Homemade Rice Pudding Recipe

Course: Dessert, pudding

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 40

Servings: bowls

Calories: 323kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

Cook rich and creamy homemade rice pudding on the stovetop with cinnamon, vanilla, and tender arborio rice in just 40 minutes.

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US Customary - Metric

Equipment

Kitchen Scale (optional)

Ingredients

1 cup raw Arborio rice *
4 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream **
¼ cup honey or maple syrup
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cinnamon stick (optional)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Rinse the uncooked rice in cold water and drain well.
1 cup raw Arborio rice
In a large saucepan, combine the Arborio rice, whole milk, heavy cream, honey or maple syrup, white sugar, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, salt, and cinnamon stick.
4 cups whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream, ¼ cup honey, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 cinnamon stick
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and the mixture is thick and creamy, about 25-30 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and discard the cinnamon stick. Stir in the vanilla extract.
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Let the rice pudding cool slightly before serving. It can be served warm or chilled.

Notes

*I have found that Arborio rice works best in this recipe for a wonderfully creamy texture, but short-grain, sushi, or jasmine rice all work in a pinch.

**For a lighter pudding, you can swap out the heavy cream for half-and-half, but it will not be as creamy.

Tips:

Rinse the rice with cold water before cooking to remove any excess starch or impurities.
To use cooked/leftover rice, simply cover your cooked rice with an equal amount of milk, bring to a boil, then stir in the sweetener of your choice and any spices to taste. Lower to a simmer and cook until it reaches your desired consistency, about 15 minutes.
To make a plain version, simply omit the ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, and the cinnamon stick. You can also reduce or omit the honey or maple syrup if you prefer a less sweet pudding.
Add sweeteners gradually and taste as you go. Honey, maple syrup, or sugar levels can be adjusted to match personal preference.
If you prefer only one type of sweetener, you can use all honey or all granulated sugar.
The pudding may form a film on top while cooking, so be sure to stir frequently so the ingredients keep mixing together. Stirring also prevents the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan. The pudding will stop forming a film once it has cooled down.
Check the rice for tenderness after 25-30 minutes of cooking. If it's still not tender, continue cooking and stirring until it's done.
Adding a small knob of butter or a splash of cream at the end gives a luxurious mouthfeel and richer flavor.
Before serving, sprinkle some additional ground cinnamon on top for garnish.

Make-Ahead: Rice pudding often tastes even better the next day, as the flavors have more time to meld--perfect for busy cooks prepping ahead.

Storage: Store rice pudding in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition