Sugar-Free Horchata Concentrate

This is the concentrate behind our Sugar-Free Horchata Latte – the same soaked-rice method as our Standard concentrate, with a monk fruit or allulose sweetener standing in for cane sugar. Soaked rice, cinnamon, and real vanilla extract carry the flavor either way.

The Concentrate

Combine 1/2 cup uncooked long-grain white rice, 1 cinnamon stick, and 2 cups of the water in a jar or bowl. Cover and let it soak at room temperature for at least 4 hours, or in the fridge overnight. Blend the rice, cinnamon stick, and soaking water with the remaining 1/2 cup water on high for 60-90 seconds, then strain twice – fine-mesh first, then cheesecloth or a nut-milk bag, squeezing hard.

Warm the strained liquid in a small saucepan with 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 cup granulated monk fruit or allulose sweetener, and a pinch of salt over medium-low heat, stirring until it fully dissolves – sugar-free sweeteners can take a little longer than sugar, so don’t rush this step. Simmer gently for about 5 minutes so it reduces slightly, then stir in 1/2 tsp vanilla extract off the heat and let it cool completely.

This batch (10 servings)$2.50 total

Per 2 tbsp serving~$0.25

Assumptions: rice, a cinnamon stick, and ground cinnamon at typical grocery pricing, plus monk fruit/allulose sweetener at typical grocery pricing (~$3/cup at bulk-bag pricing, same sourcing as our other sugar-free syrups). The sweetener is pricier per cup than plain sugar, which is why this batch costs more than the Standard version despite the same method.

Storage & Shelf Life

• Keeps about 4 days in a sealed jar in the fridge, same as the Standard concentrate – this is fresh strained rice liquid, not a shelf-stable sugar syrup, so the shorter window applies to every tier of this family.
• Give it a shake before using – rice solids and spice settle at the bottom, same as the Standard concentrate.
• Crystallizing in the fridge? Some sweetener blends crystallize faster than sugar does – gently reheat the jar in a warm water bath to re-dissolve before using.

Sweetener Notes

• Monk fruit or allulose blends measure roughly cup-for-cup like sugar and behave most like it here – the easiest substitution if this is your first sugar-free syrup.
• Stevia works but is far more concentrated – use a fraction of the amount and adjust to taste.

What to Make With This

2 tbsp of this concentrate, stirred into hot espresso before adding rice milk, is the Sugar-Free Horchata Latte. If sugar content isn’t your main concern, the Horchata Concentrate (Standard) uses the same method with regular sugar, or the Maple Horchata Concentrate behind our Clean-Ingredient tier swaps in real maple and whole cinnamon sticks instead.

Recipe Card Summary

Sugar-Free Horchata Concentrate

• 1/2 cup rice (soaked 4+ hrs), 2 1/2 cups water, 1 cinnamon stick, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 cup monk fruit/allulose sweetener, 1/2 tsp vanilla, pinch of salt
• Makes ~10 servings (2 tbsp each) · Prep: 15 min active (plus 4+ hr hands-off soak)
• Cost: ~$2.50/batch, ~$0.25/serving

FAQ

Why isn’t this near-zero calories the way your other sugar-free syrups are?

Because the base of this recipe is soaked, blended rice, not just sugar water. Removing the sugar cuts the calorie count substantially (23 cal/serving here vs. 62 for the Standard version), but it can’t zero it out the way swapping sugar for a sugar-free sweetener does in a pure flavor syrup like our Cinnamon Dolce line – the rice itself still carries real carbohydrate and calories into the liquid during blending. We’d rather flag that plainly than let “sugar-free” imply “basically calorie-free” here, which wouldn’t be accurate.

Do I need to make this every time I want a latte?

No – make one batch and it covers about 10 drinks over 4 days. The Sugar-Free Horchata Latte recipe assumes you already have a jar on hand.

Can I use the store-bought rice milk shortcut for this version too?

Yes – the same shortcut covered on the Standard concentrate (starting from 2 cups store-bought rice milk instead of soaking and straining your own) works here too, just swap the sweetener the same way this recipe does.