If you love rice pudding, consider making this homemade Old-Fashioned Rice Pudding. It’s truly impressive, and there is an incredible flavor in every bite. I know many people who haven’t tried rice pudding, and they are missing out on the warm, creamy texture, cinnamon, and vanilla. This one also has raisins and almonds for crunchiness and chewiness.
Jump to:
This is a simple recipe, but good things take time! It needs plenty of opportunity to cook down to build layers of layers and ensure the rice isn’t hard or crunchy. I promise the result is worth the wait! It’s even better than your grandma’s old-fashioned rice pudding recipe!
If you like easy pudding recipes, you will love my Best Chocolate Pudding Recipe ever, and this Chocolate Strawberry Layered Pudding.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s inexpensive: Rice is an amazing, low-cost ingredient that is used for a variety of dishes, including this dessert! I keep extra rice in the pantry in case we get a craving for rice pudding.
- It has endless flavor options: I like to keep it fairly basic, but you can add so many ingredients to it to make it your own. Rice pudding takes on flavor so well.
- Enjoy it hot or cold: Have a nice scoop from the pot or the refrigerator! Rice pudding is fabulous when it’s hot or cold. The flavor is slightly altered but still delicious.
- It’s naturally gluten-free: There’s naturally no gluten in this recipe, making it perfect for someone on a gluten-free diet or who has a gluten allergy.
Ingredients
This is everything I used to make this old-fashioned rice pudding recipe. It’s so simple and utilizes everyday ingredients. I recommend gathering and measuring it all ahead so it’s ready when you need it.
- Rice: You will need water and salt to cook your rice properly. The salt enhances the flavors of the other ingredients you’ll add a little later. I like to use long or medium-grain rice, so choose based on your preference.
- Cream and milk: I like a combination of heavy cream and milk to get that perfect thick and creamy consistency. Whole milk is ideal because of its fat content, but 2% should work fine as well. I don’t recommend using skim, though.
- Sugar: I use some white granulated sugar as a sweetener to keep it basic and affordable. Brown sugar works great, too. I recommend you try half white and half light brown to add depth.
- Cinnamon: I love cinnamon in this recipe as it complements the raisins and almonds and provides a cozy, warm flavor. Sometimes, I garnish the finished rice pudding with an extra sprinkle of cinnamon!
- Vanilla extract: You can use imitation or pure extract in this classic rice pudding recipe. I find that it doesn’t affect the flavor too much.
- Raisins and almonds: Regular raisins and slivered almonds add great texture to the rice pudding. Try golden raisins for a slightly different flavor!
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Coconut: Trade the whole milk for coconut milk to create an extra-rich version with a subtle coconut flavor as well as add some shredded coconut.
- Almond: Use almond extract instead of vanilla to enhance the almond flavor.
- Citrus: Add lemon or orange zest to brighten the pudding.
How to Make Old-Fashioned Rice Pudding
Here are all the steps needed to make your homemade rice pudding. Some of the times may vary slightly depending on your cookware and stove, so keep a close eye as it cooks!
Step 1: Boil water and add rice. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Once boiling, add rice and salt.
Step 2: Cook the rice. Reduce the heat to low and cook the rice for 15-20 minutes or until the water is almost completely absorbed and the rice is fluffy.
Step 3: Add cream, milk, and sugar. Pour in the heavy cream and then add the milk and sugar. Give the rice a good stir and bump the heat to medium-high so it can simmer.
Step 4: Simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the mixture for 35-45 minutes, stirring often.
Step 5: Add cinnamon and vanilla. Once the pudding is really thick, sprinkle in the vanilla and cinnamon. Let it cook for another 10-15 minutes.
Step 6: Add remaining ingredients. Add the raisins and almonds.
Step 7: Stir and cool. Stir it well and then remove it from the heat to cool to room temperature, until warm, or let it become a little cold (based on your preference).
Step 8: Serve. Garnish with more raisins and slivered almonds, and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Don’t freeze it: I am against freezing leftover rice pudding. As it thaws and reheats, it takes on a watery consistency and mushy texture that’s difficult to fix.
- Don’t boil the milk: Watch the heat when you add the milk. If it starts to boil, it can scorch or curdle.
- Be patient: It takes a considerable amount of time to make this old-fashioned rice pudding recipe. Don’t rush the process, or the result won’t be what you’re expecting!
If you love recipes like this sweet treat with raisins, you may also enjoy this Swirled Cinnamon Raisin Bread.
Storage Directions
- Storing: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Lightly reheat the rice pudding in a saucepan over low heat for 3-5 minutes or until warm.
- Make Ahead: I love to prepare this in advance for company. I make it up to 24 hours ahead and stick it in the refrigerator until it’s time to serve.
Serving Suggestions
- Sprinkle some chocolate strawberry granola on top for a nice crunch.
- You may drizzle some butter pecan syrup as a classic pairing to add a touch of richness.
- I love adding fruit on top. This air fried pineapple is caramelized and provides some depth.
- A scoop of rhubarb jam adds a sweet yet tangy flavor to the rice pudding.
- Enjoy a refreshing strawberry banana milkshake with your serving.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Add all the ingredients except the vanilla, cinnamon, raisins, and almonds. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes and then manually release the pressure for 10-15 minutes. Stir in the remaining ingredients, and it’s done.
I like rice pudding with raisins and almonds because it’s a classic preparation, but you can leave them out. My grandma loved to hide whole almonds in the pudding, and whoever found them would win a prize. This is very nostalgic for me!
You can try it, but I am not sure if the consistency would turn out right. They are much thinner than whole milk.
Video
More Delicious Warm Dessert Recipes
Do you like desserts? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section, I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Old-Fashioned Rice Pudding with Raisins & Almonds
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 cup white rice, medium or long grain
- 2 ½ cups heavy cream
- 2 ½ cups whole milk
- ⅔ cup sugar
- ½-1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground, more or less to taste
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup raisins, more or less to taste
- ½ cup almonds, slivered
- almonds, whole, depends on the number of prizes
Instructions
- In a large pot, over high heat, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the salt and then rice. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for between 15 and 20 minutes. You have to stir the rice regularly until the rice is cooked and the water is almost totally absorbed into the rice.
- Now add the cream first. Then the milk and then the sugar. Stir until blended. Turn your heat up to medium high and bring it to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce your heat to medium low and simmer, uncovered for between 35 and 45 minutes. You must stir this regularly, especially as it thickens.
- As the rice mixture gets really thick, add cinnamon if you are using it. I recommend adding ½ a teaspoon first. Stir until combined. After a few minutes taste it and decide if you would prefer a little more cinnamon. Reduce the temperature to low and stir frequently so the rice pudding doesn't stick to the bottom of your pot. Keep on stirring over low heat until a little spoon is able to stand up on its own, another 10-15 minutes.
- Once your pudding is thick enough remove it from heat. Add the vanilla and stir. Next, add as many raisins and slivered almonds as you would like. I have given you a rough idea of how much I use. Add some of each and stir until you are satisfied with how much you have added! If you are going to use a couple of whole almonds for everyone to search for this is the time to do it. If you have three prizes, my grandmother used to have them sitting on the table beside her for whoever found the 3 whole almonds!
- Allow rice pudding to cool before serving. You can serve it at room temperature but I always serve it cool. You can store this pudding in a sealed container in your refrigerator for a couple days.
Video
Notes
- Don’t let the milk boil. If it gets too hot, it will scorch or curdle. It doesn’t need to stay on medium-high heat for long. Once it simmers, lower it!
- Allow the pudding plenty of time to cook to ensure tender rice and a perfectly thick result. It’s a labor of love!
- Try making this old-fashioned rice pudding in an Instant Pot to cut back on time. It’s convenient, but I love making it the classic way.
Nutrition
This post was originally published June 2018. It's been updated with new content and images.
Leave a Reply