rice pudding

Rice pudding recipe ready in under 40 minutes, with a creamy texture and warm cinnamon. Simple pantry staples, no need to soak the rice beforehand.

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Total Time 41

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Calories: 320

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

base

1 cup short-grain rice
4 cups whole milk
0.5 cup granulated sugar
1 pinch salt

flavor and finish

1 stick cinnamon
1 strip lemon zest about 5 cm wide, from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
0.25 teaspoon ground cinnamon for serving

Method

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine rice, milk, sugar, salt, cinnamon stick, and lemon zest strip.
Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally so the rice doesn't stick at the bottom. Do not boil hard.
Once it starts to bubble, turn heat to low. Keep cooking uncovered, stirring often, for 30–35 minutes. The rice will get soft and the mixture thicker. I scrape the sides of the pot down with a spatula so you don't miss any of the creamy layer.
As soon as the pudding is thick but still flows slowly off a spoon, take it off the heat. Fish out the cinnamon stick and lemon zest.
Stir in the vanilla extract. If you like your rice pudding extra creamy, add an extra splash of milk right now.
Spoon into bowls. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon while it's still warm. I usually serve it after 10 minutes so it's not piping hot, but you can also chill it if you prefer.

Notes

I grew up eating rice pudding as the one dessert my mom made without a recipe — and I’ve been making my own version ever since. It’s my go-to when I want something cozy, fast, and made with the milk and rice already in the pantry.

What actually makes it creamy?

Using short-grain rice (like Arborio or even sushi rice) does the trick — it gives up plenty of starch and goes silky as it cooks. I never rinse the rice for this, even though every instinct as a nutritionist tells me to for other dishes. For pudding, you want that starch. Stir more often than you think, especially at the end, or you’ll get a crust at the bottom. If it thickens up too much after it sits, I loosen it with another splash of milk before serving. That’s the real trick for the leftover bowl the next day.

Swaps and variations

Soy milk works fine if you want to make it dairy-free, but coconut milk can overpower the traditional flavors unless you love that twist. Skip the lemon zest if you’re short, but the cinnamon stick really does make a difference compared to ground cinnamon in the pot (save that for sprinkling on top).

Leftovers and storage

Cover and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. It’ll thicken as it cools — honestly, sometimes it’s a little clumpy straight from the fridge. Just reheat gently with a splash of milk, stir well, and it’s back to creamy in minutes.