Mexican · Desserts

Arroz con Leche

Rice simmered slowly in milk with a cinnamon stick and a strip of lime peel. Forty-five minutes, mostly unattended.

Not yet ratedThis recipe has no ratings yet 45 min total Serves 6 servings Easy
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Arroz con Leche — Mexican desserts recipe, served and ready to eat

Image note: Illustration, generated by AI · not a photograph of this dish

Method

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  1. Rinse the rice, then simmer it with the water, cinnamon stick and lime peel for 12 minutes, until the water has been absorbed.

  2. Pour in the milk and bring to a bare simmer.

  3. Cook 25 minutes on the lowest heat, stirring every 3 minutes and scraping the bottom.

  4. Stir in the condensed milk, sugar and salt.

  5. Cook 8 minutes more, until it coats the back of a spoon but is still loose — it thickens a great deal as it cools.

  6. Take off the heat and stir in the vanilla and raisins.

  7. Fish out the cinnamon stick and lime peel.

  8. Rest 10 minutes, then serve warm dusted with ground cinnamon, or chill and serve cold.

Chef’s Tips

  • Water first, milk second.
  • Scrape the bottom every few minutes or it catches.
  • Take it off looser than you want it — it sets as it cools.

Common Substitutions & Variations

  • Lemon is the everyday swap for lime in this kind of dish — the acidity plays the same role even though the flavour is not identical.

Pairing Suggestions

  • Café de olla
  • Churros
  • A dusting of cinnamon

Storage & Reheating

Keeps 4 days refrigerated. Loosen with milk when reheating.

Common questions

How long does Arroz con Leche take to make?

About 45 minutes in total — 5 minutes of preparation and 40 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 6.

What are the key tips for making Arroz con Leche?

Water first, milk second. Scrape the bottom every few minutes or it catches. Take it off looser than you want it — it sets as it cools.

What should I serve with Arroz con Leche?

Café de olla; Churros; A dusting of cinnamon.

How should Arroz con Leche be stored?

Keeps 4 days refrigerated. Loosen with milk when reheating.

Is Arroz con Leche suitable for a special diet?

This recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.

How many calories are in Arroz con Leche?

About 385 kcal per serving, with 11 g protein, 64 g carbohydrate and 10 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.

385Calories
11gProtein
64gCarbs
10gFat
1gFibre
44gSugar
240mgSodium

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Written and tested by Turab

One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.