Arroz con Leche is the Spanish version of the well-known rice pudding. It’s the ultimate comfort dessert. And almost without fail, this dessert will make you feel closer to home with every spoon, especially when served warm… so simple, but so perfect!
Arroz con Leche Recipe
There are as many versions of Arroz con Leche in Latin America as there are abuelitas (grandmas). It is not rare that one family has two, or three, recipes in their repertoire. One from each grandma, plus one more from an aunt who thinks she is the cooking star of the family. The best part? None of the recipes are alike, but they are all delicious!
For example, many uses evaporated milk, some use sweetened condensed milk, and others just sugar. Some use an egg. Raisins, or coconut, are optional but common.
My take on this traditional dessert is very simple and easy to make. I use whole milk to cook the rice, not water. Sometimes, to make it even richer, I like to mix powdered milk with water. This gives me creamier milk with less water in it and works great. And I like to add gradually the milk, just like I do when cooking risotto. In my opinion, this is key to getting the rice to release its starch and create its own delicious creaminess.
Another of my secrets is that I let the rice pudding cool completely, and if it is too thick, often it is, I add heavy cream to achieve consistency my family likes.
There you go…All my Arroz con Leche secrets are revealed!
Ahhh… Arroz con Leche!! And don’t forget to add a dust of McCormick® ground cinnamon, which is 100 percent pure flavor, with no added fillers. McCormick® knows the best meals begin with the best ingredients, which is perfect to enhance the flavor of all my recipes, for that reason are a must in my kitchen!
Make-ahead Arroz con Leche
Arroz con Leche an easy dessert to make ahead. It can be served hot, warm, or well-chilled. Either way, it’s going to knock everyone’s socks off.
LOOKING FOR MORE SPANISH RECIPES? CHECK THESE OUT!
- Quick and Easy Paella
- Spanish Style Garlic Shrimp
- Easy Arroz con Leche [Recipe+Video]
- Tortilla Española
Arroz con Leche
Ingredients
- 5 cup ( 1. 2 L - 1200 ml) whole milk, warm
- 1 -2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 strips of lemon or lime zest
- ¼ cup (50 g) white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup white rice (see notes)
- 7 oz (199 g) sweetened condensed milk (half can)
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter
- Ground cinnamon to serve (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium-size saucepan, add 3 cups of milk, cinnamon sticks, lemon or lime zest, sugar, and salt; mix to combine. Bring to a boil over medium heat, uncovered. When it starts to boil, reduce the heat to low, add rice and cook for 10 - 15 more minutes or until milk is almost absorbed, stirring constantly.
- Then, add 1/2 cup of the remaining milk, keep stirring. When the milk has been absorbed, add 1/2 cup more of milk, repeat the process one more time. You'll be adding 1/2 cup at the time, waiting until it is absorbed to add the next one. With the last ½ cup of milk, add the sweetened condensed milk; mix well to combine. Cook for 2 -3 minutes, or thicken to the desired consistency. Keep in mind that as the rice cools down, it will thicken even more. Turn off the heat.
- Add butter and stir to incorporate.
- Let cool uncovered until it reaches the desired temperature. You can serve it hot, warm, or cold. It's totally up to you!
- Serve with ground cinnamon on top, if desired.
Video
LOOKING FOR MORE SPANISH RECIPES? CHECK THESE OUT!
- Quick and Easy Paella
- Spanish Style Garlic Shrimp
- Easy Arroz con Leche [Recipe+Video]
- Tortilla Española
Nutrition
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Can I use jasmine rice on the recipe? Thank you
Hello Rosana! I haven’t tried this recipe with jasmine rice but I think it could work. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
Just made this recipe and while it has great flavor, the rice did not cook through even after adding all the milk, adding water and cooking, stirring for 1.5hrs. I used long grain white rice. Will try this again but cook the rice in water first, at least partially.
Hello Yasmeen! WOW..1.5 hrs? That is very weird. I would recommend using another brand of rice. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it. ?
I wish I would’ve read this comment beforehand because I also spent a little over an hour stirring and the rice never softened. I ended up doing a new batch by boiling it in water first. Definitely would be good if the recipe specified exactly what brand/style rice was used because otherwise the taste is divine! I used Canilla long grain rice and it just doesn’t seem to work for this recipe.
Hello Leyka! I usually use Uncle Ben’s rice and never had a problem. Next time make sure you are using the right quality of milk and simmer it in low heat. I am glad you liked the taste. Thanks so much for your feedback and for trying my recipe.
Hi what happen if I don’t have the lime can I put something else.
Hello Daylen! You can use orange or just skip it. It will be delicious anyway. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it. ?
What can I do if the rice isn’t getting soft?
Hello Denise! This recipe requires time, the rice should be cooked slowly. You have to keep adding the milk, as mentioned in the recipe, little by little until the rice is soft and tender. Hope this help. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it. ?
Sorry i meant 1% milk
Would it be ok if i use 2% milk instead of whole milk?
Hello Gabriella! Yes, 2% would be okay. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it. ?
Hi I have not tried this yet but I would like to know what to add more of if i were to add less milk?
Hello Gabriela! I highly recommend using the same proportions. I haven’t tested this recipe using less milk. Thanks for your interest in my recipe.
Hey i havent tried this yet bi would like to know what to add more of if I wee to use less milk?
Hi again, I had a question, do you know how many vitamins are in this arroz con leche?
Hello Anjalee`! You can find some nutritional information in the nutrition label in the recipe card. However, I am not a nutritional expert so the nutrition facts provided are estimates.
I had a question, do you know how many vitamins are in this arroz con leche
Hi, thank you so much for this! I have to make this for a Spanish project for school, and this is the only site that really helped me! so thank you for this!!
Hello Anjalee`! I am so happy you find my site helpful. Thanks so much for stopping by ?
Where did you get the mugs?
Hello Danielle! I bought these mugs long time ago at World Market. They don’t carry them anymore, but I found similar ones on Amazon (https://amzn.to/2Hc1BkM). Thanks for stopping by ?.
Hola Oriana, espero te encuentres bien.
Es Gabriela desde Eslovenia, queria compartir contigo que el Sabado pasado asisti a un Evento de la Fundación donde soy voluntaria y nos dedicamos a ayudar a los Refugiados.
Hicimos un intercambio cultural preparando comida de distintos paises y por supuesto yo prepare Arepas con Carne Mechada y Perico, y como Postre prepare Tu Receta de Arroz con Leche…TODO el mundo quedo encantado y hasta tuve que traducir tu receta al idioma Esloveno para compartirla con los Miembros de la Fundaciòn y los asistentes jajajaja.
Nuevamente te agradezco tus aportes y la forma de compartir tus deliciosas recetas…tratare de ubicar una fotico para enviartela.
Un Gran Abrazo
Hola Gabriela! Todos eso que preparaste suena delicioso ?. Me alegra mucho que les haya gustado el arroz con lecha, la verdad que queda muy rico, yo lo hago por lo menos una vez al mes porque a mi familia le encanta. Ojala consigas una foto para compartir. En mi bucket list esta ir a conocer Slovenia, dicen que es muy lindo, asi que espero que algun dia nos podamos tomar un cafe juntas por alla. Saludos y abrazos! ?
Hello! This recipie looks great and I am planning on using it for a school spanish project, but I am a little confused about one part. After adding each 1/2 cup of milk do I wait for that to absorb before adding the next one? Thank you!
Hello Molly! Yes, you have to wait until the milk is absorbed to add the next 1/2 cup. It’s almost like making risotto. Let me know if you have any other question. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. ?
Can you skip the butter? What does the butter do in the recipe?
Hello Maricar! The butter adds silkiness and makes the arroz con leche richer in flavor. Yes, you can skip the butter if you don’t want to use it. Thanks for your interest in my recipe ?
I made this today. Since it is made like a risotto, I used aborrio rice, which is short grained and starchy. Turned out perfectly! So delicious! I cannot imagine making this without the sweetened condensed milk. I think the sugar can be omitted. Great recipe!
Hi Jeannie!! Thank you so much for trying my recipe. I’m SO GLAD you enjoyed it!!
What kind of cream do you use to make it not so thick?
Hello Amanda! I don’t use any cream, just plain whole milk. The trick is adding the milk little by little and stirring constantly to let the rice release the starch. Make sure to check out the video I just added to the recipe to see how easy is to make. Thanks for stopping by.
Could I leave out the sugar and instead use the whole can of condensed milk?
Hello Bella! Yes, you can. Thanks for trying my recipe.
Hello, I’m considering making this for my boyfriends family on thanksgiving. Do you taste the lemon zest and is it necessary? If not then why do you add it? I’m just curious.
Also, do you think this would be okay with Almond milk instead of whole milk?
Thank you.
Hello Rosie! Yes, you can use almond milk and leave out the lemon zest. I use it to add one more layer of flavor but it’s not indispensable.
I have left over cooked rice from last night. Can I use the left over rice and just follow the same steps?
Hello Gissele, I haven’t tried to make arroz con leche with cooked rice, and honesly I don’t think the result will be the same. What gives the arroz con leche its creaminess is the starch released from rice when cooked slowly, it’s almost like risotto. Having said that, you can try cooked rice for quick version. It might not be so creamy, but still delish. Please let me know how it turns out.
Is it okay just to use ground cinnamon instead of the cinnamon sticks?.
Hello Linda! Yes, it’s ok. 1 stick = 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Hope it helps. Thanks for stopping by.
Do we boil the ground cinnamon with water and rice… I dont have any cinnamon sticks with me
Hi Kary! It’s not water, it’s milk. I don’t recommend doing that. I think it would be better to sprinkle the ground cinnamon after the Arroz con leche is ready. Thanks for your interest in my recipe.
Have you ever made it with brown rice (arroz integral)?
Hola!
Por favor, me puede explicar cuándo dejar el arroz que se enfríe? It sounds like after this, I would need to reheat for serving?
Gracias!
Hello Gretchen! It would depends on how you like it. Let it cool until it reaches the desired temperature. If you have any leftovers you can reheat in the microwave, if you like. Thanks for stopping by =)
Is the condensed milk a must ?
Hello Juanita! If you don’t want to use condensed milk you can skip it, just add a little more sugar to your liking. Thanks for stopping by.
Yummm! This sounds amazing! I’m British and our version of rice pudding is very similar! Very comforting 😀
Hello Amanda!! This arroz con leche is truly amazing. I need to try your British version soon. Thanks for stopping by ????
Uummm!! Que ricura, este es uno de mis postres preferidos. Voy a prepararlo con tu receta y te cuento como me quedo! Saludos!
Mayito, este arroz con leche queda muy cremoso!! Espero que lo hagas pronto. Gracias por tu visita …un beso ????