Quick nondairy horchata-inspired drink - Deliciously sweet, creamy, cinnamon-flavored drink ready in 5 minutes or less! You can easily customize the sweetness and creaminess of the drink. Vegan-friendly!

Right before I came to America, there was a rice-based drink called 아침햇살 that has just come out on the market. I loved the nutty and mildly sweet flavor of the drink.
Fast forward ten plus years, I came across a drink called "horchata". And it reminded me of the Korean drink with the added cinnamon flavor! As much as I enjoyed the flavor, the added milk in the drink didn't agree with my lactose intolerance.
Traditionally, horchata is dairy-free. However, many places use cow milk to achieve creamy texture without soaking, blending and straining the rice (Article from Los Angeles Times - "Stop putting dairy in your horchata").
But recently, I had a strong craving for horchata and decided to make my own non-dairy version. Unfortunately, all the recipes I found require hours of soaking rice. And I didn't want to wait that long and this is how the recipe was born!
I would never claim this drink to be authentic horchata. In fact, developing this recipe was a perfect opportunity for me to learn more about this tasty drink!
History and Origin of Horchata
While I was researching the history and origin of Horchata, I came across an excellent article (written by Maite Gomez-Rejon). According to this article and Wikipedia, horchata stemmed from the word, Hordeum (barley). The ancient Roman boil barley in water and drink it during summer (due to its cooling property) for medicinal purposes.
As the drink was introduced to Europe and eventually Latin America, this medicinal drink became a well-loved refreshment made with different nuts, grains, seeds, and herbs.
Many different types of Horchata
I didn't know there are so many different types of horchata. We are most familiar with the kind from Mexico and Guatemala. But there are many different types depending on its regions and ingredients.
Horchata de chufa
- Also known as kunnu aya
- The original form of horchata
- Originated from West African countries like Nigeria and Mali
- Made from tiger nuts
- By the 11th century, it was introduced to Spain
Horchata de arroz
- In the 16th century, rice, sugar, and cinnamon were introduced to Mexico but not the tiger nuts. So the drink was made with rice instead.
- "Horchata" that most American are familiar with
Horchata de ajonjoli
- Originated from Puerto Rico and Venezuela
- It consists of sesame seeds, sugar, and cinnamon
- Some variety has sesame seeds, coconut milk, and rum.
Semilla de Jicaro
- Originated from Central American countries like El Salvador and Honduras
- Made with licorice sweet-flavored Jicaro seeds
Ingredients in quick, nondairy horchata inspired drink
This quick nondairy version has the most similar flavor profile as horchata de arroz.
- Cinnamon simple syrup (with cinnamon sticks)
- Cinnamon powder (for added cinnamon flavor)
- Rice milk
- Oat milk (or any other non-dairy milk of your choice) (for creaminess)
Tips on making quick, nondairy horchata inspired drink
- This is a very customizable drink:
- Adjust the sweetness with the amount of cinnamon syrup
- Control the creaminess with the milk of your choice and its amount
- Achieve the stronger cinnamon flavor by adding more cinnamon power
- Do NOT make this drink ahead of time if you are using cinnamon powder. As cinnamon powder sits in the drink, the fiber in the powder will dissolve and create cinnamon "sludge." Unless you are planning to serve many people, make the drink right before you enjoy them
- Use an electric hand-held frother or shaker to mix in the cinnamon powder to the milk of your choice first and top off with rice milk
- If you like vanilla flavor, you can either add vanilla extract to the drink or use vanilla-flavored milk
This is my "cheater's" way of making horchata de arroz, a non-dairy version! Hope you give my quick horchata-inspired drink a chance!
PrintEasy and Creamy Dairy free Horchata
Deliciously sweet, creamy, cinnamon-flavored drink ready in 5 minutes or less! You can easily customize the sweetness and creaminess of the drink. Vegan-friendly
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 12 ounces 1x
- Category: Drinks
- Method: Shake
- Cuisine: Mexican Inspired
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 to 2 tablespoons of cinnamon simple syrup (adjust to your liking)
- A couple of shakes of cinnamon powder
- ½ cup of oat milk (or non-dairy milk of your choice)
- 1 cup of rice milk
- Ice (for serving)
Instructions
- Add the syrup to the glass
- Add a couple of shakes of cinnamon powder
- Pour in the oat milk (or other non-dairy milk of your choice)
- By using an electric hand-held milk frother, mix the cinnamon powder into the oat milk. If you don't own a hand-held milk frother, you can use the shaker/mason jar with a lid.
- Add the ice cubes to the glass.
- Top off the drink with rice milk. Enjoy right away.
Notes
- This drink is very customizable. You can adjust the syrup, cinnamon powder, and milk amount to your liking.
- If you don't have an electric hand-held milk frother, you can use a cocktail shaker or a mason jar with a lid.
- If you like vanilla flavor, you can add ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract to the drink or use vanilla-flavored milk.
- I do NOT recommend making this drink ahead of time. The fiber from cinnamon powder will eventually dissolve in water to create cinnamon sludge. Although it is harmless to consume, it is not very appetizing.
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