Classic arroz con leche is a Mexican variation of rice pudding that is sweetened with condensed milk and topped with cinnamon.
This delicious Mexican dessert is simple to make and a classic rice pudding recipe. If you love cinnamon and love Mexican sweets, you also won’t be able to resist our Mexican Hot Chocolate or Horchata!
What is Arroz con Leche?
Arroz con leche was a dessert that my mom grew up on. My great-grandma made it, and I wanted to find a recipe that tasted just like hers.
Fortunately, I did just that and now have introduced this delicious dessert to my own children. But, what is it exactly?
If you’re not familiar with Mexican rice pudding, arroz con leche translates to rice with milk and can include other ingredients like cinnamon and raisins. The dish also has some sort of sweetener, whether it’s sugar or sweetened condensed milk.
This rice can be served warm or cold, but either way you have it, it’s a tapioca-like treat that is delicious. It can also be served as a breakfast dish too!
How to Make Arroz Con Leche
RICE. Combine water, rice, and cinnamon sticks in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, uncovered, and cook for 16–18 minutes.
SEASON. Drain any remaining liquid, remove the cinnamon sticks, and return the rice to the pan over medium-high heat.
SAUCE. Add sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and whole milk. Bring the milk mixture to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring constantly. The milk can easily burn, so it is important to stir constantly as it thickens.
ENJOY! Divide rice among serving cups and sprinkle with cinnamon. Serve warm.
Topping Suggestions
There are lots of toppings you can add to this easy arroz con leche recipe from fruit to nuts. Here are some of our favorites:
- brown sugar or honey
- raisins, craisins, or dried fruit
- nutmeg or cinnamon
- coconut or chopped nuts
Recipe Tips
Make perfect Mexican sweet rice by starting with the best rice.
Rice. Long-grain white rice works best, brown rice may be used. Jasmine rice or basmati rice are both types of long-grain rice and are great choices for this recipe. For best results, avoid instant rice.
When cooking the rice be sure each piece has time to absorb the milk and becomes a soft and creamy consistency. If all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is not quite done, then add ½ cup water and continue to simmer so that the rice does not come out crunchy.
Make it without sweetened condensed milk. The sweetened condensed milk makes it more rich and creamy, but it can also be omitted. Use a mixture of ¾ cup more milk and ¾ cup sugar instead.
Make it in the slow cooker. We actually have a slow-cooker Rice Pudding on the site. Ingredients aren’t exactly the same, but the taste is very similar.
Variations. Golden and regular raisins are a classic to add to this dish. To use raisins, add them once you are cooking the rice (during the last 20 minutes).
Other additions include some of the toppings we listed above. Various fruits, nuts, and spices will change the recipe and add a bit more flavor.
Storing This Dessert
Make ahead of time. Allow Mexican rice pudding to come to room temperature before pouring it into an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for 5-6 days.
FREEZE. It can be frozen, but it may not have quite the same texture once it thaws. Leftover rice pudding can be stored in the same manner.
To reheat. We reheat it in a pot and add a bit more cinnamon to the top before serving. If it’s too thick, add a splash of milk when reheating. If you are in hurry you can reheat smaller portions in the microwave.
Recipe FAQ
You’ll want to choose long-grain white rice such as jasmine rice or basmati rice when making arroz con leche. For best results do not use instant rice.
One reason that rice may still be crunchy is that it has not been cooked long enough; another reason is that there was not enough liquid added. If it looks undercooked and dry, add ½ cup water and continue to cook.
For more Sweet Mexican recipes, check out:
Arroz con Leche Recipe
Ingredients
- 7 cups water
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
- 1 cup whole milk
- ground cinnamon for topping
Instructions
- Combine water, rice, and cinnamon sticks in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, uncovered, and cook for 16–18 minutes.
- Drain any remaining liquid, remove the cinnamon sticks, and return the rice to the pan over medium-high heat. Add sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and whole milk, and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring constantly. The milk can easily burn, so it is important to stir constantly as it thickens.
- Divide rice among serving cups and sprinkle with cinnamon. Serve warm.
I’m going to make this for a group of my high school students who will be traveling to Costa Rica with me this summer. What is your best recommendation for heating it up in a crockpot?
If you are cooking it beforehand and then heating in the crockpot, I’d just turn it on high and let it warm up (stirring it a few times to make sure it doesn’t cook again). Once it’s warmed through, just leave the crockpot on warm. We also have a rice pudding recipe for the slow cooker. The ingredients aren’t exactly the same as the Arroz con Leche recipe, but the taste/texture is very similar. Here’s the recipe if you are interested in that one too: https://lilluna.com/rice-pudding/
First time making arroz con leche. This reminds me of my mom’s! I am a new fan and follower because of this post! Thank you!!~
You’re welcome!! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
2nd time making this rice and this turned out yummy! I do think, next time, I will have to purchase cinnomon sticks instead of usig powdered cinnamon. Thanks!
can I use instant rice?
First time making this. It came out fantastic. A lot like the Portuguese rice pudding I’ve made in the past. This one is a lot quicker to make.
Yay! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for giving it a try.
In the nutrition it says 1 gram of sugar? How can that be with all the sweeteners and milk?
First time I’ve made this with the sweetened condensed milk- it’s delicious but a bit too sweet . I would like to revise recipe maybe add a bit more milk but I’m concerned it may be too watery. Perhaps more rice AND milk.
This was excellent!!! I too was afraid it was too runny, but after cooking it sat for a little while and it thickened perfectly!!! Great recipe!!!
Thanks for the feedback! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
I made this delicious recipe for my kiddos and they LOVED it! Thank you for sharing.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy to hear your kids loved it!
Hello. I am wondering if I can use arborio rice in this recipe?
Thank you!
I haven’t tried the recipe using arborio rice, but you certainly could. I believe that arborio rice absorbs a bit more liquid, so again, I’m not totally sure what the result would yield or if the liquid amounts would need altering. But if you give it a try, we’d love to hear how it turns out!!
Ever since I was a little girl my mother and grandmother made arroz con leche. I don’t recall their exact process but the way I made it for my boys never tasted as well as theirs until I made your recipe! It may be wise to add “cook uncovered” so that it thickens properly. Oh my gosh, I love it and the only difference is I use almond milk and add 1-2 T ground cinnamon when I added the milks. Thanks for the share!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you found the recipe and enjoyed! Thanks for the feedback too.
Thank you 👍
I’m making this the night before. Storing in porcelain pot. Should I leave out or let cool and put in fridge? Thanks!
My abuela used to make the best arroz con leche and never kept a recipe so thank you so much for sharing this! QUESTION: I think we’re having a shortage due to supply chain issues but I can’t seem to find cinnamon sticks in my area. The shelves are completely empty. Am I able to use ground cinnamon in this recipe and how much?
Can you make with leftover rice?
You could certainly try. I always make it as the recipe says, but you can give it a try. You’ll have to let us know how it turns out if you do.
I just did this and it turned out great!! I used 2c cooked rice and added the cinnamon stick with the milks!
How much is one serving in cups? Trying to see how much I need to make for my daughters class and I don’t know how much each serving is.
Megusta el arroz con leche y esta manera de hacerlo es facil y practica , gracias
So so good! This recipe was so easy and tastes amazing!
Love u recipes
I’ve been looking for a good rice pudding recipe, so I’m excited to try it. We drink 2% milk so I’m wondering if I can use that instead of whole milk.
You could certainly give it a try! It should still work. Hope you enjoy the dessert!
thanks a lot of information