A horchata latte is a double shot of espresso combined with horchata — the sweet, creamy Mexican rice milk flavored with cinnamon and vanilla. It’s naturally dairy-free, warmly spiced, and a genuinely delicious alternative to a standard oat milk latte.
The combination works because horchata is already sweet and lightly creamy, which means it acts like milk and a flavored syrup in one. A single espresso shot poured over iced horchata is one of the easiest specialty latte formats you can make at home.
What Is Horchata?
Horchata (or-CHAH-tah) is a traditional Mexican beverage made from soaked and blended white rice with cinnamon, vanilla, and sugar, strained into a thin, milky drink. It’s been made in Mexico since the Spanish colonial period, adapted from a Valencian Spanish drink originally made with tiger nuts (chufa).
Horchata characteristics:
- Lightly sweet, milky white color
- Primary flavors: cinnamon, vanilla, sweet rice milk
- Naturally dairy-free and vegan
- Thin-to-medium body depending on rice-to-water ratio
When combined with espresso, the cinnamon and vanilla in horchata complement the roasted, chocolatey notes of a well-pulled shot. The result is naturally sweet enough that many people skip added sweetener entirely.
Quick Method: Horchata Latte with Store-Bought Horchata
If you have store-bought horchata (Calafia, Califia Farms, or your local Mexican grocery’s fresh version), this is a 5-minute recipe:
Ingredients (1 serving)
- 1.5 oz espresso (1 double shot)
- 4–5 oz horchata (cold)
- 1 cup ice
- Ground cinnamon for garnish
- Optional: 0.5 oz agave or honey if your horchata isn’t very sweet
Instructions
- Pull a double shot of espresso. Let it rest 1–2 minutes to cool slightly.
- Fill a glass with ice. A 12–14 oz glass works perfectly.
- Pour horchata over ice.
- Layer espresso on top. Pour slowly over the back of a spoon or simply pour gently — the espresso will briefly layer and then mix into the horchata.
- Garnish. A pinch of ground cinnamon on top.
- Taste. If your horchata is store-bought and already sweet, no additional sweetener is needed. Adjust to taste.
Homemade Horchata (From Scratch)
Making homemade horchata takes 15 minutes of active time plus overnight soaking, but the flavor is noticeably better — cleaner, more aromatic, with real cinnamon depth.
Ingredients (makes ~32 oz / 4 servings)
- 1 cup long-grain white rice (uncooked, unrinsed)
- 1 cinnamon stick (Mexican/Ceylon cinnamon preferred over cassia)
- 4 cups cold water (for soaking)
- 2 cups cold water (for blending and straining)
- 3–4 tbsp sugar (or to taste)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Soak. Combine rice and cinnamon stick in 4 cups cold water. Cover and refrigerate overnight (8–12 hours minimum). The rice will absorb water and soften.
Blend. Drain the soaking water. Add soaked rice, softened cinnamon stick pieces, and 2 cups fresh cold water to a blender. Blend for 2–3 minutes on high until very smooth.
Strain. Pour the blended mixture through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth (or a nut milk bag) into a large pitcher. Squeeze or press to extract all the liquid. Discard the solids.
Season. Add sugar, vanilla, and salt to the strained horchata. Stir until sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust sweetness.
Chill. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Stir or shake before each use — natural separation occurs.
Yield: ~32 oz (about 4 horchata lattes) Storage: Keeps refrigerated for 3–4 days. Shake before use.
Hot Horchata Latte
The hot version follows the same logic as a cinnamon latte — warm horchata heated and combined with espresso.
Method:
- Pull a double espresso shot.
- Gently heat 4–5 oz horchata in a small saucepan over medium-low heat (do NOT boil — it can separate). Target 150–160°F.
- Pour warm horchata into a pre-warmed mug.
- Pour espresso directly into the mug.
- Stir gently. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and ground cinnamon.
Alternative: If you have a milk steaming wand, steam the horchata directly. Go easy on aeration — horchata creates smaller, less stable bubbles than dairy milk, so stretch minimally for texture. Target 140–150°F.
Horchata Latte Variations
Iced Horchata Cold Brew Latte: Replace the espresso shot with 2 oz cold brew concentrate. Smoother, lower acidity, works beautifully with the sweet cinnamon of horchata.
→ Cold brew concentrate recipe →
Spiced Horchata Latte: Add a pinch of cayenne (Mexican chocolate inspiration), nutmeg, and cardamom to the horchata before serving. The heat from cayenne creates an interesting slow warmth in the finish.
Horchata Affogato: Pour a shot of hot espresso directly over a small scoop of vanilla ice cream and 2 oz of chilled horchata in a small glass. The espresso melts the ice cream into the horchata.
Sweetened with piloncillo: Traditional Mexican sugar (piloncillo) dissolved in warm water, added instead of white sugar for deeper molasses-caramel sweetness. 1 oz piloncillo syrup per serving.
Horchata vs. Other Milk Alternatives in Lattes
| Milk Alternative | Sweetness | Cinnamon Notes | How It Steams | Coffee Pairing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horchata | High | Yes (key flavor) | Thin bubbles, lower foam | Cinnamon-forward latte |
| Oat milk | Mild | None | Excellent foam | Standard latte |
| Almond milk | Low-moderate | None | Moderate foam | Lighter iced lattes |
| Coconut milk | Moderate | None | Good for iced | Tropical drinks |
Does Horchata Latte Have Coffee in It?
Traditional horchata is coffee-free — it’s purely rice milk. A horchata latte adds espresso to the horchata, creating the coffee drink. Store-bought Keurig K-Cup “horchata latte” pods are a flavor-only product — they don’t actually contain horchata or espresso, just horchata-flavored instant coffee.
Does Starbucks Have a Horchata Latte?
Not officially on the permanent menu. However, baristas can make a version using cinnamon dolce syrup + whole milk + espresso (the closest approximation). Some regions and licensed Starbucks locations (particularly in areas with large Mexican-American communities) have offered seasonal horchata drinks as limited items.
For a proper horchata latte experience, making it at home gives you the real thing — actual horchata, not a cinnamon-flavored syrup approximation.
Horchata Latte FAQ
What is horchata latte made of? Espresso + horchata (rice milk blended with cinnamon, vanilla, and sugar). The homemade version uses soaked long-grain white rice blended with a cinnamon stick, strained to remove solids, sweetened, and served cold or gently warmed.
What does horchata taste like? Sweet, milky, and lightly spiced. The dominant notes are cinnamon and vanilla, with a neutral rice-milk body underneath. It’s similar to sweetened milk in texture, with more complexity from the cinnamon.
Does horchata latte have coffee in it? Only when you add espresso. Traditional horchata is coffee-free. The “latte” version is espresso + horchata.
Also in the specialty latte collection: Cardamom Latte → · Spanish Latte → · Café Cubano → · Cinnamon Dolce Latte → · Coconut Latte → · Taro Latte →