From the kitchen
Classic Spiced Horchata
The ultimate rice milk drink, blended with cinnamon, vanilla, and a touch of agave over ice.
By Aunesty Janssen · The Arrogant Hippie Culinary Journal: Rice Milk Edition
Ingredients
- 3 cups Rice Milk
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 tbsp Agave Syrup
- Pinch of Salt
- Ice, for serving
- Ground Cinnamon, to finish
Method
- Warm the rice milk and cinnamon stick together in a saucepan over low heat for 5 minutes to infuse, without boiling.
- Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, then remove the cinnamon stick.
- Whisk in the vanilla, agave, and salt.
- Chill thoroughly, at least 1 hour.
- Serve over ice, dusted with ground cinnamon.
Cook with confidence
Before you start
Why this recipe works
Rice milk provides a naturally sweet, clean canvas for cinnamon and vanilla. Gentle warm infusion extracts aroma without boiling, and sweetness is calibrated after chilling.
Ingredient notes
- Use unsweetened rice milk when possible.
- Whole cinnamon gives a cleaner infusion.
- A pinch of salt sharpens vanilla and cinnamon.
- Serve thoroughly chilled.
Temperature cues
Warm until lightly steaming, never boiling. Five minutes is sufficient for the cinnamon infusion.
Storage
Refrigerate sealed, stir or shake before serving, and use promptly.
Kitchen note
Rice milk's naturally sweet, clean flavor is exactly what makes it the traditional base for horchata, resist the urge to add extra sweetener before tasting, since it carries more natural sugar than most plant milks already.
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