If you haven’t had Mexican horchata before, you definitely have to try this traditional Mexican drink recipe. You can buy it bottled or in a package or else learn how to make horchata yourself. I made it and can honestly say homemade horchata is the best! This iced rice milk beverage is great to try out on Cinco de Mayo! Read on to learn how to make horchata at home.
It’s rich and cream and boasts all kinds of wonderful flavours in every sip. It’s simple to put together and you don’t need that many ingredients. You can even make a vegan version by using nut milk instead of dairy.
So if you want to recreate the delicious drink you enjoyed at a Mexican restaurant, try this recipe. It’s just like the rich, creamy horchata you’d get south of the border.
What is Mexican Horchata?
First of all, let’s take a closer look at what this tasty drink is. Horchata is an iced rice milk beverage which is very popular in Mexico. It’s made with rice and flavoured with cinnamon and sugar.
Everything is blitzed together in the blender and then the solids are strained out. Some homemade horchata recipes also feature vanilla, coconut or other flavours. When you know how to make horchata yourself, you can experiment with different ingredients.
What Ingredients are in Horchata?
Since this is an iced rice milk beverage, rice and milk are two of the main ingredients, as you’d expect.
You will need long grain white rice, since this is going to be the main flavour in the drink. Sliced almonds are also featured, although whole or slivered are also fine since you’re blending the drink anyway.
Cinnamon adds plenty of flavour to the Mexican horchata – use cinnamon sticks not ground powder. You also need milk for this tradition Mexican drink recipe, and some water. I like to add some vanilla too, but you can omit that. It’s up to you.
How to Prepare Homemade Horchata
Once you have all the ingredients to hand, you can make this iced rice milk beverage. You will need a decent quality blender – one that can handle hard ingredients like rice and almonds.
The rice and water go into the blender first, along with the cinnamon and almonds. You need to blend these ingredients for about 5 minutes. When the almonds and rice are totally pulverized you can stop.
A blender can overheat if you have it running for a long time. Make sure you stop it periodically to let the motor cool down. Even a good blender will need a couple breaks during a 5-minute blending session.
When the rice and almonds are powder, you can add the milk and sugar. Add a little vanilla too if you like. Give the mixture another couple of minutes blending time. Yes, this traditional Mexican drink recipe takes a lot of blending!
Now you need to cover the Mexican horchata and chill it for 8 hours or overnight. The final step is to sieve it to remove any solids. You can then serve it over ice. I like to sprinkle some ground cinnamon on top and use a straw. Que deliciosa (as they say in Mexico!)
You might also like Super Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole, Easy Air Fryer Gluten Free Beef Taquitos, or The BEST Fresh Mexican-Style Shrimp Ceviche with Avocado.
Can I Make Horchata without a Blender?
If you don’t have a blender you can still make this drink. It just won’t be as authentic.
You can whisk 8 cups of rice milk (unsweetened) with ½ cup of white sugar, a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and ½ teaspoon of vanilla until the sugar dissolves. This is a horchata-in-a-hurry. It’s pretty good but of course not as good as making it the traditional Mexican way.
Why Does Homemade Horchata Need to Chill for So Long?
A lot of homemade drinks need to chill in the refrigerator but not for an hour, never mind eight! So, why is horchata different?
When learning how to make horchata, you’ll discover the recipe has to chill for much longer than other drinks. The reason is the rice needs time to release flavours into the horchata. Taste it before refrigerating and then after, and you’ll see what I mean.
Mexican Horchata Variations
This traditional Mexican drink recipe can be tweaked if you’re making it yourself. You can use any kind of milk to make it. You can even leave out the almonds if you don’t want to use nuts (it’s not necessary to replace them with another ingredient).
Long grain white rice is the traditional ingredient in this iced rice milk beverage. However you could experiment with other types of rice such as basmati or brown rice.
You might also like Refreshing Lime Pineapple Agua Fresca, Passion Fruit Lime Margarita Cocktail or Strawberry Paloma Tequila Cocktail with Fresh Grapefruit Juice.
Homemade Mexican Horchata Recipe
Homemade Mexican Horchata
Instructions
- In a high powered blender glass add the rice, almonds, cinnamon and water. Blend for 5 minutes or until the rice and almonds are pulverized. You may need to stop in between to prevent the blender from overheating.
- Add the sugar and milk and blend again for 2 more minutes.
- Cover and chill for 8 hours.
- Strain the horchata through a fine mesh sieve. Serve over ice and sprinkle with extra cinnamon on top.
Notes
- The chilling time is super important. Is what gives the rice enough time to release some of it’s milky flavors into the horchata.
- This is a drink to serve chilled and it’s best enjoyed with a straw.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
Mexican horchata is refreshing and delicious. If you’ve never had it you’re in for a real treat when you learn how to make horchata yourself and enjoy. This wonderfully rich-tasting homemade horchata is well worth making.
Let me know if you try to make this Mexican horchata recipe. This iced rice milk beverage is a traditional Mexican drink recipe that you will love. This homemade horchata is great to try out on Cinco de Mayo! I hope this blog helps you learn how to make horchata at home.
Another one I need to try soon.
I had no idea horchata was made this way. very interesting