Horchata Ice Cream

Name: Horchata Ice Cream
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: ½ cup (90 g) short-grain white rice; ½ cup (65 g) raw almonds, blanched or unblanched; 2 cups (480 ml) water, for soaking rice and almonds (will be discarded after soaking); 1½ cups (360 ml) water, fresh, for blending; 1 piece cinnamon stick, 3-inch (7.5 cm) piece; ¼ teaspoon (1½ g) fine sea salt; 1½ cups (360 ml) heavy cream, cold; ¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk, cold; ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) ground cinnamon (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

This creamy, delicate horchata ice cream captures the essence of the classic Mexican rice-and-almond drink in frozen form. Fresh rice and almonds are soaked overnight, then blended and strained to create a silky base that combines beautifully with heavy cream, milk, and warm cinnamon. The result is a sophisticated frozen treat with subtle nuttiness, delicate sweetness, and a hint of warm spice—nothing overpowering, just elegantly balanced.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: —
Wait: 15 hr 30 min
Total: 16 hr
Makes: About 1 quart (4 cups), approximately 8 servings of 1/2 cup each

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Steps

Before you start

Plan ahead: this recipe requires soaking rice and almonds overnight (at least 8 hours), then 2 hours of chilling, plus 5 hours of freezing. You will make the actual ice cream the day after soaking.
Ensure your ice cream maker's freezing bowl has been frozen for at least 24 hours before churning.
Have all cream and milk chilled in the refrigerator before you begin.
Gather a fine-mesh strainer—this is essential for a smooth, creamy ice cream without a gritty texture.

1
Soak rice and almonds overnight
- Combine the white rice and raw almonds in a medium bowl.
- Cover with 2 cups water.
- Let sit at room temperature for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.
- The rice and almonds will soften and absorb water, becoming pale and opaque.
- This soaking is crucial for developing the horchata flavor and ensuring smooth blending.
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Ready when: Rice and almonds are completely soft; mixture is opaque and pale
Tip: Don't skip the overnight soak—this develops the distinctive creamy, nutty horchata flavor.
2
Blend horchata mixture
- Drain the soaked rice and almonds in a fine-mesh strainer, discarding the soaking liquid.
- Transfer the drained rice and almonds to a food processor or blender.
- Add the cinnamon stick, salt, and fresh 1.5 cups water.
- Blend on high speed for 2–3 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed, until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy and turns a pale ivory color.
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Ready when: Mixture is smooth, creamy, and pale ivory; no visible rice grains remain
Tip: Blend thoroughly for a creamy texture—under-blending will leave a grainy feel in the final ice cream.
3
Strain horchata base
- Place a fine-mesh strainer over a medium bowl.
- Pour the blended mixture into the strainer, pressing gently on the solids with the back of a spoon to extract all the liquid.
- Work slowly to avoid forcing rice flour into the liquid.
- Continue until the solids are mostly dry and no more liquid drips through.
- Discard the solids.
- You should have approximately 1 to 1.25 cups of horchata liquid.
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Ready when: Solids are dry and crumbly; all extractable liquid has passed through the strainer
Tip: Press gently to avoid grinding rice flour into the liquid, which will make the final ice cream gritty. You want a smooth, creamy texture.
4
Combine ice cream base
- Pour the strained horchata into a large bowl.
- Add the cold heavy cream, whole milk, sugar, and vanilla extract.
- Whisk vigorously for 1–2 minutes until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- The mixture should taste sweet and slightly creamy, with a subtle almond and rice flavor and a whisper of cinnamon.
- If you'd like a bit more cinnamon flavor, stir in the optional ground cinnamon.
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Ready when: Sugar is completely dissolved (mixture is smooth with no grittiness); all ingredients are fully combined
Tip: Make absolutely sure the sugar is fully dissolved before chilling, or it will create an icy texture in the finished ice cream.
5
Chill ice cream base
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate the mixture for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.
- The colder the mixture, the faster and more smoothly it will churn.
- Ideally, the mixture should be very cold (below 40°F / 4°C) before churning.
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Ready when: Mixture is very cold to the touch; a thermometer reads below 40°F (4°C)
Tip: A very cold base churns faster and produces smoother, creamier ice cream.
6
Churn ice cream
- Remove the chilled horchata mixture from the refrigerator.
- Pour it into your pre-frozen ice cream maker bowl (the bowl must have been frozen for at least 24 hours).
- Churn according to the manufacturer's instructions, typically for 25–30 minutes.
- The ice cream will go from liquid to soft-serve consistency—it will thicken, become pale and fluffy, and mound slightly in the center when a spoon is dragged through it.
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Ready when: Ice cream has reached soft-serve consistency—it's thick, fluffy, pale, and holds its shape
Tip: If the mixture isn't thickening enough midway through churning, it may not have been cold enough—stop, refreeze the bowl and mixture for a few hours, and try again.
7
Freeze until firm
- Transfer the soft-serve horchata ice cream to a freezer-safe container with a lid.
- Smooth the top and cover tightly.
- Place in the freezer for at least 4–6 hours until the ice cream is firm enough to scoop.
- It will continue to firm up over this time.
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Ready when: Ice cream is firm and holds its shape when scooped; scooper leaves clean edges
Tip: If the ice cream becomes rock-hard in the freezer, remove it 5–10 minutes before scooping and let it soften slightly at room temperature for easier serving.

Good to know

Tips

The overnight soak of rice and almonds is crucial and not to be rushed—it's what creates the authentic, creamy horchata flavor. Skipping this step or reducing the soak time will result in a grainier, less flavorful ice cream.
Press gently when straining the horchata to avoid forcing fine rice flour into the liquid, which will make the final ice cream gritty. You want a smooth, creamy texture.
Make sure the ice cream base is very cold (ideally below 40°F / 4°C) before churning—a warm or room-temperature base will not churn properly and won't create a smooth texture.
Horchata ice cream has a delicate, subtle flavor profile. Avoid adding strong spices, extracts, or other flavorings that might overpower the gentle rice-and-almond character that makes this ice cream special.

Make ahead

Yes. The ice cream base (after step 4, before chilling) can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator. Churn it whenever you're ready. The finished ice cream keeps well and can be made several days before serving.

Storage & reheating

Freezer: Store horchata ice cream in a freezer-safe container with a tight-fitting lid for up to 2 weeks. It keeps very well and doesn't develop ice crystals quickly if stored properly. Remove from freezer 5–10 minutes before serving to let it soften slightly for easier scooping. Not suitable for room-temperature storage or refrigeration.

Substitutions

raw almonds, blanched or unblanched → Blanched or unblanched almonds. Blanched almonds (without skins) produce a lighter, cleaner-looking, more delicate horchata with a pure white color. Unblanched almonds with skins produce a slightly more grayish-beige horchata with earthier almond notes. Both work beautifully; use what you have on hand.
cinnamon stick → Ground cinnamon. If only ground cinnamon is available, use 1/8 teaspoon when blending the rice and almonds (much of it will be strained out), then add an additional 1/4 teaspoon to the final ice cream base in step 4 to achieve full cinnamon flavor.
pure vanilla extract → Omit, increase, or use vanilla bean paste. Can be omitted entirely if you prefer a more authentic pure horchata flavor, or increased to 1.5 teaspoons for a more pronounced vanilla note. Alternatively, use 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste for a more complex vanilla flavor.
heavy cream → Half-and-half and milk mixture. For a lighter ice cream, replace the heavy cream and whole milk with 2 cups half-and-half and add 1/4 cup whole milk. For a richer version, use 2 cups heavy cream and 1/2 cup whole milk.