Agua de Horchata is a sweet, creamy beverage served in many Latin American countries. This version is from Mexico, and it’s so refreshing with tacos, burritos, and fajitas.
In a medium bowl, add water, rice, and cinnamon sticks. Soak for 2 hours. Transfer to a blender and process until smooth (do not remove the cinnamon sticks).
Pour through a fine-mesh strainer. Stir in sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and the remaining 2 cups water. Serve over ice or chill until serving time.
Video
Notes
Water: To speed up the initial soak, use 3 cups boiling water and reduce the soaking time to 1 hour.
Cinnamon: 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon may be substituted for the cinnamon sticks (or add more to taste at the end).
Yield: This recipe makes 6 (1-cup) servings.
Storage: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Make ahead: The rice can be soaked up to 12 hours in advance in the refrigerator.
Horchata with oats: 1 cup of rolled oats may be substituted for the rice. That's just another way they make it in Mexico.