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Creamy Homemade Rice Pudding Recipe You’ll Love

This Rice Pudding is a family recipe made with simple ingredients like rice, milk, eggs, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Raisins are optional. We enjoy it warm, cold, or at room temperature. Some serve it for breakfast and others as a comforting dessert. It’s an easy, timeless comfort-food recipe.
Rice Pudding

RICE PUDDING

Rice pudding may seem unfamiliar to some, but this version is a treasured family recipe passed down through generations. My husband’s great-grandmother made it often—sometimes for breakfast, sometimes as dessert. It’s delicious hot, and the leftovers are excellent chilled.

When we first married, I learned a few quirky food habits from my husband’s family—like eating Grape-Nuts with straight cream or topping cereal with whipped cream from a can. Their tastes include bold choices, and this rice pudding is one of the comforting dishes that always wins everyone over.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THIS CREAMY RICE PUDDING RECIPE

  • This recipe uses cooked rice, making it a great way to use leftovers.
  • Serve it for breakfast or as a dessert.
  • Raisins are optional—add them if you like the extra texture and sweetness.

INGREDIENTS

All ingredients are common pantry items.

  • Cinnamon
  • Whole milk
  • Vanilla extract – or vanilla bean paste if you prefer.
  • Long-grain rice – any rice will work; choose the texture you like.
  • Evaporated milk – a classic choice here; coconut milk can be substituted for a different flavor.
  • Salt
  • Cornstarch
  • Sugar
  • Eggs
  • Nutmeg
  • Raisins (optional)
  • Optional for serving: brown sugar or a drizzle of maple syrup.

RICE PUDDING WITH COOKED RICE

Start with cooked rice. Leftover rice works well and speeds up the process.

ALMOND IN THE PUDDING TRADITION

In my Swedish family we sometimes hide an almond in the pudding on Christmas Eve. The person who finds it gets to open a small gift—usually a shared or family present. It’s a sweet tradition that adds an element of fun to an already cozy dish.

HOW TO MAKE RICE PUDDING

  1. Cook the rice: Bring the water to a boil, add the rice and salt, cover, then reduce to a low simmer. Cook about 15–20 minutes until the rice is tender. If you’re using leftover rice, skip this step.
  2. Prepare the milk mixture: In a large saucepan, combine the milk and evaporated milk. Heat over medium-high and watch closely. When the surface becomes slightly foamy and just before it starts to boil, remove from heat—this is scalding. Do not let it boil or burn.
  3. Mix dry ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt, and cornstarch until combined. Gradually stir this into the hot milk over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and becomes smooth. Scrape the bottom of the pan while stirring so nothing sticks or burns.
  4. Finish with eggs and rice: Add the cooked rice to the milk mixture and bring briefly to a full boil, then remove from heat. Temper the beaten eggs by slowly pouring about 1/2 cup of the hot mixture into the eggs while stirring rapidly to warm them without scrambling. Return the tempered eggs to the pot and stir over low heat until the pudding thickens, about one to two minutes. Stir in raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla at the end. The pudding will continue to thicken as it cools.

Rice pudding

OTHER PUDDING RECIPES

  • Brownie Pudding
  • Magnolia Bakery’s Banana Pudding
  • Blueberry Lemon Trifle
  • Lemon Lush
  • Eclair Cake
  • Chocolate Lasagna
Rice Pudding

Rice Pudding

Christy Denney

4.34 from 9 votes
This Rice Pudding is a family recipe made with rice, milk, eggs, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Raisins are optional. We enjoy it warm or cold. Serve it for breakfast or as dessert.
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 40 mins
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

Rice:

  • 2 cups rice
  • 4 cups water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Milk Mixture:

  • 4 cups milk
  • 1 (12 oz can) evaporated milk
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/3 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs, slightly beaten
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 cups raisins

Instructions

  • Cook the uncooked rice first: bring the water to a boil, add rice and salt, cover, and simmer for 15–20 minutes until tender.
  • Scald the milks together in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-high and watch carefully. Remove from heat when the milk just begins to form foam at the surface; do not let it boil.
  • Combine the sugar, salt, and cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk well. Stir this into the hot milk, stirring constantly over medium heat until the mixture thickens and is smooth, scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking.
  • Stir in the cooked rice and bring briefly to a full boil, then remove from heat. Temper the beaten eggs by adding about 1/2 cup of the hot mixture to the eggs while stirring rapidly. Return the egg mixture to the pot and stir until the pudding thickens, about one to two minutes. Fold in raisins, spices, and vanilla at the end. The pudding will firm up as it cools. Serve plain or with maple syrup or brown sugar. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Notes

Source: Sheri Denney
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Author: Christy Denney
rice pudding