This traditional agua de horchata is made with rice, cinnamon, and milk. A homemade version that tastes just like the agua fresca you’ll find at Mexican fondas and street food stalls.
Agua de horchata is one of Mexico’s most popular aguas frescas. The flavor is lightly sweet with warm cinnamon notes and a smooth, creamy texture. It’s comforting but incredibly refreshing at the same time.
This recipe comes from my abuela Elvira’s cenaduría, where a cold glass of homemade horchata was the perfect match for tacos dorados, pozole, sopitos, and so many other antojitos mexicanos.
Ingredients
- White rice
- Condensed milk and evaporated milk
- Cinnamon (or Mexican canela)
- Vanilla
How to Make Agua de Horchata
Here’s a visual look at how I make horchata at home. The full step-by-step recipe is in the recipe card below if you want to follow along.
Start by soaking the rice with cinnamon sticks and water for 4 hours or overnight. Letting the rice soften will help to blend it later.
Blend nicely and then strain the mixture well into a pitcher. Straining is what gives that smooth, creamy texture without any graininess.
Pour in the milks, vanilla and more water, then mix everything until the horchata turns creamy, sweet, and fully combined. If you like it sweeter, add a bit of sugar.
Serve it chilled over ice and enjoy it right away. A good agua de horchata is always cold, refreshing, and even better when it’s just made at home.
If you ask me, there’s no wrong way to serve agua de horchata. I love it with Cochinita Pibil or Pozole Rojo, but honestly, it goes with just about every Mexican meal.
My Tips & Notes
- My abuela always strained the rice twice because she said it makes the horchata extra smooth, and it really does give it that silky texture.
- I’ve also found that letting the rice overnight helps a lot. The cinnamon has more time to infuse, and the flavors gets deeper.
- I like blending the cinnamon directly with the rice because it helps extract all that flavor that would otherwise stay behind.
- Try not to add ice directly to the pitcher unless you’re planning to drink it all right away. It will slowly dilute the flavor. Instead, add ice only to the glasses when serving.
- And before pouring, give it a good stir. Some of the rice naturally settles at the bottom.
Variations You Can Try
Agua de horchata is amazing on its own, but it’s also fun to change it up depending on what you’re craving.
- Blend some strawberries to turn it into a beautiful and refreshing horchata de fresa.
- Mix in some lime peel to add a light citrus aroma.
- Add sliced fruit to the pitcher while it chills. Strawberries, melon, or even prunes work really well.
- Blend some chocolate for a richer version you’ll often find in Mexico, especially during special occasions.
Questions You Might Have
Can I make it ahead of time?
Yes, and it actually tastes better the next day once everything has had time to chill and blend.
Can I skip soaking the rice?
You can, but soaking helps soften it and gives a smoother, more flavorful drink.
Why is my horchata grainy?
It usually means it wasn’t blended long enough or it wasn’t strained well, so don’t rush those steps.
Can I use ground cinnamon instead of sticks?
Yes, but cinnamon sticks give a cleaner, more infused flavor.
Is horchata Mexican or Spanish?
Both exist, but they are very different. In Mexico it’s made with rice and cinnamon, while in Spain it’s traditionally made with chufa, which gives it a completely different flavor and texture.
Storage
Store it in a covered pitcher or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Since the rice naturally settles at the bottom, just give it a good stir before serving again.
More Aguas Frescas
Aguas frescas are a big part of everyday life in Mexico, and there are so many delicious varieties to enjoy. Here are a few more of my favorites.
Video
Homemade Agua de Horchata
Ingredients
- 1 cup white rice (uncooked, read notes)
- 12 oz can evaporated mil
- 14 oz can condensed milk
- sugar (to taste)
- 1 stick cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 cups water (divided)
- ice (for serving)
Instructions
- Rinse the rice under cold water until it runs mostly clear. Add it to a bowl with the cinnamon sticks and 2 cups of water. Cover and let it soak in the fridge overnight, or at least 4 hours.
- Place the soaked rice, cinnamon, and soaking water in a blender. Add 1 more cup of water and blend until very smooth and slightly creamy.
- Strain the mixture into a pitcher using a fine strainer or cheesecloth. Press well to extract as much liquid as possible.
- Stir in the evaporated milk, condensed milk, vanilla, and the remaining water until everything is well combined.
- Taste, and if you want it more sweet, just adjust with a bit of sugar.
- Chill the pitcher of horchata in the fridge or serve immediately in glasses with ice.
Notes
- Long grain rice is most common in Mexico, but short grain rice also work well.
- If you can, let the rice soak overnight. It really helps the flavor develop and makes blending easier.
- Strain the rice mixture twice because for an extra smooth horchata.
- Blend the cinnamon with the rice to extract all the flavor.
- Avoid adding ice to the pitcher unless you’ll finish it right away, so it doesn’t get watered down. Add ice to each glass instead.
- Stir before serving since a little rice naturally settles at the bottom.
- Homeade horchata last up for 4 days in the fridge.
