Cinnamon-Spiced Mexican Rice Pudding with Toasted Pecans
A creamy rice pudding infused with cinnamon and vanilla, topped with crunchy toasted pecans for a comforting Cinco de Mayo dessert. This Mexican-inspired Cinco de Mayo recipe, ready in about 50 minutes, pairs long grain white rice, whole milk, granulated sugar for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup long grain white rice
- 4 cups whole milk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup, chopped pecans
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/4 tsp, for garnish (optional) ground nutmeg
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Equipment for this recipe
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Instructions
- Step 1: Rinse 3/4 cup long grain white rice under cold water until water runs clear. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine rinsed rice, 4 cups whole milk, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, and 2 tsp ground cinnamon.
- Step 2: Bring mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent rice from sticking. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender and pudding thickens, about 35-40 minutes.
- Step 3: Remove saucepan from heat and stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract. Let pudding cool slightly—it will thicken more as it cools.
- Step 4: In a small skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tbsp butter and toast 1/2 cup chopped pecans for 3-4 minutes until fragrant and golden, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
- Step 5: Serve rice pudding warm or chilled, topped with toasted pecans and a light sprinkle of 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg if desired.








