This Venezuelan Chicha is creamy, smooth, and super decadent! This refreshing drink is easy-to-make with simple ingredients and will be enjoyed by everyone. The recipe includes step-by-step photos and lots of tips.

two glasses filled with Venezuelan chicha and sprinkled with cinnamon.

Homemade Venezuelan Chicha Recipe

Please…meet my Homemade Easy Venezuelan Chicha recipe! My family is such a fondness for chicha. We just love the creamy, cool, and comforting feeling we get when we drink a chicha.

Chicha is a very popular drink in Latin America. Each country has its own version. Peru has Chicha Morada, which is made from corn. Colombia has Chicha de Maíz, which is a fermented drink traditionally made with corn and pineapple, sweetened with panela (also known as piloncillo).

Venezuelan Chicha is made with white rice, spices, and three different kinds of milk. It tastes like blended rice pudding on steroids. Soooo simple but soooo good!

Easy Traditional Venezuelan Chicha Recipe Highlights

  • It is creamy, smooth, and super decadent!
  • Uber refreshing, which is perfect for warm sunny days.
  • Super easy-to-make.
  • Simple ingredients you’ve probably already got. 

If you are looking for more Venezuelan recipes, check out my delicious Easy Venezuelan Tequeños Recipe, How to Make Venezuelan Arepas, and many more, including Venezuelan desserts.

two glasses filled with Venezuelan chicha and sprinkled with cinnamon over a wooden table.

Venezuelan Chicha Ingredients

Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).

You’ll need: 

  • Rice: We’re using uncooked white rice for this chicha recipe.  Any short-grain or long-grain white rice will do.
  • Spices: Cinnamon sticks will give the chicha added taste. Some people also like to add a pinch of nutmeg and/or cloves, but I don’t.
  • Water: Used to help soak the rice and then cook it.
  • Salt: A pinch of salt will enhance the flavor. I prefer kosher or sea salt. If you only have table salt handy, I recommend reducing the amount to half. 
  • Milk: I like to use whole milk. However, you can use any milk you have handy, but whole milk will give you a creamier consistency.
  • Evaporated milk: You don’t have evaporated milk? No problem!! Check out my post about How to Make Evaporated Milk at home. 
  • Condensed milk: This ingredient will sweeten the chicha and enhance the consistency.
  • Vanilla Extract: For optimal flavor, reach for pure vanilla instead of imitation. Even better, try homemade vanilla extract!
  • Ice and ground cinnamon to serve
Ingredients needed to make Venezuelan chicha over a beige surface with tag names.

How To Make Venezuelan Chicha Step by Step

Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).

1 – Soak the rice

Place rice, cinnamon sticks, and 1 cup of water in a bowl; mix to combine. Let the rice soak for at least an hour up to overnight.

rice, water and two cinnamon sticks in a bowl.

2 – Cook

Transfer the soaked rice to a medium saucepan or pot. Add 4 cups of water and a tsp of salt; mix to combine. Bring to a boil and cook over medium-low heat for 30-35 minutes, or until the rice is super tender and mushy. Let the cooked rice cool.

3 – Blend

Once the rice has cooled, place it in a blender. Add whole milk, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla essence; blend until smooth. Note: You can add more milk if the chicha is too thick for your liking.

4 – Refrigerate

Transfer the mixture to a jar and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Extra Tips

Don’t skimp on the soaking time. This is how you get the most flavor-infused and creamy chicha.

Adjust the thickness of your chicha. You can add more or less milk to adjust the thickness of the chicha to your liking.

Double or triple the recipe for a larger crowd. This recipe makes enough to serve 8 people. If you’re throwing a party, you may want to make more. Trust me, it’ll be gone quickly! 

Serving Suggestions

Serve Venezuelan Chicha over ice and sprinkle with ground cinnamon. If you want to make it super decadent, drizzle some more sweetened condensed milk or dulce de leche on top.

Pro Tip: Spike it with booze! You can add a splash of rum. To really maximize this experience, top it off with some ground cinnamon.

venezuelan chicha being poured over a glass with ice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Venezuelan Chicha? 

Venezuelan Chicha is a drink made by soaking, cooking, blending rice, and adding different kinds of milk. There are different variations of the chicha throughout Latin American countries – some are made with just water and raw rice, or corn and fermented pineapple, or nuts.

What is Venezuelan Chicha made of?

Venezuelan Chicha is made with white rice, spices, and three different kinds of milk.

How do you make Venezuelan chicha?

Venezuelan Chicha is a drink made by soaking, cooking, blending rice, and then adding different kinds of milk.

What type of rice is best for making this chicha recipe?

Any short-grain or long-grain white rice will do.

Can I substitute the evaporated milk for more regular milk?

If you don’t have evaporated milk, you can make your own. Check out how to make evaporated milk at home. This recipe to make your own evaporated milk will work well also with soy, rice, oat, or almond milk instead. If evaporated milk is not available and making your own is not an option, you can use regular milk, but keep in mind that the consistency and flavor will change.

How do I serve Venezuelan Chicha?

Serve Venezuelan Chicha over ice and sprinkled with ground cinnamon on top.  If you want to make it super decadent drizzle some more sweetened condensed milk on top.

Can I make this recipe in advance?

Absolutely! Keep it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

What does Venezuelan Chicha taste like?

It tastes like blended rice pudding on steroids.

Storing Instructions

Venezuelan Chicha will keep fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days.

one glass with Venezuelan chicha, ice and cinnamon.

More Venezuelan Drink Recipes You’ll Love!

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Recipe Card 📖

two glasses filled with Venezuelan chicha and sprinkled with cinnamon.

Easy Venezuelan Chicha Recipe

Oriana Romero
This Venezuelan Chicha is creamy, smooth, and super decadent! This refreshing and super easy to make drink will be enjoyed by everyone.
4.32 from 16 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Soaking time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Equipment

Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup (215 gr) white rice
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 5 cups (1.2 l) water, divided
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
  • 12 oz (354 ml) evaporated milk
  • 14 oz (397 g) sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
  • Ice and ground cinnamon to serve

Important

Don’t forget to check out the step-by-step photos above in the post—they’ll guide you through the process and make everything super clear!

Instructions
 

  • Place rice, cinnamon sticks, and 1 cup of water in a bowl; mix to combine. Let the rice soak for at least an hour up to overnight (best).
  • Transfer soaked rice (no need to drain) to a medium saucepan or pot. Add 4 cups of water and salt; mix to combine. Cook over medium-low heat for 30-35 minutes, or until the rice is super tender and mushy. Let the cooked rice cool.
  • Once the rice has cooled, remove the cinnamon sticks. Place rice in a blender. Add whole milk, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract; blend until smooth.
    Note: You can add more milk if the chicha is too thick for your liking.
  • Transfer to a jar and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  • Serve with ice if desired, garnish each serving with ground cinnamon or cinnamon sticks.
Oriana’s Notes
 
Store: Venezuelan Chicha will keep fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days.
 
Extra Tips:
  • Don’t skimp on the soaking time. This is how you get the most flavor-infused and creamy chicha.
  • Adjust the thickness of your chicha. You can add more or less milk to adjust the thickness of the chicha to your liking.
  • Double or triple the recipe for a larger crowd. This recipe makes enough to serve 8 people. If you’re throwing a party, you may want to make more. Trust me, it’ll be gone quickly! 
 
 
I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!Recipe reviews on the website are extremely valuable to other readers online. So, please don’t forget to give it a 5-star rating below.

Nutrition

Calories: 325kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 9gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gSugar: 33g

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

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Course Dessert
Cuisine Venezuelan
Calories 325
Keyword chicha drink venezuela venezuelan

Originally posted in July 2020, the post content was edited to add more helpful information, with no change to the recipe in May 2022.  

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4.32 from 16 votes (11 ratings without comment)

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26 Comments

    1. No need to drain the rice after it’s cooked, Linda! 😊 You’ll want to keep the liquid, as it helps with the blending process and adds to the overall texture and flavor. Let me know how it turns out! 😋🍚

    1. Hello Eduardo! Thank you so much for your kind words! 😊 I’m so glad you found the recipe detailed and organized—that’s exactly what I aim for! I really appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback.

  1. I have not made your version yet. I lived in Venezuela a LONG time ago, and there was a chicha stand on every corner. When I came home, I had to figure out how to make it — there was no internet back then. Turns out what I taught myself and your recipe have only two changes: I blend the dry rice first to help make it smooth after cooking, and I use half-n-half instead of evaporated milk. (I’ve never liked the canned taste of evaporated). What I like about your recipe is there are actually measurements, something I only had through trial-and-error. Thank you!

    (My granddaughter and I are making a Venezuelan “tasting menu” next week. This and casillo are on the menu for sweets.)

    1. Hello Laurie! That sounds like such a fun project! It’s amazing how you taught yourself to make chicha, and your version with blended dry rice and half-n-half sounds delicious. I’m glad my recipe with measurements can be helpful for you! Your Venezuelan “tasting menu” sounds like a fantastic idea, and having chicha and quesillo for sweets will surely make it special. Enjoy the cooking and tasting with your granddaughter! If you ever need more recipes or tips, feel free to reach out.

    1. Hello Sabrina! No, you don’t need to put the lid on, just make sure you cook it until the rice is super tender and mushy so the chicha is smooth. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)

  2. Hi what can I do to fix my chicha if it’s still a little grainy? I tried straining and blending it but still has bits of rice I can feel

    1. Hello Roxy! It sounds like you did not cook the rice long enough. You must cook it until it’s super tender and mushy to avoid this issue. I hope you give it a try again soon. xo

  3. 3 stars
    It made a huge amount. 3 quarts in total. For me, I would cut the salt down a lot. 1/4 tsp at most. The vanilla is probably double similar recipes. I had high hopes this drink would replace egg nog for me but sadly it will not. I will play with crushed ice and extra sweetened condensed milk in each cup. I probably have 24 servings though, after thinning to barely a liquid

  4. I had this in a Venezuelan restaurant in Madeira recently and absolutely loved it. The question I have is do you use all 5 cups of water in the cooking process or do you drain the cup of water the rice is soaked in? My guess would be to use it but 5 cups of water to 1 of rice plus milk seems a lot and it would end up too thin.

    1. Hello Paul! You do not need to strain it; just soak the rice and then transfer it to a pot and add the remaining 4 cups of water. Most of the water will be absorbed by the rice during the cooking process, so it won’t be too thin. The whole point is to cook the rice until it’s super tender and mushy. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)

  5. Do you blend the cinnamon sticks or remove them before blending? Also before cooking do we drain the first cup of water before adding the 4 or keep it in?

    Thanks!

    1. Hello Victoria! You have to remove the cinnamon sticks before blending. No need to drain the rice. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)

  6. 3 stars
    The Chicha was a big hit, We only ran into two problems while we work cooking this in the classroom.. 1) The recipe does not say to remove the cinnamon sticks and when. We had to use our best judgement on this one. 2) there was way too much liquid involved in this recipe for it all to fit into a standard sized blender. We ended up doing it in batches and then stirring together in a larger pitcher.

  7. 5 stars
    Hello Oriana. Thank you very much! I prepared the Chicha and it was delicious, just as it is in texture and flavor, it was a success! I did not use evaporated milk because I did not have it, I replaced it with a little more milk. I did double amount. Store the remaining cooked rice in the fridge, and after two days prepare the chicha, it tasted much better. Highly recommend this recipe. It brought back so many memories.

    1. Hello Yolimar! I’m delighted to hear you enjoyed it so much. This is my husband favorite drink, he could drink the whole thing all by himself. Thanks so much for trying my recipe and for taking the time to come back and let me know!