The BEST Rice Pudding | The Recipe Critic

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Rich, creamy rice pudding is delicious warm or cold, and lightly spiced with just a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg. It’s the coziest, most comforting dessert of all! We love it with plump golden raisins!

It’s so easy to make homemade rice pudding and a great way to use up leftover rice as well! If you love pudding-type desserts, be sure not to miss our Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding, Coconut Bread Pudding, and Pistachio Pudding Salad!

Homemade Rice Pudding

This old-fashioned dessert is a classic that is the ultimate in creamy comfort in a bowl. Serve it warm, and it’s perfect for cold winter nights. You can also chill it in the fridge for a wonderful warm weather treat! You’ll love having this recipe in your back pocket for when you’re craving something creamy and sweet.

I like to add just a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg to flavor the rice pudding, but I’m not heavy-handed with the spices since it could easily overpower the classic flavors of this dessert. More cinnamon and nutmeg can be sprinkled over the top of each serving as a garnish, if desired. No matter how you choose to serve it, one thing is for sure- this rice pudding will be a hit with the whole family! And if you love homemade pudding as much as I do, try this vanilla or chocolate pudding next!

Ingredients Needed

Rice pudding is one of my go-to desserts when my family is craving something sweet. It’s so easy to make and I usually have all of the ingredients on hand. You can leave the raisins out if you’re not into them. But there is something wonderful about the bursts of sweet plump golden raisins in the creamy rice pudding that I love, despite not being a huge raisin fan otherwise.

• Cooked Rice: I used white, medium-grain rice. See my tips below on how to quickly cook some if you don’t already have some on hand!
• Milk: I recommend using whole milk to make your rice pudding extra creamy.
• Sugar: Just regular granulated sugar works great to sweeten up the pudding.
• Salt: A pinch is all you need to boost the overall flavor of your rice pudding.
• Beaten Egg: This gets beaten into the pudding mixture to add creaminess and a smooth texture.
• Butter: You can’t go wrong with butter! This adds the best rich flavor.
• Vanilla Extract: For the best flavor, I recommend using pure vanilla extract if you have it! Vanilla bean paste works, too, if you want a stronger vanilla flavor.
• Spices: I used ground cinnamon and nutmeg for a hint of spiced flavor.
• Sweetened Whipped Cream: (Optional) If you want extra creamy rice pudding, you can mix this in once it’s done.
• Golden Raisins: (Optional) I love adding these as a garnish!

How to Make Rice Pudding

Cooked medium-grain rice is simmered with milk and sugar, then egg yolks are tempered with some of the hot liquid and added back in to thicken things up and make the pudding extra creamy and rich. You’ll never go back to store-bought!

1. Add Ingredients to Saucepan: Combine the cooked rice with 1 ½ cups of the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir for about 15 minutes, until the mixture starts to thicken slightly and become creamy. 
2. Add Egg and Spices: In a separate bowl, whisk the egg with the remaining milk. Gradually whisk 1 cup of the hot rice and milk into the egg mixture to temper the egg. Add the tempered egg to the rice mixture, stirring to combine. Stir in the raisins if using, as well as cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. Cook and Thicken: Continue to cook for another 2 minutes stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla.
4. Serve and Enjoy: Serve warm, at room temperature, or chill and serve cold. For an extra creamy version, mix 1 cup of sweetened whipped cream into the chilled rice pudding.