Homemade Horchata Coffee

If you ask me, horchata coffee is pure comfort in a cup.

This creamy drink brings together the best of two worlds – rich coffee and sweet, cinnamon-spiced horchata. The smooth rice milk base pairs with bold espresso for a drink that’s both familiar and exciting.

It’s made with simple ingredients like rice milk, cinnamon, and vanilla that blend perfectly with your morning brew. A touch of sugar and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon on top make it feel like a coffee shop treat.

It’s the perfect pick-me-up that works just as well for breakfast as it does for an afternoon break.

What Kind of Coffee Should I Use?

For horchata coffee, you’ll want to use a medium to dark roast coffee that can hold its own against the rich, creamy flavors of the horchata base. A coffee with chocolate or nutty notes works particularly well since it complements the almonds and cinnamon in the drink. You can use either pre-ground coffee or grind your own beans – if you’re grinding at home, aim for a medium grind similar to what you’d use for drip coffee. Avoid anything too light or acidic, as it might get lost among all the other flavors, and steer clear of flavored coffees since this recipe already has plenty of its own character.

Options for Substitutions

This horchata coffee recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• Blanched almonds: You can use raw almonds with skins on – just soak them a bit longer and strain well. Cashews or even sunflower seeds work too, though they’ll change the flavor slightly.
• White rice: Long-grain white rice works best, but jasmine or basmati rice are good options. Avoid brown rice as it won’t break down as smoothly and can taste gritty.
• Ground coffee: Any medium roast coffee works great. If you only have beans, grind them to a medium-coarse consistency. Decaf works too if you want to skip the caffeine.
• Brown sugar: White sugar, coconut sugar, or even maple syrup work well. Start with less if using liquid sweeteners and adjust to taste.
• Cinnamon sticks: Ground cinnamon can work in a pinch – use about 1 teaspoon, but cinnamon sticks give better flavor without making the drink gritty.
• Vanilla extract: You can skip this if you don’t have it, or try almond extract for a nuttier flavor – just use half the amount as it’s stronger.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making horchata coffee is not soaking the rice and almonds long enough – they need at least 3 hours (but preferably overnight) to soften properly, or your horchata will taste gritty instead of smooth and creamy.

Another common error is skipping the straining step or not straining thoroughly enough through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth, which leaves you with a chunky texture rather than the silky drink you’re after.

Don’t rush the blending process either – blend for a full 2-3 minutes to break down the rice and almonds completely, and make sure to stir the mixture occasionally while it sits since the ingredients naturally separate.

For the best flavor, toast your cinnamon sticks lightly in a dry pan before adding them to the soaking mixture, and always give your finished horchata coffee a good stir before serving since it settles quickly.

What to Serve With Horchata Coffee?

This creamy, spiced drink is perfect alongside Mexican pastries like churros or conchas for an authentic pairing that really hits the spot. I love serving it with cinnamon sugar cookies or even simple shortbread since the sweet, nutty flavors complement each other so well. For breakfast, try it with warm pan dulce or toast topped with butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar. If you’re hosting friends, set out some Mexican wedding cookies or snickerdoodles – the cinnamon notes in both the drink and cookies create such a cozy combination.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: Keep your horchata coffee in a sealed pitcher or jar in the fridge for up to 5 days. The flavors actually get better after sitting overnight, so don’t worry if it tastes even more amazing the next day! Just give it a good stir before pouring since the ingredients like to settle.

Make Ahead: This drink is perfect for making ahead since it needs time to steep and chill anyway. I like to make a big batch on Sunday for the whole week. You can even strain out the solids and store just the liquid if you prefer a smoother consistency.

Serve: Pour over ice and give it a quick stir before serving since the cinnamon and other flavors tend to settle. If you want it extra cold, you can even freeze some of the horchata coffee in ice cube trays to use instead of regular ice cubes.

Preparation Time	300-600 minutes
Cooking Time	2-5 minutes
Total Time	302-605 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2600-2850
• Protein: 45-55 g
• Fat: 45-55 g
• Carbohydrates: 540-600 g

Ingredients

• 17.5 oz white rice
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 6.5 oz blanched almonds (I use Blue Diamond blanched almonds)
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar (dark brown sugar for richer molasses notes)
• 10 cups filtered water (for the cleanest taste)
• 2.75 oz ground coffee (medium grind for optimal flavor extraction)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Step 1: Soak the Almonds, Rice, and Flavorings

• 1 1/2 cups blanched almonds (6.5 oz)
• 2 1/2 cups uncooked white rice (17.5 oz)
• 1 cup coarsely ground coffee (2.75 oz, measured from whole beans)
• 1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
• 3 sticks cinnamon
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• pinch of kosher salt
• 10 cups filtered water

In a large bowl, combine the blanched almonds, uncooked white rice, coarsely ground coffee, packed brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, pure vanilla extract, kosher salt, and filtered water.

Stir everything together until all ingredients are well distributed.

Cover the bowl and let the mixture sit at room temperature for 5 hours, or refrigerate overnight for a more developed flavor.

Step 2: Blend the Soaked Mixture

• soaked mixture from Step 1

Working in batches if necessary, transfer the entire horchata mixture—including the cinnamon sticks—into a blender.

Blend each batch for about 1 minute, or until the horchata coffee becomes cloudy and coffee-like in appearance.

I find that blending in smaller portions helps the mixture break down more smoothly.

Step 3: Strain the Blended Horchata

• blended mixture from Step 2

Let the blended mixture sit in the blender for about 20 seconds, allowing the pulp to settle at the bottom.

Slowly pour the liquid through a mesh strainer into a large bowl, leaving the nut and coffee pulp behind in the blender.

You may need to strain in batches if making a large quantity.

Step 4: Re-strain for Smoothness

• strained liquid from Step 3

Pour the strained horchata through the mesh strainer once more to catch any remaining fine bits of almond or coffee.

This extra straining step is worth it for a smoother drink—sometimes I’ll even line the strainer with cheesecloth if I want it extra silky.

Step 5: Chill and Serve

Transfer the double-strained horchata coffee into a pitcher and refrigerate until well chilled.

When ready to serve, pour over ice.

I like to give it a quick stir before pouring, as a little settling can occur in the fridge.

Enjoy this rich and refreshing twist on classic horchata!