Pumpkin Spice Horchata

Pumpkin Spice Horchata is a seasonal twist on the classic Mexican agua de horchata. In this fall version of the popular agua fresca, the traditional flavors are blended perfectly with pumpkin, spices, and sweetened condensed milk, for a rich, creamy and comforting drink you are going to love.

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Pumpkin Spice Horchata in a clear glass with a green straw

I am a huge fan of aguas frescas during the hot summer months when the majority of fruits are in season and a cold, refreshing drink is a necessity. However, there are some creamy and rich aguas frescas like agua de platano or strawberry agua fresca that are comforting and enjoyable anytime of the year.

In the fall, I especially love a pumpkin horchata. This is a seasonal take on the popular Mexican agua de horchata, made by blending soaked rice with water, sugar and spiced with cinnamon.

In this festive twist, the traditional flavors of the original drink are complemented beautifully with the addition of pumpkin and warming spices that are synonymous with the autumn months.

The recipe is simple and only requires a few ingredients, so let me show you how to make it.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe
The Ingredients
How to Make Pumpkin Horchata
Tips and Variations
FAQ
Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Easy to Make: The recipe requires only a few simple steps of soaking, blending, and straining.
Simple Ingredients: This horchata uses minimal, simple and easy to find ingredients.
Rich and Creamy: The mix of evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk make this horchata extra rich, creamy and velvety.
Seasonal Flavor: An amazing blend of pumpkin, warming spices, and the flavors of horchata create a delicious drink for the fall season.

For more sweet recipes featuring pumpkin, check out Pumpkin Arroz con Leche or Empanadas de Calabaza.

The Ingredients

Water, cans of evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk, a can of pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice in a small bowl and another with vanilla, a bowl with raw rice and a cinnamon stick

White Rice: I use long-grain white rice, since it blends well and leads to a smooth, creamy texture.
Water: Water is needed to both soak the rice and to add at the end to create the drink.
Cinnamon Stick: I like to use ceylon cinnamon sticks, which come from Sri Lanka and are often referred to as Mexican cinnamon, or canela in Spanish. Ground cinnamon can be used in place of cinnamon sticks, to add extra cinnamon flavor, or as a garnish.
Pumpkin Puree, made from cooked and mashed pumpkin, adds the special pumpkin flavor to this horchata.
Sweetened Condensed Milk adds sweetness and contributes to the creaminess.
Evaporated Milk adds creaminess and richness.
Pumpkin Spice: This blend of warming spices is associated with pumpkin desserts and adds a great depth of flavor. You can either buy a pumpkin spice blend or make your own.
Ice: Serve over ice to help maintain the cool temperature and make the agua fresca cold and refreshing.

See recipe card for quantities.

Substitutions

Other types of rice, such as basmati or jasmine, can be used but they have their own flavor that they will impart to the final drink.

For a dairy-free or vegan option, use almond milk or evaporated coconut milk in place of the evaporated milk. Then, replace the sweetened condensed milk with coconut condensed milk.

How to Make Pumpkin Horchata

Bowl with white rice and cinnamon stick covered with water

A blender with rice, water and a cinnamon stick

A blender with water, milk, and pumpkin puree surrounded by empty cans

1. Soak Rice

Place the uncooked rice in a medium bowl and completely cover with hot water.
Cover the bowl and leave the rice to soak for at least 6 hours but preferably overnight. Soaking will soften the rice, making it easier to blend.

2. Blend

The next morning, pour the soaked rice, cinnamon stick, and water into a blender.
Add pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, condensed milk, vanilla and pumpkin spice.
Blend for 3-4 minutes until smooth.

Pumpkin horchata being strained in cheesecloth

Pumpkin spice horchata in a clear glass bottle

3. Strain

Pour the blended mixture through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or a nut milk bag into a pitcher.
Squeeze or press the cheesecloth or nut milk bag to get as much liquid from the solids as possible.
Dispose of the rice solids.

4. Add Water and Chill

Mix in 2 cups of cold water.
Place the pitcher in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour until cold.

How to Serve

Stir the drink before serving to ensure that any settled ingredients are incorporated.

Pour over ice and garnish with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon or pumpkin spice if desired.

You can also rim your glasses with condensed milk and ground cinnamon or pumpkin spice.

How to Store

Like most aguas frescas, this one tastes best when freshly made. However, you can store it in an air-tight bottle or container for up to 3 days.

The rice solids will settle at the bottom so give the bottle a quick shake or stir before serving.

Tips and Variations

Customize the flavor per your preference by adding more or less cinnamon or pumpkin spice.
Adjust the sweetness level according to your taste by adding less condensed milk or even more sugar if a sweeter result is desired.
Using a high-powdered blender will help the rice break down easier and results in a smoother consistency. However, if you don't have a high-powered blender, just be sure to blend for at least 3 minutes.
If it is still too grainy or sandy after straining, you can strain one or two more times with the nut milk bag or cheesecloth.
Soaking the rice is an important step for a smooth and creamy consistency. My top recommendation is to soak overnight for best results.
You can easily make your own pumpkin spice blend, click here for a recipe.

FAQ

Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of pumpkin puree?

Yes, you can make your own pumpkin puree using fresh pumpkin. You can follow my recipe for puré de calabaza but you will need to adjust the sweetened condensed milk as this puree recipe does come out sweet.

Can I serve this hot instead of over ice?

Although agua de horchata is traditionally served cold, since this is a fall-inspired recipe, you could serve it warm. To do so, do not add ice but warm the horchata over low heat on the stovetop before serving.

Is it necessary to soak the rice overnight?

I recommend soaking overnight for the best results, however you can soak for at least 6 hours. I have soaked the rice for only 4 hours and it just doesn't blend as smoothly as when it's soaked for a longer amount of time.

What if the result is too grainy?

If the horchata is too grainy, you can strain again making sure to use a nut bag or cheesecloth. You can also let the drink settle in the refrigerator for an hour and then strain to make sure any extra rice solids stay at the bottom of the bottle and then discard those.

More Festive Drink Recipes

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