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Sonoran (Mexican) · from the kitchen

Sonoran Arroz con Leche — Canela & Lime-Peel Rice Pudding

A slow-stirred Sonoran rice pudding cooked in whole milk with canela and lime peel, finished with ground cinnamon and a curl of lime zest.

Serves

6

Prep

10 min

Cook

40 min

Sonoran Arroz con Leche — Canela & Lime-Peel Rice Pudding

The story

This is the rice pudding my grandmother kept on the back of the stove, a clay pot of it, with a cinnamon stick and a curl of lime peel floating on top. It is plain and honest and exactly what a hot Sonoran afternoon wants — cooled down, dusted with cinnamon, eaten with a spoon from a bowl you've had since you were small. I cook the rice slowly in the milk so it goes creamy without any eggs, and I finish it with a little canela and a pinch of salt. It keeps for days, and it is better cold the next morning for breakfast.

What goes in

  • ◆1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed until the water runs clear
  • ◆4 cups whole milk
  • ◆1 cup water
  • ◆1 whole stick Mexican cinnamon (canela)
  • ◆1 strip fresh lime peel (no pith), about 2 inches
  • ◆1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • ◆1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • ◆1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ◆2 tbsp sweetened condensed milk (optional, for a silkier finish)
  • ◆Ground cinnamon, for dusting
  • ◆A fresh curl of lime peel, for garnish

Before you cook — gather these

  • ◆Heavy medium saucepan (a clay pot is ideal; lightly grease the bottom so the milk does not catch)
  • ◆Wooden spoon (stir slowly and often so the rice does not stick)
  • ◆Fine-mesh strainer (for rinsing the rice)
  • ◆Small bowl of cold water (to rest the spoon in between stirs)
  • ◆Rustic clay serving bowls
  • ◆Small whisk (for the condensed-milk finish)

The method

  1. 1

    Rinse the rice: place the rice in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold water until it runs clear. Shake off as much water as you can.

  2. 2

    Start the rice: in a heavy saucepan (or clay pot) over medium heat, combine the rinsed rice, the water, the canela stick, and the lime peel. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring now and then, until the water is nearly absorbed, about 8 minutes.

  3. 3

    Add the milk: pour in the whole milk and the salt. Lower the heat to medium-low so the milk stays at a bare simmer — never a boil, or it will scorch and break. Cook, stirring slowly and often with the wooden spoon and scraping the bottom, 25–30 minutes until the rice is tender and the milk has thickened to a soft cream.

  4. 4

    Sweeten: stir in the sugar and vanilla. If you want a silkier pudding, whisk in the condensed milk. Continue to cook and stir 5 minutes more until the pudding coats the spoon and mounds softly.

  5. 5

    Rest and cool: remove the canela stick and the spent lime peel. Pour into rustic clay bowls. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours — it thickens further as it chills.

  6. 6

    Serve: dust the surface generously with ground cinnamon and lay a fresh curl of lime peel on top. Serve cold, the next morning even better.

Pour alongside

Pour a cup of chamomile tea over ice — the flor de manzanilla sits beside the cinnamon without fighting it.

Take it to the kitchen

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Filed under

dessertrice puddingarroz con lechesonorancanelamake-aheadbreakfast

AriMexico

Arizona: Food

From the table

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Thoughts & experiences (2)

  • Jorge M.Sep 1, 2026

    The lime peel in the milk is the move. My mother always made hers with just canela, but this version tastes like the pot in Magdalena de Kino. Thank you for sharing it.

  • Amy K.Sep 1, 2026

    Slow stirring felt meditative and the clay bowl trick stopped any sticking. Topped mine with an extra curl of lime zest — my kids asked for seconds.