Try this dairy-free agua de mazapán for a sweet, refreshing, and peanut-infused agua fresca. Featuring one of the most iconic candies in Mexico, it's a drink you need to try at least once.
Serve it alongside your favorite spicy meals or as an afternoon treat!
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📖 About
Aguas frescas have been made famous by Mexico, and there are now countless preparations and variations. The flavor we'll be sharing today is not only delicious, but it's also extremely quick and easy to make!
What is agua de mazapán?
Mazapán candy is Mexico's answer to traditional almond-based marzipan, and it's made from a simple mix of peanuts and powdered sugar.
The most well-known brand to make this famous treat is de la Rosa. Their bright yellow box with a red rose on the front is unmistakable and synonymous with mazapán candy.
Of course, agua de mazapán turns this famous peanut treat into a refreshing drink. It was only a matter of time before someone came up with this brilliant idea.
A typical recipe usually contains some combination of mazapán candy, various types of milk (condensed, whole, evaporated), vanilla, and water. It's served over ice for an incredibly creamy and cool treat.
Is agua de mazapán vegan?
We haven't come across any dairy-free agua de mazapán recipes yet, so we decided to swap out the typical milk varieties with almond milk! It's lighter, healthier, and 100% plant-based.
You can use your favorite plant milk in place of almond, but we found the consistency to be the best for an extra refreshing mazapán drink.
History
It is thought that during the Aztec period, voyagers traveling to and from Tenochtitlan would collect fresh fruits and mix them with water. These were the first healthy, nutritious, and hydrating forms of aguas frescas.
In modern-day Mexico, you can find these drinks made with grains (such as horchata), flowers (like agua de jamaica), or fruit (agua de melón).
You can also find creamy versions of aguas frescas called "cremositas." That's what we'll be making today with this mazapán recipe.
Serving
Serve your mazapán agua fresca chilled or over ice for the most refreshing experience.
If you're feeling hungry, try pairing this drink with some delicious Mexican desserts like:
Whatever your dessert preference is, rest assured this recipe is both vegan and gluten-free!
🍲 Key ingredients
For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.
Mazapán
Taste: all the sweet, creamy, and peanut-infused flavors of Mexican mazapán make this agua fresca recipe irresistibly good. It provides a silky smooth texture and the perfect touch of sweetness. If you've never tried mazapán, you've been missing out!
Health: although we're aware this sugary treat isn't a healthy food, we thought it would be a great time to share an interesting fact about peanuts. Consuming unsaturated fats (like the ones found in peanuts) has shown a positive correlation in reducing your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Almond milk
Taste: giving the "cremosita" factor in this agua de mazapán recipe is none other than light, nutty, and slightly sweet almond milk. Because of its thinner consistency, almond milk won't make you feel weighed down. But, feel free to try other plant milk varieties if you prefer!
Health: almond milk is low both low in sugar and calories and high in vitamin E and calcium. Since a large majority of the human population suffers from lactose intolerance, give your tummy a break by switching to plant-based milk alternatives.
Vanilla
Taste: vanilla provides a subtle elevation of flavor that is crucial in bringing everything else together. In this agua fresca, it's only fitting to use Mexican vanilla (of course) for the deep, creamy, and spiced elements it brings to the table.
Health: vanillin, the plant compound found in vanilla, carries many health benefits like antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. Pretty impressive!
🔪 Instructions
If you have questions about this agua de mazapán recipe, don't forget to check out our FAQ section at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: add the mazapanes, almond milk, water, and vanilla to a blender. Mix on high until no clumps remain, about 30-60 seconds.
Step 2: transfer your drink to a large pitcher or jar. Let the mixture chill in your fridge for an hour or two, or serve it immediately over ice. Happy drinking!
🌡️ Storage
It's never a bad idea to keep a pitcher of agua de mazapán in your fridge — especially in the summertime. Here are the best ways to store it.
Fridge
This mazapán drink should last in the fridge for about 3-4 days. It's always better to store aguas frescas in glass mason jars or pitchers so the flavors stay fresh for longer.
Freezer
If you can't finish the whole recipe in time, keep it in your freezer for up to 6 months.
💭 Pro tips
We'd like to share some tips and tricks we learned while experimenting with this dairy-free agua de mazapán recipe:
- Skip the milk. If you want to cut the cost of the recipe or aren't a fan of plant milk, just use water. It's still delicious!
- Adjust the sweetness. If you prefer a sweeter agua de mazapán, add one de la Rosa at a time. Alternatively, take a few out if you think the recipe is too sweet.
- Rim the glass. If you're feeling fancy, try rimming the glass with agave syrup and crumbled mazapán.
- Switch up the milk. Other plant milk varieties like rice, oat, or cashew all make good alternatives to almond milk.
- Make your own mazapán candy. If you'd like to make everything from scratch, try a homemade mazapán recipe instead of store-bought.
🍴 Tasting notes
We're quite confident you're going to love this dairy-free agua de mazapán as much as we do. It's:
- Creamy
- Sweet
- Light
- Refreshing
- Peanut-infused
If you try this agua de mazapán recipe, please rate it and leave us a comment below! Want to stay up-to-date with new recipes? Subscribe to our newsletter or connect with Broke Bank Vegan on social media. Happy eating!
📋 Recipe
Agua de Mazapán
Equipment
- Blender
- Pitcher or jar
- Glasses
Ingredients
- 6 mazapanes* ($1.06)
- 2 cups plain almond milk ($1.84)
- 1 cup water ($0.01)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ($0.11)
- Ice to serve
Instructions
- Add the mazapanes, almond milk, water, and vanilla to a blender. Mix on high until no clumps remain, about 30-60 seconds.
- Transfer to a large pitcher or jar. Let the mixture chill in your fridge for an hour or two, or serve it immediately over ice. Happy drinking!
Video
Notes
- You can purchase De la Rosa mazapanes or make your own.
- Optional ingredients are not reflected in the price or calories of our recipes.
- We calculate nutritional information for our recipes with Cronometer.
- Recipe cost calculations are based on ingredients local to us and may vary from recipe-to-recipe.
- All prices are in USD.
Nutrition
♻️ Similar recipes
For more delicious dairy-free drinks, check out our:
- Horchata for another creamy agua fresca made from a base of rice and cinnamon.
- Pitahaya agua fresca to try a tropical drink packed with flavor and health benefits!
- Agua de guayaba for a fresh, sweet, and creamy recipe made from ripe guavas, water, and a touch of sweetener.
- Agua de tamarindo for a more tangy and uniquely flavored agua fresca made from tamarind pods.
💬 FAQ
If you're looking to purchase mazapán candies from the de la Rosa brand, they're available on Amazon. Otherwise, they will most likely be available at any Mexican/Latin American grocery store.
Similar to marzipan made from a base of almonds and sugar, mazapán candy in Mexico is made from ground peanuts and powdered sugar pressed together (usually in a disc shape).
Yes, mazapán is vegan since it's only made with sugar and peanuts. If you are worried about the sugar being non-vegan, you can make your own mazapán candy with organic powdered sugar.
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