Arroz con Dulce | It’s time to start getting excited! Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming! It sounds crazy to even say that but, growing up I spent most of the holidays in the states. But, even though we may have been far from home Mami always made sure that we enjoyed all the Puerto Rican holiday traditions and foods.
My favorite thing she would make for dessert was arroz con dulce. Which translates to rice candy. It’s a sticky sweet coconut rice treat with cinnamon and raisins. It’s delicious, its sweet, it’s sticky and for me it is love.
I remember fondly how the smell of coconut and cinnamon would fill the air when Mami would steep the coconut milk with all the spices. She would take her time with it, stirring the pot to make sure it wouldn’t stick to the bottom.
Finally, it would be done and ready to pour out onto a platter. She would always warn my sister and me to keep our fingers out of the arroz con dulce. But we would eventually sneak in and steal a bite when she wasn’t looking. It was relatively easy to hide the stolen bite by spreading the arroz over the hole.
What is Arroz con Dulce
Arroz con dulce literally translates as rice with sweet or sweet rice. It’s a dessert that is commonly served in Puerto Rico during the holidays. The rice is soaked overnight in water, drained and then cooked in a sweetened mixture of coconut milk and evaporated milk. It does take some time to prepare but it can be made ahead of time and is typically served room temperature.
There are so many things to love about this beautiful dessert. It’s creamy, sweet, a little sticky and full of coconut flavor.
But, there is a debate about one thing…raisins. I am very pro raisin some are very against raisins. But let me tell you I LOVE the raisins because they get all plump and infused with the sweet coconut milk flavor and I even love to suck on the cinnamon sticks. I know it sounds odd but try it and then tell me if I am weird.
Arroz con Dulce Recipe Ingredients
2 cups medium or short grain rice
5 14 oz cans coconut milk
1 5 oz can evaporated milk
4 cinnamon sticks
12 whole cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup raisins
There is something very magical when it comes to the foods of childhood memories. The smell and taste can immediately transport you back to that time of innocence. When I take a bite of this dessert, I can almost year mami yelling at me to leave it alone and wait for Christmas Eve dinner. But, I just couldn’t wait till Christmas Eve dinner.
I love Christmas Eve it was always happy times filled with music, children laughing, adults chatting, and boisterous laughs followed by the slamming of dominos.
Tips for Arroz con Dulce
- It is important that medium or short grain rice is used when making arroz con dulce. Long grain rice requires more liquid to cook and is not as starchy. A starchy rice gives a creamier texture.
- I the technique I use for my arroz con dulce is similar to the technique when making risotto. I do this because I find that the end result is creamier then if the rice is simply cooked in sweetened milk. Also, this helps prevent the rice and milk from scalding or burning.
- A heavy bottom pot is best to evenly distribute the heat. This way you don’t get a hot spot where the rice can burn.
- Arroz con dulce can be made several days ahead of time. Great when you are planning a large holiday party. Keep it refrigerated and covered until ready to serve.
If you are wanting to make the ultimate Puerto Rican holiday spread you need to make a pavochon (Puerto Rican Thanksgiving turkey) or pernil asado (Puerto Rican roast pork) and some arroz con gandules (Puerto Rican rice and pigeon peas) and pasteles.
Need more Puerto Rican recipes? Check out my full collection of Puerto Rican recipes!
Arroz Con Dulce
Arroz con dulce is a traditional Puerto Rican dessert made with rice, coconut milk, and spices. It's creamy, spiced, and one of my favorite desserts.
Ingredients
- 2 cups medium or short grain rice
- 5 14 oz cans coconut milk
- 1 5 oz can evaporated milk
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 12 whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup raisins
Instructions
- Pour rice into a bowl and add water until covering the rice by two-inches. Let soak overnight.
- In a large pot combine four cans of coconut milk, evaporated milk, cinnamon sticks, cloves, salt, and ginger. Bring to a boil and set to low to simmer. Let steep for 15 minutes.
- Drain rice and add to a large heavy bottom pot. I find that a large dutch oven works best. Heat pot over medium-low heat. Leave the coconut milk over low heat. Add four ladles of coconut milk, about two cups, to rice. Stir coconut milk in with the rice. Continue to stir until rice has absorbed most of the coconut milk. Continue this process one ladle at a time until you have used almost half of the coconut milk.
- Add remaining coconut milk, stir until well combined and cover. Cook covered over low heat for 15 - 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom.
- Add sugar and raisins, stir until well combined. Bring to a slow boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until rice is tender, stirring frequently to keep from sticking to the bottom. (If the rice begins to dry out before tender add 1 - 2 ladles at a time until tender.)
- Add remaining can of coconut milk to rice pudding. Stir until well combined. Continue to cook uncovered until creamy like a soft pudding. It’s ok if it a little runny because the rice will continue to absorb the coconut milk as it cools.
- Pour pudding out on a serving platter and let cool at room temperature before serving. Garnish with cinnamon.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 497Total Fat: 36gSaturated Fat: 32gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 302mgCarbohydrates: 45gFiber: 1gSugar: 34gProtein: 5g
Am I reading this recipe correctly it is it 5 cans of coconut milk?
Do you have to use evaporated milk? Im looking for dairy free recipe.
I haven’t prepared it any other way. I cannot speak to substitutions.
Use coconut evaporated and condensed milk! It’s dairy free. You can get it in organic stores.
Is there a way to make this less creamy but firmer?
It gets firmer as it sits and cools overnight. You could use less liquid towards the end but, you have to be sure that you allow the rice to cook until tender. And liquid is needed or that so it’s a delicate balance.
Yes, there is a way, using Long grain rice. Ive done it for many yrs like my mother. Her being a baking queen of all sweet dishes. I dont like the creamier way cause to me looks like vomit, lol. Also…to answer some of other questions…YES, there is a way to no need to presoak. YES, non dairy way too (it will just not be as white) n u will not lose flavor. Had to make it this way for a few friends that dont consume dairy. But sorry, i will not post that info here. She’s trying to sell a book, im not.
Can I soak the rice for 3-4 hours instead of overnight??
I have not tried it. It takes a good amount of time for the grains to soften. It is best that they are soaked overnight. If you can’t do that it will take more time for them to cook on the stove top and become tender.
Yes you can but best results are definitely overnight but 3-5 hours is good
Do you have ideas on how to plate it? I always see it in the tray and people cut their own portions but I love cute plated food. I want to make this for a friend’s party, I always try to bring something puertorrican (flan, rice, coquito, relleno de pavo, etc).
This sounds so good! My husbands Abuela use to make this for him so im going to try this receipe and suprise hum! Thank you for pinning it!
Si estas comidas y postres son hispanos, pq escriben en inglés? O se les olvidó el español? Hay personas que no entienden inglés. Además a los americanos no les interesa nuestra comida.
Primero, no se me olvdió el español. Pero es verdad que me siento mas comoda escribiendo en inglés y como es me pagína yo voy hacer lo que quiero. Es verdad que hay personas que no entienden inglés. Pero tambien hay muchos hispanos que no peden leer español. Tambien hay muchos hispanos que pueden leer español e inglés. Como yo. So, what’s your point?
Hay muchísima gente que no son hispanos que se apasionan por nuestra comida y cultura. Es un orgullo llevar y hacer accesible a personas no hispanas nuestras raíces!
Uno quiere y desea aprender mas y expandir sus conocimientos, por lo menos yo soy así y no me limito a la cultura donde me crié. Yo y muchos más crecimos entre 2 y más culturas por la mezcla de nuestra familia y también tenemos el derecho a llevar ambas con orgullo.
Go ahead girl !!!!! Very well done 😉 !!!!!! It is a honor o orgullo to be bilingual and be able to reach out to other cultures, en espanol o ingles
This is the simplest way to cook Spanish food and the recipes are easy to read and right on point . I am Puerto Rican and I love our food it’s the best and I am enjoying your Website and everything you post I don’t know you and I feel so proud.
Thanks for posting in English. I have been enveloped by the Puerto Rican culture. Married at 17, I got to love the food watching abuela and auntie cook & work all day in la cocina. I am an American girl who loves PR food. I make almost all typical dishes & often get compliments from my PR girlfriends who come over to my place. I am going to try the Arroz con Dulce for Christmas dessert. I am interested in the culture, food, and people of Puerto Rico!
Bien dicho!!! Well Said!!!!!!
Muy bien dicho. Way to go!!
OMGoodness girl! That was well said! Im one who is Puerto Rican and would prefer spanish recipes in English! Love you for that. Ive tried most of your dishes and my family’s most requested is the pastelon! Lol. Everytime I make it brings my dad memories of how and when his mom used to make it! I LOVE your recipes and please keep them in English! Lol Just know..everytime you do something positive, there will always be negative feedback (thats what I teach my daughter). You keep doing what you doing and I wouldn’t pay too much attention to negative comments…i would delete them instead! Lol
Este tiene que ser un(a) frusta que se pasa comiendo de fast food y no sabe lo que es comida de verdad.
La cocina Boricua es lo mas rico,
Tal vez un diccionario te ayude. Yo tengo muchas amistades americanas a las cuales les encantan nuestras comidas. Eso se sabe al compartir nuestra hospitalidad y nuestra cultura. He recomendado esta página, precisamente, por ser en inglés.?
That is so not true! So many of my non-hispanic friends are always asking me about
our Spanish food and how to prepare it. During the holidays, they would always ask
us to bring Puerto Rican dishes. They love our food.
Thank you Meseidy for all of your wonderful recipes!
Feliz Navidad!
Really delicious and creamy! I would just suggest cutting sugar in half as it was a little too sweet for my family. Otherwise just fabulous!
I was wondering what kind of cloves.. In the ingredients it says 12 cloves but 12 cloves of what?
12 whole cloves. It’s a spice. They are commonly used to decorate glazed hams. You will find them in the spice aisle.
Oh my, this is heaven! My daughter (who adores coconut) will absolutely love this!
Ohhhhhh…how lovely is this?! I want one of those pretty cups of pudding right now!
I made your original recipe during the weekend, and it came out great. Wanted to make it again today but noticed you changed the recipe. Why did you change it?
How much does this recipe make, if a serving is a cup? I’m thinking this serves a lot of people but I only need it for 6.
This recipe filled a 13 x 9 cake pan about half way. I would say it made 12 1/2 cup servings.
Oh okay! Great!! So I’ll just cut it in half! Or give everyone one cup and give me 7? 😉 Can’t wait to make it!
Quisiera saber si puedo utilizar arroz grano mediano en vez de corto. Si es la mis ma cantidad y liquidos? Thanks
Para esta receta use un grano corto, pero puedes usar mediano si es lo que tienes. La cantidad del liquido deber ser igual. Si ten encuentras necesitando más para ablandar el arroz tú puedes usar un poco de agua para no tener que abrir otra lata de leche de coco.
Keep me posted please!
Instead of sugar I use 1/2 can of condense milk…add 1/2 stick of butter…and I sprinkle ground cinnamon on top when I plate it.
Simple, easy, yummy yet not expensive dessert. Made sauce from wild berries which was great complement to this dessert.
Is this the canned coconut milk, or the coconut milk beverage? It sounds so yummy and I want to get it right!
You want to used canned coconut milk. 🙂
Am I reading this recipe right is it 5-14 ounce cans of coconut milk?
Made it today….. heavenly good, like my grandma used to make.
This is great. It is not Christmas without Arroz con Dulce. Thank you.
Wow this one really brought back memories Mese. she would make a batch just for us sometimes and I remember one time mami telling us to s wash a spoon instead of taking a new spoon each time we opened the fridge to pick at it. I guess the sink kept filling up with spoons. LOL
Another great recipe with great photos!
Carmen is our Chef for El Boricua.
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Just like my Mami makes. I haven’t made arroz con dulce in a while. I think this Christmas is a good time to give it a go! Thanks!