This Pumpkin Tres Leches Rice Pudding is my fall version of arroz doce, the creamy rice pudding I grew up eating in Brazil. Long-grain white rice is slowly cooked with cinnamon and cloves, then finished with pumpkin puree, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and whole milk until rich and wonderfully creamy.
It’s sweet, warmly spiced and comforting without requiring any complicated technique. And while the pumpkin makes it perfect for fall, the first spoonful still tastes like arroz doce to me.
Author’s Note: A Memory From Brazil
Some recipes bring back memories you didn’t even realize were tucked away. Testing this pumpkin rice pudding did exactly that for me.
When I was a little girl in Brazil, so young that I can’t remember my exact age, but certainly under 10, I used to help my grandmother at our local farmers market on Saturdays. Our mornings started very early, often before sunrise. I came from a simple background, and in those days everyone in the family was expected to help.
One of my strongest memories from those mornings isn’t something I saw. It’s something I smelled.
There was another vendor nearby who sold arroz doce, and as the sun came up, the smell of warm rice pudding, cinnamon and cloves would fill the air around us. If we’d had a good morning of sales, my grandmother would sometimes spare a few coins so I could buy myself a bowl.
I can still remember how special that felt.
All these years later, standing in my own kitchen stirring cinnamon and cloves into this recipe brought me right back to those early Saturday mornings with my grandmother.
It’s a reminder of something I’ve come to appreciate more and more as a cook: food is so much more than calories and protein. Food carries stories. It holds memories. It connects us to people and places we may be thousands of miles away from. Food nourishes the body, but sometimes it nourishes the soul, too.
This pumpkin version isn’t the arroz doce I ate at that farmers market. It’s my fall interpretation of a dessert that has been part of my life for as long as I can remember.
What Is Arroz Doce?
Arroz doce literally means “sweet rice” in Portuguese and is the Brazilian name for the creamy rice-and-milk dessert Americans would recognize as rice pudding.
Rice puddings exist in many cultures, and you’ll find related versions throughout Latin America called arroz con leche. In Brazil, arroz doce is also closely associated with Festa Junina, the traditional June celebrations where it is served alongside other classic sweets.
My recipe takes those familiar flavors of rice, milk, cinnamon and cloves and gives them a fall twist with pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice.
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Rice Pudding
What I particularly love about this recipe is that the pumpkin doesn’t replace the character of arroz doce. You still taste the warm cinnamon and cloves and get that familiar soft, creamy rice texture, but pumpkin adds another layer of richness.
The three different milks have different jobs, too. Sweetened condensed milk provides sweetness and richness, evaporated milk gives the pudding more concentrated dairy flavor, and regular milk provides enough liquid for the rice to slowly become creamy without making the finished pudding overwhelmingly sweet.
And everything happens right on the stovetop, no eggs, baking or water bath required.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Long-grain white rice: This is what I tested the recipe with. The grains become very tender while still giving the pudding texture.
- Water: The rice gets a head start cooking in water before any of the dairy ingredients are added.
- Cinnamon sticks and whole cloves: Cooking these directly with the rice perfumes it from the very beginning. Don’t forget to remove the whole spices before serving, though my version growing up was served with cloves and cinnamon, so I would say this is optional.
- Sweetened condensed milk: Adds sweetness and contributes to the rich, creamy consistency. There is no need for additional sugar in my recipe.
- Evaporated milk: Adds another layer of concentrated milk flavor without adding additional sweetness.
- Pumpkin puree: Use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and seasoned.
- Milk: I use 4 cups along with the condensed and evaporated milk to create the creamy pudding consistency.
- Pumpkin pie spice: This is what takes the arroz doce in its fall direction.
- Ground cinnamon and cloves: I add these during the second stage of cooking to reinforce the warm spices already infused into the rice.
Why I Cook The Rice In Water First
This is an important part of my method.
I start by cooking 2 cups of long-grain white rice in 4 cups of water with cinnamon sticks and whole cloves for about 15 minutes. At this point, most of the water should have been absorbed, but the pot shouldn’t be completely dry.
You’re not trying to make a pot of finished, fluffy rice.
The rice is only partially through the process because it will continue cooking once the pumpkin and milk mixture is added. That second simmer is when the pudding becomes creamy and the rice absorbs all those sweet, spiced flavors.
What Should the Consistency of Rice Pudding Be?
Think creamy and spoonable rather than stiff.
Immediately off the stove, there should still be plenty of creamy liquid surrounding the rice. As it cools, the starch from the rice and all that dairy will create a much thicker pudding.
This is also why cooking time should be treated as a guide. Mine takes about 20 minutes after adding the milk mixture, but your stove, pot and heat level can change that slightly.
Texture is your best indication of doneness.
Can I Serve Pumpkin Rice Pudding Warm or Cold?
Absolutely. Pumpkin rice pudding works both ways, and other pumpkin rice pudding recipes similarly serve it warm or chilled.
Warm, it’s especially soft and creamy and feels like pure fall comfort food.
After refrigeration, it becomes considerably thicker. If you’d like to loosen chilled rice pudding, stir in a small splash of milk until it reaches the consistency you like.
For serving, I would keep things simple, a dusting of cinnamon or pumpkin spice is really all it needs.
A FEW NOTES BEFORE YOU START
➜ Use pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie filling so you control the sweetness and spices yourself.
➜ Don’t drain the rice after its initial cooking period. The small amount of remaining starchy liquid helps transition it into the pudding stage.
➜ Once you add the dairy, keep the heat low. You want a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil.
➜ And most importantly, stir more frequently toward the end. That’s when the pudding thickens and becomes more susceptible to sticking or scorching on the bottom.
Brazilian Inspired Desserts To Try Next
Pumpkin Tres Leches Rice Pudding
Ingredients
- 2 cups long-grain white rice
- 4 cups water
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 10 whole cloves
- 1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 12oz can evaporated milk
- 1 15oz can pumpkin puree
- 4 cups milk
- 1/2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cloves
Instructions
- Add the rice, water, cinnamon sticks and whole cloves to a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until most of the water has been absorbed but the rice is not completely dry.
- Meanwhile, combine the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, pumpkin puree and milk in a large bowl. Stir until smooth and well combined.
- Pour the pumpkin milk mixture into the partially cooked rice. Add the pumpkin pie spice, ground cinnamon and ground cloves and stir well.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and then more frequently as the mixture begins to thicken.
- Remove from the heat when the rice is completely tender and the pudding is thick and creamy but still slightly loose. It will continue to thicken considerably as it cools.
- Remove the cinnamon sticks and whole cloves before serving. Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled, with additional cinnamon or pumpkin spice if desired.
Notes
Make Ahead and Storage
This is a great dessert to prepare ahead of time, particularly if you’re serving it for a fall gathering or Thanksgiving. Let the pudding cool before transferring it to an airtight container and refrigerating it. As it chills, expect it to continue thickening. If you’re serving it cold, stir it well before portioning it into bowls and add a little milk if necessary. I would refrigerate leftovers promptly and use them within 3 to 4 days.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
