Creamy Rice Pudding
Updated Nov 01, 2025
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This rice pudding recipe delivers a velvety, comforting dessert that tastes like childhood memories. Short-grain rice is gently cooked in whole milk and a touch of cream until it’s soft and custardy, then sweetened and scented with vanilla and cinnamon. Whether you serve it warm or chilled, it’s the kind of soothing treat you’ll turn to again and again.
If you’re craving a dessert that feels like it came straight from your grandmother’s kitchen, but is easy to pull together any day of the week, you’ll be delighted by this creamy rice pudding. It is my younger son’s favorite comfort dessert. Rice simmers slowly in whole milk, becoming tender, absorbing flavor and yielding that rich, custardy texture. Vanilla and cinnamon give it that signature scent and taste. This is a dessert that’s quietly comforting, what my mother would call nursery food, sweet, but not-too-sweet, and incredibly soothing.
It’s so simple to make; the hands-on prep time is minimal, though it takes some simmering and stirring on the stovetop. It’s gluten-free, so it’s a great dessert option for anyone with those dietary restrictions.
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Creamy Rice Pudding Ingredients
- Milk – For a creamy yet not overly rich pudding I use whole milk, but you could use 2%. I would not recommend a lower-fat milk.
- Butter – For a silky texture.
- Salt – Enhances all the flavors.
- Rice – You can use medium or long-grain rice; check out the note below for more.
- Vanilla extract – Essential.
- Orange zest – Optional, but it will provide such a wonderful burst of citrus.
- Brown sugar – I like to use brown sugar, which offers caramelly notes.
- Ground cinnamon – For a toasty finish.
- Raisins or dried cranberries – Optional additions.
Best Rice for Rice Pudding
I think medium or long-grain white rice is the best rice for simple rice pudding. You could also use arborio rice, but you may need more liquid, and it may take a bit more time to become soft and creamy.
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Rice Pudding with Raisins
While my boys like it best unadulterated, raisins are a very common addition to rice pudding. Sometimes, instead of raisins, I like to play around with other dried fruits like raisins, dried cranberries, or dried cherries. You can also just stir them in or sprinkle them on at the end into individual bowls; they just won’t plump up as much as if you cooked them in the pudding.
How to Make Creamy Rice Pudding
This smells so fantastic while it’s cooking that the cooking process is thoroughly pleasurable as well. I find something very soothing about the way the rice plumps up and softens as it absorbs the milk and turns super creamy. It’s a similar pleasure to making risotto.
- Cook the rice: Bring the milk, butter, salt, and orange zest, if using, to a simmer over medium heat. Add the rice and bring to a simmer, cover, lower the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients: Stir in the vanilla, brown sugar, cinnamon, and raisins or dried cranberries, if using, and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes or so until most of the liquid is absorbed, and the rice is creamy.
- Finish and enjoy: Let cool slightly and serve warm in bowls, with a final sprinkle of cinnamon if desired.
Best Rice Pudding Tips
- The brown sugar gives it a slightly caramelly note, but you could also use granulated sugar if you prefer a whiter pudding, or that’s what you have on hand.
- Stir the pudding frequently in the second part of the cooking so the bottom doesn’t stick or burn.
- Know that there is a lot of liquid, and it may seem like too much at first, but it will become a creamy pudding when it’s done!
- The rice pudding will thicken upon cooling, and thicken even further in the fridge. So remove it from the stove when it is still quite loose, to allow it to remain creamy as it cools. Chilled, it will be fairly thick and more dense.
Make Ahead and Storage
This can be served warm or cold. You can either let it simmer away while you eat dinner (jump up and stir every once in a while), and enjoy it warm, fresh from the pot, or you can make it ahead of time, and serve it chilled. It’s great both ways.
Store rice pudding in an airtight container in the fridge for about 4 days.
What to Serve with Creamy Rice Pudding
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Creamy Rice Pudding
Ingredients
- 4 ½ cups 2% or whole milk
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup medium- or long-grain rice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Grated zest of 1 orange (optional)
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (plus additional for sprinkling, if desired)
- 1 cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium-sized saucepan, bring the milk, butter, salt, and orange zest, if using, to a simmer over medium heat. Add the rice and bring to a simmer, then cover, lower the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Uncover, stir in the vanilla, brown sugar, cinnamon, and raisins or dried cranberries, if using, and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to prevent burning, for another 20 minutes or so until most of the liquid is absorbed, and the rice is creamy.
- Let cool slightly and serve warm in bowls, with a final sprinkle of cinnamon if desired. Or you can transfer to a larger bowl or individual ramekins, cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate, and serve chilled.
Notes
Nutrition
Head to MilkLife.com/milk-love-whats-real to learn more about the different types of milk for you and your family.
My daughter is home from college and she requested that we make this together. We made this with 1% milk and it was still creamy and delicious. I can always rely on your recipes!
Hmmm. Very interesting….no eggs. I will have to try this. Thanks for all the wonderful recipes. AND the entertaining, as well as insightful, writing at the beginning of each email.
thank you, Pamela!