To make classic creamy rice pudding, follow these steps:
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked medium-grain white rice
- 3 cups whole milk (divided)
- 5 cups water
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup raisins (optional)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Ground cinnamon (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook the rice: Rinse the rice well. In a large pot, combine 3 cups of milk, 5 cups of water, rice, sugar, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking or burning. Once it begins to bubble (about 15-25 minutes), reduce heat to low and cook for another 25-35 minutes until the rice is soft and the mixture has thickened, stirring often
- Temper the egg: In a separate bowl, beat the egg with the remaining ½ cup of milk. Gradually add about 1 cup of the hot rice mixture to the egg mixture while stirring to temper it. Then stir the tempered egg mixture back into the pot
- Add flavor and finish cooking: Stir in vanilla extract and raisins (if using). Cook for an additional 3 minutes, allowing the pudding to thicken further. Remove from heat and stir in butter. You can add cinnamon now if desired, but it may darken the pudding
- Serve: Rice pudding can be served warm or chilled. To chill, let it cool, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Garnish with extra cinnamon or maraschino cherries if you like
This method yields a rich, creamy rice pudding with a comforting texture and sweet flavor enhanced by vanilla and raisins
