Horchata Recipe

Soak rice

Rinse the rice quickly under cold water until the rinsing water is mostly clear. Place rinsed rice in a medium bowl and cover with 2 cups of cold water. Add 1 cinnamon stick to the bowl. Let soak at room temperature for at least 2 hours or up to 6 hours (overnight is fine).

Blend

Transfer the soaked rice, cinnamon stick, and the soaking water to a blender. Add 3 more cups of cold water. Blend on high for 1 to 2 minutes, until the rice is mostly broken down and the mixture looks milky. If your blender is small, blend in two batches and combine.

Strain

Pour the blended mixture through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or a nut-milk bag into a large pitcher. Press or squeeze to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids and the used cheesecloth.

Sweeten and flavor

To the strained rice water, add the whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk until sugar is dissolved and the mixture is homogeneous. Taste and adjust sweetness (add up to 1 tablespoon more sugar if desired). If you want a lighter texture, replace up to 1/2 cup of whole milk with additional water.

Chill & finish

Refrigerate the horchata for at least 30 minutes to let flavors meld and to chill thoroughly. When ready to serve, stir well, add ice cubes to the pitcher or to individual glasses, and sprinkle a pinch of ground cinnamon over each serving for garnish. Serve cold.

Storage

Keep leftovers refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Shake or stir well before serving, as separation will occur.