Easy Horchata Recipe: The Aromatic Rice Drink You’ll Love

Digging through the pantry essentials? Want something aromatic and absolutely delicious? A quick horchata recipe is all you need!

Horchata is a traditional Mexican drink made with rice, cinnamon, vanilla, sugar, and milk. The best part? You can easily swap in plant-based milk for your vegan choice. It's refreshingly sweet, aromatic, and incredibly simple to whip up using just pantry staples.

For our horchata drink recipe, we’re using extra-long grain white basmati rice, featured in this month’s  Special Box. With premium-quality ingredients, tangy and spicy seasoning,and kitchen must-haves, this Box Of The Month is packed with flavor and value.Don’t miss out!

DELICIOUS RICE DRINK: HORCHATA RECIPE GUIDE

This refreshing rice Horchata drink is incredibly easy to make  and perfect for summertime Just with a few ingredients, your drink  will have a wonderful aroma and smooth texture.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Pride of India’s White basmati rice
• 4 cups water
• 1/2 cup Pride of India's Coconut sugar(or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon Pride of India Ground cinnamon
• 2 cups milk (dairy or your preferred plant-based milk)
• 1 tbsp Pride of India’ Cinnamon sticks, crushed (added with soaking rice)
• Ice cubes, optional

Directions:

1. Soak Rice: Rinse the long grain basmati rice thoroughly first. In a bowl, combine the rinsed rice with 4 cups of water. Add the crushed cinnamon barks to the bowl. Let it soak for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. Soaking helps to soften the rice for easy blending.

2. Blend: Once the rice has soaked, do not drain the water. Pour the rice, soaking water, and cinnamon barks into a blender. Add the coconut sugar, vanilla extract, and the pinch  of ground cinnamon. Blend until the mixture is as smooth as possible. 

3. Strain: Place a fine-mesh sieve or a cheesecloth over a pitcher or bowl. Carefully pour the blended mixture through your strainer. Use a spoon or spatula to press down on the solids, extracting as much liquid as possible. Discard the remaining solids.

4. Combine and Adjust Taste: Stir in milk into the strained liquid. Taste the horchata and adjust the sweetness if needed by adding more coconut sugar.

5. Chill and Serve: Refrigerate the horchata for an 1 hour or just serve over ice cubes, and sprinkle with ½ tsp extra ground cinnamon for garnish.

Flavor Notes & Customization Tips for Horchata

Elevate your homemade horchata? Customize with  delicious variations to suit your taste:

• Stir in a few tablespoons of condensed milk after straining for a richer, creamier flavor. Adjust to your desired sweetness.
• Add 3-4 fragrant green cardamom pods  to the rice and water during the soaking step.
• For a more intense vanilla flavor, swap out vanilla extract for 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla syrup.
  
• During blending, toss in a handful of dried nuts like almonds, pistachios, or cashews, along with pitted dates to add nutty layers  and natural sweetness.

Looking for More Refreshing Ideas? If you loved this homemade horchata recipe, there's a world of beverages waiting to be explored! 

Here are 5 summer drink ideas to try,from lemongrass iced tea and mojitos to pomegranate coolers and more. For a cozy, creamy treat,the London Fog drinkmade with our Earl Grey Tea, is your perfect go-to.

For even more cooking creativity, explore our  Canada Day and 4th of July recipes,many made possible with July's Special Box. Dive in and happy cooking!