• Home
  • Recipes
  • Lifestyle
  • Contact Kate Ramos
  • About ¡Hola! Jalapeño
  • Margarita Week

¡HOLA! JALAPEÑO

Comida Latina, Dairy Free, Drinks, Recipes

The Perfect Mexican Horchata Recipe {Vegan}

September 4, 2020
A cup of horchata sitting on a colorful tablecloth with a cinnamon stick next to it.
Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
  • Share
  • Tweet
A cup of horchata sitting on a colorful tablecloth with a cinnamon stick next to it.

Is there anything quite like a perfect creamy, refreshing cup of sweet horchata?

Icy cold and rich (with absolutely no dairy), and just the right amount of cinnamon this classic drink recipe needs to be a part of your Mexican food repertoire.

not 100% authentic, but very, very good

Horchata gets around.

Did you know it was originally an ancient Roman elixir made from barley? Yep!

So if you see recipes that say “Authentic Horchata” and it doesn’t contain barley, water, honey, and fresh herbs, then I’m not sure its really the OG recipe.

The sweet Horchata de Arroz {Rice Horchata} drink we all love is a rough translation of the Spanish version (made from Tiger nuts) which made it’s way to Mexico in the 16th century and over the years has become universally loved in Mexico and the US alike.

A pitcher of horchata sitting on a table with a few glasses near by.

what makes this horchata recipe so darn perfect?

Many horchata recipes are overly thick and sweet, thanks to the addition of sweetened condensed milk.

In my opinion, that makes horchata feel more like drinking arroz con leche than refreshing agua fresca.

To make the favorite Mexican drink we know and love, you need:

  • Raw, uncooked white rice. I prefer the fragrant flavor of Jasmine rice the best.
  • Almonds. Traditional horchata is only made with rice, but I love the nutty flavor of almonds. You can use any kind, whole, sliced, slivered, skin on, blanched, just not roasted or salted.
  • Celyon cinnamon sticks. This is the softer, looser cinnamon that is sold in bulk in the Latin grocery stores.
  • Agave syrup. Again, not traditional but it adds liquid sweetness which is easier to mix into the finished horchata. You can add more without it all falling to the bottom like heavier sugar does.
  • Vanilla extract. Just a splash to really seal the deal.
A pitcher of horchata sitting on a table with two cinnamon sticks in it.

how to make homemade horchata

You want to know what else makes this the perfect recipe? It’s insanely easy!

The one thing it takes is time.

You need to let the rice and cinnamon stick, along with almonds, a pinch of salt, and 3 cups of water sit overnight. This softens the ingredients so they blend more completely and make rich rice milk.

The next day you just pour this mixture into a blender with more water, agave syrup, and vanilla. Then blend it until it is as smooth as possible. You want the rice and almonds to be finely ground.

To check to see if it’s ground enough, stop the blender, spoon out a little of the rice mixture from the bottom of the blender. If it is roughly ground, keep blending until it is like fine, wet sand.

Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a large container. Press against the solids to extract as much rice water as possible. Taste and add more agave syrup if you’d like.

Cover and chill in the refrigerator until completely cold then serve over ice with a dusting of ground cinnamon on top.

An overhead image of a glass with ice and a milky, white liquid with a dusting of cinnamon and a striped straw sticking out the top.

more recipes to try

After you’ve mastered this classic recipe you remember from your favorite Mexican restaurant, try these more unique takes:

  • White Russian Horchata Popsicles
  • Pick Your Poison Horchata Bar For Halloween
  • Easy Almond and White Chocolate Horchata
  • Toasted Coconut Cold Brew Horchata

creamy, sweet, cold, and easy! 

Four reasons to whip up a perfect cup. When you blend your next batch of this delicious drink, I’d love to hear about it! Snap a photo and tag me on Instagram using @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so I can see!

Print

The Perfect Mexican Horchata Recipe {Vegan}

A pitcher of horchata sitting on a table with two cinnamon sticks in it.

Is there anything quite like a perfect creamy, refreshing cup of sweet rice horchata? This icy cold, rich recipe is 100 percent dairy free!

  • Author: Kate Ramos
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
  • Category: drink
  • Method: no cook
  • Cuisine: Mexican
  • Diet: Gluten Free
Scale

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked white rice

1 cup almonds

1 Ceylon cinnamon stick or 2 cassia cinnamon sticks

pinch salt

3 cups boiling water

1/2 cup agave syrup

3 cups cold water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

ground cinnamon for sprinkling

Instructions

Soak Overnight: Combine rice, almonds, stick of canela, and a pinch of salt in a large heat proof container. Carefully stir in the 3 cups of boiling water. Let sit, uncovered, at room temperature, overnight. 

Blend: The next day combine rice mixture with agave syrup, 3 cups of cold water, and vanilla in a blender. Blend on high until very smooth. 

Strain and Chill: Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer. Taste to see if it is sweet enough for your tastes. Add more agave syrup if you’d like it sweeter. Chill until cold then serve over ice with a dash of ground cinnamon on top. 

Keywords: horchata

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @holajalapeno on Instagram and hashtag it #holajalapeno

In support of this small business, ¡Hola! Jalapeño earns revenue in a few different ways. Several sponsored posts are published each month. I also earn an affiliate commission on the sales of products I link to— there are a few of those links in this post. I only feature items I genuinely love and personally use on a regular basis. This commission is an arrangement between the retailer and ¡Hola! Jalapeño (readers never pay more for products). This income allows me to run the site. Thank you for reading!

You Might Also Like

  • Mexican Chocolate Pudding Recipe
  • Summer Squash Mexican Tacos Recipe
  • Mexican Tuna Salad Recipe with Jalapeños
  • Mexican Red Adobo Fries Recipe
drinkMexican FoodPlant Powered Mexicanvegan
Kate Ramos
Kate Ramos

 

No Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Previous Post
Instant Pot Pork Tinga Recipe
Next Post
Carne Asada Torta with Roasted Poblano Salsa

Celebrating Mexican flavors with healthy, simple recipes from my California kitchen.

Welcome to ¡Hola! Jalapeño

Welcome to ¡Hola! Jalapeño

¡Hola! I'm Kate Ramos. Mama of two. Iowa girl married to a Mexican-American man living in California. Here's what I love: my family, Mexican flavors, and creating great recipes that celebrate our SoCal life! I'm so happy you're here.

Subscribe & Follow

NEWSLETTER SIGN UP

Sign Up Now

Search

Popular Posts

  • Mexican Shredded Beef for tacos, gorditas, tostadas, and more! With stove top, slow cooker, and Instant Pot instructions included. #shreddedbeef #beeffortacos #Mexicanshreddedbeef #beeftacos

    Shredded Beef For Tacos {Carne Deshebrada}

    September 15, 2020
  • Two bowls of Green Tomato Chili on a marble table top with a spoon in the first bowl.

    Green Tomato Recipes! Tangy Green Tomato Chili

    May 22, 2020
  • A spicy Pozole Verde that just so happens to be vegan. Made with green chiles, jalapeños, pinto beans and hominy. One of my favorite Mexican dinner ideas! #sponsored #holajalapeno #pozole #vegan

    How To Make Green Chile Vegan Pozole

    October 4, 2019
  • Can of open chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.

    17 Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce Recipes

    January 24, 2018
  • Crock pot with frijoles borrachos and cilantro.

    Crock Pot Borracho Beans {Frijoles Borrachos}

    May 11, 2016

¡HOLA! JALAPENO ON Pinterest

  • Amaranth Crackers
  • Details - Black dress - Designed tulle fabric  - Handmade embroidery field flowers,black belt detail - A-line dress shape,long sleeves with V-neck and waist definition - Party and Evening dress
  • Pastel Yumi, The Magic Idol (1986), Studio Pierrot
  • Spring Nail Inspo 2020
  • A simple delicious vegan recipe for Tomato and Rice Soup with Dill, made with bright and flavorful Mutti Whole Peeled Tomatoes (Pelati) and Mutti Double Concentrated Tomato Paste (Doppio Concentrato). If you are a fan of fresh tomato flavor I know you’ll love Mutti Tomatoes! #ad #tomatosoup #Muttitomatoes #cannedtomatoes #MuttiPartner
  • How to make a Tequila Sunrise cocktail with homemade grenadine using a simple combination of pomegranate juice, sugar, and orange peel. This simple cocktail makes a great brunch drink or easy-going sipper with tequila, orange juice and grenadine. #tequilasunrise #tequila #ad #cagrown #tequilacocktail
  • How to make a Tequila Sunrise cocktail with homemade grenadine using a simple combination of pomegranate juice, sugar, and orange peel. This simple cocktail makes a great brunch drink or easy-going sipper with tequila, orange juice and grenadine. #tequilasunrise #tequila #ad #cagrown #tequilacocktail

Buy Now

Ahalogy Badge

Featured On

Find me on Instagram – @holajalapeno

View on Instagram
Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest Bloglovin

@2020 ¡HOLA! JALAPEÑO - PRIVACY POLICY

Back to top
56shares