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Rice atole for babies (atole de arroz)
6m+ · Smooth Mexican rice porridge scented with cinnamon, made without sugar for babies
Atole is the warm, thick drink Mexicans have sipped since before the conquest, and in many homes the first version a baby tastes is atole de arroz, ground rice cooked with a stick of true cinnamon. For grown-ups it is sweetened with piloncillo and drunk at breakfast or on cold evenings around Día de Muertos; for babies the sugar stays out and it is thickened enough to eat from a spoon. It contains milk; there is no egg, gluten, nuts, soya, sesame or fish. Chef's tip: grind the rice yourself in a spice grinder; shop-bought rice flour works, but freshly ground rice tastes sweeter.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Baby & toddler safety
- Age: from 6 months+.
- Allergens: contains milk. Offer one new allergen at a time, in the morning, so you can watch for a reaction.
- Texture and choking: purée or mash smoothly for 6–9 months, then soft, finger-sized pieces that squash between your fingers. Cut round foods such as grapes and cherry tomatoes into quarters lengthways, never give whole nuts, and always stay with your child while they eat.
- Under 1: no honey, no added salt or stock cubes, and no added sugar.
Every child is different. If you are unsure, especially about allergies, check with your health visitor or paediatrician.
Ingredients
- 1 ⅜ oz white ricefinely ground to a powder, or rice flour
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 1 cinnamon stickCeylon (true) cinnamon, about 5 cm
- ¾ cup whole milkor your baby's usual milk
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What you'll need
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Whisk 1 ⅜ oz white rice into 1 ¼ cups water in a small pan until there are no lumps, then add 1 cinnamon stick.
2 minStep 2: Set over a medium-low heat and stir constantly as it heats; ground rice sinks and sticks. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, until it thickens and loses its raw, chalky taste.
10 minStep 3: Stir in ¾ cup whole milk and cook on the lowest heat for another 5 minutes, stirring, until it is smooth and coats the spoon like a thin custard. Don't let it boil hard once the milk is in, or it can catch and taste scorched.
5 minStep 4: Lift out the cinnamon stick. A common mistake is leaving it in to soak while the atole cools; it turns bitter. Sieve the atole if you see any grains.
Step 5: Serve it lukewarm from a spoon or open cup. For children over one, a little piloncillo can be stirred in.
Step 6: Cool leftovers quickly and keep covered in the fridge for up to 2 days, or freeze. Reheat once until piping hot, whisking in a splash of water to loosen it, then cool before serving.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 60 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does rice atole for babies (atole de arroz) take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of white rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of cinnamon stick?
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon per stick.
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