Pumpkin Arroz con Leche
Tender rice simmered in creamy milk with pumpkin purée and Loisa's Cinnamon. Finished with a touch of vanilla and nutmeg for a rich, comforting twist on classic arroz con leche.
By: Kathleen Pagan | @endlesslyelated
This Pumpkin Arroz con Leche brings a seasonal twist to a beloved classic, combining tender rice, creamy milk, and pumpkin purée for a comforting dessert. Finished with Loisa's Cinnamon, every spoonful carries a beautiful warmth that complements the pumpkin's natural sweetness. It’s rich, creamy, and delicately spiced. The perfect dessert to welcome the fall season while still celebrating the familiar flavors we grew up loving.
Roast the pumpkin and try not to reach for the can.
Fresh roasted pumpkin makes a difference here. Roast the wedges flesh-side down at 400°F until fork-tender, scoop out the flesh, and blend until smooth. What you’ll get is a purée that's naturally sweet and slightly caramelized from the oven. Something that a can simply doesn’t replicate. It adds one extra step to the recipe, but it's totally worth the time. If you don’t want to, no worries; I’ve also listed the instructions for store-bought.
Three milks, one creamy result.
Evaporated milk, whole milk, and sweetened condensed milk each do something different. The evaporated milk adds richness and body. The whole milk keeps the texture loose enough to stir and cook down slowly, and the condensed milk sweetens everything to bring it all together. These ingredients will create that thick, creamy consistency of arroz con leche we are after.
Warm or chilled
You can serve it either warm, straight from the pot for that immediate comfort, or let it chill in the refrigerator for a few hours until it firms up into something more pudding-like. Both are good. It's personal preference, but either way, you can’t go wrong.
Pumpkin Arroz con Leche
5-6
45 minutes
Ingredients
- ¾ lb. of fresh pumpkin, enough to yield ½ cup purée or ½ cup store-bought pumpkin purée (unsweetened, not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 cup medium-grain white rice, unrinsed
- 2 cups water
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt
- 1 can (12 fl. oz / 355 mL) evaporated milk
- 1⅓ cups whole milk, plus more (if needed)
- ⅓ cup sweetened condensed milk
- ½ teaspoon Loisa's Ground Cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon, for garnish
- Cooking spray, for lightly coating the pumpkin
Directions
- If using store-bought pumpkin purée, skip this step.
Roast the Pumpkin: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut the pumpkin into wedges and remove the seeds and stringy interior. Place the wedges flesh-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet and lightly coat with cooking spray. Roast for 35–50 minutes, or until fork-tender. Allow to cool slightly, then scoop the flesh away from the skin. Transfer to a blender or food processor, add a splash of whole milk, and blend until completely smooth. Measure ½ cup of purée and set aside. - Cook the Rice: In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the rice, water, cinnamon sticks, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 12–15 minutes, until most of the water has been absorbed and the rice is partially cooked.
- Add the Milks: Pour in the evaporated milk and whole milk, stirring gently to combine. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 10–15 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. The rice should become tender, and the mixture should begin to develop a creamy consistency.
- Add the Pumpkin: Stir in the pumpkin purée, sweetened condensed milk, Loisa's Ground Cinnamon, and nutmeg. Continue cooking uncovered over low heat for 8–12 minutes, stirring frequently, until the pumpkin is fully incorporated, the rice is tender, and the mixture is creamy.
- Finish by removing from the heat and discard the cinnamon sticks. Stir in the vanilla extract. Taste and adjust the sweetness if necessary. Allow the arroz con leche to rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.
- Serve: Spoon into individual bowls and garnish with a light dusting of ground cinnamon. Serve warm or chilled.
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Pumpkin Arroz con Leche
5-6
45 minutes
Ingredients
- ¾ lb. of fresh pumpkin, enough to yield ½ cup purée or ½ cup store-bought pumpkin purée (unsweetened, not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 cup medium-grain white rice, unrinsed
- 2 cups water
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt
- 1 can (12 fl. oz / 355 mL) evaporated milk
- 1⅓ cups whole milk, plus more (if needed)
- ⅓ cup sweetened condensed milk
- ½ teaspoon Loisa's Ground Cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon, for garnish
- Cooking spray, for lightly coating the pumpkin
Directions
- If using store-bought pumpkin purée, skip this step.
Roast the Pumpkin: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut the pumpkin into wedges and remove the seeds and stringy interior. Place the wedges flesh-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet and lightly coat with cooking spray. Roast for 35–50 minutes, or until fork-tender. Allow to cool slightly, then scoop the flesh away from the skin. Transfer to a blender or food processor, add a splash of whole milk, and blend until completely smooth. Measure ½ cup of purée and set aside. - Cook the Rice: In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the rice, water, cinnamon sticks, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 12–15 minutes, until most of the water has been absorbed and the rice is partially cooked.
- Add the Milks: Pour in the evaporated milk and whole milk, stirring gently to combine. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 10–15 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. The rice should become tender, and the mixture should begin to develop a creamy consistency.
- Add the Pumpkin: Stir in the pumpkin purée, sweetened condensed milk, Loisa's Ground Cinnamon, and nutmeg. Continue cooking uncovered over low heat for 8–12 minutes, stirring frequently, until the pumpkin is fully incorporated, the rice is tender, and the mixture is creamy.
- Finish by removing from the heat and discard the cinnamon sticks. Stir in the vanilla extract. Taste and adjust the sweetness if necessary. Allow the arroz con leche to rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.
- Serve: Spoon into individual bowls and garnish with a light dusting of ground cinnamon. Serve warm or chilled.