Creamy, sweet and so, so easy to make. This Old-Fashioned Rice Pudding recipe is classic and comforting. Made in one pot with just a few ingredients like rice, milk, sugar and vanilla…cooked until thick, then served warm or chilled. This Rice Pudding will be a go-to dessert recipe for years to come.

Rice pudding in a blue and white tea cup stacked in another tea cup.


A family heirloom, this Old Fashioned Rice Pudding recipe is what I remember grandfather’s version to be like. Nobody really knows the exact measurements of everything he used so I had to guesstimate a bit. All I know is he was adamant about using Carolina rice…which I’m not sure if it’s medium grain, long grain rice, or arborio rice, so some testing had to be done since I couldn’t find “Carolina” rice.

I settled on medium grain rice because it held together well and didn’t get too mushy when cooked for a long time. The arborio remained a bit to al dente for my liking so we’ll keep that for risotto. Whatever rice you decide to use, you will still end up with the best rice pudding recipe ever.

Pantry Staple Ingredients

  • Rice – We use a medium grain white rice, although, you can also use a short grain rice or long grain rice. Long grain rice will hold together more for added texture, whereas, short grain gives a more smooth, creamy consistency. The recipe hasn’t been tested with brown rice.
  • Milk – Whole milk adds richness and a much creamier pudding is achieved with the added fat content.
  • Vanilla – A whole vanilla bean is used for pure, natural flavor but pure vanilla extract works well as a substitute.
  • Sugar– Rice pudding is sweetened with granulated white sugar. For a richer flavor, you can substitute half the white sugar with light brown sugar.
  • Butter – Don’t skip the butter, salted butter adds creaminess and contrast.

For the full ingredient list and instructions, see the recipe card below.

three tea cups with rice pudding in them with cinnamon sprinkled on top

How To Make Rice Pudding

This creamy rice pudding recipe is easy to make and doesn’t take much time at all. Some readers have mentioned stirring an egg yolk into it at the end but we don’t do that here. I don’t like the egg flavor because it makes it taste more like a custard than a pudding.

  1. Add the milk, rice, salt, vanilla bean and sugar to a large saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Bring the milk mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
  3. Stir in the rice. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently so the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
  4. Cook until the rice is tender and the pudding has reduced.
  5. Remove the vanilla bean from the cooked rice and scrape out the seeds.
  6. Stir in the butter, vanilla bean seeds or extract at the end of cooking.
  7. Transfer to a bowl and cover the rice mixture with plastic wrap.
  8. Chill for 1 hour or overnight.
  9. Serve warm or chilled.

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rice pudding in a blue and white tea cup with cinnamon being sprinkled on top

What is Rice Pudding?

Rice Pudding is a dish that’s made by cooking rice with milk and can be made sweet or savory. For a dessert style rice pudding, the mixture is commonly cooked with a sweetener like sugar or honey.

Golden Raisins and cinnamon is added to a lot of rice pudding recipes but this easy recipe is made with a hint of vanilla. We do sprinkle a little cinnamon on top from time to time but it’s not cooked into the dish as many other recipes do.

Tips for Perfect Rice Pudding

Be sure to cook the pudding long enough…undercooking the pudding will cause it to be soupy…still tasty but not thick like pudding. A good way to check if it’s cooked long enough is to run your finger along the back of your spoon to see if you can draw a line that doesn’t seep back together….if the line remains, you have pudding!

If you have a bit of sticker shock with vanilla beans (we use these), you can certainly use vanilla extract. But I love the look of the flecks throughout the pudding and the flavor can’t be beat. Another alternative would be Vanilla Bean Paste, which I LOVE.

rice pudding in a blue and white mug with a spoon digging into it.

How to Store Leftovers

You can store your leftover rice pudding in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

You can freeze rice pudding but the texture may chance slightly upon thawing. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight for best results.

How To Serve Rice Pudding

We like to serve our classic rice pudding recipe with a little freshly grated cinnamon stick and a dollop of this homemade whipped cream that takes about 2 minutes to make. 

You can also sprinkle a bit of ground cinnamon on top with a dusting wand, drizzle with chocolate sauce or stir in some cinnamon sugar.

Do you Serve Rice Pudding hot or cold?

We love to serve rice pudding soon after cooking but it’s equally tasty served cold. It’s an extremely versatile snack or dessert.

Can I add anything to my rice pudding for extra flavor?

To spice up your rice pudding, you can add a tablespoon of cocoa powder for a chocolate rice pudding.
Swap out the milk for coconut milk to make a luscious, vegan coconut rice pudding.
A sprinkle of cardamom gives it a warmly spiced exotic flavor.
Stir in raisins for a classic twist on traditional rice pudding.

Can I use leftover rice to make rice pudding?

You can use leftover rice to make rice pudding. It will take much less time to cook the rice than using uncooked rice but add just half the amount of milk and stir, adding 1/4 cup of milk at at time until the desired consistency is achieved.

More Easy Pudding Recipes

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Rice pudding in a blue and white tea cup stacked in another tea cup.

Get the Recipe: Easy Rice Pudding Recipe

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Simple and classic, this easy Rice Pudding recipe is sweet, creamy and satisfying and the best ever.
4.57 from 23 votes
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Ingredients

  • 8 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup raw medium-grain white rice
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 vanilla bean, split, or 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Equipment

Instructions 

  • In a large saucepan, add the milk, rice, salt, vanilla bean (if using, extract…don’t add it yet.) and sugar over medium heat.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently.
  • Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.
  • Uncover and continue to simmer until the rice is tender and the pudding has reduced to about 3 1/2 cups. Continue to stir constantly to prevent scorching.
  • Fish out the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds.
  • Turn off the heat and stir in the butter, vanilla bean seeds or vanilla extract.
  • Transfer the pudding to a bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.
  • Chill for 1 hour or overnight.
  • Serve warm or chilled.

Video

YouTube video
Calories: 292kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 32mg, Sodium: 252mg, Potassium: 350mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 21g, Vitamin A: 483IU, Calcium: 283mg, Iron: 1mg
Author: Kellie
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American