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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Published: Jan 25, 2023 by Paula Montenegro · Income from ads and affiliate links 42 Comments

    Cinnamon Rice Pudding

    Jump to Recipe
    Rice pudding in glass bowls on a white surface with brown and white text overlay.

    Creamy, sweet, and with a hint of citrus, this Spanish rice pudding (arroz con leche) recipe has been in my family for ages. It is easy to make and keeps refrigerated for several days. Serve it cold dusted with ground cinnamon.

    Several glass cups on white marble with rice pudding and cinnamon. Lemon peel strips and cinnamon sticks around.

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.

    Originally published in 2012, the text and images in this post have been updated to serve you better. The recipe remains the same.

    This is the rice pudding recipe I grew up with and it's still one of my favorite desserts.

    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.

    Table of Contents Hide
    What is rice pudding?
    Ingredient list
    Kitchen notes
    Variations & substitutions
    How to make rice pudding
    Serving rice pudding
    Related recipes you might like:
    Spanish Rice Pudding (Arroz con Leche)

    What is rice pudding?

    It's a cooked dessert made with rice, milk, and sugar as its main ingredients.

    This recipe is a creamy stovetop pudding that comes together easily.

    It hails from the Spanish side of the family and is called arroz con leche, which literally translated 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.

    Rice pudding spooned with a dark metal spoon from a glass cup. Dark grey cloth in the background.

    Ingredient list

    • White rice: long grain rice is the most commonly used, but it depends a lot on the country. I use a short ot medium-grain rice that makes a very creamy pudding.
    • Whole milk.
    • Cinnamon: any ground cinnamon you normally use works fine. I like Frontier Vietnamese cinnamon and Simply Organic Ceylon cinnamon. 
    • Sugar: white, granulated.
    • Citrus: I like to use both lemon and orange peel. But it works with just one.
    • Vanilla: I use pure vanilla extract or pure vanilla bean paste when available, but a good vanilla essence (artificially flavored) also works and is infinitely cheaper. 
    • Cream (optional): whipping or heavy whipping.

    See the recipe card towards the end of this post for quantities.

    Ingredients for cinnamon rice pudding in bowls on white marble surface, including citrus peel, sugar, milk, vanilla, cream, cinnamon stick.

    Kitchen notes

    • Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have 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, that you can use for a creamier consistency. Depending on the rice you use you might get a more or less starchier 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.
    Front view of glass cups with rice pudding, white surface, subway tile background. Cinnamon sticks and lemon strips.

    Variations & substitutions

    • Brown sugar: use instead of white for a darker tone and slight caramel flavor.
    • Raisins: adding them adds sweetness and chewiness. Add up to half a cup during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
    • 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.

    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.

    Metal saucepan with milk, rice, cinnamon stick, and citrus peel. White marble surface.

    Combine half the milk, the rice, and flavorings (cinnamon stick and citrus peel). They will infuse their flavor into the liquid.

    Adding milk to a saucepan with rice, more milk and cinnamon sticks. White marble surface.

    Add the other half of the milk, that has been simmering with sugar and has thickened a little, to the rice mixture.

    Wooden spoon inside a metal saucepan with cinnamon rice pudding. White marble surface.

    Use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir frequently until the milk is absorbed and the rice is tender to your liking.

    Creamy rice pudding in a glass cup with a dark metal spoon. Close up image.

    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.

    Several rice pudding servings in glass cups on a white marble board. Cinnamon sticks and lemon peel strips around.

    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.

    Related recipes you might like:

    • Glass jars with chocolate pudding and crem, grey background
      Microwave Chocolate Pudding (eggless)
    • Close up of caramel being poured on a white bowl with apple bread pudding.
      Apple Bread Pudding
    • A white oval ceramic dish with baked bread pudding, white surface, wire rack in background
      Panettone Bread Pudding
    • White bowl with serving of pear cobbler, white cloth
      Easy Fresh Pear Cobbler

    Let me know in the comments below if you made this recipe and loved it and if you had issues so we can troubleshoot together. I love to hear what you think, always. Thanks for being here. It's much appreciated.
    You might also consider subscribing to our FREE email series to Boost your Home Baking Skills! And our regular newsletter.
    And let's connect via Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

    Print
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    Close up of cinnamon rice pudding served in glass cups on a white marble surface.

    Spanish Rice Pudding (Arroz con Leche)

    ★★★★★

    5 from 1 reviews

    Print Recipe
    Save Recipe Recipe Saved

    Creamy, sweet, and with a hint of citrus, this Spanish rice pudding recipe has been in my family for ages. It is easy to make and keeps refrigerated for several days. Serve it cold dusted with ground cinnamon. 

    • Total Time: 45 minutes
    • Yield: 3 servings

    Ingredients

    Units
    • 3 cups whole milk
    • Scant ½ cup sugar
    • ⅔ cup short grain white rice
    • 1 strip lemon peel
    • 1 strip orange peel
    • 1 small cinnamon stick
    • ¼ cup cream, optional (see Notes below)
    • Ground cinnamon, to serve

    Instructions

    1. In a medium saucepan, bring half of the milk and sugar to a boil over medium-high heat.
    2. Turn down the heat to low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often. The mixture will start to thicken.
    3. In another medium saucepan, put the rest of the milk, the cinnamon stick and citrus peel and bring to a boil.
    4. Add the rice to the second saucepan, lower the heat, and cook for 5 minutes.
    5. 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.
    6. Remove from heat and add the cream, if using. 
    7. 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.
    8. To serve, ladle the pudding into bowls and sprinkle with ground cinnamon. You can add an extra tablespoon of cream or milk before serving.

    Notes

    • Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have 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, that you can use for a creamier consistency. Depending on the rice you use you might get a more or less starchier 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. 
    • Author: Paula Montenegro
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 35 minutes
    • Category: Desserts
    • Method: Cooking
    • Cuisine: International

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: ⅓
    • Calories: 371
    • Sugar: 46 g
    • Sodium: 108.2 mg
    • Fat: 11.7 g
    • Carbohydrates: 58.6 g
    • Fiber: 0.9 g
    • Protein: 9 g
    • Cholesterol: 35.7 mg

    Keywords: rice pudding

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    About Paula Montenegro

    I'm Paula, a baker for more than 30 years and your designated recipe developer, sharing the best ones here with simple ingredients + easy-to-follow instructions.

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    1. Mary Kaye says

      January 30, 2023 at 7:13 pm

      I have fond memories of rice pudding as child. However, the addition of citrus takes it to a new level. Delicious.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    2. Anne @ Webicurean says

      October 28, 2012 at 6:59 pm

      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!

      Reply
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