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Easy and deliciously creamy Rice Pudding (Arroz Con Leche) is a no fail one pot recipe with minimal ingredients and only 3 steps! An old reader favourite.
Creamy, soft rice pudding filled with a hint of vanilla and cinnamon and juicy sultanas (raisins). The ultimate comfort food! Find out how to make old fashioned rice pudding right at home with our popular family recipe. It gets rave reviews from everyone we serve it to.
The best rice pudding recipe you’ll ever eat!
Old fashioned rice pudding
When made the wrong way, rice pudding can be bland, lacking in flavour and awful in texture — but the way my Colombian mother taught me is a no fail recipe for a successfully creamy pudding so full of flavour. While filling, it’s so addictive that one bowl is never enough.
How To Make Rice Pudding
Since posting this recipe over four years ago, we have seen some interesting recipes for rice pudding. Some use water instead of milk, or rinse the rice before cooking, or even add eggs into a cream mixture. Others call for two or three pots? *Insert shrug*
I like to stick with what has worked in my family for decades… an easy recipe passed on to my mother from generations above her. Our pudding (or Arroz Con Leche) is so easy! Throw all ingredients into a pot, and stir occasionally while cooking until perfectly thick and creamy.
The starch that releases into the milk from the rice ensures the unforgettable creamy texture.
Ingredients for rice pudding
With a handful of easy-to-find ingredients, you’re minutes away from the best pudding of your life.
- Medium grain rice — adds just the right amount of creaminess. Do not use long grain rice or short grain in this recipe, as the texture will be altered.
- Milk instead of cream or water. You can use full fat, low fat or skim. Almond milk also works.
- White sugar — regular or super fine. A good quality sweetener can be used to replace sugar if you wish (Swerve or Natvia).
- Ground cinnamon or a cinnamon stick. Personally, I prefer ground cinnamon.
- Pure vanilla extract provides the right taste in the cream. Please don’t be tempted to use vanilla essence.
- Raisins (Sultanas) are optional. You could replace them with chopped dates or leave out the fruit if you wish.
- Condensed milk — my mother’s secret weapon. It adds that something extra to the flavour to the pudding.
- Unsalted butter. The one ingredient that will never be optional for us. Try it. You’ll see what I mean.
Can you make rice pudding with cooked rice?
Yes, you can, but you will need another recipe for that version. This recipe is made from scratch and is much creamier and tastier than cooked rice versions, as the rice is being cooked right in the cinnamon and vanilla flavours added into the milk.
We always make sure there are some leftovers for breakfast…hot or cold.
From my house to yours, enjoy….
Love desserts? Try these!
Hot Fudge Chocolate Pudding Cake
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Rice Pudding Now On Video!
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Rice Pudding (Arroz Con Leche)
Ingredients
- 6 cups milk full fat, low fat or skim
- 1 cup medium grain rice
- 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup raisins or sultanas, optional
- 1/2 cup condensed milk optional
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter optional
Instructions
- Combine the milk, rice, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and raisins (sultanas) in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, mixing occasionally.
- Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally while scraping the base and sides of the pan with a wooden spoon, until thick and creamy (about 15-20 minutes).
- Once rice is soft and cooked through, mix in the condensed milk and butter. Add 1/4 cup extra milk ONLY if needed to achieve your desired consistency.
- Pour the rice among serving bowls; sprinkle with extra ground cinnamon (or cinnamon sugar), and raisins (or sultanas). Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How long how long would you say you could store this in the refrigerator prior to use?
Hi Mary,
It can generally be stored in the refrigerator safely for 2 to 4 days. It’s always a good idea to check for any changes in smell, texture, or appearance when you plan to consume leftovers. Below are some tips.
-Store it in an airtight container to prevent it from absorbing any odors from the refrigerator.
-Allow it to cool to room temperature before refrigerating to prevent condensation inside the container, which could alter the texture.
-When ready to serve again, you can enjoy it cold, or gently reheat it on the stovetop or microwave, adding a splash of milk if needed to recreate the creamy consistency.
Hope this helps and enjoy your cooking!
OMG this was so good! Just like my mom used to make but (dare I say?!) even better. Something I haven’ had in many years but both of my kiddos are underweight so I’ve been desperately seeking recipes that pack a nutritional/caloric punch without being total sugar bombs…this was just the ticket!
Absolutely delicious. Thanks for posting.
Best rice pudding ever thank you. I made no changes, who would mess with perfection!!!
This is the best rice pudding recipe I have found. I did make a couple of changes only for personal preferences. I cut the cinnamon to !/2 tsp and used 1 1/2 tsp of nutmeg. Also I added an extra tsp of pure vanilla. We loved it. Thank you so much. I have been searching for years and none have come close to being what I wanted.
I totally agree that the medium grain rice makes a huge difference!! This will be our forever recipe! I’ve tried a handful of recipes, and this one is perfection. My daughter has a dairy allergy, so I used oat milk. You couldn’t even tell! I pulled some aside for her, then added in the condensed milk & butter for the rest of us. The whole pot was gone before it cooled down.
Hi Karina,
Another incredible recipe. Perfect. Thank you 😊
Absolutely beautiful and tasty
Tastes great but had to low cook for an hour and a half! Worth it though!!!
This is it! Used to go to this restaurant when I was a little girl and ordered the rice pudding every time. I’ve been searching for a similar recipe ever since. Forty years later my search is over. I think the condensed milk was the secret ingredient. Thank you!
Agreed 100%