Perfect Rice Pudding Recipe
A luxuriously creamy stovetop rice pudding made with short-grain rice, whole milk, and warm spices—ready in under an hour for a comforting, crowd-pleasing dessert.
Ingredients
- 1 cup 200 g short-grain white rice
- 4 cups 1 L whole milk
- 1 cup 240 mL heavy cream (optional for extra richness)
- ½ cup 100 g granulated sugar
- 1 vanilla bean split and seeds scraped (or 1½ tsp pure vanilla extract)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Zest of 1 lemon optional
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- Ground cinnamon for garnish
- Toasted nuts and/or dried fruit for serving (e.g., almonds, pistachios, raisins)
Instructions
Rinse & (Optional) Soak Rice
- Rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear.
- (Optional) Soak in warm water 20 minutes; drain.
Pre-Cook Rice
- Combine rinsed rice and 1½ cups water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer until water is absorbed (8–10 minutes). Fluff with a fork.
Add Dairy & Flavorings
- Stir in whole milk, heavy cream, vanilla bean (or extract), cinnamon stick, lemon zest, and salt.
- Increase heat to medium until just simmering.
Simmer to Creaminess
- Reduce heat to low. Cook uncovered, stirring every 3–4 minutes, for 25–30 minutes, until rice is tender and mixture is thick.
Sweeten & Rest
- Remove cinnamon stick and vanilla pod.
- Stir in sugar; taste and adjust sweetness.
- If too thick, whisk in a splash of warm milk.
- Cover surface with plastic wrap or lid and let rest off heat 10 minutes.
Serve
- Spoon into bowls, dust with ground cinnamon, and top with toasted nuts or dried fruit.
Notes
- Prevent Skin: Lay plastic wrap directly on pudding surface while resting.
- Adjust Texture: Add warm milk to loosen before serving if needed.
- Make-Ahead: Cook through Step 4, cool, refrigerate, then finish sweetening just before serving.
- Storage: Refrigerate in airtight container up to 4 days; reheat gently with a splash of milk.
- Variations: Coconut Lime: Swap 1 cup milk for coconut milk; finish with lime zest and juice.
- Pumpkin Spice: Stir in 1 cup pumpkin purée and 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice in Step 3.
- Saffron & Rosewater: Infuse saffron in warm milk; stir in rosewater at end.