This coffee version of a classic horchata de fresa (strawberry horchata) is so freaking good. It’s sweet, creamy, fruity, and smooth. Homemade horchata is always a labor of love, but trust me, this recipe is worth the effort. It’s as if strawberry Nesquik and coffee had a baby.
Here’s how to make this strawberry horchata latte at home!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s a nice coffee twist on a classic strawberry horchata.
- A labor of love to make this fruity and creamy latte.
- Follow this easy step-by-step recipe for a cafe-quality drink!
- Use up leftover strawberries and extend their life in drink form (I know you might have fresh strawberries waiting in the fridge…)
- It’s a fun treat!
What is Strawberry Horchata?
It’s strawberry-flavored horchata, or agua de horchata de fresa in Spanish. It’s a common beverage at taco stalls and Mexican restaurants, and you’ll see it near the cashier next to some other popular Mexican drinks. It’s a sweet, strawberry rice and cinnamon milk that tastes very similar to Nesquik strawberry milk.
Strawberry horchata is made with fresh strawberries, rice milk, condensed milk, evaporated milk, cinnamon, oat or whole milk, and diced strawberries in it! It’s basically regular horchata with added strawberry flavor.
It’s a fresh and fruity version of the sweet and creamy horchata, and the cinnamon gives it a nice aroma and flavor.
Do Strawberry and Coffee Go Together?
Coffee actually comes from a fruit (the coffee cherry), and if you’ve ever tried a light roast coffee, you’ll taste juicy, fruity, and jammy notes.
Because of its tart and sometimes fruity taste, coffee pairs really nicely with many fruits, including strawberries. Both coffee and strawberry share similar tastes, like being tart, fresh, and sometimes earthy or floral. These subtle notes make a big difference and help the flavors blend nicely together.
With the addition of sugar and milk, you’re left with a refreshing tartness that is addictive.
What Does a Strawberry Horchata Latte Taste Like?
It tastes like if strawberry Nesquik and an iced latte had a baby. This iced latte is more on the sweeter side, with a creamy finish. However, since we use espresso, the coffee flavor still comes through, but is more balanced than strong.
It’s the perfect treat when you want something that might not taste like coffee, which is still a good coffee, even with the added flavors. Plus, the cinnamon gives it such a nice warm flavor and aroma that reminds you of horchata!
The horchata itself also kind of tastes like a strawberry Kit Kat!
Strawberry Horchata Latte Recipe: Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need:
- For Strawberry Horchata:
- 1 pound box of strawberries
- 1½ cup white rice jasmine or long grain
- 5½ cup water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ¾ (7 oz) can condensed milk
- 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
- 1½ cup extra creamy oat milk or whole milk
- ½ cup diced strawberries
- ½ tbsp beet powder for color
- For Iced Latte:
- 1-2 shots of espresso
- 1 cup ice
- 1 cup strawberry horchata
- A dash of cinnamon for garnish
How to Make a Strawberry Horchata Latte
- If Using a Milk Maker:
- Blend the Base: Add rice, cinnamon, and water to the milk maker. Blend until smooth. Remove the rice grains and rinse the basket.
- Add Strawberries: Place strawberries in the basket and blend again. Remove the pulp once done.
- If Using a Blender:
- Blend Rice & Cinnamon: Add rice, cinnamon, and 2 cups of water to your blender. Blend until the rice is broken into small pieces that resemble large pieces of sand, around 10 – 15 seconds.
- Add More Water: Pour in the remaining water and blend until well incorporated, about 5 – 10 seconds.
- Strain: Strain the mixture once or twice to remove all grains and pulp.
- Blend with Strawberries: Return the rice milk to the blender, add strawberries, and blend until smooth. Strain out the strawberry pulp.
- After Blending:
- Mix in Milks: Add evaporated milk, condensed milk, and oat milk to the strawberry rice milk. Stir until fully combined and smooth.
- Optional Coloring: Add beetroot powder for a natural pink hue, then stir thoroughly.
- Iced Latte:
- Brew 1-2 shots of espresso using your espresso machine and favorite beans. You can use instant espresso powder or coffee concentrate as a substitute.
- Assemble: Add diced strawberries to a glass, then pour the strawberry horchata and top with your brewed espresso.
- Garnish: Top with a sliced strawberry or a sprinkle of cinnamon.
- Mix and enjoy!
Tips for the Perfect Strawberry Horchata Latte
- Core Strawberries: Instead of cutting off the strawberry tops and wasting a little bit of fruit, you can use your knife to drill a small hole on the top and pop out the center! Stick the knife vertically at a near 45-degree angle at the top and saw around the stem until you cut out a cone shape.
- Strain the Strawberry Pulp: For a super smooth strawberry horchata, strain out the strawberry pulp. You can leave it in if you want a thicker texture.
- Don’t Overblend Rice: Overblending the rice will make your horchata gummy and thick. It’s better to strain it out before blending in your strawberries so you get a smooth liquid.
- Add Coffee to Horchata: If you want an extra-strong drink, you can add coffee directly into your horchata when making it. Just add it in while you stir in the strawberry pulp and optional food coloring.
- Use Fresh Strawberries: Fresh strawberries give you the best flavor. Frozen strawberries will need added sugar to help bring the flavor out since the fruit is not as juicy.
Variations and Substitutions
- Make it Vegan: Instead of condensed and condensed milk, use oat, coconut, or milk alternative condensed and evaporated milk. If you want to use a different milk, pick one that’s extra creamy or creamy.
- Use Rice Flour: I recently did some research, and apparently, you can also use rice flour instead of blending rice! No need for blending, just combine rice flour with water, the three milks, and cinnamon.
- Make Condensed Milk: No condensed milk? No problem. Make it yourself by boiling sugar and milk down until it’s thick and syrupy. Boom, easy condensed milk.
Creamy Strawberry Horchata Latte
Ingredients
For Strawberry Horchata:
- 1 pound box of strawberries
- 1½ cup white rice jasmine or long grain
- 5½ cup water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ¾ 7 oz can condensed milk
- 1 12 oz can evaporated milk
- 1½ cup extra creamy oat milk or whole milk
- ½ cup diced strawberries
- ½ tbsp beet powder for color
For Iced Latte:
- 1-2 shots of espresso
- 1 cup ice
- 1 cup strawberry horchata
- A dash of cinnamon for garnish
Instructions
If Using a Milk Maker:
- Blend the Base: Add rice, cinnamon, and water to the milk maker. Blend until smooth. Remove the rice grains and rinse the basket.
- Add Strawberries: Place strawberries in the basket and blend again. Remove the pulp once done.
If Using a Blender:
- Blend Rice & Cinnamon: Add rice, cinnamon, and 2 cups of water to your blender. Blend until the rice is broken into small pieces that resemble large pieces of sand, around 10 – 15 seconds.
- Add More Water: Pour in the remaining water and blend until well incorporated, about 5 – 10 seconds.
- Strain: Strain the mixture once or twice to remove all grains and pulp.
- Blend with Strawberries: Return the rice milk to the blender, add strawberries, and blend until smooth. Strain out the strawberry pulp.
After Blending:
- Mix in Milks: Add evaporated milk, condensed milk, and oat milk to the strawberry rice milk. Stir until fully combined and smooth.
- Optional Coloring: Add beetroot powder for a natural pink hue, then stir thoroughly.
Iced Latte:
- Brew 1-2 shots of espresso using your espresso machine and favorite beans. You can use instant espresso powder or coffee concentrate as a substitute.
- Assemble: Add diced strawberries to a glass, then pour the strawberry horchata and top with your brewed espresso.
- Garnish: Top with a sliced strawberry or a sprinkle of cinnamon.
- Mix and enjoy!
Strawberry Horchata Latte Frequently Asked Questions
What is a horchata latte made of?
A horchata latte is made out of horchata as the base, then espresso! You can have it hot or cold, but I prefer iced lattes because they’re refreshing and fun. Sometimes you’ll find it made out of sweetened rice milk with cinnamon, but that’s technically the traditional way to make horchata.
What is in a strawberry horchata?
Strawberry horchata is made of the same ingredients as horchata is made from (rice, water, condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk) with added strawberry puree. You’ll also commonly find strawberry bits in it as well for some added color and texture.
Is strawberry horchata healthy?
Errr, it’s all in moderation… This drink does have a lot of sugar in it, so I wouldn’t call it healthy, but if you only drink a little bit of it, it’s fine! It’s definitely fresh and more customized than store-bought versions.
Is a horchata latte good for you?
It’s good for the soul! Many sweetened coffees are actually terrible for you (looking at you, Starbucks), but you can make it much healthier if you make it at home. So a homemade version is usually cleaner and less sweet, which ultimately means healthier for you!
Do I need espresso?
Nope! If you don’t have an espresso machine, you can always substitute espresso with a cold brew concentrate, instant espresso powder, Aeropress, or any other form of concentrated coffee.
Other Latte Recipes to Try
This strawberry horchata latte is so sweet and creamy, and one of my favorite coffee treats to make. If you like this recipe, then you have to try these other latte recipes next:
- Cinnamon Toast Crunch latte
- Honey cinnamon latte
- Biscoff cookie latte
- Tres leches latte
- Tiramisu latte
If you try this recipe, leave a review below! ☻
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