There isn’t a more creamy and dreamy budget-friendly dessert than rice pudding with its warm flavors of cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg. You only need a few basic pantry staple ingredients, like milk, sugar, rice, and a few spices, so it can be whipped up whenever you need a sweet treat and it’s also a great way to reduce waste and repurpose your leftover rice, which we love! Not to mention, this sweet and creamy rice pudding recipe holds up great in the refrigerator, making it the perfect meal prep dessert!
What is Rice Pudding?
Rice pudding is a thick and sweet mixture of rice cooked in milk until it becomes soft and creamy. It’s flavored with a variety of warm spices like vanilla and cinnamon and sometimes has other add-ins like raisins or nuts. It’s a simple, warm, and comforting dish that is always satisfying. While this dish is said to have originated in China, several cultures across the globe have some form of rice pudding, each with its own unique combination of rice varieties, spices, and add-ins. This particular version was inspired by
Ingredients for Rice Pudding
Here’s what you’ll need to make this delicious rice pudding recipe:
- Rice: We used long-grain jasmine rice for this recipe because that’s what we had on hand and I love its fragrant flavor, but you can make rice pudding with virtually any kind of white rice. You may need to adjust the amount of milk slightly depending on the variety, but it’s easy to add more as you go if needed.
- Milk: Milk is what makes rice pudding so creamy and delicious. While you can substitute non-dairy milk, keep in mind that it will change the flavor and texture. I find whole milk to be the creamiest and most delicious.
- Sugar: Our rice pudding is sweetened with simple white sugar so as to not muddy the simple flavors in the pudding, but you can play around with your favorite sweetener and adjust the sweetness (and flavor) to your liking.
- Butter: We used butter to lightly toast the rice (and almonds) at the beginning of the recipe to add even more toasty flavor and dimension to the pudding.
- Almonds: Almonds are optional, but I love the flavor and texture they add to the pudding.
- Spices: The rice pudding is flavored with a warm mix of spices like vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. We also add a little bit of salt to help amplify all of the flavors.
More Flavor Ideas for Rice Pudding
The recipe below is a pretty simple and classic rice pudding recipe, but it can be customized in several different ways. Here are some other ingredients you can add to rice pudding:
- Raisins
- Nuts: walnuts, pecans, pistachios
- Caramel sauce or dulce de leche
- Saffron
- Cardamom
- Chocolate
- Toasted coconut
- Instant coffee
Do You Eat Rice Pudding Hot or Cold?
Another reason that I love rice pudding is because it tastes great both hot and cold! When the rice pudding is warm it’s super comforting and it feels like a big cozy cinnamon-vanilla hug. When you eat it cold the next day, it’s actually rather refreshing, similar in a way to horchata.
Use Leftover Rice
The recipe below uses uncooked rice, but rice pudding is actually a great way to use up leftover rice from the night before. To use leftover rice in this recipe, use 2 cups of cooked rice and 2 cups of milk (instead of the ½ cup rice and 4 cups milk in the recipe below). Add the cooked rice after toasting the nuts and spices in butter.
How to Make Vegan Rice Pudding
This recipe is really easy to convert into a vegan recipe. Use coconut oil to toast the almonds and rice in the beginning of the recipe and then swap the whole milk for your favorite non-dairy milk. I would suggest something extra creamy like coconut, soy, or oat milk.
Creamy Rice Pudding
Servings 4 1 cup eachIngredients
- 1 Tbsp butter ($0.11)
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds ($0.44)
- 1/2 cup uncooked long-grain jasmine rice* ($0.16)
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg ($0.02)
- 4 cups whole milk* ($0.80)
- 1/4 cup sugar ($0.04)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract ($0.07)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
Instructions
- Add the butter, almonds, and rice to a saucepot and heat over medium. Cook and stir the rice and almonds in the melted butter for 1-2 minutes, or until they begin to smell toasty.
- Add the cinnamon and nutmeg to the pot and continue to stir and cook for 30-60 seconds more.
- Add the milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt to the pot and stir to combine. Allow the mixture to come up to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Once simmering, turn the heat down to medium-low. Continue to simmer the rice without a lid, stirring occasionally, for about 40 minutes, or until the rice is very soft and the mixture has thickened considerably. The pudding will thicken further as it cools.
- Serve the rice pudding warm or refrigerate and serve cold the next day.
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Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
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How to Make Rice Pudding – Step By Step Photos
Add 1 Tbsp butter, ¼ cup sliced almonds, and ½ cup uncooked long-grain jasmine rice to a sauce pot. Stir and cook over medium heat for about two minutes, or until the almonds and rice begin to smell a bit toasty.
Add ¼ tsp cinnamon and ¼ tsp nutmeg to the rice and almonds, and continue to stir and cook for 30-60 seconds more. Finally, pour in 4 cups whole milk (or milk of your choice).
Also add ¼ cup sugar, ¼ tsp vanilla extract, and ¼ tsp salt. Stir to combine.
Bring the mixture up to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once it begins simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer for about 40 minutes (without a lid), stirring occasionally, or until the rice is very soft and the mixture has thickened considerably. Keep in mind that the rice pudding will continue to thicken further as it cools.
Serve the super creamy rice pudding warm, or refrigerate and serve cold the next day!
I agree that the kind of rice is a matter of taste, although neither brown nor wild rice would release enough starch for it to work. For the same reason, I find starch-releasing rices (such as those typically used for risotto – vialone nano, arborio, etc – generally make the creamiest rice pudding.
Yes, I do too, I usually use the Goya short-grain rice that is usually used for Paella, and it works really well.
I agree with you. Short grain rice releases more starch and becomes more creamy and unctuous. Long grain rice doesn’t get that wonderful texture. Glutinous rice available at any Asian market is a great choice or any off the paella or risotto rices
Could this be made without almonds?
Yes :)
Can’t wait to try this! I love rice pudding!
(Note: in the picture description it says 1/4 tsp sugar, rather than 1/4 cup. The recipe above the pictures is correct!)
Thank you! Fixing it now. :)
I just made this last night and it was delicious, quick, and easy!
Will it make much of a difference if the nutmeg isn’t add in it? I’m no fan of nutmeg.
It’s probably a matter of personal preference. I definitely need the nutmeg in there, but if you don’t like nutmeg, you might be fine without it. :)
What flavor does the bay leaf bring to the pudding?
It’s just adds a bit of depth. It’s not a strong flavor at all. It’s one of those things that you wouldn’t be able to pin point.
I used the “find” function AND printed this out and I simply do NOT see bay leaf anywhere except in the comments???
The old version of the recipe had bay leaf, but I left it out this time around because I didn’t think it changed the flavor significantly. :) The comment above is old, from before the update.
Loved this. Thanks for sharing. Always checking this site for great new recipes.
Can we use almond milk instead of regular milk?
Hmm, I’m not sure. I’ve never tried non-dairy milk in recipes like this before. It seems like it would work, though.
Soy milk worked great in it!
Anonymous – I’m really not sure if this would work in a rice cooker. I’d have to try it out before saying if it would work or not.
Would this work in a rice cooker? Where i couldnt keep stirring and stuff
It definitely will not. It will burn on the bottom.
So delicious!! made this for dessert tonight. :) left out the bay leaf as i didn’t have any.
I am lactose intolerant, so I’d like to know what do you think about changing the milk to vanilla almond milk. If I used the sweetened version, can I cut out the sugar?
Hi Michelle, I’m lactose-intolerant too and have tried this recipe with lactose-free milk. I works very well, but the pudding takes on a pinkish tinge, it’s not snowy white as when using regular milk, though it tastes just as good (I tried both kinds).
WOW! no egg? I make rice pudding on a regular basis. It’s a craving I get about every couple months and there’s NO ignoring it! The almonds are a GREAT touch! You should try craisins instead of raisins. they plump up and add a light tart taste.
I love the idea of craisins. I don’t like raisins but dried cranberries make me smile
I love making kheer. I got a recipe from the Hindi fellow that runs the market a couple blocks from me. Lots of milk and a suprisingly small amount of rice. I have tried several recipes to make it like the first Indian Restraunt I went to a long time ago… I use saffron I got from Trader Joes and a little really does go a long way. Green cardamom is my favorite to use because black has a tobacco like smell and you have to be pretty careful with it since it’s more pungent. I haven’t tried using ground cardamom yet though. I go in and out with whether or not I want raisins in it, but I always top them with almonds and pistachios. Some even have rosewater in it (tried that too, definitely more fragrant but I’m not convinced it added anything to the taste…) Anyways, it’s always so cool when someone else start to appreciate this dessert. :) BTW, Ghee is clarified butter, so you don’t have any of those solids on the bottom which burn. ;)
Oooh I love rice pudding!!! I’m going to make this one today!