Horchata con Chocolate Milkshake
A silky blended milkshake marrying the sweet almond and rice flavors of traditional Spanish horchata with rich dark chocolate and a warm hint of cinnamon. This creamy drink is served cold and dusted with cinnamon, perfect as a dessert or afternoon indulgence.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- —
- Total
- 5 min
- Makes
- 2 milkshakes (10 oz / 300 ml each)
Steps
Before you start
- Chill your glasses in the freezer for at least 10 minutes
- Use cold horchata straight from the refrigerator
- Have all ingredients measured and ready before blending
Combine base ingredients
- In your blender, add the cold horchata (1½ cups / 360 ml), whole milk (¾ cup / 180 ml), vanilla ice cream (¾ cup / 150 g), chopped dark chocolate (3 oz / 85 g), sugar (2 tablespoons / 25 g), ground cinnamon (¼ teaspoon / 0.5 g), vanilla extract (¼ teaspoon / 1.25 ml), and fine sea salt (⅛ teaspoon / 0.5 g).
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Tip: Chop the chocolate into small pieces so it blends smoothly and distributes evenly throughout the shake.
Blend until smooth
- Blend on medium-high speed for 45–60 seconds until the mixture is completely smooth, creamy, and uniform.
- Tiny flecks of chocolate may remain, but there should be no large pieces or separation.
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Ready when: Shake is smooth, creamy, and uniform throughout with no visible chocolate chunks
Tip: Do not overblend, as this can incorporate too much air and make the shake thin. Stop as soon as it reaches the right consistency.
Pour and serve
- Pour the milkshake evenly into two chilled glasses (10–12 oz / 300–350 ml capacity each).
- The shake should fill about three-quarters of each glass.
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Tip: Work quickly after blending to serve while the shake is still thick and cold. Pre-chilled glasses help maintain temperature.
Garnish and serve
- Dust the top of each milkshake lightly with ground cinnamon.
- Place a straw in each glass and serve immediately.
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Tip: The cinnamon garnish adds visual appeal and a subtle spice note. A light dusting is more elegant than a heavy coating.
Good to know
Tips
- If your horchata tastes overly sweet, use unsweetened almond or rice milk as a base to balance the chocolate and reduce the added sugar to 1 tablespoon (12 g)
- Toast whole almonds briefly before serving alongside the shake as a crunchy complement
- For a spiced version, add ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg or a pinch of cardamom along with the cinnamon
- Prepare the horchata the night before so it is thoroughly chilled, ensuring a thick, frosty shake texture
Make ahead
Prepare the horchata (if homemade) up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. Do not blend the milkshake until ready to serve.
Storage & reheating
Serve immediately for best texture and temperature. Leftover shakes will begin to separate and lose their creamy consistency within 30 minutes. To store briefly, refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 2 hours, then restir vigorously before serving (texture will be slightly thinner).
Substitutions
- dark chocolate (70% cacao) → milk chocolate (45–50% cacao) or 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder plus 1 tablespoon sugar. Milk chocolate will give a sweeter, less intense chocolate flavor. Cocoa powder requires whisking into the liquid before blending to avoid lumps.
- prepared horchata (store-bought or homemade) → almond milk or rice milk (unsweetened or lightly sweetened). Store-bought almond or rice milk will produce a thinner shake; reduce whole milk to ½ cup (120 ml) to compensate.
- vanilla ice cream → frozen yogurt or 1 cup (240 ml) crushed ice plus 1 extra tablespoon sugar. Frozen yogurt creates a tangier shake. Ice will thin the mixture, so use less milk or add an extra 2 tablespoons horchata.
- whole milk, cold → coconut milk (full-fat) or oat milk. Coconut milk adds richness and tropical notes; oat milk keeps the shake lighter and more neutral.
