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This rich, and creamy Rice Pudding comes together quick and easy on the stovetop using pantry ingredients. The warm and comforting blend of vanilla and spice makes this a perfect cold weather dessert.
This rice pudding comes out creamy and decadent and is sure to be a treat your entire family will enjoy.
Just like our bread pudding, cinnamon tortilla roll ups, and sopapilla cheesecake bars this dessert is packed with cinnamon flavor. Which makes it a great dessert for cooler months.
The best part is this recipe uses pantry staples or even leftover rice to create a decadent and tasty treat the entire family will love.
Rice Pudding Ingredients & substitutions
- Cinnamon Sticks: I like to use the whole stick to boil in the pudding while it cooks to give great warmth and flavor. Substitute with ground cinnamon.
- Cloves: Same as the cinnamon sticks, I use whole cloves while the pudding cooks. You can substitute for a ground clove spice if needed.
- Whole Milk: Use whole milk to create a thick, creamy pudding. Use a combination of milk and heavy cream for a richer dessert. For a dairy-free option, use canned coconut milk
- Brown Sugar: Substitute with dark brown sugar for more intense molasses flavor.
- Vanilla: Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste can be used.
- Raisins: An optional ingredient, these can be left out, or you can use golden raisins.
What kind of rice is best for pudding?
My preference is to use a long grain white rice. You can use short grain white rice also which gives a smoother finished pudding. Other options include Jasmine or Basmati rice. This rice pudding recipe can also be made with unseasoned leftover cooked rice.
How to make Creamy Rice Pudding
Begin by adding rice and water to a medium size saucepan.
Bring this to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Let this cook for 15 minutes.
Next, remove the lid and stir the rice. Pour in the milk and add the cinnamon sticks and cloves. Stir together this together.
Increase the heat to medium and stir while bringing the rice to a simmer. Place the cover back on and turn the heat to low. Cook for an additional 15 minutes.
Then, remove the lid and stir in the light brown sugar. Continue to cook for 15 minutes with the lid off while stirring occasionally. The pudding will start to thicken.
Finally, remove the pudding from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and raisins. Let this sit for about 10 minutes to cool. The pudding will continue to thicken during this time.
Serve
Serve the rice pudding warm with an extra sprinkle of ground cinnamon and raisins.
Store
Let the rice pudding cool completely, then transfer it to a sealed container, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop adding more milk as needed to get back to the same creamy consistency.
Freezer
After cooking the rice pudding, allow it to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight freezer-safe container. Store in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Rice Pudding FAQs
Rice pudding can be made 1 day in advance. After cooking and allowing the pudding to cool, transfer it to a sealed container and store in the refrigerator. Reheat the pudding on the stovetop and add milk as needed to loosen since chilling the pudding does make it thicker.
If your pudding seems too thin you can easily thicken it with a slurry made with cornstarch and a tablespoon of milk from the pudding mixture. Whisk this together in a small bowl until smooth, then add it to the pudding, and stir together. Let this cook until the pudding has thickened.
If you have leftover rice that is unseasoned, you can simply use that rice instead of boiling rice as the first step in this recipe.
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Classic Rice Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain white rice*
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 cloves
- ¼ tsp salt
- 4 cups whole milk
- 2 cups water
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
Toppings
- Ground cinnamon
- Raisins
Instructions
- Add rice and water in a medium size saucepan.
- Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Let cook for 15 minutes.
- Remove the lid, stir the rice. Pour in the milk and add the cinnamon sticks and cloves. Stir together.
- Increase heat to medium, stir while bringing mixture to a simmer.
- Cover, turn to low and cook 15 minutes.
- Remove the lid and stir in the sugar. Continue to cook an additional 15 minutes while stirring occasionally. Pudding will start to thicken.
- Remove the pudding from the heat, stir in the vanilla extract and let sit for about 10 minutes to cool. Pudding will continue to thicken during this time.
- Serve warm. Can also be stored in the refrigerator and served cold.
- Top with additional sprinkles of cinnamon.
Video
Equipment
Notes
- Long Grain White Rice: Substitute with short grain white rice to create a smoother finished pudding. Other options include Jasmine or Basmati rice.
- Cinnamon Sticks: I like to use the whole stick to boil in the pudding while it cooks to give great warmth and flavor. Substitute with ground cinnamon.
- Cloves: Same as the cinnamon sticks, I use whole cloves while the pudding cooks. You can substitute for a ground clove spice if needed.
- Whole Milk: Use whole milk to create a thick, creamy pudding. Use a combination of milk and heavy cream for a richer dessert. For a dairy-free option, use canned coconut milk
- Brown Sugar: Substitute with dark brown sugar for more intense molasses flavor.
- Raisins: An optional ingredient, these can be left out.
- Storage: Let the rice pudding cool completely, then transfer it to a sealed container, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop adding more milk as needed to get back to the same creamy consistency.
- Freezer: After cooking the rice pudding, allow it to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight freezer-safe container. Store in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe first published December 24, 2019. Updated December 3, 2021 and December 6, 2023.
Photography by the talented @KJandCompany.co
No substitutions made. Outstanding.
Mmmm pudding I like pudding in a cup!
I am so glad that I found your wonderful recipes. As a Waco Texas gal, I am always looking for great TexMex recipes.
Looking forward to more.