Perfectly sweet and so nostalgic, this humble but delicious rice pudding dessert will warm you from the inside out on a cold winter evening. However, you can enjoy this treat any time of the year as you can serve it hot or cold. Want another easy pudding-type dessert? Try my sticky toffee pudding recipe, banana pudding recipe, or bread pudding recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Milk — I highly recommend using whole milk for the best rice pudding. Using lower fat milk will lead to a less rich, creamy, and thick pudding. Sugar — I use white sugar, but brown sugar also makes for a delicious sweetener. Feel free to adjust the sugar if you’d like your pudding more or less sweet. Rice — you can use any type of white short-grain rice. Some great options are arborio rice, sushi rice, and sticky rice. Avoid using longer grain rice, as long-grain rice holds its shape better, which isn’t ideal for rice pudding. Raisins — I love golden raisins but if you’re not a raisin fan in your pudding, leave them out. Vanilla — for the best flavor, I recommend using real vanilla extract instead of artificial vanilla extract.
How to Make Rice Pudding
- In a large saucepan, stir the milk, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Stir in the rice. Reduce the heat to low and partially cover. Simmer the mixture, frequently stirring, until the rice is tender and the mixture has thickened.
- Stir in the raisins (if using), vanilla, and cinnamon to taste.
- Continue cooking until desired thickness. Serve warm or let cool to room temperature. Top the rice pudding with extra cinnamon, if desired.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
You can spice up the pudding however you like! Add some orange zest and ground cardamom for a delicious and easy holiday dessert. Swap the raisins for dried cranberries, apricots, or apples.Short-grain rice is best to use in this recipe as it is starchier and holds its shape well. If you don’t have any, you can definitely use what you have in the pantry! However, I wouldn’t recommend brown rice.Make sure to keep the temperature low. If the heat is too high and the pudding comes to a boil, you’ll risk the pudding curdling.Remember that the rice pudding will continue to thicken as it cools. Careful not to overcook, or you’ll end up with too thick pudding.While simmering, keep an eye on the rice mixture and keep stirring. If it’s left alone for too long, the rice will scorch on the bottom of the pan.Instead of vanilla extract, you can use vanilla bean paste if you have some on hand.I suggest rinsing the rice beforehand to remove any dirt, dust, or debris on the grain.
If you’ve tried this Rice Pudding recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
