This creamy Spanish rice pudding recipe comes from my mother-in-law, Antonia. Her famous arroz con leche recipe is the perfect blend of cinnamon, sugar, and silky Spanish rice. You'll try it once and be a fan for life!
Want to try some other Spanish desserts? Try my recipes for Spanish flan and buñuelos.
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Introduction
I'm grateful that my mother-in-law, Antonia, has taught me so much of what I know about Spanish cooking--including her amazing salmorejo recipe.
Occasionally, I like to cut most carbs and sugar out of my diet, which is a bit of a struggle when I'm around Antonia! The last time I was eating healthy she bought me two enormous bars of chocolate and made her famous arroz con leche.
I nearly got angry with her because it feels like she's not respecting or supporting my preferences... but then I realize that feeding people is just how she shows her love. And I do love her rice pudding...
Ingredients
Curious what ingredients you need to make arroz con leche? You probably already have these simple ingredients in your pantry!
- Rice: Use Spanish bomba rice, or a similar round, short-grain rice.
- Milk: Use whole milk for the creamiest pudding!
- Salt: A pinch of salt adds a little flavor to the pudding. Don't skip it!
- Lemon Peel: A piece of lemon peel adds a delightful hint of citrus to the pudding.
- Cinnamon: You'll use a cinnamon stick when you're cooking the rice pudding, but you'll also need a little ground cinnamon to garnish it when it's done.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions
- Milk: Whole milk is the traditional option for the best texture and flavor. For a dairy-free version, use full fat coconut milk. The flavor will be different, but you'll still get a creamy texture.
- Sugar: This Spanish rice pudding is sweetened with plain white sugar. You can try other sweeteners without a problem.
- Spices: This classic Spanish arroz con leche recipe uses only cinnamon, but sometimes I add other spices like star anise, clove, and cardamom.
How to Make
If you’d like to see the full ingredients and instructions, scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card.
- Cover the rice with water or milk.
- Bring to a simmer along with the cinnamon stick and lemon rind.
- When the liquid is almost fully absorbed, add more milk to cover the rice again.
- Keep simmering and stirring.
- Add more milk until you've added almost the full liter.
- Taste the rice. You want it fully cooked, but some people like it a little more firm than others. Take it off the heat and add a pinch of salt.
- Add a dash of cinnamon.
- Add the sugar little by little until it's the perfect sweetness for you.
- Serve the arroz con leche in small dishes and garnish with cinnamon.
- Enjoy the rice pudding warm or chill it in the fridge in small serving dishes for a couple of hours and eat it cold.
Recipe FAQs
It literally translates to rice with milk. It's a common dessert that is enjoyed throughout all of Spain.
Rice puddings are found throughout the world, and many people think they may have originated in Asia. It was the Moors who brought rice and cinnamon to the Iberian Peninsula. Many Latin American countries also make versions of arroz con leche, often using sweetened condensed milk instead of whole milk.
Bomba rice is the most common rice used for arroz con leche in Spain. It's the same rice as paella rice -- a short-grained rice that absorbs a lot of liquid. You can substitute Arborio rice.
During the cooking process, the rice absorbs most of the milk or water, and the starch from the rice thickens the remaining liquid. Your arroz con leche should thicken after about 30 minutes of cooking and stirring over medium heat.
You can enjoy arroz con leche hot or cold, however in Spain it is most often served chilled for dessert.
Serve
You can serve arroz con leche hot or cold; whichever you prefer. Be sure to sweeten it to taste, and garnish it with a pinch of ground cinnamon for extra flavor.
Feel free to enjoy it for dessert, at breakfast, or simply as a comforting snack. Arroz con leche is a wonderful treat to enjoy anytime!
Store
Leftovers: Rice pudding keeps in the fridge for 3-5 days as long as it's tightly covered.
Freezing: Let the pudding cool completely, then freeze in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months. It may not have quite the same texture when defrosted, so it's best not to freeze it if possible.
Expert Tips
- Always use whole milk for the creamiest arroz con leche. For a dairy-free version, use full fat coconut milk.
- Cook the rice pudding with a cinnamon stick, not cinnamon powder. Garnish with a dash of ground cinnamon on the top when finished.
- Don't skip the pinch of salt.
- Add the milk little by little and stir frequently to make the rice pudding creamy.
- Add the sugar slowly and taste; if it's too sweet, you can't go back!
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Spanish Arroz con Leche Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup short grain rice arroz Bomba or arborio
- 1-2 wide slices lemon rind
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- 4 ¼ cups whole milk or full-fat coconut milk
- sugar to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the rice under cold water, and then put it in a saucepan. Pour in enough milk to barely cover the rice, then place over medium heat.
- Add the cinnamon stick and lemon rind , and stir continuously until all of the milk is absorbed.
- Add the rest of the milk about ½ cup (120 ml) at a time, stirring between each addition until all the milk is absorbed.
- Once all the milk is added, taste to see if the rice is cooked to your liking. Some like it al dente, while others like it almost mushy.
- When the rice is cooked, remove the rice from the heat, and add a pinch of salt and the ground cinnamon. Add the sugar a few tablespoons at a time until it is sweet enough for you.
- Serve warm or cold with a garnish of cinnamon on each dish. Enjoy!
Notes
- Always use whole milk for the best flavor and texture. For a dairy free version, use full-fat coconut milk.
- Use a cinnamon stick in the rice pudding. Save the cinnamon powder for a garnish on the top when serving.
- Don't skip the pinch of salt for the best flavor; I like to use sea salt.
- Add the sugar slowly to taste. If it's too sweet, you can't go back!
- Make it slowly; don't be in a rush. Adding the milk slowly and stirring constantly will make the best, creamiest rice pudding.
Nutrition
Photography by Giulia Verdinelli
Chris Nation
My landlady gave me a bowl of the traditional rice pudding recipe of Normandy, where we live. It's called 'Tergoule', and monsieur complains about the electricity bill because it takes between 4 and 5hours at 170degree in the oven! She makes it with full fat raw milk - straight from the cow - from the farm next door. The rice come out finer than semolina.
I came back from Valencia with 15 x 1kg bags of bomba! I gave one to my landlady and she produced your recipe. I much prefer yours! Of course, monsieur et madame prefer th Norman version. They would ...
Sara
This recipe is superb! It introduced me to a very lovely Spanish dessert. It took me a few times to figure out how I like arroz con leche to be, deciding that I prefer it moist and creamy. My Chinese friends are asking me to share them how to make it.
Mary
I can’t wait to make this! It was my favorite dessert that our landlady served when I studied in Madrid in 1975.
I have several friends who have to be dairy-free. Do you have a favorite alternative milk that would be rich enough to sub for whole milk? I am thinking of trying oat milk...
Ylenad
I have tried full fat coconut milk and honey as a sweetener and it works very well
QueenAngie
Like this recipe it’s like my mami recipe I put 1tsp vanilla extract for half of this recipe
Ana
This was much faster and far much easier to make. I change recipe a little, starting with first cup with water and other 3 ...with milk. I also added cloves and all spices and came out amazing! Thank you for the recipe!
Ella Lester
I loved it! When I made it, it tasted exactly how my grandmother would make it.
Lisa
Hola!
I've been looking for the perfect arrow con leche recipe for the fall/winter season and this one seems great with great reviews! I just had a question...I had a Dominican friend who used to make this however I used to see she would also put star anise in along with the cinnamon stick and lemon rind, what is your take on that? Do you think that should be done would the recipe still come out as good? I just used to notice it but I havent found a recipe where someone has used star anise yet.
Lauren Aloise
I personally wouldn't add it - it's such a strong flavor! That said, if you like star anise it's worth a try!
Jose
In Asturias, the arroz con leche is burnt. Arroz con leche, in Spain, It did not always mean a dessert.
Lauren Aloise
Good points Jose!
Lindsay
Delicious, really!
Lauren Aloise
I wonder if it's the type of rice? This is usually made with a short grain Spanish rice-- that said I have made it with basmati and while not as creamy, it still worked! The starches need to break down, keep stirring! Good luck!
Theresa
Did try ur arroz con Leche it reminds me of my mom's recipe and if I close my eyes I would say I'm am eating hers. Ole
I'm. glad I found your blog to help me out on different recipes. My family and I have a Spanish dinner every Sunday just like when we did when growing up.
Gracias. TRL
Lauren Aloise
So happy it turned out well!
Michael Noroña
I am so glad to have found this recipe, as it seems very close to how my abuela made her Arroz con Leche , that we enjoyed so often. She of course had no written recipe, but would know just by looking at the contents in the pot what needed to be done. Not one of the family members has come close to her level of quality in attempting to make Arroz con Leche on our own. I believe for the most part this is a result of over cooking the dish which results in a gooey, rather than creamy texture. I look forward to trying this recipe!
Lauren Aloise
Hope it works well Michael!
Mayra Pena
wow! thanks for sharing this recipe!,. since i had no one too teach me on how to cook, i only knew a basic one that it taste like it needed something else , but now tasting your version i,, wow! I just made it and turn out great,Thank you!, and just for the info I cant do a diet since i choose to study for a career of baking and pastry, i have to try everything to be able to put desserts together 🙁 , but cant complaint 🙂 because I love sweets:).
Evelyn
Thank you so much for your kind recipe, I first came on this site,not knowing how to make arroz con leche,to becoming a pro. My 6 year old loves your recipe! He says it comes from Mom's heart and he loves it!!
Thanks again
toby
oh my gosh! you know, one thing I like about your blog is that when you're done reading one post, you are given choices of other posts that may interest you. and, wow! a recipe for one of my favorite Spanish desserts, whee!! I will have to bookmark and try this some time. I used to love when our señoras would make it. yum, yum, yum!!
Rebecca
I made the recipe this weekend and it was great! Thank you so much.
Lauren Aloise
I'm so glad it turned out well!
Heather
I might very well be the only foreigner married to a Spaniard who's mother-in-law is a terrible cook. She hates cooking, and it shows. And just to make you all jealous, I can diet anytime I want around her. Especially since the very first thing she said to me was, "Oh, you're much fatter than your pictures." Jajaja! But I just love her and she loves me, too.
Anyway, I'm going to try this recipe out and see if I can impress my Asturiano husband.
Christine
I've had this same struggle with my MIL too. It wasn't because I was trying to diet, it was because I simply could not fit any more food in my stomach (you know, one of those typical 5 course Spanish meals!) but she serves them every time we eat together. She wouldn't just shake her head, but also loudly complain that I don't eat anything (which is SO not true) and in front of everyone at the table. Frustrating eating with her, but I have just learned to eat what I can and politely decline whatever is going to stuff me full.
Lauren Aloise
I know what you mean-- they expect us to keep eating and eating! Luckily I was used to this from my Italian grandmother and aunt, but it is still annoying! But when my Ale's brother's girlfriend is there too she eats even less-- so I'm the good one those nights! I've also learned to eat what I want and stick firm to my NO GRACIAS!!!
Kaley [Y Mucho Más]
Mario makes a really awesome arroz con leche; I can't betray him...but your looks good, too! Yum.
I'm pretty sure Mario's mom got a bit irked when I tried to diet, too.
Lauren Aloise
Haha I'll bet his is great! There are so many versions... some use egg which I find strange! You should post his recipe (if it's not a secret!)
Mo
Well, the person in my life that doesn´t let me diet ... is me. And I adore arroz con leche, something the asturianos make very well. However, I don´t have it often since I´m allergic to cinnamon. I´ve had it a couple of times in a great Asturian restaurant in Madrid - Casa Parrondo - (also my husband´s name but no relation) where they bring in their own special fresh milk to get it just right. Your recipe is spot on, and for the record, I like it a little mushy!
Lauren Aloise
I often don't let myself diet either... (I think I ate at least 10 cookies yesterday alone) but the wedding was an exception! Being allergic to cinnamon is sad! But I'll bet if you made it at home you could sub spices like cloves or cardamon for a yummy change. I like it mushy too-- but not too overcooked.