A cup of Black Rice Horchata with a sugar rim.

Black Rice Horchata

Enjoy this modern take on a classic Mexican and Spanish rice drink. Its refreshing, sweet, and gorgeous! What’s not to like?

This recipe stars U.S.-grown black rice and comes to use from our friend Christine of @threebirdsonestove in partnership with USA Rice and thefeedfeed.

  • Servings
    8
  • Serving Size
    1 Glass
  • Cook Time
    30 min

Ingredients

Coconut Milk Cubes

  • 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk, (full fat or low fat is fine)

Horchata

  • 2 cups black rice
  • 4 cinnamon sticks, or 1½ tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup cane or white sugar
  • 1 (12-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk, divided
  • 4 cups milk, or preferred unsweetened nut milk
  • ¼ cup turbinado sugar, for rimming glasses
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, for rimming glasses
  • cinnamon sticks, for garnishing and serving

Directions

  • Shake coconut milk can before opening, and then distribute coconut milk evenly into a silicone jumbo ice cube tray. Freeze.
  • Blend rice, 9 cups lukewarm water, and cinnamon sticks or ground cinnamon in a blender until rice and cinnamon are finely broken down, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl or pitcher. Add vanilla extract and cane sugar and stir to combine. Let sit in refrigerator at least 5 hours or overnight.
  • Place a mesh sieve over a large bowl and strain rice blend. Add milk and all but 3 tablespoons of the sweetened condensed milk and stir to combine. Transfer to blender and blend to thicken and combine for 1 minute. Pour horchata into a large serving pitcher.
  • Pour remaining 3 tablespoons condensed milk into one shallow dish and combine cinnamon and turbinado sugar in a second shallow dish. Roll the rim of each serving glass in sweetened condensed milk, and then coat with cinnamon-sugar.
  • Place 1-2 coconut cubes in each glass and top with horchata. Garnish each with a cinnamon stick. Serve chilled.