Horchata (Mexican Rice Drink)
Creamy, cinnamon-sweet Mexican horchata made from soaked rice, two kinds of milk, and a hit of vanilla. The overnight soak does the work. You just blend, strain, and pour over ice.
Tasted & written by Rachel
Prep
20 min
Cook
—
Total
20 min
Serves
12
The Key
Blend in two batches, not one. Overfilling the blender means the rice at the top never fully breaks down, and those chunks turn into grit in your glass. Two smaller batches blended for a full 2-3 minutes each is what gets you the smooth, creamy base that makes this taste like the real thing.
David came back from a taco run last summer with a styrofoam cup of horchata and the audacity to say, 'You could make this.' I couldn't — not at first. My first batch tasted like cinnamon water. The second was gritty enough to sand a deck. The third, after an overnight soak and two rounds through a fine-mesh strainer, was better than the taco truck's. He hasn't mentioned it since, which is how I know he agrees.
The secret nobody tells you: it's the two-milk trick. Evaporated milk gives body. Condensed milk gives sweetness without dumping in half a bag of sugar. Together they turn rice water into something that tastes like it has no business being this good.
Mia calls it 'cinnamon milk.' Noah drinks it through a straw and gets it on everything. I make a double batch every time now because a single one doesn't survive the afternoon.
The overnight soak is where the magic happens. The rice swells, the starches release, and by morning the water is already milky and fragrant. Don't try to rush this step — four hours minimum, overnight is better. The rice should feel soft enough to crush between your fingers.
Blending in two batches is the move that separates good horchata from gritty horchata. Overfill the blender and the rice at the top never fully breaks down. Those chunks slip through the strainer and end up as sand in the bottom of your glass. Two batches, two to three minutes each on high, until it looks like thin pancake batter.
Then strain like you mean it. Press the solids with a spatula, squeeze every drop out. The pulp is where the flavor lives, and you're extracting it into the liquid. If you're feeling thorough, strain it a second time through cheesecloth.
Mise en place
Ingredients
- 1 cup Uncooked White Ricerinsed under cold water
- 2 cinnamon sticks (Mexican/Ceylon preferred)
- 8 cups warm water, divided
- 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
- 1 (12 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 0.5 tsp Vanilla ExtractOptional
- sugar to tasteOptional
Garnish
- ground cinnamon for garnishOptional
The Method
Instructions
- 01
Rinse the rice in a colander under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Place the rice and cinnamon sticks in a large bowl with 4 cups of warm water. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or at least 8 hours.
Done when:Rice grains are swollen and soft enough to break apart between your fingers. The water looks cloudy and slightly milky.
- 02
Remove and discard most of the cinnamon sticks — leaving a few small pieces is fine. Pour half the rice and its soaking water into a blender. Blend on high for 2-3 minutes until very smooth and paste-like.
Done when:No visible rice chunks remain. The mixture looks like a smooth, slightly grainy white paste — think thin pancake batter consistency.
- 03
Pour the blended mixture through a fine-mesh strainer set over a large pitcher, pressing the solids firmly with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Discard the solids.
Done when:The solids in the strainer are dry and compacted. The liquid below is opaque white with no gritty texture when you rub a drop between your fingers.
- 04
Repeat with the second half of the rice and soaking water — blend, then strain into the same pitcher.
Done when:All the rice mixture has been blended and strained. The pitcher holds a smooth, milky-white liquid.
- 05
Add the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and the remaining 4 cups of water to the pitcher. Stir well until everything is fully incorporated.
Done when:No streaks of condensed milk visible. The mixture is uniformly creamy white and slightly thicker than regular milk.
- 06
Taste and adjust — add sugar if you want it sweeter, or another splash of water if it's too rich. Chill until very cold.
Done when:The flavor is sweet, creamy, and distinctly cinnamon-forward. It should taste like a dessert drink, not cinnamon water.
- 07
Stir well before serving — rice sediment settles to the bottom and that's normal. Pour over plenty of ice and dust with ground cinnamon.
Done when:The drink is evenly mixed, ice-cold, with a light cinnamon dusting floating on top.
Where it goes wrong
Common mistakes
- ✕Skipping the overnight soak and trying to blend dry rice — you'll burn out your blender motor and get a gritty drink no amount of straining fixes
- ✕Using one giant batch in the blender instead of two — overfilling means uneven blending and chunks that slip through the strainer
- ✕Not straining hard enough — you need to press and squeeze the solids, not just let gravity do the work, or you lose half the flavor in the pulp
- ✕Serving without stirring — the rice sediment that settles is where the flavor lives. Stir every single time.
Context
Compared to the usual
This is the two-milk Mexican street version — richer and sweeter than the bare-bones rice-water-sugar horchata your abuela might have made, but significantly easier than recipes that call for blanched almonds (the Isabel Eats route) or fresh whole milk. The almond version is nuttier and more complex, closer to the Spanish horchata de chufa tradition. Ours trades that complexity for a 10-minute active time and a result that tastes like the cup you'd get at a taquería in Mexico City. If you want to split the difference, throw a quarter cup of blanched slivered almonds in with the rice during the overnight soak.
Glossary
Techniques used
- Horchata
- A chilled Mexican rice-based drink flavored with cinnamon and sweetened with milk and sugar. The name comes from the Spanish 'horchata de arroz' — different from the Spanish original, which uses tiger nuts.
- Ceylon cinnamon
- Also called Mexican cinnamon or canela. Softer, more delicate, and slightly sweeter than the common cassia cinnamon. Sold in papery, multi-layered sticks that crumble easily.
- Rice sediment
- The fine starchy particles that settle to the bottom of horchata after sitting. Completely normal and desirable — it's what gives the drink its characteristic body. Always stir before serving.
Riffs
Variations
With almonds
Add 1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds to the rice during the overnight soak. Blend and strain the same way. Adds a subtle nuttiness and extra creaminess — closer to the traditional style from central Mexico.
Horchata latte
Pour cold horchata over a shot of espresso. The cinnamon and coffee are ridiculously good together. David's new Saturday morning thing.
Spiked horchata
Add 1-2 oz of rum or Kahlúa per glass for an adults-only version. The sweetness of the horchata balances the alcohol perfectly. A crowd favorite at summer parties.
Strawberry horchata
Blend 1 cup fresh strawberries into the finished horchata for a pink, fruity version. Strain again if you want it smooth. Mia's favorite.
Q & A
Frequently asked
Can I use almond milk instead of evaporated milk?
You can, but the drink will be noticeably thinner and less creamy. If you're dairy-free, use full-fat coconut milk — it's closer in richness to evaporated milk.
How long does horchata last in the fridge?
4-5 days in a sealed pitcher. It separates as it sits — that's normal. Give it a good stir before each pour.
Can I use brown rice?
Don't. Brown rice has a bran layer that makes the drink taste earthy and slightly bitter. Plain white long-grain rice is what you want.
Is this the same as Spanish horchata?
No. Spanish horchata is made from tiger nuts (chufas), not rice. Mexican horchata uses rice and cinnamon. They share a name and a color, but they're different drinks.
Can I make this without the overnight soak?
A minimum 4-hour soak works in a pinch, but the rice won't break down as smoothly. Overnight gives you the best texture. This is not a drink that rewards impatience.
Storage
Sealed pitcher in the refrigerator, up to 5 days. Stir well before every serving — separation is normal and expected.
Reheating
This is a cold drink. Serve it cold. If you accidentally left it on the counter, just re-chill — don't microwave horchata.
Freezing
Freeze in ice cube trays for horchata ice cubes (use them in your next glass so it doesn't get watered down). Full batches can be frozen for up to 2 months — thaw in the fridge overnight and stir vigorously before serving.
Make ahead
The overnight soak is already built into the recipe. Once blended and strained, the finished horchata keeps in the fridge for 4-5 days. Make it Sunday, drink it all week.
Serve with
Over a mountain of ice in a tall glass, dusted with ground cinnamon. Pairs perfectly with tacos, enchiladas, tamales — basically any Mexican meal. Also great as an afternoon refresher on its own.