Horchata de Ajonjolí (Puerto Rican Sesame Drink)
The pale, milky appearance of horchata de ajonjolí comes from sesame seeds blended with water—not from milk. Served cold, it has a gently toasted flavor and a light, pourable texture. It’s a different experience from rice-based horchata, with the sesame providing both the flavor and body.
I wanted to include this drink on Cocina Hacks to give sesame a place beyond a sprinkle on bread or pastries. Here, it is the main ingredient, and the short ingredient list lets its flavor stand out. This version uses just hulled white sesame seeds, water, and sugar, without dairy or added spices.
You may also know the drink as jugo de ajonjolí or agua de ajonjolí. Preparations vary between households; this recipe keeps things simple and makes a pitcher of four servings.
The flavor starts in the skillet
Toasting is the part that needs your attention. Put the raw sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium-low heat and stir continuously. After about 4–6 minutes, they should smell fragrant and look lightly golden.
Don’t wait for a deep brown color. These small seeds can go from toasted to scorched quickly, leaving a bitterness that sugar won’t fix.
Have a plate ready before you begin. As soon as the seeds are lightly toasted, spread them out on it so they stop cooking. Leaving them in the hot skillet, even off the burner, allows them to keep browning. Give them about 10 minutes to cool before blending.
The rest of the preparation is less demanding, but a couple of details make a difference to the texture.
Blend the cooled seeds with the first two cups of water, then strain through a fine cloth or a food-grade nut-milk bag. A kitchen sieve alone may let enough particles through to leave the drink gritty.
Instead of discarding the pulp immediately, return it to the blender with the remaining two cups of water. This second blending extracts more flavor from the seeds. Strain it into the same bowl, gently squeezing the cloth to collect the liquid.
The final measurement matters more than the amount you initially pour into the blender. Some water stays in the strained pulp, so let the foam settle and check the collected drink in a measuring pitcher. Add only enough water to bring it to four cups. Too much extra water weakens the sesame flavor.
Sweeten, chill, and give it a stir
The recipe uses ¼ cup of sugar for the pitcher. If you prefer a less-sweet drink, start with two tablespoons, dissolve it completely, and taste before adding more. The aim is to complement the toasted sesame rather than cover it.
Allow about an hour in the refrigerator for the horchata to become thoroughly cold. Add ice to individual glasses when serving instead of leaving it to melt in the pitcher.
Some settling is normal. Give the drink a good stir before pouring so each glass has an even consistency. Keep it covered in the refrigerator and use it within two days for best quality.
For an afternoon snack, pair a glass with arepas de coco, whose gentle coconut flavor offers a different note alongside the sesame. If you’re collecting more cold treats to prepare ahead, limber de coco is another option, served frozen rather than poured.
Although this horchata contains no dairy, it does contain sesame after straining. Let anyone you serve know what it’s made with, particularly guests with food allergies.
Horchata de Ajonjolí
Equipment
- Large dry skillet
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- Large plate
- Blender
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Clean food-grade nut-milk bag or fine straining cloth
- Large bowl
- Measuring cups
- Kitchen scale
- Pitcher with volume markings and at least 1.5-liter capacity
- Four serving glasses
Ingredients
SESAME DRINK
- 1 cup raw hulled white sesame seeds approximately 140 g
- 4 cups cold drinking water approximately 950 ml, divided, plus extra as needed to adjust the final yield
- ¼ cup granulated sugar 50 g
OPTIONAL FOR SERVING
- Ice cubes as desired
Instructions
- Place the sesame seeds in a large, dry skillet over medium-low heat. Toast for approximately 4–6 minutes, stirring continuously, until fragrant and lightly golden. Remove from the heat before the seeds become dark brown.
- Immediately spread the toasted seeds on a large plate. Let cool for approximately 10 minutes. Do not leave them in the hot skillet, where they can continue browning.
- Place the cooled seeds and 2 cups of the measured cold water in the blender. Blend for 1–2 minutes, or until the seeds are finely ground and the liquid looks milky. Follow your blender’s operating limits and pause if necessary.
- Set a fine-mesh strainer lined with a clean nut-milk bag or fine straining cloth over a large bowl. Pour in the blended mixture. Let it drain, then gently squeeze the bag or cloth with clean hands to extract the liquid.
- Return the strained sesame pulp to the blender. Add the remaining 2 cups measured water and blend again for approximately 30–60 seconds.
- Strain the second mixture into the same bowl, gently squeezing to extract the liquid. Set aside the remaining solids; they are not part of the finished drink.
- Add the sugar to the strained sesame liquid. Stir until completely dissolved.
- Transfer to a measuring pitcher. Let excess foam settle briefly, then add enough cold water to bring the finished drink to exactly 4 cups. Stir thoroughly.
- Taste and adjust the sweetness if needed, adding sugar 1 teaspoon at a time and stirring until dissolved.
- Cover and refrigerate for approximately 1 hour, or until thoroughly cold.
- Stir well before serving. Divide among four glasses, approximately 1 cup per serving before ice. Add optional ice to individual glasses.
