Sweet and with a hint of citrus, this creamy rice pudding recipe (arroz con leche) has been in my family for ages. It is easy to make and keeps refrigerated for several days. I like it cold, dusted with ground cinnamon, but you can eat it at room temperature or even warm.
Family recipe
This is the rice pudding recipe I grew up with, and it's still one of my favorite rice desserts, with its creamy texture and cinnamon flavor.
It's comfort food at its best. A subject that can only evoke good memories.
It's a classic recipe with a twist, served with cinnamon and eaten cold on hot summer days or barely warm on chilly nights.
This pudding is a cooked dessert made with rice, milk, and sugar as its main ingredients. And I'm making my family recipe, which is a stovetop pudding that comes together easily.
Though it can be considered creamy, it's rustic with a lot of texture from the grains that are cooked but not mashed, just like in this unique sweet rice pie. Very different from the smooth old-fashioned puddings that might come to mind, like butterscotch pudding or this easy chocolate dessert.
It hails from the Spanish side of the family and is called arroz con leche, which literally translates to rice with milk. It's sweetened with sugar and flavored with citrus peel, cinnamon, and sometimes vanilla.
Now, there are a million and one different recipes from countries around the world. Each with its unique twist.
Ingredients
Quantities are listed in the recipe card toward the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands I use.
- White rice: I use a short ot medium-grain rice that makes a very creamy pudding. Long-grain rice is used a lot, but it depends on the country the recipe is from.
- Whole milk. Other types, like low-fat, don't render the same richness.
- Citrus: I like to use both lemon and orange peel. But it works with just one.
Kitchen Notes
- Organization: Read the recipe first and ensure you have the ingredients at the correct temperatures, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier!
- Rice: In theory, you can make this dessert with different types - short grain, long grain rice, even Arborio or basmati rice. I like short-grain rice because it absorbs the liquid better in my experience.
- Cream: This is an optional ingredient not found in the original recipe for Spanish arroz con leche, which you can use for a creamier consistency. Depending on the rice you use, you might get a more or less starchy pudding. So using a dash of cream can be a good idea.
- Storing: keep leftover rice pudding in the fridge for at least a week in an airtight container or tightly covered bowl. It might become thicker, and you might want to add more milk before eating it.
Variations & substitutions
- Brown sugar: Use instead of white for a darker tone and a slight caramel flavor.
- Raisins: adding them adds sweetness and chewiness. Add up to half a cup during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Regular and golden raisins both work.
- Pinch of salt: add a little sea salt at the end for a more sophisticated dessert.
- Other sweeteners: Use less sugar and add a tablespoon or two of maple syrup or honey before serving.
- Other spices: you can use nutmeg in addition to cinnamon, cardamom pods, maybe some anise stars. Warm spices go very well with this dessert.
- Risotto rice: Some people like to use carnaroli or arborio rice and love it. I find the pudding has less bite as the rice is meant to be creamier and can sometimes turn a bit mushy.
- Chocolate rice pudding: add some chocolate chips or chopped chocolate when you remove the saucepan from the stove. Depending on your preference, you can partially (a few stirs), or fully, melt it (stir until they're all the same color).
How to make rice pudding
It's a stovetop rice pudding recipe that has two parts: half the milk is cooked with sugar, and the other half with rice and flavorings.
They are then mixed, and when the rice is done, a dash of cream is added. Even without the cream, it is a rich dessert.
What this rice pudding recipe does not have are egg yolks.
Combine half the milk, the rice, and flavorings (cinnamon stick and citrus peel). They will infuse their flavor into the liquid.
Add the other half of the milk, which has been simmering with sugar and has thickened a little, to the rice mixture.
Use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir frequently until the milk is absorbed and the rice is tender to your liking.
Stir the cream at the end if you want a creamier consistency.
Vintage Kitchen tip: some people like it al dente (al dente) and others very cooked. It's your call. Start checking for doneness at 15 minutes or so after you add the sugared milk.
Serving rice pudding
- Cold with cinnamon: this is the traditional way, and I still think it's the best.
- Dulce de leche: Being from Argentina, we eat this sweetened milk jam whenever possible. Adding a few tablespoons of dulce de leche is what we do here. If you like sweet desserts, you have to try this variation.
- Fruit: You can use berries on top with a touch of honey or maple syrup.
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Spanish Rice Pudding (Arroz con Leche)
Ingredients
- 3 cups whole milk
- Scant ½ cup sugar
- ⅔ cup white rice, I use short grain rice but medium grain rice also works
- 1 strip lemon peel
- 1 strip orange peel
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- ¼ cup cream, optional (see Notes below)
- Ground cinnamon, to serve
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring half of the milk and sugar to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Turn down the heat to low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often. The mixture will start to thicken.
- In another medium saucepan, put the rest of the milk, the cinnamon stick and citrus peel and bring to a boil.
- Add the uncooked rice to the second saucepan, lower the heat, and cook for 5 minutes.
- Stir the sugared milk into the saucepan with the rice and cook until the rice is done to your taste, stirring often to avoid it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. For me, it takes 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add the cream, if using.
- Transfer the hot rice pudding to a bowl, take out the citrus peel and cinnamon stick, let cool down stirring often to avoid a thick layer from forming, cover, and refrigerate until very cold.
- To serve, ladle the pudding into bowls and sprinkle with ground cinnamon. You can add an extra tablespoon of cream or milk before serving.
Linda says
Is there any changes for a double or triple recipe? 3 servings is not enough for my family
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Linda! You can double the recipe easily if you have a large pot. It will take longer for the milk to reduce and the pudding to cook.
Mara says
So I didn’t use the e exact ingredients it said in the recipe. I only used orange peels and I didn’t have cinnamon sticks and just poured like 2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon. Also I forgot about it for a lil bit so it simmered for longer than it said but it’s really good
Paula Montenegro says
So glad it turned out well Mara!
Mary Kaye says
I have fond memories of rice pudding as child. However, the addition of citrus takes it to a new level. Delicious.
Anne @ Webicurean says
Love rice pudding! This and tapioca pudding were something my mom would bring me when I was a little under the weather. Can't wait to give this a try!