Creamy cinnamon-spiced rice pudding simmered slowly in milk, finished with a dusting of ground cinnamon.
Arroz con leche is one of Cuba's most comforting desserts, a rice pudding built by simmering rice low and slow in milk sweetened with sugar and perfumed with cinnamon stick and lemon or lime zest. Unlike custard-based puddings, the creaminess here comes entirely from starch released by the rice as it cooks -- patience is the main technique, not any thickener. The rice is first simmered briefly in water to soften it before the milk goes in, which prevents the milk from scorching over the long cooking time ahead. From there it's a slow simmer, stirred often, as the rice swells and the milk reduces into a thick, spoonable pudding. A pinch of salt in the mix -- easy to forget -- is what keeps the sweetness from tasting flat. Served warm or chilled with a generous dusting of ground cinnamon on top, this pudding is standard fare at Cuban family gatherings and is often one of the first desserts Cuban home cooks learn to make, since it uses only pantry staples and rewards a slow hand rather than precision.
Serves 6
Combine rice, water and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered 10 minutes until most water is absorbed.
Stir in milk, cinnamon stick and zest strip. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat.
Cook uncovered, stirring every few minutes, for 30 to 35 minutes until the mixture thickens into a loose, creamy pudding.
Stir from the bottom often -- this is where scorching starts, especially in the last 10 minutes as it thickens.
Stir in sugar and vanilla during the last 5 minutes of cooking, once the rice is fully tender.
Remove the cinnamon stick and zest. Spoon into bowls, dust generously with ground cinnamon, and serve warm or chilled.
Use short-grain rice, not long-grain -- it releases more starch and gives the pudding its characteristic creaminess.
Keep the heat at a gentle simmer, not a boil, once the milk goes in, or it can scorch on the bottom.
The pudding thickens further as it cools, so pull it off the heat while it still looks slightly loose.
Coconut arroz con leche: replace one cup of milk with coconut milk for a Caribbean twist.
Raisin version: stir in a third cup of raisins during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
Dairy-free: use full-fat oat or coconut milk in place of whole milk, adjusting sweetness to taste.
Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days. The pudding thickens significantly when cold -- stir in a splash of milk when reheating gently on the stovetop or serve chilled as-is.
Arroz con leche has roots in Spanish colonial cooking and is found across Latin America and Spain with regional variations; in Cuba it is typically simpler and less spiced than versions found in Mexico or Spain, relying mainly on cinnamon and citrus zest, and remains a common dessert at family celebrations.
You can, but it will take considerably longer to soften and won't release as much starch, so the pudding will be less creamy than the traditional short-grain version.
This is normal -- rice pudding firms up in the fridge. Just stir in a splash of milk before serving to loosen it back to a spoonable consistency.
The heat was likely too high or the stirring too infrequent -- keep it at a bare simmer and stir from the bottom of the pot every couple of minutes, especially as it thickens near the end.
Per serving (220g / 7.8 oz) · 6 servings total
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