Mexican · Free recipe
Cinnamon Rice Horchata
Long-grain rice and a stick of true cinnamon soak overnight, then blend into a creamy, pale drink with a gentle sweetness and a whisper of vanilla. Straining through fine cloth gives it the silky texture of a milky agua fresca, with no dairy needed.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 8 hr
- Total
- 8 hr 20 min
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Easy
Method
-
Rinse the rice until the water runs mostly clear, then combine it with the cinnamon sticks, almonds, and hot water in a bowl.
-
Cover and let the mixture soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours or overnight, until the rice grains break easily between your fingers.
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Pour the rice, cinnamon, almonds, and soaking water into a blender and blend on high for 2 full minutes until as smooth as possible.
-
Strain the mixture through a nut milk bag or a sieve lined with a double layer of cheesecloth, squeezing firmly to extract all the liquid.
-
Stir in the cold water, sugar, vanilla, and salt until the sugar dissolves, then chill for at least 1 hour.
-
Stir well before pouring over ice, since the starch settles, and dust each glass with a little ground cinnamon.
Zest note from the test kitchen
Soft Ceylon cinnamon breaks down in the blender and flavors the drink far more than hard cassia sticks, which mostly just shred the blender jar.
