Instructions

Step 1

Grab your blender and add 1 cup of long-grain white rice, ¼ cup of raw almonds if you want that extra nutty depth, 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, and 3 cups of filtered water. Blend on high for about 30 seconds — you're looking for the rice to break down into fine, grainy bits rather than disappearing into a smooth paste. Pour the mixture into a large container with a tight-fitting lid, cover it up, and tuck it into the fridge overnight. This rest is where the magic happens, so don't rush it — those flavors need time to get cozy together.

Step 2

Pour the soaked rice and almonds back into your blender, scraping in every last bit with a spatula. Add the cinnamon stick and blend on high for about a minute, until the mixture looks like a fine, sandy paste with no visible graininess left. You'll know it's ready when it feels smooth between your fingers and smells warmly of cinnamon and toasted nuts.

Step 3

Grab a large bowl with a spout or a big glass measuring cup and set it on your counter — you'll want that spout later for easy pouring. Lay a fine-mesh sieve across the top, then drape a single layer of cheesecloth over the sieve, letting the edges hang down into the bowl. Press the cheesecloth gently into the sieve so it sits snug, but don't double it up — two layers will make the horchata take forever to strain through.

Step 4

Line a fine-mesh sieve with a double layer of cheesecloth and set it over a large bowl or pitcher. Pour the blended rice and almond mixture through, then grab a rubber spatula and press down firmly on the pulp, scraping and pressing until you've coaxed out every last drop of that creamy liquid. Toss the spent rice and almonds—they've done their job. Now gather up the corners of the cheesecloth, twist them together, and give the bundle a gentle massage and squeeze over the bowl to pull out any remaining horchata hiding in the pulp. If you're not fussed about a little texture in your drink, you can skip the cheesecloth entirely and just strain through the sieve, but for that silky, smooth finish, this extra minute of squeezing is so worth it.

Step 5

Give your blender a quick rinse to clear out any leftover rice bits, then pour your strained horchata base back in. Add 1 cup of pumpkin puree, 1 cup of evaporated milk, 1 cup of whole milk, ½ cup of sweetened condensed milk, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Blend on high for about 1 minute until you can't see any streaks and the mixture looks completely smooth and pourable. Take a sip and see how it tastes—if you want it sweeter, add another tablespoon or two of condensed milk and blend for 15 seconds more.

Step 6

Pour your cinnamon-spiced rice mixture into a large pitcher, scraping every last grain from the blender with a spatula. Add the remaining 3 cups of filtered water and give everything a good stir — you'll notice the liquid turns a creamy, pale tan color as the flavors marry together. Cover the pitcher and slide it into the fridge for at least 4 hours, though overnight is even better if you can wait. The horchata is ready when it's thoroughly chilled and the flavors have had time to deepen into something silky and fragrant.

Step 7

Grab a tall glass and fill it about three-quarters full with ice — the bigger cubes work best here so they don't melt too fast and water down your horchata. Pour the chilled pumpkin horchata over the ice, leaving about an inch of room at the top. Give it a quick stir with a long spoon, then lay a cinnamon stick across the rim of the glass so it's ready to use as a stirrer. Take a pinch of ground cinnamon between your fingers and dust it lightly over the top — you want just a whisper of it, enough to catch the light when you bring the glass to the table.