Creamy Homemade Horchata Recipe with Cinnamon Rice Milk and Vanilla
A creamy, refreshing homemade horchata infused with cinnamon rice milk and vanilla, perfect for any occasion and easy to prepare with simple pantry ingredients.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes active prep plus 4-12 hours soaking
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 hours 15 minutes to 12 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Beverage
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup white long-grain rice (about 190 grams), rinsed
- 2 whole cinnamon sticks (about 3 inches each)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 grams), adjust to taste
- 4 cups water (960 ml)
- 2 cups milk (480 ml) – whole milk or dairy-free alternative like almond or coconut milk
- Pinch of salt
- Optional: ground cinnamon for garnish
- Optional: ice cubes for serving chilled
Instructions
- Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear to remove excess starch (about 5 minutes).
- Transfer rinsed rice to a medium bowl or jar. Add 4 cups cold water and 2 cinnamon sticks. Cover and soak at room temperature for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight (4-12 hours).
- Remove cinnamon sticks from soaking liquid. Pour rice and water into blender. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes until mostly smooth and creamy.
- Strain the blended mixture through a fine mesh strainer or nut milk bag into a large pitcher. Press out as much liquid as possible. Discard or save rice pulp for other uses (about 5 minutes).
- Stir in 1/2 cup granulated sugar until dissolved, adjusting sweetness to taste. Add 2 cups milk or dairy-free alternative and mix well (about 3 minutes).
- Refrigerate horchata for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve over ice cubes and sprinkle with ground cinnamon if desired.
Notes
Rinsing the rice is essential to avoid a gummy texture. Soak rice and cinnamon sticks overnight for best flavor. Blend thoroughly and strain well for a silky smooth drink. Adjust sweetness last. Keep horchata chilled and stir before serving. Store in refrigerator up to 3 days; avoid freezing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8 ounces (240 ml)
- Calories: 150180
- Sugar: 0.152
- Sodium: 50100
- Fat: 35
- Carbohydrates: 3035
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 24
Keywords: horchata, homemade horchata, cinnamon rice milk, vanilla, creamy horchata, dairy-free horchata, refreshing drink, summer beverage