The Ultimate Creamy Mexican Horchata a Summertime Refresher

Prepare the Base and Soak: Rinse the rice briefly under cold water. Transfer the rinsed rice and the cinnamon sticks into a large, heat-safe bowl. Pour the 4 cups of almost boiling water over them. Stir briefly and cover.

Soak (Passive Time): Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for a minimum of 4 hours, or preferably overnight (10–12 hours). The rice should appear swollen and the water cloudy.

Blend and Grind: Pour the entire mixture—rice, cinnamon sticks, and the soaking liquid—into a high-powered blender. Blend on high speed for 3–5 minutes until the rice and cinnamon are completely pulverized and the mixture is smooth.

Strain the Concentrate: Set up a nut milk bag or a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth over a clean pitcher. Slowly pour the blended mixture through the strainer, allowing the liquid concentrate to drain completely. Gently squeeze the bag/cloth to extract all remaining liquid, and discard the solids (masa).

Finish and Chill: Add the sugar, condensed milk, vanilla extract, and pinch of salt to the strained concentrate. Whisk until the sugar is fully dissolved. Adjust the consistency by adding the remaining 1–2 cups of cold water (or milk). Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Horchata must be served ice cold.

Serve: Stir the Horchata thoroughly just before serving, as some solids may settle. Pour over crushed ice in tall glasses and garnish with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon, if desired.