You’ve probably seen and tried horchata from your favorite taco stand or Mexican restaurant, but have you tried the strawberry version? Strawberry horchata (horchata de fresa) is a strawberry twist on the classic horchata, and it’s the perfect balance of sweet and slightly tangy. Honestly, it’s better than regular horchata in my opinion, and so easy to make at home!

So, here’s how to make the delicious strawberry horchata recipe at home!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s sweet and creamy without being too overpowering
• This strawberry horchata recipe is so easy to make and perfect for parties!
• A delicious fruity twist on the classic horchata
• It’s visually stunning and pink
• And who wouldn’t love a nostalgic drink that reminds you of strawberry milk?

What is Horchata?

Horchata is a sweet, milky liquid made from chufa nuts or white rice. It’s a staple drink in Mexico and Spain, where horchata originated! Originally made with chufa, this drink was introduced to Mexico by Spaniards in the 16th century. People swapped chufa nuts for white rice, adapting to local produce, which is what we know as Mexican horchata or agua de horchata!

Living in California, I am most familiar with Mexican horchata, which is a sweet, creamy, and milky drink that’s sometimes sickeningly sweet, but delicious.

What is Horchata Made Of?

Spanish horchata is made of chufa nuts, also known as tiger nuts, which are earthy and creamy. However, Mexican horchata is made from uncooked white rice mixed with water, cinnamon, milk, evaporated milk, and condensed milk.

Some people add extra ingredients like sliced almonds or vanilla for a different aroma and flavor, or even toast their ingredients for extra flavor!

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.

Normally, it’s made with fresh strawberries, blended into horchata, and it’s refreshing paired with a greasy food or on a hot day.

What is in Strawberry Horchata?

Strawberry horchata has 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.

What Does Strawberry Horchata Taste Like?

It tastes like melted strawberry ice cream with a hint of rice! It’s basically liquid ice cream, and it tastes so good. It’s more similar to a strawberry milkshake thanks to the consistency.

It also tastes like strawberries and cream, or strawberry milk with a hint of cinnamon and rice. If you’ve had strawberry rice pudding, it tastes almost exactly like that. It’s so irresistibly good!

What Strawberries To Use

Fresh strawberries are best for this recipe as they give you that juicy strawberry flavor! They’re also easiest to blend and strain out. But frozen strawberries can work as well, just thaw them out before using, so it’s easier to remove the pulp. The flavor might not be as strong, but it’s a good alternative.

You can also use freeze-dried strawberries or freeze-dried strawberry powder, which are also easy to blend into the horchata. I’m unsure if it would alter the texture since it’s powder, but the flavor will be more concentrated, so use less than what you would for fresh or frozen strawberries.

What Rice to Use

For Mexican horchata, long-grain white rice is the standard, but you can use any white rice as long as it’s uncooked. Since I live in an Asian household, Jasmine white rice is readily available, so that’s what I used for this recipe. But you can use brown, short-grain, basmati, etc. It might change the flavor slightly, but you’ll still end up with a creamy and delicious horchata.

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. I’ve never tried this method, but I hear it’s another common and easy way to make horchata!

How to Make Strawberry Horchata

Ingredients:

• 1-pound box of strawberries
• 1½ cups uncooked white rice, jasmine or long grain
• 5½ cups water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• ¾ (7 oz) can condensed milk
• 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
• 1½ cups extra creamy oat milk or whole milk
• ½ cup diced strawberries
• ½ tbsp beet powder for color

Strawberry Horchata Recipe

If Using a Milk Maker:

1. Blend the Base: Add rice, cinnamon, and water to the milk maker. Blend until smooth. Remove the rice grains and rinse the basket.
2. Add Strawberries: Place strawberries in the basket and blend again. Remove the pulp once done.

If Using a Blender:

1. 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.
2. Add More Water: Pour in the remaining water and blend until well incorporated, about 5 – 10 seconds.
3. Strain: Strain the mixture once or twice to remove all grains and pulp.
4. Blend with Strawberries: Return the rice milk to the blender, add strawberries, and blend until smooth. Strain out the strawberry pulp.

1. Mix in Milks: Add evaporated milk, condensed milk, and oat milk to the strawberry rice milk. Stir until fully combined and smooth.
2. Optional Coloring: Add beetroot powder for a natural pink hue, then stir thoroughly.
3. Assemble: Add diced strawberries to a glass, then pour the strawberry horchata over the top.
4. Garnish: Top with a sliced strawberry or a sprinkle of cinnamon.
5. Mix and enjoy!

Strawberry Horchata Garnish Ideas

There are myriad ways to garnish your strawberry horchata and make it look pretty, especially if you’re making it for an event or party. I like simple garnishes, so diced strawberries are my favorite. Plus, it adds the perfect snack and texture for the horchata, and the tartness balances out the sweetness.

For a dressed-up look, you can add some whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon for a classic frappuccino design. You can also add a small sliced strawberry as a garnish, either on the cream or hanging off the cup rim.

Vegan Strawberry Horchata

Most horchata recipes include dairy to give it that creamy texture. If you’re lactose intolerant or vegan, you can easily adjust this recipe for vegan strawberry horchata. Instead of condensed and condensed milk, use oat, coconut, or milk alternative condensed and evaporated milk, which I’ve seen at some grocery stores.

You can also make condensed milk by boiling your plant-based milk of choice with sugar until it reduces (but it takes a bit of time) into a thick syrup. For evaporated milk, you do the same thing, except without sugar, and until it’s reduced to about half its original liquid. It should be creamier and more opaque.

Since I use oat milk for this recipe, it’s already vegan! If you want to use a different milk, pick one that’s extra creamy or creamy. It gives the best texture!

Other Horchata Recipes

Horchata is one of those super-easy and delicious recipes that people love. It’s super easy to customize and create different flavors, like this delicious strawberry horchata recipe. Here are some other horchata recipes to try next:

• Ube horchata
• Chai horchata
• Matcha horchata latte
• Horchata
• Horchata latte

Tips:

• Core Not Cut Strawberries: Ever seen people cut off the tops of strawberries, and silently, a part of you dies because there’s so much fruit left on the top? Yeah, there’s a better way to get rid of the stem! Instead of cutting off the top, you can use your knife to drill a small hole on the top and pop out just 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 the pulp in if you want a thicker horchata, but the seeds might ruin the texture.
• Don’t Overblend Rice: You might wonder why you want to strain the rice milk first, and it’s because 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.