Spiced Rum Horchata Pops
Cool down on a hot day with Spiced Rum Horchata Popsicles! Dairy free and refined sugar free, these vegan popsicles are creamy, flavorful and simple to make. A twist on a paleta (a Mexican popsicle), this Horchata Popsicle recipe is the perfect summertime treat for adults.
It’s POPSICLE WEEK!
*does the Snoopy happy dance*
*claps my hands*
*shuffles to the computer screen to actually write about these gorgeous pops after expending entirely too much energy dancing and clapping*
Yeaaaaaaaah. So I’m a bit excited about all the beautiful popsicles that are being shared around the blogosphere this week, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.
Today, I’ve got a fun spiked (!) vegan (!) popsicle for y’all that’s naturally sweetened. Because everyone deserves a creamy, spiked popsicle this summer. Lord knows it’s been HOT recently.
What is horchata?
Horchata is a beverage that’s popular Spain, Latin America and the United States. Every region has its own variation, meaning you’ll see horchata made with ground almonds, rice or other grains. Some is dairy-free, others include dairy. Horchata can be served warm or cold.
Why I love this recipe:
Honestly, it’s hard not to love a creamy popsicle! And I especially love this recipe because it’s got all the hallmarks of a dairy-filled popsicle without the addition of it.
(Before we get into it: No. This is not a traditional Mexican paletas recipe made with fresh fruit. It’s got a creamy base, thanks to the horchata.)
Also, horchata is such a lovely drink that has such fantastic flavor! If you’ve never tried it, I highly recommend seeking it out.
When you add the spiced rum to it… well… these popsicles just sing and are perfect for hot summer days.
Be sure not to add too much of the rum, otherwise your popsicles won’t freeze. 😉
Other popsicle recipes to try: Red White and Blue Popsicles | Roasted Strawberry Cheesecake Popsicles | Blueberry Cheesecake Popsicles | Blackberry and Strawberry Yogurt Popsicles | Peaches and Cream Popsicles
Need summer dessert inspiration? Head on over to my Frozen Dessert Recipe Index for more ideas!
What you need to make this recipe:
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- Popsicle molds
- Wooden popsicle sticks
- Blender
- Fine Mesh Strainer, a fine mesh sieve or a cheesecloth
In addition to these tools, you’re going to need a few ingredients to make these dairy free popsicles, too:
- Cashews—raw and unsalted are the best here because they give us a creamy base for the horchata
- White rice—you may use long or medium-grain rice here. It just needs to be uncooked so it can soak and release its starch.
- Water—we need warm water to soak the cashews and rice in to create the horchata, as well as water to add to the popsicle base.
- Cinnamon stick—this is going to give our horchata base a ton of flavor, so don’t skip it!
- Pure maple syrup—this is our sweetener of choice for these vegan popsicles. I do not recommend substituting it for something else.
- Pure vanilla extract—to add some vanilla undertones, as well as some depth of flavor to the popsicles
- Spiced rum—I recommend using your favorite or the one you’ve got on hand. You don’t need to use anything fancy, but you do want to enjoy the flavor since you will be tasting it in the popsicles.
How to make Horchata Popsicles
The night before, soak the ingredients. Place the cashews, white rice, warm water and cinnamon stick in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.
Blend the horchata. In the morning, pour the soaked ingredients and liquid into the blender. Remove the cinnamon stick. Pour in the maple syrup, vanilla extract and additional water. Blend on high until smooth.
Strain. Use a cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer to strain the popsicle base. Doing this more than once will ensure your popsicles aren’t gritty. I strained mine twice, and it turned out pretty smooth.
Stir in the rum once the popsicle base is strained.
Make the popsicles. Pour the ingredients into a popsicle mold. Transfer to the freezer, and freeze for one hour before adding the popsicle sticks.
Freeze for an additional 6 hours, or until frozen solid.
Remove the pops from their mold, and enjoy cold!
Frequently Asked Questions
Leave it out! These popsicles can be made alcohol-free by leaving the booze out and adding a bit more cinnamon for additional spice. A booze-free horchata popsicle would be perfect for kids to enjoy on a sweltering summer day.
Sure! I like the charm in making my own, but I know that’s not for everyone. Use you favorite brand.
More boozy popsicle recipes to try:
Here’s how you can make these Horchata Popsicles:
Spiced Rum Horchata Popsicles
Cool down on a hot day with Spiced Rum Horchata Popsicles! Dairy free and refined sugar free, these vegan popsicles are creamy, flavorful and simple to make. A twist on a paleta (a Mexican popsicle), this Horchata Popsicle recipe is the perfect summertime treat for adults.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cashews, raw and unsalted
- 1/3 cup white rice, uncooked
- 2 ¼ cups warm water
- 1 cinnamon stick, about 5" long
- 2/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1/3 cup spiced rum
Instructions
- In a large bowl, measure out the cashews, white rice and warm water. Add the cinnamon stick on top. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
- In the morning, pour the soaked ingredients and soaking liquid into the base of a blender. Remove the cinnamon stick.
- Add the maple syrup, vanilla extract and additional water to the mix.
- Blend on high until the mixture is smooth.
- Using a cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer, strain the popsicle base. (Doing this more than once will ensure your popsicles aren't gritty. I strained mine twice, and mine turned out pretty smooth.)
- Once the popsicle base is strained, add the rum, stirring until well incorporated.
- Pour the popsicle mix into a popsicle mold. Transfer to the freezer, and freeze for one hour before adding the popsicle sticks.
- Freeze for an additional 6 hours, or until the popsicles are solid.
- Enjoy cold!
Notes
Inspired by Averie Cooks and Feast+West's horchata recipes.
If you do not want to spike the popsicles, replace the rum with the same amount of water. Consider adding an extra cinnamon stick for the soak so that there's more flavor in the popsicle base, too.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
14Serving Size:
1 popsicleAmount Per Serving: Calories: 116Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 67mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 0gSugar: 10gProtein: 2g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate.
Yesssss! I love horchatas and though I’ve never tried it, I assume I’d also love them in alcoholic popsicle form!! Looks delish!
If you love horchata and you like rum, I’d venture to say you’d be a fan of these popsicles! Thanks for the comment, Alex!
These. Look. AMAZEBALLS!!! Nothing beats a spike pop on a hot summer day! And PS, this is the first foodie blog I’ve seen that I genuinely just LOVED, from the heading and tagline to your little about section…you just scream unique and I want to be your friend. Have a great Thursday!
Coming Up Roses
Aww, thank you, Erica! You’re totally right: nothing beats a spiked pop on a hot summer’s day! And THANK YOU. You’re too sweet! Your comment made my day! Let’s be friends!
You are a GENIUS!!! Sharing these like crazy!!!
Thanks so much, Brittany!
These look fantastic! I LOVE popsicles! They are a great way to cool of during the summer!
Thanks so much, Logan! Popsicles are the best for the summertime, and these are great!
These are seriously one. of. the. greatest. things. ever!! For reals! I loooove horchata, and then to make it into a drunken popsicle. Oh yeah, I am all over that!
Thanks so much, Meg! Who doesn’t love a drunken popsicle? It’s kind of the best thing… and the horchata is pretty darn delicious, too!
Mmm, horchata! I love it. I’ve had it both hot and cold, and I’m addicted. I can’t wait to get obsessed with this recipe too! 🙂
Hold the presses: You can have horchata WARM!?! How come I’ve never heard of this? Totally making a note to try that come wintertime. And I hope you enjoy this recipe — we’ve thoroughly enjoyed all the pops!
Yeah, I had it warm at a coffee house one time. They had both hot and cold options. I have to say, when it’s warm it tastes like concentrated Christmas. Party time! Yum. Haha.
I love horchata (the beverage, not the vampire weekend song). 😉 These popsicles look great!
I love horchata, too, and I hope you enjoy these popsicles! Also? I now want to listen to this Vampire Weekend song since I’ve never heard of it before!
These look so refreshing! I love the different flavors here.
This is the perfect summer treat!
This is so creative! Adult Popsicle? I think that answer is always yes!
Happy dance for sure! Not only do these sound delish, but they’re so pretty, too. These would be so perfect on a hot summer day!
I’ve never had anything like this, but it sounds like a pretty wonderful adult treat!
Looks great. In step two do you blend in the soaking liquid as well or do you discard it? Thank you
Thanks, Keesha! Yes, in step two, I blend the soaking liquid, as well. 🙂 (I’m going to go in and make a note of this in the recipe so there’s no more confusion. Thank you for leaving the comment so I can better this recipe!)
Let me know if you have any more questions. I hope you enjoy this!
I didn’t have cashews this weekend so i tried it with pecans and it was amazing!
Also I always add a pinch of Cayenne Pepper to the Horchata.
This makes me so happy to hear, Chris! I’m glad this worked out with pecans and that you added a bit of cayenne pepper to your horchata–YUM! I’ll have to give that a try!