Thick, sweet, and creamy arroz doce (Portuguese rice pudding).
This recipe for rice pudding is so simple to make, and is perfect for an after dinner dessert, sweet treat, or for those special occasions like birthdays and Christmas.
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Arroz doce is a rice based dessert originating from Portugal. It is also known as Portuguese rice pudding or Portuguese sweet rice.
Usually, arroz doce is served chilled for an after-dinner dessert, or on special occasions such as Christmas and weddings.
This easy Portuguese rice pudding recipe involves cooking arborio rice (or any short grain white rice that you have) in milk and water with seasonings of citrus peel, cinnamon, vanilla, sugar, and salt.
And to top it off, eggs and butter are used to make this already creamy dessert even creamier.
This homemade Portuguese rice pudding is so warming and makes for a perfect winter comfort food.
The addition of a handmade cinnamon powder decoration on top of the Portuguese arroz doce attributes to its Portuguese origins.
Translated from Portuguese, the words ‘arroz doce’ mean sweet rice. But this popular dessert is best known as a Portuguese rice pudding.
A bit about rice
It is said that rice was first brought to Portugal during the Moorish period. In the past, rice was most exclusively eaten by the upper class in Portugal.
But today, rice is widely eaten by many and in so many different ways.
For this recipe, arborio rice is used. Arborio rice is also known as risotto rice.
But don’t be fooled into thinking this recipe is difficult to make just because it uses rice that is used in making risotto. It’s quite the opposite actually!
Arborio rice is a type of short grain rice.
The grains of short grain rice are noticeably smaller than those of other rice types such as long grain rice (like basmati rice).
It is best to use a short grain rice for this recipe. Long grain rice, such as basmati rice, tend to break up when you use them in a rice pudding.
What’s more, long grain rice doesn’t provide the same creamy texture that short grain rice types do when cooked.
How to create the decorative cinnamon topping on arroz doce
It is completely optional to decorate your arroz doce with a cinnamon powder topping. I know it may seem really tricky to decorate but believe me it is a lot easier than you think.
There are so many different ways that you can decorate your pudding with cinnamon. The most common cinnamon decoration found on arroz doce is a lattice pattern (like the one seen in the image below).
To decorate your Portuguese rice pudding, you could:
- Use a stencil, or
- Lightly dust ground cinnamon on top, or
- Use a small squeeze bottle filled with ground cinnamon.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It’s a one pot dish meaning there is less to clean up.
- Its simple to make and tastes delicious!
- Can be made in advance.
- It takes little time to prepare and only about 35 minutes to cook.
- Portuguese rice pudding is gluten free.
- Add as much or as little lemon flavor as you like to this arroz doce by adjusting the amount of lemon rind you use.
- Enjoy this Portuguese rice pudding both hot or cold, on special occasions like Christmas or Thanksgiving, pot lucks, or simply as an after dinner dessert.
Cost To Make
Estimated cost = $7.21, or $1.80 a serve
Ingredients
Please note that below is a guide for some of the ingredients we used in the recipe. The printable recipe further down the page has the complete list of ingredients, including quantities and step-by-step instructions.
- Arborio rice (or a short grain white rice): If you are not able to get arborio rice, you can use another kind of short grain white rice.
- Milk: I used whole milk for this recipe. You can use an unsweetened plant-based milk such as almond milk or oat milk, if desired. But each plant-based milk has its own unique flavor, thickness, and texture. If you use a plant-based milk, you may need to adjust the cooking time and quantities to suit the milk you have used.
- Water
- Cinnamon stick
- Lemon peel/rind
- Vanilla extract
- Salt: Just use a pinch. This is to help bring out the flavor of the pudding.
- White sugar
- Egg yolks
- Butter: I recommend using salted butter, but you can use unsalted butter if you want.
- Cinnamon, to garnish
Instructions
This recipe for arroz doce serves 4. The ingredients can easily be multiplied to suit the number of serves you need.
Step One: Place rice, milk, water, cinnamon stick, lemon peel, vanilla extract, and pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Put over medium to high heat.
Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Stir and then cover with a lid. Simmer with lid on for 30 to 35 minutes or until the rice is cooked. Stir occasionally.
Step Two: Remove lid and remove from heat. Mix through the butter.
Step Three: Carefully remove the cinnamon stick and lemon rind from the pudding.
Step Four: In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks and 3 to 4 tablespoons of the cooked rice.
This will allow the eggs to temper. This means the temperature of the eggs will gently increase because you are adding a little bit of the hot rice mixture to it.
By doing this, it will prevent the eggs from scrambling when mixing them through the rice.
Step Five: Combine the egg and rice mixture to the remaining rice in the pot. Stir until combined.
Step Six: Place in a serving dish and dust with ground cinnamon.
Tips for Success
- Don’t walk away from the stove when cooking. This is because the milk may overflow if it gets too hot. If you find your milk is rising in the pot, reduce the heat and gently stir.
- Don't fill the saucepan to the brim. Have at least 4 cm (1.57 inches) clearance from the top.
- Don't rinse your rice before using it. Rinsing rice removes any excess starch from the rice and you will find the pudding won't be as creamy.
Substitutions / Variations
You could add chopped or whole nuts or dried fruit through the pudding or on top if you want to add flavor and texture to the arroz doce.
Add the chopped nuts or dried fruit near the end of the cooking process if you want to add them.
Serving Suggestions
Portuguese rice pudding can be served hot or chilled. This makes it great to enjoy on those cold winter days and even in the hotter days in Summer.
You might like to enjoy this sweet rice with a cup or tea or coffee.
Storage
Once completely cool, store the Portuguese rice pudding in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. You can also freeze this pudding if desired.
To reheat, use a microwave or reheat it over low heat in a saucepan.
FAQ
No, you do not need any special equipment to make arroz doce.
If you want to make a decorative pattern on top of the pudding (which is optional), you may need a stencil or a small squeeze bottle (which you can fill with ground cinnamon).
If you find that once you have finished cooking your arroz doce that your pudding is crunchy, you may have not cooked it for long enough. The most likely reason your pudding is crunchy is because your rice is still not cooked.
If you find your pudding is thick but your rice is still undercooked, add a splash of water or milk and stir it through. Continue to cook your rice until it becomes softer.
Add more milk if necessary but only a little at a time.
Another reason your pudding may be crunchy is if you have burnt some of the your pudding on the bottom of the pan while cooking.
To avoid burning your pudding when cooking, reduce your heat to low and don’t forget to stir your pudding occasionally.
If your arroz doce is runny, it may be because it needs to be cooked for longer. Keep the pudding over low heat and stir occasionally until the mixture thickens to your liking.
Yes, arroz doce does thicken as it cools.
This recipe for arroz doce does not use any ingredients which contain gluten. So, this recipe for arroz doce is gluten free.
Yes, you can make this rice pudding ahead. You can make this dish up to 2 days in advance. Any longer than this and the rice starts to become gritty and unpleasant in texture.
Made this recipe? Let us know how it went in the comments below! We'd love to hear how it turned out.
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Recipe
Arroz Doce
Ingredients
- 1 cup (190 grams, 6.70 ounces) arborio rice or a short grain white rice
- 2 cups milk of choice
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 cinnamon stick about 3-4 cm (1.18-1.57 inches) in length
- 1 strip lemon peel/rind
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract / essence
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup (100 grams, 3.53 ounces) white sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams, 0.53 ounces) butter
- Ground cinnamon to garnish
Instructions
- Place rice, milk, water, cinnamon stick, lemon peel, vanilla extract, pinch of salt, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Put over medium to high heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Stir and then cover with a lid. Simmer with lid on for 30 to 35 minutes or until the rice is cooked. Stir occasionally.
- Remove lid and remove from heat. Mix through the butter.
- Carefully remove the cinnamon stick and lemon rind from the pudding.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks and 3 to 4 tablespoons of the cooked rice (see note 1).
- Combine the egg and rice mixture to the remaining rice in the pot. Stir until combined.
- Place in a serving dish and dust with ground cinnamon.
Notes
- This will allow the eggs to temper. This means the temperature of the eggs will gently increase because you are adding a little bit of the hot rice mixture to it. By doing this, it will prevent the eggs from scrambling when mixing them through the rice.
- Don’t walk away from the stove when cooking. This is because the milk may overflow if it gets too hot. If you find your milk is rising in the pot, reduce the heat and gently stir.
- Don't fill the saucepan to the brim. Have at least 4 cm (1.57 inches) clearance from the top.
Chloe says
This turned out so creamy! My family loved it, will definitely be making it again.
Sue says
The best!