Horchata panna cotta is my take on a Mexican version of panna cotta that is infused with the delicious flavors of cinnamon and vanilla with a delicious and creamy rice milk base. This cinnamon panna cotta is so easy to make and it all starts with homemade Mexican horchata. It makes a great dessert to make ahead of time and to make for those summer get togethers.

Why you'll love this recipe
This horchata panna cotta is a Mexican version of panna cotta that I created because I love the flavors of cinnamon and vanilla. It is great to make when it is really hot outside and you are looking for something to help you cool down and replenish nutrients.Â
When horchata is made into a dessert like in this panna cotta recipe, it is so light and refershing. Since horchata already has the cinnamon and vanilla base I knew it would work so well in a custard form.Â
If you have never made panna cotta before, you are in for a real treat. It is very easy to make because it is not a "true" custard since it gets it help from gelatin. It is as simple as heating your milk, vanilla and cream with sugar then adding the gelatin and letting it set up in the refrigerator until firm.
Its a great dessert to learn if you are not great with baking or pastry making!
Ingredients Needed
- Horchata (rice, milk, almonds, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon)
- Cream
- Unflavored gelatin
- Vanilla
- Sugar
- Cinnamon sticks
How to make
Make the horchata: Horchata Recipe
You will have extra horchata left over from the recipe above but that is just a bonus! With the extra horchata you can use it as is or make some nice cocktails with it by adding some rum or vodka.
Here are the steps to make this horchata panna cotta:
- Mix water and gelatin.
- Prepare ramekins.
- Mix cream, horchata, cinnamon stick and sugar over medium heat.
- Whisk in the softened gelatin.
- Pour mixture into ramekins.
- Chill at least 6 hours or overnight.
Variations
If you are pressed for time and do not feel like making the horchata , a traditional panna cotta is very quick to assemble and only needs time to set up in the refrigerator.
I do hope you give this horchata panna cotta a try because it is really good and worth the extra effort to make the horchata.
Pairing Ideas
If you are looking for what to serve with this horchata panna cotta, here are some off our favorites:
Horchata Panna Cotta
Tried the Recipe? We Would Love To Hear From You In The Comments Below!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 ½ tablespoon powdered gelatin
- 2 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1 ½ cups of horchata
- â…“ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cinnamon stick
Instructions
- Place the water in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Stir to distribute, and set aside to soften 2 to 3 minutes.
- Get out your dishes (ramekins) that you will be pouring the panna cotta in and set aside. Depending on the sizes of your ramekins is how many you can fill so anywhere between 5-8 ramekins.
- Half-fill a large bowl with ice and add enough water to make an ice bath and set aside.
- In a small saucepan, combine the cream, horchata, cinnamon stick and sugar and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Remove from heat, and take out the cinnamon stick and then whisk in the softened gelatin and the vanilla extract.;
- Set the saucepan in the ice bath (making sure the top of the saucepan is well above the surface of the water), and whisk until the mixture is lukewarm.;
- Pour mixture into ramekins and chill at least 6 hours or overnight. If you’re going to keep them longer than overnight, cover them with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap gently against the panna cotta to prevent a skin from forming.Â
- You can top the panna cotta with crushed biscotti like I did or a little sprinkle of cinnamon.
Nutrition
Nutrition Values are estimates only.
See full nutrition disclaimer hereYou May Also Like
Mary says
We made this over the weekend and it came out great. We had a little extra horchata leftover so we made cocktails 🙂
Albert Bevia says
Such a clever idea using the horchata recipe to creat this panna cotta! this is a must try, so creative and it looks amazing
Melissa says
Thank you Albert! It is extra amazing in this custard form 🙂