Learn How to Make Spanish Leche Frita with this Easy Recipe

Have you ever heard of leche frita? Did you know that it's a typical Spanish dessert? Discover how to make it below!
Learn How to Make Spanish Leche Frita with this Easy Recipe
Eliana Delgado Villanueva

Written and verified by the nutritionist Eliana Delgado Villanueva.

Last update: 27 May, 2022

In principle, leche frita (literally “fried milk”) might seem a crazy invention. However, it’s a very delicious dessert that originated in northern Spain. When you discover what it’s all about, you’ll definitely want to try it out!

You just need a few ingredients to make this delicious and sweet dessert. It’s a wonderful and easy-to-make recipe without any complicated instructions! Thus, you’ll have no trouble making it at home, and you’ll only need about 4 to 5 ingredients to do it.

Leche Frita

Despite being an easy recipe, you should keep in mind that this dessert isn’t recommended for people who suffer from the following conditions:

If you don’t suffer from any of these conditions, however, you can enjoy leche frita without any problems.

Although this dessert is rich in calories, it’s also rich in vitamins and minerals. Go get that apron that’s hanging in your kitchen and start making this easy leche frita, one of the best and tastiest Spanish desserts!

Discover How to Make Leche Frita

A glass of whole milk.

Is It a fried dessert?

This is a question that people always tend to ask themselves because its name literally means “fried milk.” To clarify this confusion, we must first mention how it’s made.

To make leche frita, you have to cool milk so it hardens. Then, you need to fry the milk. Don’t worry: it isn’t complicated at all.

This article may also interest you: Three Perfect Dessert Recipes for Family Reunions

Leche Frita Recipe

Three portions of leche frita.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups of fluid whole milk (750 ml)
  • 4 tablespoons of sugar (60 g)
  • 3 tablespoons of cornstarch (45 g)
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 lemon peel

Preparation

  1. First, you have to sweeten the milk. To do this, you must add the 2 cups of milk, the sugar, cinnamon stick, and lemon peel to a pot over low heat.
  2. Stir the milk slowly and, when it’s about to boil, turn off the heat.
  3. Let stand with the lid on for 15 minutes. This way, the milk will taste sweeter.
  4. Then, strain the milk and pour it in another clean pot.
  5. After that, mix with a cup of cold milk and cornstarch over low heat.
  6. Stir the mixture slowly, without ever stopping.
  7. Don’t try to speed up the process by turning up the heat. This will make the milk thicken too fast and stick to the bottom of the pot.
  8. Stir constantly for 20 minutes. Then, turn off the heat and let cool.
  9. Store the milk in the refrigerator for at least four hours, although it’s preferable if you leave it in the fridge overnight.
  10. Remove from the fridge, cut it up into small pieces, and fry the pieces in hot oil until they’re golden brown.
  11. Finally, sprinkle some sugar and cinnamon on top and grate some lemon zest over them.

Now do you see how easy this recipe is? Preparing new and original recipes allows you totravel the world through food. Prepare it and surprise your friends and family!


All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.


  • Jiménez Lozano, José et al. (1987). Libro de la Gastronomía de Castilla y León (2.ª edición). Valladolid: Junta de Castilla y León. p. 245. ISBN 84-505-4108-5. OCLC 22734261.
  • Leche frita. (s.f.). En Wikipedia. Recuperado el 1 de septiembre de 2018 de https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leche_frita
  • Pereira, P. C. (2014). Milk nutritional composition and its role in human health. Nutrition. Elsevier Inc. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2013.10.011

This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.