Arroz con Leche, or Mexican rice pudding, is a comforting and simple no-fuss Mexican dessert guaranteed to satisfy any sweet tooth! It can be served hot or cold and is made with only 6 ingredients.
Want more Mexican desserts? You’ve got to try this tres leches cake, fresas con crema, or Mexican brownies!
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What is Arroz con Leche?
Arroz con Leche, or Mexican rice pudding, will forever remind me of my family. It’s a comforting, simple, and easy dessert made from a few ingredients, including long-grain white rice, sugar, milk, and cinnamon sticks. It can be served hot or cold, and is eaten year-round!
There are many arroz con leche recipe variations out there. Some include sweetened condensed milk, others use whole milk, some use evaporated milk, and some use a combination of all three!
I like to keep things as simple and as uncomplicated as possible, and this version is just how my mom makes it. This recipe uses only 6 simple ingredients that you most likely already have in your kitchen.
Ingredients
- Milk: Whole milk is best for a creamy and thick consistency, but 2% also works.
- Sugar: I used granulated sugar, but you could also use dark brown sugar to add a subtle caramel flavor.
- Rice: Long-grain white rice is best. Varieties like jasmine and basmati also work.
- Cinnamon: You’ll need 2 cinnamon sticks. Either ceylon or cassia variety work great.
- Salt: A pinch of salt adds balance to all the sweetness in this recipe.
How to Make Arroz con Leche
- Cook the rice: In a large pot or Dutch oven, mix together the water, rice, cinnamon sticks, and salt. Bring it to a boil, reduce to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
- Add milk and sugar: Stir in the milk and sugar and bring to a boil again. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring often, until the arroz con leche has thickened.
- Serve: Serve in bowls with desired toppings or refrigerate for 2 hours and serve cold.
Tips
- Stir the mixture often to ensure that the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot and the milk doesn’t burn.
- If the arroz con leche thickens too much, stir in a splash of milk or water until the pudding reaches your desired consistency.
- Use long-grain white rice for the best results. Jasmine and basmati rice also work great.
Variations
Add mix-ins like raisins or other dried fruits. I recommend adding it when you add in the milk. This gets the fruit to plump up in the pudding, and adds a great texture to each bite!
Use sweetened condensed milk instead of granulated sugar. This is a popular variation that makes the pudding decadent, extra creamy, and sweet. To make this variation, omit the sugar and add 1 (14-ounce) can of sweetened condensed milk.
Topping Suggestions
Once your arroz con leche is ready to eat, here are a few great options for what to top it with:
- Chopped pecans, walnuts, or sliced almonds
- A dusting of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, or pumpkin pie spice
- Brown sugar or shredded coconut
- A drizzle of honey, cajeta, or dulce de leche
Recommended Tools
Dutch oven. This heavy-bottomed pot is perfect for soups, stews, braising, and rice pudding!
Silicone spoons and ladle. These heat-resistant stirring spoons are a staple in my kitchen.
Storage
Storing and Freezing: Arroz con leche can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 days. You can also freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Just be aware that the texture may change slightly when reheated.
Reheating: It is best reheated in a pot on the stove, or in a bowl in the microwave. You should add a splash of milk or water as it may have thickened a bit too much in the fridge.
More Recipes
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups water
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 cups milk
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- Optional toppings: ground cinnamon, chopped nuts, raisins
Instructions
- Combine the water, rice, cinnamon sticks, and salt in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
- Stir in the milk and sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring often until thickened.
- Serve warm or refrigerate for 2 hours and serve cold.
- Garnish with ground cinnamon, chopped nuts, or raisins if desired.
Video
Isabel’s Tips:
- Milk: Whole or 2% milk is recommended. I don’t recommend using skim/nonfat milk. This recipe has not been tested using a milk alternative like almond, soy, oat, or cashew milk, though I’m sure it would work!
- Mix-ins: If you’d like to add in a mix-in like raisins or other dried fruit, I recommend adding it when you add in the milk.
- Storage + Freezing: It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-6 days. You can also freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Just be aware that the texture may change slightly when reheated.
- Reheating: It is best reheated in a pot on the stove or in a bowl in the microwave. You may need to add a splash of milk or water since it will have thickened in the fridge.
Nutrition Information
This came out wonderful! I used a coconut milk that was very fattening. I also used a tsp of ground cinnamon to replace the 2 cinnamon sticks because I didn’t have any. To make it sugar free, I used monkfruit sweenter. And I also added tsp of vanilla. Yum!
I loved your recipe! I was looking for something similar to the arroz con leche my dad used to make me and this was it! Super simple and delicious.
absolutely the best! God bless you for sharing this recipe and for your vocation. Isabel eats is the best!
I’ve tried many other recipes for arroz con leche which called for sweet condensed and evaporated milk. Way too sweet for my liking. But I came across your recipe and tried it. Oh my goodness it was delicious!!! Just as how I remember as a kid. Thank you for sharing. I will definitely use your recipe more often. 😊
Thank you so much, Josie!
Excellent texture and exceedingly delicious.
We will definitely make this again and again . Thanks for sharing !
Best rice pudding I’ve ever made and so easy !!! Made exactly as you listed, perfect. My guests will love it. This is the first time I’ve ever left a comment on a recipe, well deserved
This is the 12th recipe that i have gotten from you. I have not actually made this yet, but if its anything like the 11 other recipes that i have used from you, i have no doubt that it will be AMAZING! I absolutely love your recipes. The ingredients are easily accessible and a they taste authentic. I am far from being a chef, but everytime someone has eaten any dish that i have cooked and used your recipe, they think i am a chef! Thank you!
Thank you so much! We’re glad you enjoy these recipes 🙂
How many calories per serving?
Hi Mari! There are 242 calories per serving.
Thank you 👍
A bit too sweet for me…I would reduce sugar to half and taste.
I have tried so many rice pudding recipes and they didn’t turn out. They had expensive ingredients and they were wasted. This is perfect the only change I made was I used powdered cinnamon and it was still perfect. This is a keeper!
Hi Melissa! Thank you so much, this is definitely one of our favorite recipes!
How can I substitute the sugar in Arroz con Leche recipe?
Thanks,
Sofia.
Hi Sofia! You can substitute stevia or a sugar substitute of your choice in step 3. You can also use honey or agave syrup in step 3 until its sweet to your liking.
❤️❤️❤️
Love!!!
Thank you for sharing! 🥰
This is an excellent recipe. We use Soy, (no sugar) only because it is not milk – as milk would make the recipe heavier, but more importantly, because it makes the recipe creamier. The only thing I had to add, as we live in Mexico, is Mexican vanilla, at the last stage when cooling on the stove and then I add the pass or raisins. Thank you! Maria
Great recipe! I am Turkish and we also have this dessert and we call it “food with rice”. I was looking for a Mexican twist because the Turkish one has much less rice and I love rice.
I also put half a cup sugar instead of one whole cup and the dessert turned out to be exactly how sweet I wanted it to be.
Hi Nihan! That’s so interesting! Thanks for sharing, we’re glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Awesome recipe nice, simple and delicious
My husband and niece absolutely love this. Even tastier with raisens. I DO you non-fat milk and it is perfect. If you want it a little thicker just add a small amount more rice like 1T or less. I can’t digest milk fat so I always try to find something that work without whole milk and this is a winner.
If you want to add vanilla, because I only had one cinnamon stick, how much?
Hello I tried this recipe last night and I must say it was simple, fun, and easy! It came out great. Reminds me of how my mom used to make it. I tweaked it a little bit by using 3 cups of water instead of 2 1/2 because the rice needed to be cooked longer and I only used 3 cups of milk instead of 4. Other than that, it is delicious and I will be making it more often especially during these cold days down here in South Texas, Harlingen, Texas to be exact! Provecho & keep those recipes coming Isabel! XXX’s & OOO’s
Hello! Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Hello I tried this recipe last night and I must say it was simple, fun, and easy! It came out great. Reminds me of how my mom used to make it. I tweaked it a little bit by using 3 cups of water instead of 2 1/2 because the rice needed to be cooked longer and I only used 3 cups of milk instead of 4. Other than that, it is delicious and I will be making it more often especially during these cold days down here in South Texas, Harlingen, Texas to be exact! Provecho & keep those recipes coming Isabel! XXX’s & OOO’s
Fellow person from the RGV, I’m so excited to make this recipe. I’m glad to know someone else from the valley is trying this recipe and has received the gold star from a neighbor!