This Arroz con Leche is a traditional LatinAmerican recipe for rice pudding. It is creamy, sweet and comforting.
There are many versions of this Arroz con Leche recipe but here today I'm sharing my family's Colombian Arroz con Leche.
Why you will love this recipe
There are many rice pudding recipes out there but I believe the Colombian version is adds textural elements that others don't have.
If looking for a Mexican version of this recipe, try this delicious Mexican Arroz con Leche from the blog Thai Caliente.
In Colombia we usually add dried unsweetened coconut flakes which creates a lovely texture.
We also add raisins which add another layer of flavor and texture to this dish.
And last but not least, we use condensed milk (La Lechera) to sweeten the Arroz con Leche, which elevates the flavor to the next level.
Gather these ingredients for your Arroz con Leche
You will need these ingredients to make Arroz con Leche. The basics are simple and the garnishes and finishing ingredients are optional and highly customizable.
- Rice: Any kind of white rice works in this recipe.
- Spices: We are using cinnamon, clove and nutmeg.
- Condensed milk: Instead of using plain sugar, we are using condensed milk in this recipe. It elevates the texture and flavor.
- Heavy cream: Helps make this Arroz con Leche extra rich and creamy.
- Raisins: these are optional but highly recommended.
- Coconut flakes: also optional but will add a nice texture.
Expert tips, substitutions and swaps
This Arroz con Leche is very versatile. You can modify it to your liking and make it your own.
This recipe can be made vegan by using coconut milk and coconut cream. To sweeten you could use coconut sugar or even coconut condensed milk.
You could make this recipe from leftover rice. Just jump straight to adding the milk and spices and omit the water this recipe calls for.
If you feel like jazzing this recipe up, use a 50/50 ratio of condensed milk and Dulce de Leche.
Storage, reheating and freezing instructions
Arroz con Leche keeps well in the fridge for up to 5 days in an air tight container.
To reheat it, just add to a sauce pan and gently simmer until it heats through. You can add a splash of milk to heat it up.
To freeze, place the Arroz con Leche in a freezer ziplock bag. To reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight.
If you make this recipe I'd love for you to leave a review and a comment below. Have you tried other versions of Arroz con Leche?
Arroz Con Leche
Ingredients
- 1 cup White rice
- 2 cups Water
- 1 cups Whole Milk
- 1 cup Heavy cream
- 14 ounce Condensed Milk 1 can
- ¼ cup Coconut flakes unsweetened, optional
- ¼ cup Raisins Optional
- 2 Cinnamon sticks
- ½ Tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
- ½ Teaspoon Ground cloves
- ¼ Teaspoon Nutmeg
- ½ Teaspoon salt
- ½ Teaspoon Vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottom pan combine the rice, water, cinnamon stick, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg and the salt.1 cup White rice, 2 cups Water, 2 Cinnamon sticks, ½ Tablespoon Ground Cinnamon, ½ Teaspoon Ground cloves, ¼ Teaspoon Nutmeg, ½ Teaspoon salt
- Cook over medium-high heat until it boils. Turn the heat down to medium stirring often for about 15 minutes until the rice is almost done.
- Add the milk, vanilla extract and condensed milk and turn the heat to medium-high until it boils. Simmer for about 5 minutes and reduce the heat to medium.1 cups Whole Milk, 14 ounce Condensed Milk, ½ Teaspoon Vanilla extract
- Cook until the rice starts thickening, reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream, coconut flakes and raisins.1 cup Heavy cream, ¼ cup Coconut flakes, ¼ cup Raisins
- Stir well and serve warm or cold. Sprinkle more cinnamon on top
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