Easy Arroz Con Leche Recipe Without Condensed Milk

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Mexican Rice Pudding

One of our favorite Mexican desserts is arroz con leche, a Mexican style rice pudding. From a simple list of ingredients; rice, milk, sugar, butter, cinnamon, and vanilla extract, you create a rich dessert great than the sum of its parts. It's delicious served warm or cold. Our photographer Andrés shares his family's authentic recipe.

An Adaptable Easy Recipe

Every cook in Mexico has their favorite arroz con leche recipe that they have tweaked and modified over the years. Some add sweetened condensed milk, some add evaporated milk, some add raisins. Some make it very sweet others make it lightly sweet. Some prefer it very moist almost to the point of being wet while others like it a little bit dry. You get the idea. It's really up to you.

It's a kid-friendly dessert too that I also consider Mexican comfort food at it's best.

How to Make Arroz con Leche

The ingredients you need you probably already have on hand. All are inexpensive pantry staples.

Ingredients:

long grain white rice
whole milk
water
sugar
cinnamon stick
salt
butter
vanilla extract
ground cinnamon
raisins (optional)

Cook the Rice First

Bring the water to a boil, then add the rice, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes.

Your cooked rice is ready.

Prepare the Arroz con Leche

While the rice is cooking in a medium pan soak the cinnamon stick in 1 cup of milk.

When the rice is ready add it to the milk with the cinnamon stick and turn the heat to low.

Add the sugar.

Adding Sugar to Cooked White Rice and Milk

Add the salt then cook for 10 minutes stirring regularly.

After the rice has absorbed some of the milk add the butter.

Adding Butter to Arroz con Leche (Rice Pudding) on Stove

And add the remaining cup of milk.

Then add the vanilla.

Stir to mix the ingredients well. Continue cooking over low heat for 2 minutes.

Stirring Arroz con Leche in Pan on Stove

Turn off the heat then cover and let rest for 5 minutes.

Getting Your Rice Pudding Recipe Just Right

The rice pudding will have absorbed much of the liquid but it should still be creamy. Here is how to adjust it to your liking.

Too dry? If you find that it is too dry, stir in ¼ cup of milk at a time and heat for a couple more minutes until you get the level of moisture that you want.
Too wet? If you find that it is too moist, just cook over low heat until enough liquid has evaporated.

Serving

Serve warm or cold. Spoon rice pudding into a dessert bowl or cup then dust with ground cinnamon and garnish with a bit of cinnamon stick if you like.

English – Spanish Recipe Glossary

Recipe – Receta
Rice Pudding – Arroz con Leche
Dessert – Postre
Ingredients – Ingredientes
Rice – Arroz
Milk – Leche
Butter – Mantequilla
Water – Agua
Condensed Milk – Leche Condensada
Sweetened Condensed Milk – Leche Condensada Dulce
Sugar – Azúcar
Cinnamon – Canela
Raisins – Pasitas
Vanilla Extract – Extracto de Vainilla
Delicious – Delicioso

What is your favorite way of preparing it? Share in the comments below.

Provecho!

Arroz con Leche Recipe

Traditional Mexican Arroz con Leche, an easy to prepare rice pudding dessert flavored with vanilla and cinnamon served both warm and cold.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword Arroz con Leche Recipe, Mexican Arroz con Leche, rice pudding recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 353 kcal

1 medium pot or high-sided pan with lid
measuring cups
measuring spoons
Kitchen spoon

¾ cup white rice long grain
2 cups whole milk divided in 2 parts
1 ¾ cups water
⅓ cup sugar
1 tablespoon butter
½ tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cinnamon stick
¼ teaspoon salt
ground cinnamon to taste
½ cup raisins optional

Prepare the Rice

Bring the water to a boil, then add the rice, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes.

Prepare the Arroz con Leche

While the rice is cooking in a medium pan soak the cinnamon stick in 1 cup of milk.
Add the cooked rice to the 1 cup of milk with the cinnamon stick and turn the heat to low.
Add the sugar and the salt then cook for 10 minutes stirring regularly.
Add the butter and stir well.
Add the remaining cup of milk and vanilla. Stir to mix the ingredients well. Continue cooking over over low heat for 2 minutes.
Turn off the heat and cover. Let rest for 5 minutes.

Serve

Dust with ground cinnamon and garnish with a bit of cinnamon stick if you like.

Optional

Add ½ cup raisins when adding the remaining cup of milk.

Storage

It will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator. Serve cold or reheat.
It does not freeze well.

More Mexican Desserts

Tres Leches Cake
Flan Napolitano
Strawberry Tamales
Fried Bananas with Condensed Milk

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