Horchata Syrup
Craving that sweet, spiced flavor from Starbucks’ new Horchata Oatmilk Shaken Espresso? This Horchata Coffee Syrup is your ticket to recreating those cozy cinnamon-vanilla vibes at home. Made with white rice, cinnamon sticks, and a splash of vanilla, this homemade horchata syrup is naturally dairy-free, vegan, and endlessly versatile.
Servings 1 to 1 1/2 cups
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups water
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar or sweetener of choice; see notes
- ¾ cup uncooked white rice
- 6 cinnamon sticks or 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ tablespoons vanilla extract
- Generous pinch of salt
- Optional: ¼ cup raw almonds soaked overnight and drained
Instructions
- In a medium pan, add the rice (and almonds, if using) and toast for 2 minutes over a medium to low heat. Add in the water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, and salt.2 ¼ cups water, 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar or sweetener of choice; see notes, ¾ cup uncooked white rice, 6 cinnamon sticks or 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, Optional: ¼ cup raw almonds, Generous pinch of salt
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15–20 minutes to allow the rice, almonds, and cinnamon to infuse and the syrup to thicken a little.
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Strain through a fine mesh sieve, cheesecloth, or nut milk bag to be left with a smooth syrup.
- Stir in vanilla extract.1 ½ tablespoons vanilla extract
- Let cool completely, then store in a clean bottle or jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
How to make it lower in sugar:
Reduce the amount to ¾ cup sugar or substitute with allulose, monk fruit, or a maple syrup blend for a lighter option. Allulose won’t thicken the syrup as much but works well if you’re watching sugar or calories. You can also replace the sugar with another sweetener, like honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar. If using a liquid sweetener, reduce the amount of water accordingly.
Reduce the amount to ¾ cup sugar or substitute with allulose, monk fruit, or a maple syrup blend for a lighter option. Allulose won’t thicken the syrup as much but works well if you’re watching sugar or calories. You can also replace the sugar with another sweetener, like honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar. If using a liquid sweetener, reduce the amount of water accordingly.
