Arroz con Leche Mexicano is a rich, creamy, and traditional Mexican rice pudding made with long-grain rice, milk, cinnamon, and piloncillo. It is such a comforting, decadent recipe that's perfect for dessert or as a snack.
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My mom was not a sweets person. She usually preferred salty or savory dishes and snacks. However, there were a few desserts she'd make exceptions for, one of those was arroz con leche.
In honor of my mom and her love for this dessert, today I am sharing her recipe for Mexican arroz con leche. The recipe for this creamy and decadent dessert is near and dear to my heart and I am sure you too will love it.
Click here to read more about my mom and why this blog is dedicated to her.
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What is Arroz con Leche?
Arroz con leche, literally meaning rice with milk, is a sweet, creamy rice pudding made of rice, milk and other ingredients.
Rice pudding recipes are popular all over the world, including Spain and many Latin American countries. The origin of this dessert is traced back to the Muslim culture. It is believed to have been taken back to Spain during the Muslim occupation of the Iberian Peninsula.
The Spanish then brought the dessert to the Americas, where it eventually made its way throughout Latin America, taking on different variations.
While the ingredients and preparations may vary, most recipes for arroz con leche involve rice cooked in milk and sweetened with some type of sugar.
Click here to learn more about the history of arroz con leche.
Why You'll Love This Arroz con Leche Recipe
- Creamy and Rich: The use of whole milk and evaporated milk results in a deliciously creamy and rich consistency.
- Easy to Make: This mouth-watering dessert easily comes together in one pot with 6 simple ingredients that you may have in your kitchen already.
- Comfort Food: Warming, nostalgic flavors of childhood are wrapped up in this tasty treat.
- Enjoy as a Snack or Dessert: Yes this is technically a dessert, but it is actually quite filling and satisfying so it makes a great snack too. Some people even enjoy it for breakfast.
- Great Hot or Cold: Enjoy it warm on a cold, winter day or cold, right out of the fridge on hot, summer days.
- Traditional Recipe: This dessert has become a staple in Mexican cuisine. It is served on special occasions and especially during the holidays.
For another delicious rice pudding recipe, check out Pumpkin Arroz con Leche.
The Ingredients
- Long-Grain Rice: My top recommendation is long-grain white rice. This is the rice my mom and I always use in this recipe. It has a mild taste so it won't overpower the rest of the ingredients and lends itself beautifully to the sweetness. It also will keep its shape and won't turn into mush when being stirred.
- Milk (Whole or 2%): You can use either whole milk or 2% but whole milk will definitely yield a much creamier, richer result.
- Evaporated Milk: Use either store-bought or you can make your own.
- Sugar or Piloncillo: I grew up eating arroz con leche sweetened with regular granulated sugar. This is the easiest way to prepare it and also will leave your pudding with a soft white color. However, I have recently started using piloncillo (unrefined whole cane sugar) and I love the flavor it provides. The completed pudding ends up with a slight caramel-like flavor and a light-tan color (as you will see in the photos). Either sweetener works great so just use the one you prefer.
- Mexican Cinnamon: Ceylon cinnamon, comes from Sri Lanka, and is at times referred to as Mexican cinnamon, or canela in Spanish. Click here to buy online.
- Water
How to Make Arroz con Leche
1. Boil Water
- To begin, add 3 cups of water to a medium pot. Bring to a boil.
- Add 2 medium pieces of cinnamon or one large piece and boil for 5 minutes.
- After the 5 minutes, add one cup of white long-grain rice. Lower the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Cook the Rice
- Add 1 ½ cups of milk, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and 6 tablespoons of sugar (or 4 small piloncillo cones or 1 medium cone).
- Stir and simmer until the rice is soft, about 20-25 more minutes.
- If you are using piloncillo, you will need to stir every 5 minutes or so to help the piloncillo dissolve completely.
3. Add Evaporated Milk
- Mix in one can of evaporated milk and simmer for 3 minutes. A film of milk will form on the top, just stir and it will dissolve into the pudding.
4. Adjust Sweetener
- Taste for sweetness. If you would like it sweeter, add a tablespoon or two of sugar or grate some piloncillo and add it in.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Discard the cinnamon sticks.
- Serve.
How to Serve Mexican Rice Pudding
You can serve it hot in cups or bowls. You can also place it in the refrigerator for a few hours and eat it cold.
If you'd like, add a little extra whole milk when serving to make it creamier.
Storing and Reheating
Store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to 5 days.
The arroz con leche will thicken as it sits in the refrigerator, so you may want to add a little milk.
If you prefer it warm, reheat it in a small pan on low heat. Be sure to mix frequently so it doesn't stick on the bottom. You can also microwave it in a bowl or mug for 1-2 minutes.
Tips and Variations
- You can also use jasmine rice, which is another type of long-grain rice. However, this rice has its own distinct flavor which will alter the taste of the pudding.
- Some people also use short-grain rice or medium-grain rice for making rice puddings. These types of rice are much softer so they will break down and create a creamier texture. Please note that I have not tested this recipe with short or medium-grain rice so you'll have to play with the cooking time to be sure you don't end up with mush.
- Use coconut sugar to substitute the white sugar or piloncillo.
I hope you enjoy!
PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW IF YOU MAKE THIS OR TAG ME ON INSTAGRAM @EVERYDAYLATINA.
More Dessert Recipes
- Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Tres Leches Cake
- Sweetened Condensed Milk Fruit Salad
- Homemade Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk
- Strawberry-Coconut Cream Paletas
- Coconut Flour Oatmeal Cookies
Recipe
Arroz con Leche Mexicano (Mexican Rice Pudding)
Equipment
- Small pot
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 2 medium Mexican cinnamon sticks (or 1 large stick)
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 1 ½ cups milk (whole or 2%)
- 4 small piloncillo cones or 6 tablespoon granulated sugar (see notes)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 can evaporated milk
Instructions
- Add 3 cups of water to a medium pot. Bring to a boil.
- Add 2 medium pieces of cinnamon or one large piece and boil for 5 minutes.
- Add one cup of white long-grain rice. Lower the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Mix in the milk, salt, and piloncillo (or sugar).
- Stir and simmer for about 20-25 minutes, or until the rice is soft. If you are using piloncillo, stir every 5 minutes to help the piloncillo dissolve completely.
- Mix in one can of evaporated milk and simmer for 3 minutes. Stir to dissolve any film of milk that forms on the top.
- Taste for sweetness. If you would like it sweeter, add a tablespoon or two of sugar or grate some piloncillo and add it in.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Discard the cinnamon sticks.
- Serve warm in cups or bowls or refrigerate for an hour and serve cold.
- Before serving, add more milk if you would like it creamier.
- Store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
- You can also use one medium-sized cone of piloncillo, or substitute the piloncillo with 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar.
- The arroz con leche will thicken as it sits in the refrigerator, so you may want to add a little milk.
- You can eat the arroz con leche cold right out of the refrigerator. You can also warm it up on the stove on low heat or in a bowl or mug in the microwave.
Video
Originally published December 13, 2021. Updated post November 2022.
Vicki
Where do you buy piloncillo? I was wondering if it could substituted with brown sugar since it has the brown color and more flavor? Also, can you use ground cinnamon instead of the sticks, and how much? This sounds so yummy and comforting!
Gemma
Hi Vicki, you can buy piloncillo online on Amazon, at Latin American supermarkets, and I have seen it at Walmart too. You can definitely use either brown sugar or regular sugar if that's what you have on hand. I grew up eating it with regular sugar and always loved it. I don't recommend using ground cinnamon. The first step to making this recipe is to boil water with cinnamon sticks which makes a cinnamon tea that is the basis of the flavor for this recipe. It won't be the same without this step, I recommend using Ceylon cinnamon sticks, but you can also use Cassia cinnamon sticks if that's what you can find. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Lola
Awesome recipe! Love that you use piloncillo in it for the sweetener.
Gemma
Thank you Lola! I love the flavor the piloncillo gives it and it also makes into a beautiful caramel color.
Edith
Takes me back to my childhood! Very easy to make and just the perfect treat on a cold day (I prefer eating this hot off the stove) but you can really enjoy this hot or cold all year long. I used sugar, and it was perfect.
Gemma
Hi Edith, I agree. I cannot eat this without reminiscing about my childhood. I am so glad you liked it!
Merced O Dillard
Can the sweetener in Arroz con Leche be replaced with artificial sweetener?
everydaylatina
Hi, I haven’t tried an artificial sweetener, only sugar and piloncillo. However if you like the flavor pf artificial sweetener it’ll probably work.