Horchata Cold Foam Recipe – Creamy Cinnamon Coffee Topper

If you love the creamy, sweet, cinnamon-vanilla vibe from classic Mexican horchata, then this Horchata Cold Foam is going to be your new obsession. 

It’s like that same nostalgic, milky, rice-and-cinnamon flavor, but turned into a soft, fluffy cold foam that sits beautifully on iced coffee, cold brew, iced matcha, or even iced chai. 

And btw, this recipe is so easy, and it will give your drinks that café-style finish without spending $7 every single time.

 

How to Make Horchata Cold Foam

Horchata Cold Foam is a twist on the classic cold foam recipe, but instead of just milk and cream, you’re using homemade horchata (or store-bought, if you want to keep things super easy). It will give this creamy rice-cinnamon flavor while still staying fluffy and thick on top of your iced drinks.

Ingredients:

• Horchata (homemade or store-bought) — you can use classic rice horchata, Mexican-style. If you’re going store-bought, choose a brand that isn’t too watery.
• Heavy cream — this helps create that stable froth. You can’t skip it if you want the same café look.
• 2% milk or whole milk — either one works, but whole milk will give better foam stability.
• Ground cinnamon — adds that iconic horchata vibe.
• Vanilla extract — optional, but it will give that smooth bakery-style aroma.
• Sweetener — sugar, brown sugar syrup, cinnamon dolce syrup, vanilla syrup, or agave. Just add what you prefer.
• Pinch of salt — don’t neglect this; it boosts the horchata flavor.

Instructions:

1. Add your ingredients: In a small cup, add ¼ cup horchata, 2 tbsp heavy cream, 2 tbsp milk, ½–1 tbsp syrup, and a tiny pinch of salt.
2. Froth the mixture: Use a handheld frother and whip 15–25 seconds until it becomes thick, silky, and fluffy. It will double in volume. Don’t over-froth it, or it will become chunky.
3. Add cinnamon: Sprinkle in a bit of ground cinnamon, and give it 1–2 seconds of frothing just to mix it in. Don’t overdo it, or it will get grainy.
4. Pour it over your iced drink: Add it over your iced coffee, cold brew, iced matcha, iced chai, or even over a cinnamon-based iced latte. I personally love it with cold brew because the bitterness plus cinnamon is just heaven.
5. Top with more cinnamon if you want that café aesthetic.

That’s it. Seriously. It will give your drink such a rich, creamy layer.

Ingredients Substitutes

• Horchata Substitute: Almond milk + cinnamon + vanilla (NOT the same, but yes, it has similar vibes). Oat milk + cinnamon will give a thicker result.
• Cream Substitute: Half-and-half works okay, but won’t be as thick. Coconut cream will give a totally different flavor, but it still froths nicely.
• Milk Substitute: Oat milk or almond milk is fine for lactose-free options. Coconut milk is too oily, so I don’t recommend it.
• Sweetener Options: Brown sugar syrup, Agave Cinnamon dolce syrup, Vanilla syrup, and Homemade simple syrup.
• Cinnamon Substitute: Cinnamon sticks steeped in warm milk (let cool before frothing). Pumpkin spice (for fall season vibes).

 

Tips to Make Perfect Horchata Cold Foam

• Use cold ingredients: Cold cream + cold milk froths are way better.
• Don’t over-froth: It will split or get chunky. Stop once it’s thick and glossy.
• Avoid grainy cinnamon: Add cinnamon at the end, or froth only 1–2 seconds.
• Use thick horchata: Watery horchata will give watery cold foam.
• Add sweetener first: It blends more evenly and gives a smoother texture.
• Always add a pinch of salt: It makes the cinnamon flavor pop.
• Homemade horchata will give a softer, authentic flavor if you’re into that classic taste.

 

What to Serve with Horchata Cold Foam

This foam can go on so many drinks, but if you’re pairing it with snacks, desserts, or treats, here are the best combos.

Sweet Treats

• Churros with cinnamon sugar
• Cinnamon donuts
• Vanilla scones
• Tres leches cake
• Mexican wedding cookies
• Snickerdoodle cookies
• Conchas (Mexican sweet bread)

Light Snacks

• Almond biscotti
• Cinnamon toast (simple but pairs amazingly)
• Banana bread
• Oatmeal cookies

Savory Pairings (trust me, these work)

• Breakfast burritos
• Quesadillas
• Simple cheese empanadas
• Egg & cheese sandwich
• Avocado toast with chili flakes

Iced Drinks That Pair Perfectly

• Iced Americano
• Iced latte
• Cold brew
• Iced chai latte
• Iced matcha latte
• Cinnamon cold brew
• Iced espresso with cinnamon syrup

You can add this on top instead of using traditional vanilla cold foam.

 

Variations to Try

Iced Horchata Sweet Cream Cold Foam

Mix horchata + heavy cream + vanilla syrup + cinnamon. Froth lightly. It’s sweeter and thicker.

Spicy Horchata Foam

Just add a tiny pinch of cayenne. 

It won’t make it spicy-spicy, but it will give a warm kick.

Horchata Almond Foam

Replace milk with almond milk and use almond extract instead of vanilla.

Caramel Horchata Foam

Add 1 tsp caramel syrup + cinnamon. 

Perfect over an iced caramel cold brew.

Pumpkin Horchata Foam

Add 1 tbsp pumpkin puree + pumpkin spice.

Froth gently. Perfect for fall months.

Iced Mocha with Horchata Cold Foam

Add this to an iced mocha or any chocolate drink.

And btw, if you love chocolate drinks, you might like my Starbucks Dark Chocolate Mocha.

Strawberry Horchata Foam

Add 1 tbsp strawberry syrup + horchata + cream.

Perfect over iced matcha or iced green tea.

If you’re into fruity drinks, see Nespresso White Chocolate Strawberry.

 

How to Make Homemade Horchata (Quick Version)

If you don’t want to buy horchata, here’s an easy recipe that you can use for your cold foam.

Ingredients

• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 cups water
• 3–4 tbsp sugar
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Rinse rice lightly (don’t over-wash or you’ll lose starch).
2. Blend rice, cinnamon stick, and water for 20–30 seconds.
3. Let it sit for 3–4 hours or overnight if you want a richer flavor.
4. Strain it well through a fine mesh or nut milk bag.
5. Add sugar, vanilla, and salt.
6. Chill it fully before using it in cold foam.

This homemade version will taste creamier and more natural, and it’s perfect for mixing with cream because it has more rice starch.

 

How to Use Horchata Cold Foam on Drinks

1. On Iced Coffee

Add it on top of any iced coffee with 1–2 pumps of cinnamon syrup or vanilla syrup.

2. On Cold Brew

This is honestly my favorite.

Cold brew’s bitterness + horchata’s sweetness = perfection.

If you want something chocolatey to test pairing, try the Starbucks Dubai Chocolate Drink.

3. On Iced Lattes

Especially cinnamon lattes, vanilla lattes, brown sugar lattes, and oat lattes.

4. On Matcha

Matcha + cinnamon + vanilla = super balanced combo.

5. On Iced Chai

Cinnamon + chai = obviously a perfect match.

 

Texture Tips (Very Important)

• It must be fluffy but pourable.
• If it becomes too thick, add 1 tbsp cold horchata and froth 1–2 seconds.
• If it’s too thin, add 1 tbsp heavy cream and froth again.
• If cinnamon clumps, sift it before adding.

Avoid pouring it on hot drinks because it melts instantly — use only iced or chilled drinks.

 

Flavor Tips (I Always Consider This)

• Store-bought horchata can be watery; choose refrigerated brands over shelf-stable if possible.
• Mexican-market horchata mixes tend to be sweeter; adjust sugar accordingly.
• If your iced drink is already sweet, reduce the foam’s sweetness.
• Cinnamon in the US varies in flavor strength — Saigon cinnamon is stronger, Ceylon cinnamon is milder.
• Vanilla extract in the US is strong— ¼ tsp is enough.

 

Nutritional Estimate (Per Serving of Foam)

This will vary depending on the sweetener + milk choice

• Calories: 60–110
• Fat: 4–7g
• Carbs: 8–12g
• Sugar: 6–10g
• Protein: 1–2g

Much lighter than most café cold foams.

 

Cost Breakdown

• Homemade horchata = very cheap (rice + cinnamon stick).
• Heavy cream = approx $0.20 per serving.
• Milk = $0.05
• Syrup = $0.10

Total per serving: around $0.35–0.50, depending on your horchata.

Cafés will charge $1–$2 extra just for cold foam alone, so you’re saving a lot.

 

Conclusion

That’s really it for this Horchata Cold Foam, and look, my dear, this is honestly one of those super simple things that will make your iced drinks taste so much better without doing anything crazy. 

It will give that creamy, cinnamon-vanilla layer that just floats on top and makes your drink feel like a proper treat, you know? 

And btw, once you try it, you won’t go back to plain milk foam again, because this one has that cozy horchata vibe, which is different. 

Just make it fresh, pour it over your iced drink, and it will make your coffee look and taste like café-style, without spending money every time. I mean, it’s really that easy.

 

FAQs

Can I make it ahead of time or store it?

Not really. Cold foam is something you always use right away. If you store it, it will separate and lose that fluffy texture. 

What you can do is keep the mixture (horchata + cream + milk) in the fridge, and then froth only when you need it. That will give better results.

My cold foam turned thin, what happened?

Most of the time, it’s because the horchata is too watery, or your cream wasn’t cold enough. 

Also, if you over-froth, it can collapse. Just add 1 tbsp cold heavy cream and froth for 1–2 seconds; it will fix the texture.

Can I use any horchata brand?

You can, but some store-bought ones in the US are very thin, so the foam won’t come out thick. 

Choose a refrigerated one, or just add an extra splash of cream to balance it. Homemade horchata will always give a richer, more real flavor, so if you’ve time, do that.