This is a simplified version of the traditional Mexican drink—Horchata. It’s made with just a few pantry-staple ingredients and comes together in only 45 minutes!
We love to make Horchata for Cinco de Mayo or Dia De Los Muertos! We always pair it with our favorite Mexican dishes, and a yummy dessert like Tres Leches Cake.
Homemade Horchata in a Jiff!
Do you love horchata? I do! It was definitely love at first sip. The sweet cinnamon flavor and the thick texture are irresistible! But if you’ve ever made it at home you probably know what a long process it can be.
Most recipes want you to let it rest or chill for 8+ hours, sometimes up to 24! I definitely don’t have time for that… I’m sure you’re with me on this one. So I decided to whip up quick & easy version using Zulka® Morena Sugar.
Zulka® offers three Non-GMO Project Verified sugars that come from freshly harvested sugar cane: Zulka® Morena Sugar, Powdered Sugar and Brown Sugar. They all have a natural, unrefined flavor & rich color that makes it them the ideal replacement for conventional sugars.
How to Make Horchata
BOIL. Like most recipes, you need to boil the rice in water/milk along with lots and lots of cinnamon and a pinch of salt!
BLEND. When the rice is tender you’ll let it come to room temperature and then blend it with more milk, a bit of vanilla and sugar.
*Note: Using a high-power blender will create a smooth texture, although if you want it to be ultra smooth, strain it through a mesh sieve or cheesecloth.
CHILL. Cover and chill the mixture for an hour or two then serve it up with ice (that is. if you don’t drink it right away)! The longer it rests in the refrigerator the better it will taste. Although it’s pretty darn good from the get-go!
Tips for Serving + Storing
Make sure you SERVE the horchata ice cold!
I like to pour it into a tall glass full of ice cubes, but something you can do to prevent the drink from getting watered down is freeze some horchata in an ice cube tray and use the horchata cubes instead of regular ice.
Keep any leftover horchata STORED in a container (like pitcher or jug) in the fridge for up to a week.
Zulka® Pure cane sugars are available at most major retailers as well as local grocery stores too! Make sure to follow Zulka® on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram for coupons, recipes & lots of inspiration!
For more drink recipes, try:
- Almond Coconut Smoothie
- Salted Caramel Hot Cocoa
- Raspberry Lemonade
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
Horchata Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup uncooked white rice
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup almond milk - OR coconut milk
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- pinch salt
- 4 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup pure cane sugar - We like Zulka Morena
Instructions
- In a medium size pot, combine the rice, water, almond milk, cinnamon sticks, cinnamon, and salt, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover, and allow to cook for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
- Remove the cinnamon sticks and add the rice mixture to a blender along with the remaining ingredients. Blend on high for 1 to 3 minutes until very smooth.
- If you prefer a smooth consistency, pour over a mesh sieve into a large pitcher or pour in as-is. Chill until ready to serve.
NOTES
Disclosure: this post is sponsored by Zulka® Pure Cane Sugars. As always, all opinions are my own.
I see a question asking if you have to use HOMINY. Did I miss that? I just went back to look. When do you add the hominy? And why? Please help
It must be a question from another recipe that got transferred by mistake. There is definitely NO hominy in horchata.