Atole de Arroz is cozy goodness in a cup. Made with simple ingredients and incredibly easy-to-make.
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Similar to Atole de Avena and Atole de Guayaba, these warm drinks only come out in the winter months and cold days.
Make a big pot of this Mexican hot drink. You and your loved ones will love every sip of the creamy texture!
Table of Contents
🍚 Ingredients
- Long Grain White Rice – do not use brown rice or sushi rice.
- Cold Water – Here, we’re using it to cook rice AND to soak rice.
- Large Cinnamon Stick will add warmth and spice. Also consider adding a star anise or a couple of cloves.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk will add sweetness to the drink. Swap out for piloncillo, brown sugar, or white sugar.
- Vanilla Extract adds depth and flavor.
- Whole milk – To make this recipe completely vegan, use soy milk, almond milk, or a mixture of the two. Swap out regular milk for evaporated milk.
- cornstarch is optional and used to make a really thick atole and decadent drink.
Consider adding more flavor to the rice atole by including an orange or lemon peel for a citrus twist. Or, try adding a couple of whole cloves, a star anise, or nutmeg.
As you can see, this recipe is VERY similar to arroz con leche but milkier.
👩🏼🍳 Instructions
- Bring water and cinnamon to a boil.
- Add the rice. Lower the heat to medium low for 20 minutes.
Cover the pot with a lid while you are boiling the cinnamon tea. That way, the water does not evaporate.
The rice needs to cook on medium low to absorb the cinnamon flavor. Don’t cook it on high, or you will burn the rice.
We are looking for a low boil.
- Soak ¼ cup of rice in 1 cup of water, similar to horchata.
- Then add to the blender and blend the soaking rice with its water.
- Once it is blended, strain and add the mixture into the pot.
If you need more liquid, add a little water or add some of the milk.
- Add vanilla, sweetened condensed milk, and milk.
- Turn up to medium heat on the stove.
Stir from time to time, or it will stick to the bottom of the pot.
Use a large pot. Everything happens in one big pot.
To Make a Really Thick Atole
- Before it starts to boil again, in a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with water.
- Add the mixture to the pot. Let it boil and thicken.
- Remove the cinnamon before serving.
This step is completely OPTIONAL.
Cornstarch helps to thicken the rice atole drink, but we don’t need a lot since the rice will thicken naturally.
🙋🏻♀️ Frequently Asked Questions
Rinsing rice removes starches and prevents it from becoming gummy. You can rinse the rice if you want to, but it’s not necessary to make this recipe.
Yes, this creamy beverage is gluten-free.
Long grain white rice is what I prefer. It’s starchy and perfect for this drink. Another good choice is arborio rice.
Yes. You can use coconut milk, almond milk, soy milk, or any milk that you prefer.
🫙 Storing
- Place any leftovers in an airtight container. It’ll keep well for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Or place in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw and reheat before consuming.
🔥 How to Reheat
- To reheat, pour the creamy atole in a small stock pot and cook on medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes. Don’t forget to stir with a spoon, or it will stick to the pot. Or heat in a microwave for 2 minutes in a microwave-safe cup.
Please note: The atole will thicken the longer it sits in the fridge. You might need to add some milk to reheat to get a thinner consistency. Some people serve it as a dessert for this reason and add sliced bananas.
More Mexican Atole recipes:
This traditional Mexican beverage is something to savor and enjoy. It’s the ultimate cozy drink.
Once it is ready, serve the atole de arroz with tamales, buñuelos, or half a dozen pan de polvo. Perfect for chilly mornings. ¡Buen provecho!
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Atole de Arroz (Rice Atole)
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup long grain white rice
- 4 ½ cups water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 6 ½ cups milk
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch (optional)
- 2 tablespoon water (optional) to dissolve cornstarch)
Instructions
- Soak ¼ cup of rice in 1 cup of water.
- Bring 4 cups water and cinnamon to a boil.
- Add the rest of the rice. Lower the heat to medium low.
- Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
- Blend the soaking rice with its water.
- Pour it into the rice pot.
- Add vanilla, sweetened condensed milk, and milk.
- Turn up to medium heat.
- Stir from time to time, or it will stick to the bottom of the pot.
- If you want it really thick, dissolve cornstarch with water and add to the pot.
- Let it boil and thicken.
- Remove the cinnamon before serving.
- Pour into cups and enjoy!
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