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Arroz con Leche (Mexican Rice Pudding)

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Arroz con Leche is a rich, creamy, and traditional Mexican rice pudding made with milk, cinnamon, and piloncillo.

Two cups of arroz con Leche

Arroz con Leche (Mexican Rice Pudding)

Rice pudding recipes are popular all over the world. Their ingredients and preparations vary but most of them are a thick rice dessert cooked in milk and sweetened with some type of sugar.

Today’s post is for the recipe I grew up eating and is near and dear to my heart. Arroz con leche, literally meaning rice with milk, is a Mexican rice pudding made with whole milk, evaporated milk, and cinnamon. It is creamy, sweet, and the perfect dessert or snack.

About My Mom’s Arroz con Leche

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.

My mom loved making and eating arroz con leche. Her favorite way to eat it was chilled with a little extra whole milk to make it nice and creamy.

I too love this recipe and it was always a treat when my mom would make it. Nowadays, I love making it for my kids and husband who also enjoy it.

In honor of my mom and her love for this dessert, today I am sharing her exact recipe. There’s no modifications or changes, this is exactly the way she taught me how to make it.

In the future I’ll be sharing a dairy-free, refined-sugar free option. But sometimes it’s so nice and comforting to partake in traditional recipes just like you remember them.

Click here to read more about my mom and why this blog is dedicated to her.

The Ingredients

Arroz con leche ingredients

To make this traditional arroz con leche you will need:

  • Long-grain rice
  • Milk (whole or 2%)
  • Evaporated milk
  • Piloncillo or sugar
  • Mexican cinnamon
  • Water 

What Type of Rice Can I Use?

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.

Jasmine Rice

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.

Short or Medium-Grain Rice

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 just end up with mush.

How Do I Sweeten Arroz con Leche?

Sugar

I grew up eating arroz con leche sweetened with regular granulated sugar. This is definitely the easiest most traditional way to prepare it and also will leave your pudding with a soft white color.

Piloncillo

Piloncillo is unrefined whole cane sugar that has a sweet, caramel-like flavor. I have recently started using piloncillo to sweeten my arroz con leche 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).

You can find piloncillo (sometimes called panela) at Mexican and Latin American markets. It usually comes in loaves, blocks and more commonly in cones of various sizes (which is what I always buy).

Either sweetener works great so just use the one you prefer.

How to Make Arroz con Leche (Mexican Rice Pudding)

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.

Next, add:

  • 1 1/2 cups of milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon of salt
  • 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.

Then, 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.

Taste for sweetness. If you would like it sweeter, add a tablespoon or two more of sugar or grate some piloncillo and add it in.

Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Discard the cinnamon sticks.

  • Rice cooking with liquid and cinnamon sticks
  • Arroz con leche with piloncillo
  • Pot of arroz con leche with milk film

To Serve

Serve in cups or bowls. Add more milk if you would like 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.

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.

I hope you enjoy!

Please leave me a comment below if you make this or tag me on Instagram @everydaylatina.

Check out these other great desserts:

Two cups of arroz con Leche
Print Pin

Arroz con Leche (Mexican Rice Pudding)

Arroz con Leche is a rich, creamy, and traditional Mexican rice pudding made with milk, cinnamon, and piloncillo.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 8
Author Gemma from Everyday Latina

Ingredients

  • 3 cups water
  • 2 medium Mexican cinnamon sticks (or 1 large stick)
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice
  • 1 1/2 cups milk (whole or 2%)
  • 4 small piloncillo cones or 6 tbsp granulated sugar (see notes)
  • 1/4 tsp 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.

About Gemma

Gemma is the recipe developer, writer and food photographer behind Everyday Latina. Gemma was born in Mexico, but has spent the majority of her life in the United States. She has been sharing recipes since 2018 with an emphasis on her parents' traditional Mexican cuisine and a focus on clean, healthy ingredients. Her goal is to build a community of people who appreciate family, food and culture and, who like her, want to live a healthy, happy everyday life.

Reader Interactions

Comments

    • everydaylatina says

      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.

      Reply

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