Horchata Recipe

Rinse and combine

Rinse 1 cup long-grain white rice under cold running water until the water runs mostly clear. Place the rinsed rice and 1 cup blanched almonds in a medium bowl or jar. Add 1 cup whole milk and 2 cups of the water (room temperature). Stir to combine.

Cover the bowl and let soak at room temperature for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight (8 hours) to soften the rice and almonds and develop flavor.

Initial blend

Transfer the soaked rice, almonds, milk, and soaking liquid into a blender. Add the remaining 2 cups water. Blend on high for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the mixture is very smooth and the rice and almonds are mostly broken down. If your blender is small, work in two batches.

Second pass (for creamier texture)

If you want a creamier, smoother horchata, pour the blended mixture back into the blender, add 1 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk (optional) and blend another 30–60 seconds.

Strain

Place a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth (or a nut-milk bag) over a large pitcher or bowl. Pour the blended mixture through the sieve, gently pressing with a spatula to extract as much liquid as possible. If using cheesecloth, gather the cloth and squeeze to extract remaining liquid. Discard the solids or save for baking.

Sweeten and flavor

To the strained liquid, add 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. Taste and adjust: add up to 1 additional cup water to thin to your preferred strength, up to 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg if desired, and more sugar if you like it sweeter.

Refrigerate the horchata for at least 1 hour to chill and allow flavors to meld. Before serving, stir well (it can settle). Fill glasses with ice cubes and pour horchata over the ice. Sprinkle a little ground cinnamon on top of each glass.

Store leftover horchata in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days. Shake or stir before serving, as separation is natural.