Happy Cinco de Mayo! I love any good excuse to feast on Mexican food, my favorite cuisine, and that’s what this day is for me. Back in college, it also meant getting copiously wasted on shots of tequila and endless amount of margaritas. These days, it’s mostly about the food… but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy a little bit of a spiked cocktail now and then, right?
I first tried horchata when I used to live in New York City. My friends and I went to a Mexican restaurant and I saw it for the first time on the menu, and decided to try it out. This was before I found out about my dairy sensitivity, and while I truly joined how creamy and sweet it was (it was like a delicious, cinnamon-y milkshake!), my stomach did not at all later that night. Needless to say, I haven’t tried it again since.
Well, I thought it was time to introduce horchata back into my life without the dairy part. Because 1) it’s Cinco de Mayo and 2) I think a rum-spiked creamy cocktail that won’t make me sick is a good thing to add to my life. Them’s the facts. This paleo horchata feels so decadent but it’s made with all clean, healthy ingredients, and sweetened with a touch of honey. You can even make it for the entire family and add the alcohol at the end for the adults. I highly encourage you make this and enjoy it with a side of tacos, guacamole, and sombreros!
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 cups filtered water
- 2 tbsp raw honey, melted
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Ice
- Ground cinnamon, for garnish
- 1/2 cup rum (optional)
Instructions
- Soak cashews and cinnamon sticks in 4 cups of water for at least 3 hours at room temperature.
- Place the mixture in a high-powered blender and blend for several minutes until smooth.
- Strain through a cheesecloth into a pitcher.
- Stir in honey and vanilla extract. Add rum if using, then chill in the refrigerator.
- Serve over ice, garnished with ground cinnamon, if using.
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