Makers Gonna Make: Horchata Recipe

Horchata—a beverage typically made from ground rice, almonds, sesame seeds, barley, and/or tiger nuts—is popular in South America, Spain, and Puerto Rico. It can be made with countless different ingredients and the base will not always be the same, but the drink itself almost always resembles a creamy, cinnamon-flavored delicious milkshake!

This recipe is a great start for creating your own personalhorchata. Feel free to spice it up with nutmeg, cocoa, or even other nuts like peanuts and cashews. Enjoy cold or hot; both are equally tasty!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of long-grain white rice, rinsed
• ½ cup of sugar (or to taste)
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon

Tools

Measuring cup, measuring spoons, blender or food processor, cheesecloth, pitcher

Let’s do it!

1. Combine your rice with 4 cups of water in a blender, and pulse until it is coarsely ground up.
2. Transfer your rice mixture into a large bowl, add another 4 cups of water, and soak at room temperature for 3 hours.
3. Pure the mixture in a blender in batches until it is smooth.
4. Strain through a cheesecloth into a pitcher and mix with sugar and vanilla extract.
5. To serve, stir the horchata well, pour into ice-filled glasses, and garnish with a dusting of ground cinnamon.