Horchata is a delicious rice (or coconut) based drink that you can find at most Mexican restaurants in the United States and abroad.
Para Ver esta receta de Horchata en Español, Haz Click Aqui
Horchata definitely adds a refreshing touch to any meal. Everyone that tries it seems to fall in love and is disappointed when it is gone. If you go to any Mexican restaurant, you will probably find some iteration of horchata. However, many of those are made from powder and don’t have that authentic taste.
Today, I want to show you how to make a truly authentic Mexican horchata. It will take some patience and a little bit of preparation, but I assure you that the results will be worth it.
Their are different varieties of Horchata throughout Latin America. If you have tried one version before and didn’t like it, you can always try another one and that might change.
Horchata is a versatile beverage and you can add different ingredients to it to change the taste. For example, you can add shredded coconut or almonds. You can also use different varieties of milk such as almond milk. Like I said above, there are many different versions depending on the country. The horchata recipe that I am sharing today is my favorite way to make it, but that doesn’t mean you can’t switch it up a bit.
I love the smooth, rich flavor that you get from making horchata at home. It goes perfectly with some many meals. People are always asking for the recipe too, since they just can’t get enough.
I have so many memories growing up of going to the local taquerias with my siblings and other family members and ordering up a plate of delicious street tacos with a side of delicious authentic Horchata. It was always a hit and something that I will always remember.
Although I don’t live in Mexico anymore, I still am able to keep these memories with my by making these recipes and sharing them with my family here. Even though I prefer to make my own horchata, I will still try just about any version that I can find when I go to Mexican restaurants. Some are better than others, but they all remind me of Mexico.
Now, as I said, this will take some preparation. The good news is that you probably already have all of the ingredients that you will need in your kitchen to make Horchata. If you don’t already have them, don’t worry – they are easy to find and are very inexpensive.
This does take awhile to make, but it will definitely be worth it! The reason it takes a while, is because you have to soak the rice, cinnamon, and almonds in water for an extended period of time in order to ensure that all of the flavors are right. The best way to do this, is to start soaking the ingredients the night before. That way, you can sleep instead of just sitting up excited about drinking horchata!
Once you have soaked the ingredients long enough, the next steps are pretty easy. You will need to strain the water, and the blend the ingredients together with evaporated milk. It is very important to strain the resulting mix using a very fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, so that you can avoid a gritty texture. It is still delicious, but I personally prefer a smooth taste.
I am so happy that you found this recipe, and I really hope that you are willing to put the time and effort into making this recipe. It may not be something that you make every day, but it is perfect for special occasions like Cinco de Mayo, Memorial Day, Thansgiving, New Years, and more. No matter when you make this horchata, you can rest assured that everyone will love it and will be asking you for the recipe.
So, if you are feeling adventurous and are ready to try this authentic recipe, check it out below and I promise that you won’t regret it!
Products Used In This Horchata Recipe
Fine Mesh Strainer: This is one of the most important things that you can get when making horchata. You have to strain the rice and almond pieces after you blend it, so to avoid a grainy texture, you will want a fine mesh strainer. You can get one of my favorites here if you don’t already have one.
Blender: You will need a good blender to make sure that you break everything down as much as possible. I use this one, but you can really use any high quality blender.
Large Drinking Glasses: Horchata is good no matter what, but it is even better drinking it from a large glass like these ones. I add a straw and lots of ice and it is delicious!
Large Bowls: You have to soak the rice and other ingredients overnight for this recipe, so it is important to have large glass bowls. You can use any glass bowl that you have, but make sure that they are high quality like these.
Serves 8 Ounces
Horchata is a delicious rice (or coconut) based drink that you can find at most Mexican restaurants in the United States and abroad.
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 cup of white rice
- 1 1/3 cup sugar (adjust depending on how sweet you want - 2/3 cup of sugar if you want it less sweet).
- 1/2 cup chopped almonds
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 T vanilla
- 1 Can (12 ounces) Evaporated milk
- 1 1/2 cup of milk or almond milk
- 1 Liter of water
- Ice
Instructions
- Start by soaking the rice, cinnamon, and almonds in a bowl of water all night, or at least for 5 hours so that the rice softens slightly.
- Strain the water from the cinnamon, rice, and almond mixture that were soaking, disposing of water.
- Blend the cinnamon, rice, and almond mixture with evaporated milk until a smoother mix is formed and the grains of rice are completely ground.
- Strain the resulting liquid into a pitcher, and add the sugar, vanilla, and milk. Mix well until everything is well combined.Add a liter of water, and serve with ice. Enjoy!
HI! Happy SITS day! I love horchata! I will definitely try making this at home!
this looks so good!
Thanks for this , this is so delicious. My students used to bring it to school and we always enjoyed it, but I never got the recipe. Going to make some right away.
If i want to make this an adult beverage any suggestions on what alcohol would go good with this?
rum
Hennessey
Kahlua and or Baily’s
Rum Chatta!!! Lol
i HAVE NEVER HAD HORCHATA, BUT BEING THE FOOD PERSON THAT i AM, i LOOK FORWARD TO TRYING IT!
I’ve always wondered how to make this – thanks for sharing a great recipe from an authentic viewpoint!
You are welcome! Thanks for stopping by and let me know how it turns out 🙂
I just had my first taste of horchata this past fall – and I love the idea of making it homemade. I had no idea it included rice, though now that I think of the taste, that makes sense.
I’m glad that you like horchata! You should definitely try this recipe and be sure to let me know how it turns out! 🙂
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Hi, Looks great! But how much Evaporated milk do I need? It just says one. Is that one can? If so, how many fl oz or Mls would that be? Thank you
Hi Pam! I’m sorry about that. It is one can, which is 12 ounces. Hope that helps and I will update the recipe.
Thank you!
I was wondering if there is a way to make it lactose free?
Hi Sherrie! I have never tried to make it lactose-free, but one option would be to use the almond milk instead of regular milk. I am not sure what a substitute would be for the evaporated milk, but I have read that you can take 2 1/4 cups of almond milk, and bring it to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until the volume is reduced to 1 cup. I haven’t personally tried that, but it might be worth a shot!
What exactly am I blending with the evaporated milk? The water or cinnamon, almond, rice mixture?
Hi Melissa! You should be blending the cinnamon, almond, and rice mixture. The water can be disposed of. Hope that helps, and I will update the instructions to make them more clear. 🙂
Hey how much does this recipe serve?
Hi Kristen!
This should easily serve 4-6 people.
Loved this recipe. I kept the water the rice mixture soaked in for additional flavor and just added it at the end with the rest. I found the drink too sweet with the listed amount of sugar. Next time I’ll cut the sugar down to about 2/3 cup. Thank you so much for sharing!
Thanks for your comments Sarah! The sugar is definitely something that can be altered based on how sweet you want it! I will update the recipe to make that clear 🙂 I’m glad you enjoyed it!
[…] additional directions on making this recipe, be sure to visit the My Latina Table Webpage for more details. Let us know your thoughts in the comments. We’d love to hear from […]
I just stumbled upon this recipe and it tastes delicious and is amazing. I did have an issue with the texture. Is there a best practice when filter it? It has a smooth consistency but leaves a texture on the back of your throat. I know I messed up somewhere and I’m not sure if I didn’t blend it or filter it enough.
Thank you for your comment Amy! You really want to make sure that you blend everything really well and then use a strainer with very small holes – the smaller the better – to make sure that you get as smooth of a consistency as possible. This one or something similar would probably be best: http://amzn.to/2mf61Mr (this is an affiliate link). Good luck!
I made this today, I let my rice soak overnight and it was delicious! I used a little under a cup of sugar. It was still a bit rich ( milky ) but I think I will just triple the water and double the rice and cinnamon so I will have more of the flavored water to drain off and add. As opposed to just adding plain water which I think may dilute the rice and cinnamon taste. My goal is to drink this everyday! I hate buying it from the nearby restaurant! Thank you for sharing this recipe I… Read more »
Thanks Kitta! I am so glad that it turned out well for you 🙂
[…] oz horchata (We bought a carton at the Mexican market, but make your own if you’re feeling festive.) 1 oz white rum ground […]
[…] make it yourself you can add just the right amount of cinnamon to make it perfect! Head on over to My Latina Table to get the […]
When soaking the rice,cinnamon, and almond mixture overnight, is it in the fridge or sitting out on the counter?
Hi Krystal – thanks for the question! Technically you could do either, but I have always just left it on the counter. Just make sure it is covered. Hope that helps!
Hello, thank you for sharing this recipe! I really enjoyed making this tasty beverage, I found the balance of flavors quite delicious. It was even better than the horchata I’ve tried in local restaurants. The only problem I’m having is that the finished product is slightly chalky. Any suggestions to help solve this problem would be very much appreciated. Thank you!
Hi Lucas – I am glad that you enjoyed it! If you have a chalky consistency, you may want to repeat the final step (straining the liquid from the almond, cinnamon and rice mixture one more time). You also will want to make sure that you are using a very fine strainer or even something like cheesecloth, so that it is as liquid as possible. I haven’t found it to have that consistency, so I can’t be sure what would work, but that would be my suggestion.
Thanks!
[…] and not too salty. For beverages, we both took advantage of the fact that Tapatio’s offers horchata. Some horchata have a gritty textire, but this was smooth and flavorful, just […]