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peruviandessert

Arroz con Leche (Peruvian)

Peru's silky rice pudding cooked with whole milk, cinnamon, cloves, and condensed milk until creamy and fragrant — a beloved dessert dusted with cinnamon.

Prep
5 min
Cook
40 min
Servings
6
Difficulty
Easy
4.6(312 ratings)
#rice pudding#dessert#Peruvian#cinnamon#creamy

About This Recipe

Peruvian arroz con leche is deceptively simple and deeply comforting — a slow-cooked rice pudding infused with cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla, sweetened with condensed milk until silky and fragrant. Unlike European rice puddings, the Peruvian version uses condensed milk for a richer, more intensely sweet result and is traditionally finished with a generous dusting of cinnamon.

Ingredients

Serves 6

  • 200 gshort-grain rice
  • 1 litrewhole milk
  • 400 mlcondensed milk
  • 2 stickscinnamon
  • 4cloves
  • 1 striplemon zest
  • 1 tspvanilla extract
  • 1 tspground cinnamon(for dusting)

Instructions

  1. 1

    Cook rice

    Rinse rice. Cook in 400 ml water with cinnamon sticks, cloves, and lemon zest until water is absorbed.

  2. 2

    Add milk

    Add whole milk gradually, stirring, over medium heat.

  3. 3

    Add condensed milk

    Stir in condensed milk and vanilla. Cook, stirring regularly, until thick and creamy, 20–25 min.

  4. 4

    Serve

    Spoon into bowls. Dust with ground cinnamon. Serve warm or chilled.

Pro Tips

  • Stir constantly in the last 10 minutes to prevent the bottom from scorching.

Variations

  • Add diced dried fruit like raisins or apricots

  • Serve with manjar blanco (dulce de leche)

  • Flavour with orange zest instead of lemon

Storage

Refrigerate up to 4 days. Serve cold or gently warmed with a splash of milk to loosen.

History & Origin

Arroz con leche arrived in Peru with Spanish colonisers, who brought the recipe from Moorish-influenced Spanish cooking. The Peruvian version evolved by incorporating local condensed milk and the abundant cinnamon trade, becoming a distinct dessert tradition.

Frequently Asked Questions

How thick should it be?

It should coat a spoon but still be pourable — it thickens further as it cools.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving · 6 servings total

Calories320kcal
Protein8g
Carbohydrates58g
Fat7g
Fiber0g
Protein8g
Carbs58g
Fat7g

Time Summary

Prep time5 min
Cook time40 min
Total time45 min

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