Old fashioned rice pudding is thick, creamy and gently sweet, with tender grains of rice in a milky custard-like sauce scented with cinnamon and vanilla. It is a cozy stovetop dessert for cold nights and Sunday suppers, and it is just as good cold from the refrigerator the next morning.
How to make old fashioned rice pudding: Stir milk, jasmine rice, sugar, cinnamon and salt together in a heavy-bottomed pot. Bring it to a boil, then turn it down to a low simmer and cook uncovered for about 30 to 35 minutes, stirring often, until thick and creamy. Take it off the heat and stir in vanilla.
Why You’ll Love It
- Six ingredients. Milk, rice, sugar, cinnamon, salt and vanilla.
- One pot. Everything goes in at the start, raw rice included.
- No eggs. The rice thickens the milk, so there is nothing to temper.
- Warm or cold. Serve it straight from the pot or chilled.
Ingredient Notes
Milk. Six cups. It looks like a lot for the amount of rice, and it is supposed to. The rice drinks it up as it cooks.
Jasmine rice. Three-quarters of a cup, uncooked. It goes into the cold milk dry.
Sugar. A 1/2 cup of regular granulated sugar.
Cinnamon. A 1/2 teaspoon, cooked in with the rice.
Salt. A 1/4 teaspoon.
Vanilla extract. One tablespoon, stirred in at the very end, off the heat.
Ingredients
- 6 cups milk
- 3/4 cup jasmine rice
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
How to Make Old Fashioned Rice Pudding
1. Combine the ingredients. Stir the milk, rice, sugar, cinnamon and salt together in a large heavy-bottomed pot.
2. Bring to a boil. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a low simmer so it does not boil over.
3. Simmer and stir. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, for about 30 to 35 minutes, until thick and creamy. Stir constantly during the last 5 to 10 minutes so the pudding does not stick to the bottom.
4. Add the vanilla. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
How to Tell When Rice Pudding Is Done
Rice pudding is done when it is thick and creamy, about the consistency of yogurt. That takes about 30 to 35 minutes of uncovered simmering. The rice will be tender and the milk will have turned from thin and white to a loose, spoonable cream.
Take it off the heat while it still looks a little looser than you want. Rice pudding keeps thickening as it cools, so a pot that looks perfect on the stove can turn stiff in the bowl.
| Stage | What you see | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Start | Thin milk, rice at the bottom | Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer |
| Most of the simmer | Milk slowly thickening | Stir frequently |
| Last 5 to 10 minutes | Thick, bubbling slowly | Stir constantly so it does not stick |
| Done | Thick and creamy, like yogurt | Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla |
| Cooling | Thicker still | Serve warm or chill |
The pot matters. A large, heavy-bottomed pot, such as a Dutch oven, spreads the heat so the milk and rice are less likely to catch on the bottom.
Tips for Success
How do I keep rice pudding from sticking?
Use a heavy-bottomed pot, stir frequently the whole time, and stir constantly for the last 5 to 10 minutes. That is when the pudding is thickest and most likely to stick.
How do I stop the milk from boiling over?
Watch the pot as it comes to a boil, and turn the heat down to a low simmer as soon as it does.
Should the pot be covered?
No. The pudding cooks uncovered.
Why add the vanilla at the end?
The recipe stirs it in after the pot comes off the heat, as the last step.
My pudding looks thin. Is it done?
If it is the texture of yogurt after 30 to 35 minutes, yes. It will thicken more as it cools.
What Type of Rice Is Best for Rice Pudding?
This recipe uses jasmine rice, and its 30 to 35 minute cooking time is for jasmine. Rice pudding is also made with long-grain rice and with medium-grain rice, but those are separate recipes. I cannot promise the same time or texture if you swap another rice into this one.
Variations
Warm or chilled. Rice pudding can be served either way. Eat it warm from the pot, or cover it and chill it first.
Raisins. Raisins are a common optional addition to rice pudding. They are not part of this recipe, so there is no amount for them here.
Other styles. There are rice puddings made with eggs and with evaporated milk. They follow their own methods.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to divide leftovers into shallow, covered containers and refrigerate them within 2 hours. Refrigerated leftovers keep for 3 to 4 days. You can eat leftover rice pudding cold. If you warm it up, reheat it to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer, and do not use a slow cooker to reheat it.
What to Serve With It
For another creamy pudding dessert, make the banana pudding cake. For rice-based sweets of a crunchier kind, there are peanut butter and chocolate Rice Krispie treats, chocolate peanut butter balls with Rice Krispies, caramel marshmallow Rice Krispie balls and chocolate peanut butter Rice Krispie cups. For dinner before the pudding, try the cozy beef and rice casserole.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I tell when rice pudding is thick enough without letting it stick?
Look for thick and creamy, about like yogurt, and stir constantly for the last 5 to 10 minutes of cooking.
How do I make rice pudding from scratch?
Simmer milk, jasmine rice, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a heavy pot for about 30 to 35 minutes, stirring often, then stir in vanilla off the heat.
What type of rice is best for rice pudding?
This recipe is written for jasmine rice.
Can I serve rice pudding cold?
Yes. It can be served warm or chilled.
Final Notes
I pull the pot off the heat while the pudding is still a little loose, because it firms up as it cools. If you make it, leave a comment to tell me how it turned out or ask a question.
Old Fashioned Rice Pudding
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Ingredients
- 6 cups milk
- 3/4 cup jasmine rice
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Stir the milk, rice, sugar, cinnamon and salt together in a large heavy-bottomed pot.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a low simmer so it does not boil over.
- Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, for about 30 to 35 minutes, until thick and creamy. Stir constantly during the last 5 to 10 minutes so the pudding does not stick to the bottom.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
