Authentic Horchata Recipe

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Agua de horchata, commonly known as horchata, is a popular sweet rice drink that’s creamy and delicious. This rice drink adds a refreshing touch to any Mexican food, but you can have it on its own too. 

Most Mexican restaurants will have horchata in their menu but if there isn’t one near you, don’t fret yet, you can make horchata at home and turn it into your favorite drink! Check out this authentic Mexican horchata recipe and try your hand at it!


What Is Authentic Horchata Made Of?

Horchata originated from Spain, but this drink is highly popular throughout Mexico and Latin America. Many Mexican drinks are made to cool you down, and that includes horchata. Authentic horchata is a refreshing beverage made from a base of hot water, rice, cinnamon, and sugar. Some recipes also incorporate milk or sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk for a creamier texture, while others add almonds or vanilla extract for additional flavor. The drink is often served cold and garnished with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

What Is the Difference Between Mexican Horchata and Spanish Horchata?

Mexican horchata and Spanish horchata, while similar in name, differ significantly in their ingredients and preparation. Mexican horchata, also known as horchata de arroz, is made primarily from rice. It is blended with water, cinnamon sticks, sugar, and sometimes milk or vanilla.

In contrast, the authentic recipe for Spanish horchata, or horchata de chufa, uses chufa nuts (tiger nuts). This version is more nutty in flavor and is particularly popular in the Valencia region of Spain. The key distinction lies in the primary ingredient—rice for Mexican horchata and chufa nuts for Spanish horchata.

What Does Horchata Taste Like?

Horchata has a rich flavor with a smooth and creamy texture and has the right amount of sweetness. If you’ve ever had rice pudding or drank the leftover milk after eating a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, horchata is similar to those. If you like those flavors, you’ll surely love horchata. You get a great balance of rice and cinnamon flavor in one sip.


How Is Traditional Horchata Made?

The traditional process of making horchata involves soaking the main ingredient (rice or chufa nuts) and cinnamon sticks in hot water for several hours or overnight. This soaking process softens the rice or nuts, making them easier to blend into a smooth consistency. The rice also absorbs the cinnamon flavor during the soaking process.

After soaking, the mixture is blended with water until smooth and then strained through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth to remove any solids. The liquid is then sweetened with sugar. In some recipes, milk or vanilla extract is added to enhance the flavor and richness of the drink.

What Is the Best Rice for a Horchata Recipe?

The best rice for horchata is typically long-grain white rice. Long-grain rice has a neutral flavor and smooth texture, which blends well to create the classic taste and consistency of horchata. Some recipes may also use basmati rice or jasmine rice for a slightly different flavor profile, but traditional Mexican horchata generally sticks to long-grain white rice. The key is to ensure the rice is well-soaked and thoroughly blended to achieve a smooth, creamy drink.


Authentic Mexican Horchata Ingredients

Making horchata at home is very easy! All you need are the following ingredients and you’ll have a delicious drink in your hands in no time.

  • 2 cups uncooked white rice
  • 4 cups hot water
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
  • 1 can  (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
  • 3 cups cold water
  • Up to 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Ice cubes for serving

Homemade Horchata Recipe Directions

Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Mexican, Latin American

  1. First, soak the rice and cinnamon sticks. In a glass bowl, add 4 cups of hot water. Place the rice and cinnamon sticks in the bowl with water and cover the bowl with a dish or plastic wrap. Soak overnight. 
  2. The next day, pour the soaked rice, cinnamon stick, and rice water into a blender.
  3. Add 3 cups cold water, vanilla extract, sweetened condensed milk, and evaporated milk to the rice mixture. Blend until a smoother rice mixture is formed and the rice and cinnamon stick are completely ground.
  4. Pour the cinnamon and rice water mixture into a bowl using a very fine mesh strainer. 
  5. Place a cheesecloth or a nut bag in the center of another bowl and pour the previously strained mixture into the cheesecloth or nut bag. Gently squeeze so that the horchata runs out.
  6. Continue this process until you work with the rest of the rice milk mixture. 
  7. Taste and add sugar or water according to your preference. 
  8. Chill and serve over ice with a dusting of ground cinnamon.

Authentic Horchata Recipe Tips

  • Horchata is a staple in any Mexican restaurant.
  • You can also make horchata using brown rice. The drink may have a nuttier flavor than usual compared to using white rice.
  • Break the cinnamon sticks before you place them in the bowl to soak.
  • If you don’t have time to soak the cinnamon stick and rice overnight, you can soak them for up to 5 hours.
  • Soaking the rice and cinnamon sticks in hot water allows the rice to absorb the flavor.
  • Horchata is usually not dairy-free. However, some horchata recipes use dairy-free alternatives such as almond milk or coconut milk instead of condensed and evaporated milk. 
  • Always use cinnamon sticks for soaking. Don’t use ground cinnamon to soak the rice in. Cinnamon sticks are better as they have more flavor. Only use ground cinnamon for garnishing before serving.
  • The exact sweetness of horchata will vary based on how much sugar you add to the recipe. You can also eliminate the sugar entirely from this horchata recipe if the sweetness from the condensed milk is already enough.
  • You can chill the agua de horchata for up to 8 hours before serving or refrigerate overnight for the best taste.
  • You can also freeze horchata and use it within a month. 
  • Aside from stirring in cold water to the rice milk mixture, you use whole milk or almond milk instead.
  • Using a fine mesh strainer when draining the rice milk mixture can give your homemade horchata a smooth texture. If you don’t drain your mixture using a fine mesh strainer, your drink might have a gritty texture. 
  • If you don’t have a fine mesh strainer, a nut bag or cheesecloth works just as well.

Final Note

Now that you know how to make horchata at home, you won’t have to take yourself to the nearest row of Mexican restaurants just to have this delectable drink. Homemade horchata is easier on the pocket and tastes just as good as a restaurant-bought one. Enjoy your refreshing beverage to complement any meal or as a great treat on a warm day!

Looking for more rice recipes to make at home? Browse through our recipe collection