Kahlua Horchata Recipe
Mind blowing! Traditional horchata and kahlua.
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Ingredients
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Horchata Base
Coffee Liqueur Addition & Finish
Method
Horchata Base
- 1
Rinse and Soak
Rinse 1 cup long-grain white rice under cold water until the runoff is mostly clear. Place rinsed rice in a medium bowl and add 2 cups cold water and 1 cinnamon stick. Cover and let soak at room temperature for at least 3 hours, preferably 4–6 hours, or refrigerate and soak overnight for best flavor and creaminess.
- 2
Blend
After soaking, remove the cinnamon stick and transfer the rice and soaking liquid to a blender. Add 2 cups whole milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, a pinch of fine sea salt, and 1 cup granulated sugar. Blend on high for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture is very smooth and slightly frothy. If your blender is small, blend in two batches to avoid overflow.
- 3
Strain
Place a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth (or a nut milk bag) over a large pitcher. Pour the blended mixture through the sieve, allowing liquid to pass through while catching solids. Press or squeeze the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the rice solids (or save for another use). Taste the liquid and adjust sweetness—add more sugar 1 tablespoon at a time if desired, stirring until dissolved.
- 4
Chill
Refrigerate the strained horchata base for at least 1 hour until well chilled. Chilling helps flavors meld and keeps the drink pleasantly cold when serving over ice.
Coffee Liqueur Addition & Finish
- 5
Combine with Kahlúa
When ready to serve, remove the horchata base from the refrigerator. Stir in 3 tablespoons Kahlúa and 1 tablespoon dark rum (optional) until fully incorporated. Taste and adjust: add up to 1 additional tablespoon Kahlúa if you prefer a stronger coffee note, or a little more sugar if you like it sweeter.
- 6
Serve Over Ice
Fill 2 to 3 serving glasses with ice (approximately 1 cup ice per glass; total ice listed is 2 cups). Divide the Kahlúa-horchata mixture evenly among the glasses. Garnish each glass with a light dusting (about 1/8–1/4 teaspoon) of ground cinnamon and a toasted cinnamon stick.
- 7
Make-Ahead & Storage
Store leftover horchata (without ice) in a sealed pitcher in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stir or gently shake before serving, as natural separation may occur. Do not add Kahlúa until ready to serve if planning a very long storage to preserve peak coffee flavor, though mixed horchata with Kahlúa will keep fine for 1–2 days refrigerated.