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Home » Recipes » Arroz con Dulce Recipe

Arroz con Dulce Recipe

by Mike Hultquist · Nov 8, 2024 · 12 Comments

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Arroz con Dulce Recipe (Coconut Rice Pudding)

Arroz con Dulce is a delicious Puerto Rican rice pudding that combines creamy rice with the rich flavors of coconut, clove, cinnamon, and ginger, making it the perfect easy dessert!

2 glasses of creamy Arroz con Dulce (Coconut Rice Pudding)

Arroz con Dulce Recipe (Coconut Rice Pudding)

Looking for a spin on your favorite rice pudding recipe? This is a dessert you are going to love. It's called Arroz con Dulce, and it is everything you want in a rice pudding and more.

Arroz con dulce is a delicious Puerto Rican dessert that means "sweet rice". It's a rice pudding made with coconut milk (I also use coconut cream), and warm spices.

I use cinnamon, clove, and ginger, though there are variations. You can make it sweet or let the natural sweetness of the rice and coconut flavor shine.

It's a rich and creamy dessert, popularly served during the holidays or for special occasions. I love it because it's easy to make - only 30 minutes cooking - and you can make it ahead! It's the perfect dessert, my friends.

Let's talk about how to make Arroz con Dulce, shall we?

Arroz con Dulce Ingredients

The full ingredients list with measurements is listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

  • Rice. Use short grain rice or medium grain rice.
  • Spices. Cinnamon sticks, fresh ginger, whole cloves, ground nutmeg, salt.
  • Coconut Milk.
  • Coconut Cream.
  • Raisins.
  • Vanilla Extract.
  • Sugar. Optional, for sweetness. Use white sugar or brown sugar.
  • Garnish. Ground cinnamon, shredded coconut flakes.

How to Make Arroz con Dulce - the Recipe Method

First, soak the rice in water at least 4 hours or overnight, then drain and set aside.

Add 2.5 cups water to a pot with cinnamon sticks, grated ginger, and cloves. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes to infuse with flavor.

Strain the water into a heavy bottomed pot and heat to high heat. Add the coconut milk, and raisins. Bring to a boil.

Add the rice and return to a boil. Stir and cook 5 minutes, until the liquid thickens and starts to evaporate.

Simmering Arroz con Dulce (Coconut Rice Pudding) in a pot until thickened

Reduce heat and simmer until the liquid thickens and you can see the rice, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the coconut cream, nutmeg, salt, vanilla extract, and optional sugar. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally to avoid burning at the bottom of the pot, until the rice cooks through and becomes nice and creamy, about 15 minutes.

Creamy Arroz con Dulce (Coconut Rice Pudding) in a pot, ready to serve

Refrigerate the rice pudding to cool before serving in serving dishes. You can enjoy it right away at room temperature if you'd like. It's so good!

Boom! Done! Your arroz con dulce is ready to serve. Scoop into small bowls or cups and dust with ground cinnamon and coconut flakes. Pretty easy to make, isn't it? This is an easy dish you can prepare ahead, great for the holidays!

Mike serving a scoop of Arroz con Dulce (Coconut Rice Pudding)

Recipe Tips & Notes

  • Soaking the rice is important with rice pudding as it softens the grains, which reduces cooking time and results in better texture.
  • Use a heavy bottomed pot to avoid burning the coconut milk at the bottom of the pot. And, be sure to stir often.

Storage & Leftovers

Leftover arroz con dulce will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this coconut rice pudding recipe (arroz con dulce). Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!

Cookbook Recommendations

I've been learning a lot about Puerto Rican cooking from several different cookbooks. Here are links to 2 Puerto Rican cookbooks I highly recommend. They are great. These are affiliate links, my friends!

  • Puerto Rican Cuisine in America: Nuyorican and Bodega Recipes, by Oswald Rivera
  • Puerto Rican True Flavors, by Wilo Benet
  • Also, check out MY Cookbook - The Spicy Food Lovers' Cookbook, by Mike Hultquist

Amazon Affiliate links, my friends! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Try Some of My Other Puerto Rican Recipes

  • Tostones
  • Pernil
  • Sancocho (Latin American Stew)
  • Pollo Guisado (Chicken Stew)
  • Carne Guisada
  • Arroz con Gandules (Puerto Rican Rice with Pigeon Peas)
  • Coquito
  • See all of my Puerto Rican Recipes
Mike holding a glass of creamy Arroz con Dulce (Coconut Rice Pudding)

Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.

Arroz con Dulce Recipe (Coconut Rice Pudding)
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Arroz con Dulce (Rice Pudding Recipe)

Arroz con Dulce is a delicious Puerto Rican rice pudding that combines creamy rice with the rich flavors of coconut, clove, cinnamon, and ginger, making it the perfect easy dessert!
Save Recipe Saved!
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Keyword: coconut milk, rice
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
Soaking Rice: 4 hours hours
Calories: 314kcal
Author: Mike Hultquist
Servings: 8
Tap or hover to scale
4.84 from 6 votes
Leave a Review

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups short or medium grain rice soaked in water at least 4 hours or overnight, drained
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 inch knob fresh ginger lightly smashed
  • 6 whole cloves
  • 2 cans 13.5 oz coconut milk
  • ½ cup raisins
  • 1 can 15 oz coconut cream
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup white or brown sugar optional, adjust to taste for sweetness
  • For Garnish. Ground cinnamon, coconut flakes

Instructions

  • In a large saucepan, add 2.5 cups water with cinnamon sticks, grated ginger, and cloves. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
  • Strain the water into a heavy bottomed pot and heat to high heat. Add the coconut milk, and raisins. Bring to a boil.
  • Add the rice and return to a boil. Stir and cook 5 minutes, until the liquid thickens and starts to evaporate.
  • Reduce heat and simmer until the liquid thickens and you can see the rice, about 5 minutes.
  • Stir in the coconut cream, nutmeg, salt, vanilla extract, and optional sugar. Continue to cook, stirring often to avoid burning at the bottom of the pot, until the rice cooks through and becomes nice and creamy, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
  • Refrigerate the rice pudding to cool before serving.
  • To serve, scoop into small bowls or cups and dust with ground cinnamon and coconut flakes.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 314kcal   Carbohydrates: 69g   Protein: 9g   Fat: 1g   Saturated Fat: 0.2g   Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g   Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g   Sodium: 561mg   Potassium: 459mg   Fiber: 10g   Sugar: 13g   Vitamin A: 7IU   Vitamin C: 3mg   Calcium: 62mg   Iron: 4mg
Arroz con Dulce Recipe (Coconut Rice Pudding)
Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

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    Recipe Rating




  1. christa stilwell says

    May 26, 2025 at 2:09 pm

    5 stars
    I just made this and it's AMAZING! I, too, was worried about the oil and decided to only put 1/2 can of coconut cream in it. Next time, I'll try the Lite coconut milk, too. But there'll definitely be a "next time" in the near future!!
    Thanks for another great recipe!!

    Reply
    • Mike H. says

      May 27, 2025 at 8:03 am

      You are very welcome, Christa - enjoy!

      Reply
  2. Jamie Lynch says

    May 04, 2025 at 8:05 am

    4 stars
    @chilipeppermadness. I made the Arroz con Dulce recipe exactly as instructed. When I opened the can of coconut cream and saw the amount of coconut oil on the top, I hesitated to add it to the pot. But since I love all of your recipes and trust you, I went ahead and added it against my better judgement. Sure enough, the finished rice pudding, although very good in all other aspects, ended up oily and leaves an unpleasant, oily feel in your mouth. I will make this recipe again only next time, I will drain all the oil off the top of the coconut cream before incorporating it. Other than that, the flavor of the pudding is spot on.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      May 04, 2025 at 8:34 am

      Hi, Jamie. I'm sorry to hear the flavor didn't come out exactly as you hoped. This is the recipe, though, as tested several times and even given to friends. Doesn't mean you're wrong, of course. I think next time you might try a lighter coconut milk? That won't have as much oil. Also, maybe mixing up the can first before adding MIGHT make a difference, if it didn't all mix consistently. Regardless, I hope you'll try again and are able to get it just where you want it. Cheers, and thanks for commenting.

      Reply
  3. Tony Guerrieri says

    January 26, 2025 at 10:27 am

    5 stars
    Last week I gathered up the ingredients and made this recipe. As I told mike this stuff should be outlawed it was so good...It is a superb recipe

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      January 26, 2025 at 10:30 am

      I know, right? This dish is WAY TOO GOOD! Glad you enjoyed it, Tony.

      Reply
  4. Bonvivant says

    November 10, 2024 at 3:33 pm

    5 stars
    This is absolutely delicious! I did not have coconut cream and had to substitute evaporated milk. I made a double batch so that I can make rice pudding ice cream. Another excellent recipe Mike. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Mike H. says

      November 11, 2024 at 5:54 am

      You are very welcome, Bonvivant!

      Reply
  5. Kim Roberts says

    November 09, 2024 at 1:52 pm

    5 stars
    Sounds so yummy!

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      November 09, 2024 at 2:02 pm

      Yes! So yummy!

      Reply
  6. Henry Ciocca says

    November 08, 2024 at 7:45 am

    5 stars
    Can you use coconut sugar instead of white or brown?
    Love your recipes by the way.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      November 08, 2024 at 7:49 am

      Absolutely, Henry! Thanks so much!

      Reply

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