use those for garnishing the glass
- Blender- Modern Mexican cuisine uses a blender on a daily basis. While not absolutely mandatory, a blender is good to make this drink smooth, help dissolve the sugar faster, and overall mix all ingredients really well. However, if you don't own one, use a whisk.
How to make this simple rice horchata
Things cannot get easier than this:
Pour rice milk into the blender, add sugar, ground cinnamon, and vanilla, and blend. Voila, you just made horchata!
Fill tall glasses with ice and pour horchata, garnishing the glass with a cinnamon stick for stirring, if you like.
How to handle vanilla bean: cut the vanilla bean half lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the mix. Do not throw away the pod. Reserve it to make vanilla sugar by placing the pod in a jar with granulated sugar that you would use for baking.
If you use vanilla extract: Use about a teaspoon of vanilla extract in the mixture.
If you are in Europe and have these little bags of Dr. Oetker Bourbon Vanilla Sugar: Measure ½ cup of sugar, remove one tablespoon from it and add a bag of vanilla sugar to it.
Can I replace the sugar with other sweeteners?
Yes. Honey is a good option. While you can use maple syrup, I feel like it would change the flavor of this horchata. If you need a sugar-free option, stevia is the way to go.
Some other recipes to love:
Cherry Flavored Drinks&Cocktails&Smoothies
Enjoy!
📖 Recipe
Easy Mexican Horchata (Cinnamon Rice Drink)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 cups unsweetened rice milk
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 4 cinnamon sticks for garnish
Instructions
- Place the rice milk, sugar, and ground cinnamon into a blender.
- If you use a vanilla bean, cut it half lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the mix. Otherwise, if you use vanilla extract, add it to the milk.
- Blend until the sugar is dissolved.
- Pour into tall glasses filled with ice and garnish with cinnamon sticks for stirring.
Linda says
If I use rice, do I soak it in water overnight?
When blending, will the drink be smooth without residual residue?
Had this problem with brown rice Horchata.
Thanks
The Bossy Kitchen says
Hi Linda, if I wanted to write the recipe from scratch, it would have already been on the blog. My recipe is a shortcut to the original horchata recipe that you can find all over internet. To answer your questions, though, rice is starchy, and you will always have a residue. You can try to pass the rice water through a fine mesh sieve to catch all the gritty bits. However, white rice is smoother than brown rice, and you might not need to do that. You can also add some milk to make it smoother unless you choose to buy some rice milk and make my recipe in a super-easy way.:- )
Brittany says
I’m going to ask a DUMB question. I only found one type of rice milk at my grocery store. It doesn’t say “sweetened or unsweetened” is there any other way to know?
Gabriela says
It is not a dumb question. I am thinking that you can check the label and see how much sugar it has. However, you can just buy it and try it at home, then add sugar according to your taste.
Brittany says
Thank you so much. It says 11g so I’m guessing “sweetened” hahaha. I’ll do what you suggested and “sweeten to taste.” I’m so excited that I found it at the store and your recipe: my 2yo LOVES it when we go out to eat Mexican and although I know it’s not something he will need to drink all the time, it’ll be a nice treat for him.
One more question: what is the “shelf life” of your recipe in the fridge? (If it’s in the recipe above I apologize I didn’t see it) or would I just follow the suggestion on the rice milk carton (mine says “refrigerate after opening and use within 7-10 days”)
TIA!
Gabriela says
I would follow the instructions on the rice milk carton.
Kara says
Thank you so much! So easy and the only recipe I could find that can be changed to a single serving right on the recipe. Everything else I was finding was for a huge batch. Appreciate it!