TRADITIONAL MEXICAN HORCHATA: AUTHENTIC BUT SUGAR-FREE

Sweetened milk recipes exist in many cultures and date back thousands of years. Most recipes actually don't call for dairy, which is great for all of us intolerant or dairy-free by choice people! Horchata really could be considered the first rice milk, predating all of the fancy boxed versions there are today.

At Lakanto, we want to remake classic recipes using our healthy sugar substitute: monk fruit sweetener! We use monk fruit to create flexible products to sweeten all kinds of recipes—in fact, this horchata recipe doesn't use our 1:1 sugar replacement... it uses maple syrup!

If you love sugary, syrupy horchata, you have to try our healthier, sugar-free version. And if you've never made horchata from scratch, make a point to whip up a batch for your low-key Cinco de Mayo fiesta.

HORCHATA RECIPE INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup white rice, uncooked and rinsed
• 4 cups water
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, plus a bit more for garnish
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or your favorite dairy-free milk)
• 1/3 cup Lakanto Maple Flavored Syrup
• 1 1/4 tsp Liquid Vanilla Extract 

HOW TO MAKE SUGAR-FREE HORCHATA

• Wash and drain rice.
• Combine rice with cinnamon sticks in water and soak overnight in the refrigerator.
• After the rice has soaked for at least 8-10 hours (preferably overnight), discard the cinnamon sticks and pour the rice and water into a blender.
• Add 1/4 tsp cinnamon and blend on low for 3-5 minutes, or until well blended.
• Pour blended rice mixture through a fine mesh sieve twice.
• Using cheesecloth, filter the mixture one last time. This will remove the remaining, fine grit bits of rice left.
• Pour strained mixture into a pitcher, adding the unsweetened nut milk.
• Add in your Lakanto Maple Flavored Syrup and vanilla.
• Stir well, taste to see if more syrup is needed for your liking.

To serve your homemade horchata, pour it over ice in rocks glasses and garnish with a sprinkle of fresh cinnamon. Horchata is rich, but as a chilled drink is just filling and frothy enough to help you stay satisfied.

Sugar-free Horchata Recipe Nutritional Info

This recipe makes 5 cups. That can be 5, 1 cup (8 oz) servings, or cut down to 10, 1/2 cup (4 oz) servings. Nutritional information is based on a 1 cup serving.

Serving size: 1 cup (8 oz)

• Calories: 46
• Fat: 1 gram
• Carbohydrates: 13 grams
• Fiber: 1 gram
• Protein: 1 gram
• Net Carbs: 12 grams

Need a drink while the kids swim in horchata bliss?

It's only fair that you have a specialty, guilt-free drink to enjoy with friends! We crafted a monk fruit margarita recipe that is also sugar-free. Check out how to make Monk Fruit Margaritas, using either our classic sweetener or our perfect simple syrup.

Planning a Cinco de Mayo party? Make it complete with a chilled three milk traditional Mexican cake recipe. Here's the Lakanto Tres Leches Cake recipe.