Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rice Horchata
By the Gluten Free Recipes team ·
This refreshing horchata offers a creamy, subtly sweet, and warmly spiced experience, perfect for a cool and invigorating beverage. The delicate aroma of cinnamon and the smooth texture of rice create a delightful, dairy-free treat.
At a glance: This easy drinks and smoothies recipe yields 2 servings in about 23 minutes (3 min prep, 20 min cook). It uses 7 ingredients — including uncooked white rice, water — and walks through 5 steps. Updated . Browse more drinks and smoothies recipes or return to all gluten-free recipes.
Cross-Contamination Warning for Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rice Horchata: When preparing this drinks and smoothies recipe, exercise caution with all packaged ingredients, particularly rice and dairy-free milks, to ensure they are certified gluten-free. Cross-contamination can occur during processing, so always check for gluten-free labels In a shared kitchen, avoid porous materials — wooden spoons, wooden cutting boards, and scratched non-stick pans can harbor gluten proteins even after washing. Prefer glass, metal, or silicone tools.
Gluten-Free Notes for Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rice Horchata: This horchata is naturally gluten-free, relying on rice as its base. Always ensure your rice and any added flavorings or milks are certified gluten-free to avoid cross-contamination from gluten-containing grains.
Ingredients
- 0.5 cup uncooked white rice
- 4 cups water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 0.5 cup almond milk (or other dairy-free milk)
- 0.25 cup sugar or sweetener of choice
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon, for dusting
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the uncooked white rice under cool water until the water runs clear, then drain thoroughly. In a medium bowl, combine the rinsed rice with 4 cups of water and the cinnamon stick. Let this mixture soak at room temperature for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, allowing the rice to soften and the cinnamon to infuse the water.
- 2
After soaking, remove and discard the cinnamon stick. Transfer the soaked rice and its soaking liquid to a high-speed blender. Blend on high speed for about 2-3 minutes, or until the rice is completely pulverized and the mixture is very smooth and creamy. This process breaks down the rice grains to create the characteristic smooth texture of horchata.
- 3
Strain the blended mixture through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or a nut milk bag into a clean bowl or pitcher. Press down firmly on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible, ensuring a smooth, pulp-free horchata. Discard the remaining rice pulp.
- 4
Stir in the almond milk, sugar or sweetener, and vanilla extract into the strained liquid. Whisk until the sugar is fully dissolved and all ingredients are well combined. Taste the horchata and adjust sweetness as needed, adding more sweetener if desired.
- 5
Chill the horchata in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld and the drink to become thoroughly cold. Serve the horchata over ice, dusting the top of each glass with a pinch of ground cinnamon for an extra aromatic touch.
Nutrition (per serving)
Tips & Notes
- Warm milk (not hot) is key for yeast-based recipes — aim for 105–115°F to activate yeast without killing it.
- Let cooked rice rest, covered and off the heat, for 5–10 minutes for fluffier grains.
- Scrape a real vanilla bean pod into the batter and steep the pod in warm milk for 10 minutes for intense flavor.
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