Portuguese Rice Pudding (Arroz Doce) is a beloved traditional dessert found in kitchens across Portugal. Creamy and delicately flavored, it’s made with simple pantry ingredients and is served all year-round, especially during Christmas and holiday celebrations.
They sometimes call this Portuguese Sweet Rice because it is (indeed) rice cooked in milk with added sugar.
But it goes beyond that. There’s also a hint of vanilla and lemon in there — not too much to overpower the dish, just enough to round it all up.
It’s so good that locals prepare it all year round, including Christmas Eve. Go ahead and try it yourself! 🙂
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Why this recipe is a keeper!
- Uses simple pantry ingredients. Rice, milk, eggs, sugar, and cinnamon powder; these are the main ingredients that make this incredibly satisfying dessert.
- Adaptable. You can serve it warm, at room temperature, or even chilled — making it perfect for all seasons so that you can enjoy it all year round.
- Budget-friendly and no-fuss. No complicated steps or special equipment. Just one pot and a bit of gentle stirring — and some patience.
Ingredients
(See the recipe card below for measurements.)
- Lemon – you would only use the grated zest (yellow part of the skin) for this arroz doce recipe.
- Sugar – regular white sugar.
- Vanilla – you need to open (split) it in the middle before adding to the rest of the ingredients.
- Eggs – medium-sized eggs (about 63 to 73 grams each).
- Milk – full cream milk, if possible.
- Cinnamon powder and salt – just use your favorite brand.
- Rice – locals use their native carolino rice for making this traditional Portuguese rice dish. But since it’s not widely available, other short-grain varieties, like arborio or carnaroli, will be great.
These are the same variety that you use for making risotto. They still maintain a firm center, even if their outsides are almost falling apart.
So, you still get a good bite in the midst of all the creaminess — perfect for arroz doce cremoso.
How to make arroz doce
Start by mixing 3 and 1/2 cups of water with salt in a medium or large saucepan.
Add rice and lemon rind; and cook it as normal.
Once it’s cooked, pour 3 and 1/2 cups of hot milk.
Add the vanilla bean and mix.
Continue simmering (for about 30 minutes) or until the liquid has reduced and the rice turns soft and creamy.
Add sugar and mix.
Cover with a lid and bring to a boil.
Prepare the eggs by combining and beating the yolks with the remaining milk.
Remove your Portuguese rice pudding from the heat and remove the vanilla bean and lemon rind.
Slowly add the tempered yolks while constantly stirring.
Cover with a lid, bring the pan back into the heat, and bring to a boil.
Transfer into serving plates and decorate your arroz doce with cinnamon powder on top.
Serve.
Helpful tips
- When you add the milk, make sure it’s hot, boiling, if possible. I usually keep it simmering once it boils while waiting for the rice to cook.
- Do not forget to temper the yolks with cold (or room temperature) milk before adding to the sweet rice. It ensures that you will not cook the yolks when you add them to the simmering pudding.
- While a lattice top of cinnamon powder is the classic design for Portuguese rice pudding, you can design it in whatever way you want.
Can I leave it at room temperature?
It’s best not to do that since it contains eggs and milk.
It’s safer to place your arroz doce in the refrigerator as soon as it cools down, about two hours after taking it off the heat.
How should I store it?
Once it’s cold, place it in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator; it’s suitable for 3 to 4 days.
Can I freeze it?
Yes, but make sure you store it in a tight, freezer-proof container first, then place it in the freezer for more extended storage.
Portuguese rice pudding should be good for about three months.
What is the best way to reheat rice pudding?
I know some people don’t like using a microwave, but I have friends who use it for quick reheating.
Otherwise, you can transfer it to a pan and place it on the heat, gently stirring until it reaches your preferred temperature.
Recipe variation
- Cinnamon stick. Some people prefer to use a cinnamon stick instead of powder. They take it out at the same time as the vanilla bean.
- Vanilla extract. If you’re having a hard time looking for vanilla bean, a teaspoon of vanilla extract is an excellent alternative for making this Portuguese rice pudding recipe.
Serving suggestions
Of course, you can eat arroz doce with anything, but you know what would be better? Pair it with other Portuguese dishes for a truly authentic experience in one meal. 🙂
Serve arroz doce as a sweet finish to Portuguese chickpeas and rice.
The savory mix of nutty chickpeas, rice, and bits of ham pairs perfectly with the pudding’s creamy sweetness.
Portuguese Salt-Crusted Baked Potatoes
Serve these salt-crusted potatoes as the savory part of your meal, with crispy skin on the outside and fluffy on the inside, perfect with grilled meat or fish.
Then finish with arroz doce, a smooth and lightly sweet rice dish.
These light treats will serve as a bright, citrusy finish alongside your Portuguese rice pudding. The orange tarts‘ vibrant color and flavor balance beautifully with the silky, cinnamon-scented rice pudding.
A simple, yet elegant Portuguese dessert pairing — creamy meets citrusy.
Whether you enjoy it warm or at room temperature, arroz doce is a dessert that captures the essence of Portuguese home cooking. So, give it a try and experience why it remains a beloved favorite in the country, especially during holidays and family gatherings.
Ready to make it? Grab your ingredients and start cooking — one taste, and you’ll understand why Portuguese rice pudding stands the test of time!
GET MORE IDEAS FROM THIS LIST OF INTERNATIONAL RICE DISHES!
📖 Recipe
Arroz Doce Recipe (Portuguese Rice Pudding)
Equipment
- Medium-Sized Saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 & 1/4 cups rice
- 1/4 cup sugar, heaping
- 3 & 1/2 cups milk, hot (plus 3 tbsp, cold or room temperature)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 pc vanilla bean, sliced down the middle
- lemon rind
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 tsp cinnamon powder
Instructions
- Using a medium to a large-sized saucepan, combine 3 1/2 cups of water with salt and mix.
- Add the rice and lemon rind, cover with a lid and bring to a boil.
- Simmer until rice is cooked. This generally takes 20 minutes.
- Add the 3 & 1/2 cups of hot milk and the vanilla pod.
- Mix to combine, then cover and continue simmering until the liquid has reduced and the rice turns soft and creamy (about 20 to 30 minutes). Stir regularly the entire time.
- Add sugar and mix. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil.
- Temper egg yolks with the remaining milk (not hot!) and beat with a fork.
- Remove the sweet rice from the heat and take the rind and the vanilla bean out.
- Add the tempered yolks slowly while stirring constantly.
- Bring the Portuguese rice pudding saucepan back on the heat, cover with a lid, and bring to a boil.
- Taste and adjust the sugar, as desired.
- Remove from the heat and transfer to serving bowls.
- Decorate the top of arroz doce with cinnamon powder.
- Serve.
Notes
- Cook’s Tip: Do not forget to temper the yolks with cold (or room temperature) milk before adding to the sweet rice. It ensures that you will not cook the yolks when you add them to the simmering pudding.
- Refer to the post for more tips and suggestions.
Wendy
A bit confused as to when to add the sugar. At the beginning it says to add with the water. And later it says to add after the rice is cooked
I added at the beginning. So we will see…….
Neriz
Hi Wendy,
Apologies, I did not realise the recipe card indicated ‘sugar’ in the beginning. Both the video and the steps above mentioned ‘salt’ with the water. I now updated the recipe card.
I hope you managed to taste and adjust the flavor — and it turned out alright.