Authentic Horchata: Creamy and Traditional

Rinse the long-grain white rice under cold water until the water runs clear to remove surface dust and excess surface starch.

Place the rinsed rice and broken cinnamon sticks into a large bowl. Pour 4 cups of warm water over them, cover, and let soak for 2 hours to soften the rice hulls.

Transfer the rice, cinnamon pieces, and all soaking water into a high-speed blender. Blend on high for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is completely pulverized and looks milky.

Place a fine-mesh strainer lined with a nut milk bag or cheesecloth over a large pitcher. Pour the blended mixture through and squeeze firmly to extract all the liquid, discarding the remaining gritty solids.

Whisk in the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, and cold whole milk until fully incorporated and smooth.

Chill thoroughly. Serve over ice in tall glasses and garnish with a dusting of ground cinnamon.