Luscious, practically foolproof, and utterly delicious, this super easy Arroz Con Leche recipe is the perfect balance of rich and sweet. Serve warm or cold topped with strawberries in the spring or stir in plump raisins in the winter. A naturally gluten-free dessert!
Recipe first posted on March 10, 2022 and last updated with clearer instructions and a video on January 23, 2024.
If we had leftover white rice when we were kids my mom would always reheat it for breakfast with whole milk, heaping spoonfuls of sugar, and cinnamon. She called it rice cereal and I thought it was the most delicious breakfast in the whole world.
Come to find out she was basically making Arroz Con Leche and serving it for breakfast, but I didn’t know that, and I’m guessing she didn’t know that either.
My mother is a Midwestern white woman who never made a single Mexican recipe when we were kids but was thrifty and loved sugar so it made sense to reheat leftover rice with milk, sugar, and cinnamon in such a delicious way.
The technique that separates Mexican-style rice pudding from other recipes is that the rice is cooked in water first. Let’s take a closer look at why this makes a difference and how to make it!
What Is Arroz Con Leche?
Arroz Con Leche (Rice with Milk), is a comforting dessert with a creamy texture and sweet cinnamon flavor. It is loved throughout Latin America and in Mexican-American homes as well.
It’s no secret that canned milk made a significant impact on the world of Latin sweets—Tres Leches Cake anyone?
And just like Tres Leches, Arroz Con Leche recipes also have evaporated milk, condensed milk, and some have fresh whole milk as well.
This creamy, sweet and easy dessert is simple to make because like I mentioned above, recipes for Arroz Con Leche call for the rice to cook in water first, then you add the milk. This makes it almost impossible to undercook the rice or burn the milk mixture—two of the most common problems when making classic Arroz Con Leche.
Why You Must Try This Recipe
Easy, one-pot dessert. This rice pudding recipe is a perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth without a ton of clean-up. Everything gets cooked in one pot, making it a total breeze. It doesn’t even take a long time to cook.
Super creamy, ultra comforting. With a little more than 5 simple ingredients you have one of the great recipes for soothing your soul after a long day. Served warm it is a cozy recipe for winter or served cold, a chilled treat in the summer.
Ingredients for Arroz Con Leche
What’s not to love about a 5-ingredient recipe? I don’t always have sweetened condensed milk or evaporated milk on hand, but if you are someone who does, you could easily make this recipe tonight!
- Long grain rice. I prefer fragrant Jasmine rice but any long grain rice will work.
- Water
- Evaporated milk
- Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Canela (Ceylon cinnamon sticks) or a Cassia cinnamon stick. Canela is the soft, leathery cinnamon sticks you find in bulk at your local Latin grocery store. They have a soft, floral flavor and clean cinnamon aroma. If you can’t find them, use one Cassia cinnamon stick instead. These are the harder, more intense cinnamon found in the spice aisle of most grocery stores.
- Kosher salt
- Strawberries. Sliced and tossed in sugar, for serving (optional). Other topping options could be just a simple sprinkle of ground cinnamon or raisins (which I would mix in during the last few minutes of cooking so they could plump up).
How To Make This Recipe
Arroz Con Leche is so easy to make on the stove top, just be sure to stir it occasionally as it cooks so the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom and be careful about it bubbling over after you add the milks. Don’t walk away too long or you’ll have a mess on your hands.
Step One
Cook rice in water. Combine water and rice in a large pot (I use my small, 5 1/2 quart Le Creuset Dutch oven). Bring to a boil over medium heat and then lower the heat to a simmer and cook 5 minutes. Stir occasionally to dislodge any rice stuck to the bottom.
Step Two
Add milks and simmer. Add the remaining ingredients (except strawberries). Bring to a boil then turn heat to medium-low or low heat so it is at a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, until rice is tender. Start checking after 20 minutes, but it could take as long as 30 minutes.
Stir occasionally while rice cooks to make sure to get any rice stuck to the bottom. Remove from heat immediately once rice is tender. It’s okay if it looks soupy, it will thicken as it sits.
Step Three
Serve! If you’d like to serve this delicious dessert with strawberries, slice the strawberries and toss with sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve the sweet rice pudding warm, room temperature, or cold with strawberries on top. You can also simply sprinkle the top with additional cinnamon and serve.
Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 5 days. Rewarm in a large saucepan with a splash of milk.
Variations
Feel free to add your own touches. Some great options would be to add lemon zest or lime zest or orange peel or vanilla extract. You could also substitute the evaporated milk for 1 1/4 cups of whole milk or coconut milk.
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An Arroz Con Leche Recipe That’s As Simple As Can Be
One-pot, 5 ingredients, and the best part? Only 3 easy steps. What’s not to love?! Let me know when you make it by snapping a pic and tagging me on Instagram @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating) ! Also, sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!
Authentic Arroz Con Leche Recipe
Luscious, practically foolproof, and utterly delicious, this creamy Arroz Con Leche recipe is the perfect balance of rich and sweet. Serve warm or cold topped with strawberries in the spring or stir in plump raisins in the winter. Naturally gluten-free!
Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain rice (preferably Jasmine rice)
- 3 1/2 cups water
- 2 sticks canela (Ceylon cinnamon sticks) or Cassia cinnamon sticks
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Sliced strawberries tossed in sugar, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Cook rice in water. Combine rice, water, and cinnamon sticks in a large (5 quart) saucepan or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook 5 minutes. Stir occasionally to dislodge any rice stuck to the bottom.
- Add milks. Add evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and salt and bring to a boil over medium heat (be careful not to let it boil over). Turn the heat to medium-low or low so that the milk mixture is gently simmering and cook uncovered until the rice is tender. Start checking after 20 minutes but it could take as long as 30 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent rice from sticking to the bottom.
- Serve. Once rice is tender, remove immediately from the heat. It's okay if it is soupy, it will thicken as it sits. Cover and let cool 30 minutes to thicken up. Remove the cinnamon sticks and serve warm, room temperature, or cold with sliced strawberries or a dusting of ground cinnamon.
Notes
- Watch the pot: After you add the milks you want the pudding to be at a gentle simmer but not so much that it is boiling over. Stir frequently to prevent boil overs and sticking.
- Let cool: If the pudding is too thin, let cool for at least 30 minutes. It will thicken as it cools. You could also refrigerate it to make it even thicker.
- Toppings: Have fun with it! Add fresh fruit like strawberries, mango, or raspberries or dried fruit like raisins or dried apricots. You could also add toasted coconut or toasted nuts.
- Make-ahead/storage: You can make the pudding up to 5 days in advance and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave with a splash of milk or on the stove top. You could also serve it cold straigt from the refrigerator. I don't recommend freezing.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 110Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 100mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 1gSugar: 8gProtein: 4g
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Resources
My Mexico City Kitchen: Recipes and Convictions [A Cookbook] by Gabriela Camara
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