Horchata Ice Cream

There’s something gleefully unrestrained about turning a drink as comforting as horchata into ice cream. You still get the sweet, creamy flavors of cinnamon and vanilla in Horchata Ice Cream. But, let me tell you, it’s twice as luscious as an indulgent dessert.

A horizontal close up of luscious white ice cream in a small grey bowl on a wooden tabletop.

I was introduced to horchata at a young age because it was (and still is) my older sister’s favorite drink. Every time I travel with my sisters, we make sure to stop and grab some horchata for her wherever we arrive. It’s a tradition.

This is the same sister who shared her intense love of mangoes with me. So, I can say that she’s at least partially responsible for my mango ice cream, too. It reminds me of so many ways that I have been influenced by my siblings, and I am grateful.

When I first played with the idea of making a horchata ice cream flavor, I wasn’t really chasing the exact flavors. I wanted to nail the excitement of being a kid when my big sister would wink at me and then share a sip of her drink. It didn’t matter what was in the glass, it was pure joy to be trusted to drink it with her.

Rice Ice Cream

Flavor-wise, this ice cream is beautifully layered. Horchata is a sweet, spiced rice drink, and this ice cream mimics that. Warm notes of cinnamon hit you right away, while the vanilla remains subtle. The rice is more of an undertone throughout each bite. It’s there, but it’s not the thing that draws your focus.

If you make it with RumChata, the liqueur adds a wonderful element to the ice cream. It begins very sweet, almost hiding in the ice cream. As the ice cream melts in your mouth, the alcohol emerges and becomes more dominant toward the end of each bite. It’s an incredible experience. So, be sure to savor each spoonful.

The most popular question I get is whether it’s possible to make ice cream without a machine. The answer is YES. You can make ice cream without a machine. Find the full directions here!

A freezer safe container of ice cream with an ice cream scoop in it is placed in the foreground of this image. Behind it, there is a labeled bottle of Rumchata liqueur.

Horchata Ice Cream Recipe

The base of this ice cream takes longer than usual, because you need to give the rice time to steep. But, I have good news. You can (and should!) use that time to relax. There’s no difficult technique here, just a dessert that’s well-suited for when you want a slow day.

I’m thrilled with how this horchata ice cream recipe turned out. I’ve developed a lot of flavors, and not all of them are ready to share. But, I’m happy to finally add this one to the long list of flavors I’ve published here on the blog.

With over 160 ice cream recipes here to choose from, there’s sure to be an ice cream for everyone! If you’re new to making ice cream, the best and easiest vanilla ice cream is a great place to start.

These are my favorite inexpensive containers for storing ice cream. They’re perfect for gifting (who doesn’t love homemade ice cream?) storage, re-using, etc. I write the flavors on the lids with a sharpie and it washes off with dish soap.

I have more ice cream scoops than I can keep track of at this point and I definitely play favorites. This ice cream scoop does the best job ever of cutting through firm ice cream and still delivers a pretty scoop. It gets bonus points for being one of the least expensive scoops I own as well.

Don’t miss our Ice Cream Maker Review for all the information you need to find the BEST Ice Cream Maker for your needs. Spoiler alert – our top-rated machine under $50 just might surprise you. It sure surprised me!

A vertically aligned image of a scoop of horchata ice cream in a small bowl on a wooden tabletop

Boozy Ice Cream

Because this ice cream has alcohol in it, it will only ever reach a soft-serve consistency. That’s not a bad thing, though. Because that just means that it is always ready to eat!

If you want to try another boozy ice cream flavor, check out my pina colada ice cream. It’s got all the fun flavors of the classic cocktail, with toasted coconut and fresh pineapple in every scoop. If you want to kick it to cocktail status, drizzle each serving with a bit of rum before serving.

And, rum raisin ice cream is loaded with rum-soaked raisins, mixed in custardy vanilla ice cream with a hint of rum. This recipe is a little bit old school and a whole lot of creamy delicious.

Are you a fan of Bailey’s Irish Cream? Then, look no further than this indulgent Bailey’s ice cream. Warm whiskey and coffee meet ice cold cream and chocolate. It’s a match made in heaven, and it won’t last long!

And, while it’s technically not ice cream, you have got to try The Dirty Banana. It’s a milkshake I first tried on a cruise, years ago. I fell in love with it and convinced the bartender to give me the recipe. Literally EVERYONE who has tried this milkshake with rum, Kahlua, and Patron Cafe has asked for another.

Combine the cream, milk, sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Warm the mixture over medium heat, just until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and add the rice and cinnamon stick. Cover and let steep for 30 minutes.
Strain the liquid through a fine sieve. Add the vanilla extract and Rumchata. Whisk to combine and chill in the refrigerator.
Pour the cold mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Serve immediately or transfer the finished ice cream to an airtight container and place it in the freezer until ready to serve.

If you’d like to make this without the alcohol, add ⅓ cup of sugar and ¼ cup of milk to the listed ingredients.