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Dominican Style Arroz con Leche recipe that is creamy, sweet, and filled with traditional Dominican flavors!
Arroz con Leche (rice pudding) is one of my favorite sweet treats. This traditional dessert is even better when you make it Dominican style with all of the traditional Dominican spices and flavors. If you’ve never had Dominican Style Arroz con Leche, no worries! You won’t be missing out for long because my Dominican Style Arroz con Leche recipe is creamy, sweet, and filled with traditional Dominican flavors!
Dominican style rice pudding is unique and different from traditional rice pudding or even other popular Arroz con Leche recipes. Dominicans style Arroz con Leche is unique because of the lime peel, which gives this dish a subtle citrus flavor.
The same is also true when making Dominican Avena (oatmeal). Both of these traditional Dominican dishes call for whole cinnamon sticks, sugar, and that iconic lime peel. The oils from the lime peel truly elevates these dishes.
It also transports me to my childhood. I honestly can’t enjoy rice pudding if it doesn’t have the subtle lime flavor from the lime peel!
- Medium Grain White Rice
- Evaporated Milk – it’s creamier than regular milk and makes this sweet delight much more decadent
- Whole Cinnamon Sticks
- Whole Cloves
- Nutmeg
- Lime Peel
- Sugar
- Vanilla Extract – use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor and results
- Salt – a tiny bit of salt balances out all of the sugar!
- Ground cinnamon for garnish (my favorite part!)
Arroz con Leche is really easy to make. You can easily whip this up on a weeknight or even on a slow Sunday morning. To kick things off, thoroughly rinse medium grain white rice until the water runs clear.
Then add the rice to a nonstick ceramic dutch oven with water and cinnamon sticks. The trick to making a delicious rice pudding is to first soften the rice with a cinnamon tea. This infuses the cinnamon flavor throughout!
Make sure that the water is simmering and continue to mix throughout. If the rice is still hard, continue to add water 2 cups at a time. You’ll notice that the cinnamon sticks will open up as you gently cook the rice over medium heat.
Once the rice has softened, make sure that the water has evaporated by at least 80%. Then add the evaporated milk, sugar, vanilla extract, whole cloves, salt, and lime peel. The lime peel is non-negotiable and gives this dish its iconic Dominican flavor!
Mix in all of the ingredients and continue to mix every few minutes. This will prevent the milk and sugar from burning on the bottom. All in all, this rice pudding will thicken as it cooks and even more so as it cools.
This will roughly take 20-30 minutes. In the end, feel free to enjoy the Arroz con Leche warm or cool with extra ground cinnamon.
Tip #1: Soften the rice over medium heat with water and cinnamon sticks. This will create a cinnamon tea that will deepen the cinnamon flavor throughout. This is also very similar to how we add flavor to Coquito!
Tip #2: Add salt AFTER the rice has softened to help balance out the other rice pudding flavors and sweetness. Adding the rice in the beginning with the water and cinnamon sticks will prolong just how long it takes for the rice to cook
Tip #3: Use pure 100% vanilla extract to flavor the arroz con leche. This will elevate the flavor of this traditional Dominican dessert. This is also my secret to making The Best Flan and even Dominican Arepa Dulce
Tip #4: If the rice pudding has thickened too much, you can always thin it out with extra evaporated or even regular milk
Tip #5: Once the rice pudding is done, cover it with a lid or saran wrap to prevent a skin from forming. This is also a tip that you can use even when enjoying Dominican Farina!
Dominican Arroz con Leche is the epitome of comfort food. It’s the perfect traditional Dominican dessert with authentic flavors! It’s a must for the holidays, Easter, or even a brunch menu! If you love these flavors and no-bake desserts, then you’ll also love my Tres Leches Parfait and Habichuelas con Dulce!
Dominican Arroz Con Leche
Classic and authentic Dominican Arroz con Leche (Rice Pudding) that comforting and delicious. Hands down, one of the best ways of making this childhood favorite.
- Total Time50 Minutes
- Yield6 Servings 1x
- DietGluten-Free
Ingredients
- 2 cups White Rice
- 4 cups of Water
- 4 Cinnamon Sticks
- 4 cups of Evaporated Milk
- 2 1/2 cups of Sugar
- 1 tsp of Salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 tsp Whole Cloves
- 1/2 tsp Fresh Nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon of Lime Peel
- Ground Cinnamon for Garnish
Instructions
- Rinse rice until the water runs clear. Then add rice to a dutch oven with 4 cups of water and 4 cinnamon sticks. Simmer for 20 minutes over medium heat until rice becomes tender. If rice is still hard, add an additional 2 cups of water and simmer for another 10 minutes until rice begins to soften
- Once the rice is tender, add 4 cups of evaporated milk, sugar, lime peel, cloves, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix together until well combined
- Stir constantly for 25- 30 minutes until rice is tender and cooked through. Add extra milk or sugar if needed. Note that the rice pudding will thicken as it cooks and will thicken more rapidly as it cools
- Once the rice pudding has thickened, remove from heat and plate into decorative bowls. Garnish with extra cinnamon and enjoy warm or cold. If you’re not eating right away, cover rice pudding with a lid or saran wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Remove cinnamon sticks when serving
Notes
Cooling
- Rice pudding will thicken rapidly as it cools and forms a skin if not covered with a lid or saran wrap. Be sure to remove cinnamon sticks when serving Arroz con Leche. Feel free to enjoy warm, cool, or at room temperature
Storage
- Store arroz con leche in a air tight container in the fridge. Enjoy within 4 days
Re-Heating
- Re-heat arroz con leche in a small saucepan over low heat. If rice pudding is too thick, add extra milk and sugar if needed
- Prep Time: 20 Minutes
- Cook Time: 30 Minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American, Caribbean, Dominican, Latin, Mexican