Arroz con Leche Mexicano (Mexican Rice Pudding)

Arroz con leche Mexicano or Mexican rice pudding is a delicious recipe that can be served for dessert or for breakfast. It’s loved by both kids and adults. If you enjoy the flavors of horchata then you’ll definitely love this delicious arroz con leche Mexicano.

My whole family absolutely loves this creamy arroz con leche. It’s yummy, easy to make and inexpensive. It’s something we have on a regular basis.

I prefer it over this old fashioned rice pudding because it’s so much quicker to make.

What are the ingredients for creamy arroz con leche

The ingredients for creamy arroz con leche are very basic. I’m sure you already have most if not all of the ingredients in your kitchen right now. All you’ll need are:

White rice (washed)

long grain white rice is most traditional. However, medium grain and Jasmine rice work well too. I like to wash my rice of excess starch however this is not necessary. In fact the starch will help add creaminess to the rice pudding. I don’t recommend using brown rice or basmati rice.

Cinnamon stick

You’ll want to make sure you get the Mexican cinnamon sticks known as “canela”. You can find these at your local mexican grocery store.

Evaporated milk

This will enhance the flavor of the rice pudding as well as add some creaminess to it.

Sweetened condensed milk

For adding sweetness and creaminess.

Milk

I prefer to use 2%. For a creamier and richer rice pudding substitute with whole milk.

Mexican vanilla blend

We use the Molina brand. You could also substitute with a teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Is arroz con leche Mexicano served hot or cold?

Arroz con leche Mexicano can be served either way! It’s amazing when served hot right after cooking especially on a cold day. However, it’s also super delicious served cold the next day. It’s just a matter of preference. What’s your favorite way to enjoy it?

How to make creamy arroz con leche

So, the first thing we’re going to do is make cinnamon tea essentially. We really enjoy the cinnamon flavor and I find this is the best way to bring out all that cinnamon goodness. Just add the water to a pot and bring to a boil.

Then, add the cinnamon stick to the boiling water. Remove the pot from heat and cover.

Allow the cinnamon to steep for about 15 minutes.

Next, remove the cinnamon stick from the water. Add the washed rice to the pot of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 20 minutes.

By this time the rice will be cooked through and will have absorbed most of the water.

Now, we’re going to add the evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk to the rice. Stir it well.

Then, warm up the regular milk in the microwave until it’s no longer cold. It doesn’t have to be hot just make sure it’s warmed to at least room temperature. Add the milk to the pot and stir again.

Warming up the milk helps the rice cook more evenly. If you add cold milk to the pot of hot rice then it’s just going to bring down the temperature and slow down the cooking process. You may even end up with bits of hard rice in the end. You definitely don’t want that in your creamy arroz con leche.

Cover the pot and cook on medium-low heat for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.

Don’t forget to stir, this will help prevent the rice pudding from sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning.

If some of it does burn on the bottom it’s going to impart a burnt flavor to the whole pot of rice pudding.

So please, don’t forget to stir it a few times while it’s cooking.

When it’s done remove from heat and add the vanilla and stir.

The rice pudding will be very hot so it’s best to let it sit for about 10 minutes or so before serving to let it cool a bit.

When serving, I like to garnish my bowl with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.

How to make arroz con leche without condensed milk

If you don’t have or don’t want to use sweetened condensed milk then you can substitute that with sugar. The sweetened condensed milk is what helps give the rice pudding it’s creamy texture however if you prefer your rice pudding with a thinner consistency then sugar works well. You can add the sugar at the same time you would add the sweetened condensed milk. Add anywhere between 1/2 to 3/4 a cup of sugar depending on how sweet you want it.

Why is my Mexican rice pudding hard?

You want to make sure there’s enough of the cinnamon tea to cook the rice in at the beginning of the recipe. If you don’t use the amount that’s listed in the recipe then the rice won’t cook through properly. Then, you’ll also want to make sure that you warm up the cold milk. This step is crucial to not ending up with hard pieces of rice in the end result. If you follow these instructions you should not end up with hard arroz con leche.

Tips and tricks

• Add a couple of whole cloves with the cinnamon stick for extra flavor.
• If you don’t have sweetened condensed milk substitute with sugar.
• Warm up the regular milk in the microwave this helps the rice cook evenly.
• Stir the rice occasionally after adding the three milks to prevent burning.
• Try adding 1/2 a cup of raisins to the pot during the last 20 minutes of cooking.

Looking for more delicious Mexican dessert recipes? Try these:

• pastel de tres leches
• mango paletas
• fresas con crema
• Mexican fruit salad with cream
• Mexican fried bananas

Arroz con leche mexicano recipe

This easy and authentic arroz con leche Mexicano is a yummy treat the whole family will love.

Comforting and made with simple ingredients it’s definitely a dish you’ll want to have a on a regular basis.

Serve it for breakfast or dessert. Either way it’s sure to be a hit! I really hope you enjoy it as much as my family does!

Let me know your thoughts on this recipe in the comments below and don’t forget to leave it a rating. Thanks for visiting, see you soon!