Horchata

Horchata de Arroz (Mexican Rice Horchata)

A milky, lightly sweet Mexican agua fresca made by soaking rice and cinnamon, then blending and straining the mixture into a refreshing drink traditionally served over ice alongside spicy food.

Prep

240 min

Total

240 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •200 g (1 cup) long-grain white rice, uncooked
• •2 liters (8½ cups) cold water, divided
• •2 whole Ceylon cinnamon sticks, true cinnamon; Mexican canela preferred
• •50 g (½ cup) raw almonds, optional; traditional in some regional recipes
• •150 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar, adjust to taste; honey works too
• •5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract, Mexican vanilla preferred
• •2 g (¼ tsp) fine sea salt

Steps

1. 1 Place the rice, 1 liter (4¼ cups) of the cold water, the cinnamon sticks, and the almonds (if using) in a large glass or non-reactive bowl. Stir, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight — this soak is essential for extracting the milky starch from the rice.
2. 2 Transfer the soaked rice mixture (including the soaking water, cinnamon, and almonds) to a blender. Blend on high for 2–3 minutes, until the rice is completely pulverized and the liquid looks milky and opaque.
3. 3 Set a fine-mesh sieve lined with a double layer of cheesecloth (or a clean cotton kitchen towel) over a large pitcher. Pour the blended mixture through in batches, gently pressing with a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. Do not skip straining — it is what gives horchata its signature silky body.
4. 4 Add the remaining 1 liter (4¼ cups) of cold water to the strained liquid, then stir in the sugar, vanilla, and salt until the sugar fully dissolves. Taste and adjust sweetness.
5. 5 Chill the horchata thoroughly in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour; serve very cold over plenty of ice. For the traditional frothy top, shake or briskly stir each glass just before drinking. Keeps refrigerated for up to 3 days; stir before serving as the rice starch will settle.