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Mexican Horchata Recipe

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This version of the popular beverage Mexican Horchata omits white sugar and gets its sweetness from the natural flavor of Medjool dates and honey instead.

Mexican Horchata Recipe

Mexican Horchata

Horchata is a popular cold Mexican beverage. Horchata contains a mixture rice, milk, vanilla and cinnamon served over ice. It is served in many Mexican restaurants. Traditional horchata recipes are often incredibly sweet. In fact, many recipes call for more white sugar than rice. This version of Mexican Horchata skips the white sugar completely and relies on the natural flavor of Medjool dates and honey to provide sweetness instead.

Prep time: 8 hours to soak and 15 minutes to make
Serves: 4 – 6

Equipment Needed

Ingredients

  • 1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed and thoroughly drained
  • 1 small cinnamon stick
  • 6 cups water, divided
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/3 cup Medjool dates, pitted
  • 2-3 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ cup raw almonds

Optional garnish

  • 4 long cinnamon sticks
  • ground cinnamon

Mexican Horchata Recipe

Instructions

Place the rice, cinnamon stick and 4 cups of very warm water to a medium-sized bowl.

Let soak overnight at room temperature, or until the rice softens and the cinnamon stick is soft enough to break into several smaller pieces.

Transfer the rice mixture to a high-powered blender and blend to combine. Add 2 cups cold water, milk, dates, 2 tablespoons honey, vanilla extract, and almonds. Blend until thoroughly combined and no large solids remain. Taste and add additional honey, if desired.

Strain the contents of the blender with a fine mesh strainer and 1-2 layers of cheesecloth. When finished, discard remaining solids in the strainer and transfer the reserved liquid to a pitcher or other container.

Refrigerate the mixture until chilled, or serve immediately over ice with whole cinnamon sticks or a sprinkle of ground cinnamon, for garnish.

Enjoy!

Mexican Horchata Recipe