Toasted Almond Horchata

I’m embarrassed to say that although I lived many years in southern California with access to incredible authentic Mexican food, I’ve never had horchata. Until now. And you know what they say ~ there’s no zealot like a convert! This creamy, cinnamon-infused drink is such an unexpected revelation that I can’t stop thinking about it, and I had to share it with you.

Horchata is a Mexican agua fresca. It’s a light and creamy cinnamon-spiced ‘rice milk’ made by blending soaked rice and nuts with water which is then strained and sometimes mixed with sweetened condensed milk ~ it’s served ice-cold and it’s so refreshing. You just leave out the dairy for a vegan horchata. (Here’s a fascinating look at the full story if you want to dive in.)

My horchata recipe steps up the almond presence by toasting the almonds and adding a touch of almond extract along with vanilla.

toasted almond horchata ingredient notes

Rice ~ long-grain white rice is traditional. I happened to have jasmine rice and it worked out perfectly.

Cinnamon ~ you’ll want 1 or 2 sticks (I found 1 to be plenty.) Breaking them up before soaking helps.

Almonds ~ blanched (skinless) almonds are traditional. I’ve tweaked the recipe by using almonds in their skins that I roast first. The effect is nuttier and earthier, but not at all bitter. I like it.

Sweetened condensed milk ~ this adds silky body and a light sweetness to the horchata.

• For a vegan horchata omit the condensed milk and blend in a few pitted medjool dates to sweeten.
• Making your own vegan sweetened condensed milk is simple: Just combine a can of full-fat coconut milk (13.5 oz) and ½ cup of sugar in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently, stirring often, until it’s thickened and reduced by about half. Use this just like you would regular sweetened condensed milk to give your homemade vegan horchata that irresistible, luscious texture.

Vanilla and/or almond extract ~ vanilla is traditional but I like to use a bit of both for a really aromatic flavor.

Making horchata step by step

1. Soak 
   • Combine your rice, cinnamon stick, toasted almonds and hot water in a blender jar. Let stand 6-8 hours (or overnight) at room temp.
2. Blend 
   • Blend everything, starting on low speed and working your way up to full throttle. The rice breaks down and the mix looks milky ~ about 1 minute. If you do not have a high speed blender this may take a bit longer. Note: if making vegan horchata I like to blend in a few pitted dates for sweetness.
3. Strain 
   • Pour through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a pitcher; discard the solids.
   • Note: the finer your sieve the smoother your horchata. If you don’t want any texture you can line your strainer with layers of cheese cloth or use a nut-milk bag to strain.
4. Finish 
   • Stir in sweetened condensed milk for desired sweetness. Add vanilla and/or almond extract.
5. Serve 
   • Chill well, then pour over ice and dust with a little ground cinnamon (I like grated nutmeg.)

Dairy or vegan horchata?

In Mexico you’ll see both styles:

• Agua-base only ~ the classic ‘agua fresca de horchata’ is simply rice-cinnamon water sweetened and served over ice.
• Agua + leche ~ many home cooks and street stands enrich that base with a splash of regular, evaporated, or condensed milk to make it silkier and a bit sweeter.

Personally I add the condensed milk because I like the texture it adds, and it sweetens at the same time. Either way the drink is beautifully flavored, and somehow rich and creamy, but light and refreshing at the same time. Don’t forget lots of ice!

horchata variations

Oat milk horchata ~ substitute rolled oats for the rice.

Strawberry horchata ~ add a cup or 2 of ripe strawberries before blending.

Chocolate horchata ~ add 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder before blending.

Coconut horchata ~ add coconut milk instead of sweetened condensed milk. Sweeten with sugar or honey.

Coffee horchata ~ add a couple of shots of chilled espresso.

Vanilla bean horchata ~ add a vanilla bean to the soaking mixture.

Matcha horchata ~ whisk in a tablespoon of matcha powder to the strained beverage.

how about a Horchata cocktail?

Yes please! I suggest adding a shot of:

• Tia Maria
• Amaretto
• spiced rum
• bourbon
• tequila blanco

Serve in a lowball glass over ice, and don’t forget the cinnamon stick, yum.

Toasted Almond Horchata

5 from 1 vote

How to make horchata ~ the super refreshing Mexican agua fresca made with rice, almonds and sweetened condensed milk!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe

Prep Time:15 minutes minutes

soaking:8 hours hours

Total Time:8 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

• blender
• fine mesh seive

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

• 1/2 cup raw almonds, I used skin-on almonds, but you can also use blanched (skinless) almonds
• 1 cup long-grain white rice (uncooked), I use jasmine rice
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
• 4 cups water
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk*, or more to taste
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract

Instructions

• Place the 1/2 cup raw almonds on a plate and microwave on high for 2 minutes to toast them.
• Put the 1 cup long-grain white rice (uncooked), the toasted almonds, 1 cinnamon stick and 4 cups water into your blender container. Give it a stir and then let sit at room temperature, covered, for at least 8 hours.** I let it soak overnight.
• Blend the soaked ingredients until smooth and creamy. In a high speed blender this will take about a minute ~ start on low and slowly increase speed to the maximum. Note: if you are making a vegan horchata you may want to blend in a few pitted dates for sweetness.
• Strain the horchata through a fine mesh sieve, cheesecloth, or a nut milk bag. Push all the liquid through and discard any solids.
• Whisk in 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract plus 1/2 tsp almond extract. Taste and add more condensed milk if you like.
• Chill the horchata until cold (give it a stir) and serve over ice with a cinnamon stick and a dusting of cinnamon (I love freshly grated nutmeg.)
• Horchata will keep 3-5 days in the fridge.

Notes

Fyi ~ the word horchata comes from the Latin hordeata, which means “made with barley,” referring to its original form as a barley-based drink in ancient Mediterranean cultures.

*For a vegan horchata omit the sweetened condensed milk and blend a handful of pitted medjool dates into the drink.

**Soaking softens the rice and almonds, making them easier to blend and helping extract their starches and flavor. If you’re in a pinch, you can soak for 4 hours, but anything less than that tends to result in a thinner, less flavorful drink.

NEW FEATURE! Click here to add your own private notes.

Course: beverage

Cuisine: Mexican

Author: Sue Moran

Keyword: almond, beverage, summer, vegan

Nutrition

Calories: 265 kcal · Carbohydrates: 41 g · Protein: 7 g · Fat: 8 g · Saturated Fat: 2 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 4 g · Trans Fat: 0.002 g · Cholesterol: 9 mg · Sodium: 42 mg · Potassium: 218 mg · Fiber: 2 g · Sugar: 15 g · Vitamin A: 68 IU · Vitamin C: 1 mg · Calcium: 118 mg · Iron: 1 mg

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

Did You Make This?We love seeing what you’ve made! Tag us on social media at @theviewfromgreatisland for a chance to be featured.