Looking for a creamy rice pudding recipe? This is my absolutely favourite rice pudding, that is, in my opinion, the best, most delicious rice pudding you can make!
I have been making this stove-top rice pudding forever. Decades :) It’s easily my favourite rice pudding recipe. And while it takes a little more time than some rice pudding recipes, it produces the most creamy and delicious rice pudding. It’s definitely worth it!
I know some people tend to think of it as quite humble food, but when done right, it’s about as far from humble food as you can get.
Ingredient Notes
Rice – Classic, old-fashioned rice pudding rice is typically made with converted long grain rice, such as Uncle Ben’s™, and you can’t go wrong with this rice. I also love Arborio rice for rice pudding. I love the plump grains of rice and it cooks up wonderfully in the milk. Basmati and Jasmine are also long grain rice, that would be an option in the absence of the first two choices. I don’t recommend any other type of short-grain or quick-cooking rice for rice pudding, as it tends to result in a mushy pudding with this long-simmering recipe.
Milk – Whole, full-fat 3.5% b.f. milk is best for rice pudding. You can use 2%, if that’s all you have, though the resulting pudding won’t be quite as creamy. I wouldn’t use milk less than 2%, for best results.
Cream – The addition of heavy whipping cream (35% b.f.) contributes both to the creamy flavour of the pudding and to the thickening process. I recommend using the heavy cream. You may be able to use a lighter cream in a pinch, such as Half & Half 10% cream, but I haven’t tested it myself. I suspect it may result in a looser pudding to some extent.
White Granulated Sugar – The sugar is added simply for sweetness, so you can adjust the amount to your personal taste. I always suggest making the recipe as written first, then tweak after that. Likewise, other sweeteners will work here, but best to stick to granulated sweeteners if possible (vs liquid), to avoid thinning the pudding too much.
You will also need – eggs (2), salt, vanilla and raisins, if using.
Step-by-Step Photos
This is a visual summary of the steps to make this rice pudding. Always refer to the Recipe Card below for complete instructions.
1. To start the rice pudding, you’ll bring the milk to a boil in a large pot, over medium heat. Be sure to use a large pot and watch it closely. When milk hits the boil, it can boil up and over the edge of the pot, which is never a good thing.
While the milk is heating, take a moment to prepare the custard ingredients (eggs, cream, sugar, vanilla and salt). I like to do this early in the process, so it has a chance to sit out and come to room temperature before using.
When the milk comes to the boil, stir in your rice, then reduce the temperature under the pot to about medium low, or whatever setting on your stovetop that maintains a gentle simmer.
2. You’ll need to stir down the pudding every 10 minutes for the first 30 minutes of cooking. The milk will form a skin on top. Just stir it back into the pudding.
After 30 minutes of cooking, you’ll need to check and stir every 5 minutes, taste testing the rice with each stir until the rice is tender. At this point, much of the liquid has been absorbed, so it’s important that you stir regularly and if necessary, add a bit more hot milk (or water) as needed, to the pot to avoid scorching the rice.
3. Once the rice is tender, slide the pot off the heat (to avoid scorching the rice) and slowly add a couple ladles off the hot rice/milk mixture to the egg mixture. You need to do this very slowly, a drop at a time, so you slowly bring the egg mixture up to the temperature of the rice mixture. If you add too much hot liquid at once, the eggs will cook an become a bit like scrambled eggs, which is definitely not what we want. Once you’ve added two ladles of hot rice mixture to the egg mixture. Add the egg mixture into the pot with the rice. Return the pudding to the heat over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture just breaks a bubble, then remove to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours. Pudding will thicken further as it refrigerates.
Recipe Video
FAQ
What is the best rice for rice pudding? It really is a matter of personal taste and whether the rice pudding recipe starts with cooked or uncooked rice. If it starts with cooked rice, pretty much any rice will work. This is not the case for rice pudding recipes that start with uncooked rice, as different rice will absorb liquid differently and affect the outcome. Converted white long grain rice, Jasmine, Basmati or Arborio Rice all all good choices for rice pudding that starts with uncooked rice.
Can I use brown rice for this rice pudding? No. Brown rice absorbs liquid in a different way than white rice and won’t perform well with this recipe that starts with uncooked rice. As mentioned above, brown rice will work in rice pudding recipes that start with cooked rice, so you may wish to seek one of those out if you want to use brown rice.
Can I reduce or replace the sugar? Yes, you can reduce the sugar to taste. For replacing with an alternate sweetener, I suggest replacing with a granulated substitute vs. a liquid sweetener, to avoid thinning out the pudding.
Can I use non-dairy milk for rice pudding? I think so, for the most part. I haven’t tried this myself, but I believe it will be fine to replace the milk with non-dairy milk for simmering the rice. Where it gets tricky is with the heavy cream, which contributes to the thickening of the pudding. Possible a non-dairy “cream” would work similarly, as it may have thickeners in it. Alternately, you may need to resort to a bit of cornstarch/water slurry at the end of cooking that you stir into the hot pudding as needed,to thicken it a bit.
Can I omit the eggs in rice pudding? No, not in this recipe. The eggs are responsible for the thickening of the pudding, as we are essentially make a custard here at the end.
Why is my rice pudding too thick or thin? This rice pudding will thicken as it refrigerates. If it’s a touch too thick for your liking, simply stir in a tablespoon or two of heavy cream and stir to loosen.
If your rice pudding has ended up too thin, it is likely that it didn’t cook it long enough at the end to thicken the custard. If it needs rescuing, pour it into a saucepan, heat, then stir in a bit of cornstarch mixed with cold water, a bit at a time, until the pudding thickens as needed. Re-refrigerate.
How long will rice pudding keep in the fridge? Rice pudding will keep nicely in the fridge for 3-4 days. If it becomes too thick, simply stir in a tablespoon or two of heavy cream to loosen.
Can you freeze rice pudding? Yes, you can. Rice pudding will keep well frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.
Cook’s Notes
There are a few places where this recipe can go wrong, so I thought I’d point them out, since I’ve done all of them at one point or another :)
1) Not watching the pot as your milk comes to a boil at the start of cooking and having it boil up and all over your stove. Use a large pot and watch very closely as it nears the boil (starts steaming), to avoid that mess.
2) Simmering the milk/rice mixture too vigorously and not stirring it down regularly. Either can result in rice scorching on the bottom of the pan or the mixture drying out before the rice has a chance to cook. Keep mixture at a gentle, just-barely simmer and stir it down regularly. I like to set the timer on my stove in 10/5-minute increments, to remind me, so I can’t forget about it cooking on the stove.
3) Adding too much hot liquid to your egg mixture too quickly. You need to bring the temperature of the egg mixture up very slowly (called “tempering”), so that the eggs don’t cook/curdle. Add a drop at a time (really!) at first and whisk continuously while adding. You can increase to a slow stream as you go along, but keep whisking and don’t rush it.
4) Not cooking the pudding long enough after you add the egg mixture, resulting in a soupy finished pudding. It can be hard to tell the first time you make it, when your custard has cooked long enough. It helps to know what you’re aiming for. It won’t look like the finished pudding in the photos. It will get there once it’s refrigerated and set, but off the stove, it should look much more saucy. BUT, the sauce part should be creamy and noticeably thickened – not thin like milk. My method is when the pudding nears the boil (lots of steam rising from the mixture), I will stop stirring for a 10-15 seconds, to see if any bubbles rise in the middle. If not, I keep cooking, stirring for another minute or so, then I stop again, to see if any bubbles rise. Once I see a bubble rise, I keep cooking, stirring, for only about 30-60 seconds more, then remove and pour into serving bowl.
5) Letting the liquid in the pot get too low. As rice absorbs liquid differently, you may find that the milk mostly disappears before your rice is cooked. If the mixture gets too dry, it may scorch on the bottom of the pan. Don’t hesitate to add more milk or water to the pot towards the end of cooking, to make sure the liquid is sufficient to suspend the rice off the bottom. For best results add hot milk or hot water, to prevent cooling down the mixture.
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Get the Recipe: Extra Creamy Rice Pudding
Ingredients
- 4 cups (960 ml) whole milk, (3.5% b.f.), plus up to 1 cup more, as needed
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) long grain white rice or Arborio rice, *or see Notes for other rice options
- 2/3 cup (160 ml) heavy whipping cream, 35% b.f.
- 1/3 cup (65 g) white granulated sugar, or reduce to taste
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) raisins, optional
Instructions
- Rinse a large saucepan with cold water. Don't dry. Set on stove-top over medium heat. Add milk. Heat milk to boiling, over medium heat, stirring regularly. WATCH CLOSELY as it nears the boil! When milk hits the boil, it will boil up and possibly over. That's not a good thing.
- When milk boils, stir in rice and keep stirring until mixture returns to the boil. Reduce heat to a shade higher than low, or whatever level on your stove allows the mixture to gently simmer (bubble breaking the surface but not too vigorously). Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring down the mixture every 10 minutes (Important that you stir it down regularly and ensure that there is no rice sticking to the bottom of the pan. You will notice that the mixture has probably formed a skin on top. Don't remove it. Just stir it back in.)
- Meanwhile, in a medium-sized bowl, use a fork to whisk together the cream, sugar, yolks, vanilla and salt. Set aside on counter while rice is cooking, leaving fork in bowl. Set out a ladle to use, as well. I like to do this after the rice starts cooking, so that the mixture comes to room temperature by the time it's needed.
- Once milk/rice has simmered for 30 minutes, continue simmering, but stir down every 5 minutes. With each stir, start testing the done-ness of the rice by tasting a piece. You want the rice to be tender (so no hard center). **Depending on the rice you used, your mixture may start to get thick-ish at this point, with little milky liquid left. If so, add more hot milk or water to the pot, just as much as needed to loosen the mixture up, with each stir. Watch closely and don't let the mixture get dry or it will scorch. Continue cooking, stirring down and adding additional milk, as needed until the rice is tender. Most rice is generally done at about 45-50 minutes of total simmering time. A lot will depend on how vigorously your mixture is boiling, so there is no hard and fast rule. Taste testing is the best indicator.
- Once the rice is cooked, slide the pot off the heat to avoid scorching. Re-whisk your egg mixture with your fork. Using the ladle, spoon out a ladle-full of hot rice/milk mixture, taking as much liquid as possible, but not to worry if you bring some of the rice with it. With the ladle in your left hand (assuming your right-handed, if not, reverse) and using your right hand to start whisking the egg mixture with the fork, start adding the hot mixture to the eggs A DROP AT A TIME, at first, while continuously whisking with the fork. Increase to a slow stream, while whisking continuously, until the entire ladle-full has been added. Get another ladle-full of hot liquid and slowly add it to the egg mixture as well, whisking continuously. Keep adding hot liquid until you've got at least 1 1/2 cups-1 3/4 cups of now warmed liquid in your bowl. Once you have reached that point, pour the warmed egg mixture into your cooking pot.
- Return the saucepan to heat, over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring almost continuously, just until a dime-sized bubble breaks the surface of the pudding. Pudding should be noticeably thickened and saucy, but still more sauce than rice (pudding will set more in the fridge as it cools). If liquid seems almost like milk consistency (rather than heavy cream consistency), it's too thin. Cook, stirring, a little longer. **Note though that you never want to allow the mixture to vigorously boil after the egg mixture has been added, as you may end up with scrambled eggs.
- If using raisins, add to the bottom of a medium-large bowl. When pudding is cooked, immediately pour hot mixture over raisins. Stir well to combine. Allow to stand on counter for about 5 minutes, to allow the steam to reduce, then cover bowl with plastic wrap and place into the refrigerator. Allow to cool and set, at least 6 hours or preferably, over-night. Pudding will set as it cools. To serve, simply stir and spoon into bowls. Serve with a sprinkling of cinnamon, if desired. If pudding is or becomes too thick, simply add a tablespoon or so of heavy cream to mixture and stir in. If you enjoy your rice pudding warmed, you can warm slightly in the microwave or a small saucepan.
Notes
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
Delicious, but could go with slightly less sugar. I added nutmeg but left out sultanas.
So glad you enjoyed it, Jane. Sweetness is very subjective, but easily tweaked in this one :) I do find that if you eat it warm, it tastes sweeter than it does eaten cold (which I generally do). Thanks so much!
This is simply the BEST and creamiest rice pudding recipe i have made – especially with the arborio rice. I made it exactly as the recipe required. Amazing. I have made it a few times now. My only caution is if my husband comes in with a spoon before it has completely set – it will be a bit watery and you will need to stir it up before serving (or don’t tell anyone its there). Thanks you for this!
Lol! So glad you enjoyed it, Maureen and yes, I have been known to hide it in the fridge myself :) Thanks so much!
Best rice pudding ever- and I am picky! I always double it so there is enough for my family!
So glad to hear, Trish (I’m picky, too :) Thanks so much!
Delicious! Followed as written and it came out beautifully. Used sushi grain rice I soaked overnight so it’d release some starch and wouldn’t thicken too much.
So glad you enjoyed it, Riki! Thanks so much :)
I made this rice pudding for a friend who had dental surgery. I don’t usually try a recipe first hand due to the risk of it not turning out but this recipe is wonderful!
I used arborio rice and added vanilla caviar to the extract. Other than that I went exactly by the recipe. It didn’t take as long, 40 minutes maybe, but it turned out phenomenal.
This pudding tasted like none other that I’ve had. Thank you! This is definitely a keeper for me
Laura
So glad to hear, Laura :) Thanks so much!
I tried this recipe this afternoon and it was absolutely delicious. I used vanilla bean instead of extract as it’s what I had on hand. Amazing! I will definitely be making this again! Thank you so much.
So glad to hear, Jane :) Thanks so much!
Easy to follow with wonderful results! I’m a novice cook and it was simple to follow and it’s better than kozy shack imo. I used jasmine rice and it worked great.
So happy to hear, Dennis :) Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks so much!
First of all, I really want to thank you for putting such specific instructions in the recipe steps. The description of how the milk and rice mixture should be simmering helped immensely in getting it to the “correct” simmer. The instruction to leave the fork in the egg mixture saved me from using an extra utensil. The part to get the ladle out saved me from having to search for it in the moment. These small, descriptive instructions really help to save time and effort in the process of making this stunningly delicious rice pudding.
All of that aside, this recipe is an absolute winner. My family and I are pretty particular when it comes to rice pudding, and this one hit on all notes for us. Thank you!
So glad to hear, Anne and happy you enjoyed the pudding. I’m pretty particular when it comes to rice pudding, too :) Thanks so much!
After years of searching & trial and error trying to find a rice pudding recipe that came close to my Swedish grandmother’s, I came upon this one by chance and it is wonderful. First of all, I truly appreciated the level of detail provided, not just about the assembly, but about the ingredients as well. For someone who bakes a lot, you can easily tell when a recipe has been tested over and over again to get it right before it’s published. This is clearly one of those recipes!! I especially appreciated the direction to stop and check the texture of the rice during cooking to make sure it wasn’t getting to soft. I never saw that in any other rice pudding recipe. The end result was loved by all so this recipe became an immediate “keeper”. Thank you!!
So glad you enjoyed it, Mark :) Thanks so much!
This was delicious. I made it almost exactly as written. I used half brown sugar and a packet of splenda. I didn’t find it complicated at all especially with the very clear instructions. It makes a dish much greater than the sum of its parts. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it, Susan :) Thanks so much!
Can I use already cooked rice? I have about 2 cups. Thanks!
Hi Cheri and I’m afraid this recipe won’t work with already cooked rice. I know there are lot of recipes online that start with cooked rice, so you should be able to find one that would be a better option for you.
I made this recipe as I said I would. It’s “ the best ever “! Now I get requests for it all the time. I love it, so worth the time & effort. Thanks so much 😊❤️
So glad to hear, Muriel :) Thanks so much!
Wow! Delicious and a hit with family and friends! Thank you for this recipe. While it may take a little longer than other recipes, it is the best for the end product. I was a little concerned the amount of rice would not be enough but you were on point and the pudding was perfect!
So glad you enjoyed it, Naomi and yes, it does seem like so little rice when you put it in the pot :) Thanks so much!
Perfection! I had to make rice pudding for a potluck and I “test-drove” another recipe beforehand. Not up to snuff. I found this one and I knew it would great before I even made it. And it was. I added raisins that had been soaking in rum for a few months … Everyone loved it. Making it again for just me and my husband. Thanks!
So glad to hear, Marilyn :) Thanks so much!
I’m so anxious to try this recipe, I can hardly wait ’til morning to make it. Thanks so much. Rice pudding is one of my favourites !
It’s a favourite of mine, too Muriel :) Do enjoy!
Thank you for putting this recipe online! I’ve been looking all over the internet for this exact recipe. I used to make it all the time however my grandma’s 90 year old recipe got lost in our move. I could remember most of the recipe but wanted the exact one to be sure so I’m ecstatic to have found it! My son has this every year for his birthday instead of cake because he loves it so much! :-) Thanks also for sharing all your tips and tricks! Excellent!!
So glad to hear, Amy! Thanks so much and enjoy the pudding :)
This is the most incredible rice pudding I’ve ever made; my husband is in love with it! I used whole milk, and the only change I made was to use whole evaporated milk instead of cream. It is a long, involved recipe, but definitely worth it. TEN YUMS UP!
So glad you enjoyed it, Sherry :) Thanks so much!