Mexican Rice Horchata
A chilled Mexican rice horchata blended with cinnamon, sugar, vanilla, and water for a creamy agua fresca-style drink.
Jump to recipe ↓
4 hr 10 mintotal
10 min hands-on4 hr hands-off
Prep 10 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice
- Mild
Ingredients
Quantities are for 4 servings.
Includes 4 hours passive soaking time for the rice and cinnamon.
Method
Rinse the rice, then soak it with the cinnamon and half the measured water for at least 4 hours.
4 hr
Blend the soaked rice, cinnamon, and soaking water until the mixture looks milky and mostly smooth.
Strain through a fine sieve or cloth, pressing gently to extract as much liquid as possible.
Stir in the remaining water, sugar, and vanilla extract until fully dissolved.
Chill well and serve over ice.
How to tell it's done
The horchata should be milky, lightly creamy, fragrant with cinnamon, and free of coarse rice grit.
Getting it right
Tip
Strain the blended mixture well; this keeps the horchata smooth instead of gritty.
What to serve it with
Serve chilled with spicy Mexican snacks, tacos, or festive meals.
Common mistakes
- The horchata is gritty.
- Strain it twice, through a fine sieve and then a cloth. Rice never blends completely smooth, and what feels like a fine sieve to the hand is coarse to the tongue.
- It tastes thin and watery.
- Give the rice its full soak — at least four hours, overnight if you can. Under-soaked rice never releases enough starch, and no amount of blending makes up for it.
Substitutions
- Sugar — Adjust sugar after straining because the drink tastes less sweet once chilled over ice.
Storing and reheating
Keeps three days in the fridge in a sealed bottle. It separates as it stands, which is normal; shake it well before pouring. Do not freeze.
More Mexican recipes to cook
Oaxacan Tlayuda
A vegetarian Oaxaca-style tlayuda with crisp large tortilla, mashed black beans, Oaxaca cheese, cabbage, avocado, tomato, and salsa.
Pescado a la Veracruzana (Fish Veracruz Style)
A Veracruz coastal classic with white fish simmered in a tomato, olive, caper, garlic, and herb sauce.
Pollo Adobado (Chicken in Red Adobo)
Tender Mexican chicken simmered in a deep red adobo sauce made with dried chiles, tomato, garlic, vinegar, and warm spices.
Rajas con Crema
A creamy Mexican poblano pepper dish with roasted strips, onion, sweet corn, Mexican crema, and cheese.
Red Pork Pozole
A red Mexican pork and hominy soup with guajillo chile broth, served with crisp cabbage, radish, coriander, and lime-style lemon.
Shrimp Aguachile
A Sinaloa-style Mexican seafood starter with prawns, cucumber, onion, coriander, jalapeño, and bright citrus-chile dressing.