Desserts / Cobblers, crisps & puddings
Creamy Stovetop Rice Pudding
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Rice simmered slowly in whole milk with a strip of lemon zest, then stirred silky with yolk and cream and a little vanilla. Eat it warm in a bowl, or cold from the fridge at midnight, standing up.
The short version
Simmer white rice in whole milk with sugar, salt and a strip of lemon zest for about 45 minutes, stirring often. Off the heat, stir in a little tempered yolk and cream, then vanilla. Serve warm or chill it.
What makes ours better
why ours wins the argument at dinner
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Finish with yolks and cream. Stirring two egg yolks and a little cream in at the end gives a custardy, glossy pudding that stays creamy after chilling.
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Simmer a strip of lemon zest in the milk. A thin curl of peel adds brightness and keeps all that dairy from tasting flat. Fish it out before serving.
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Use a wet pot and keep the heat low. Rinsing the pot with cold water first helps the milk stick less. A gentle simmer stops it scorching on the bottom.
What you need
the stars of the show
- Whole milk4½ cups
- Granulated sugar⅓ cup
- Wide strip lemon zest1 whole
- Egg yolks2 large
- Heavy cream½ cup
- Vanilla extract2 teaspoons
tap each one as it goes in. no double-salting.
Steps
go slow. the good part can’t be rushed.
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Start the rice
Rinse a large heavy pot with cold water and leave it wet. Add the milk, rice, sugar, salt and lemon zest. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, watching closely, since milk boils over fast.
Stay at the stove. Milk goes from calm to over the rim in seconds.
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Simmer gently
Turn the heat to low. Cook uncovered, stirring every few minutes and scraping the bottom, for about 45 minutes. If a skin forms, stir it back in. Add the raisins in the last 10 minutes if you're using them.
About 45 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Check the rice
The pudding is ready when the rice is completely tender with no chalky center, and the milk has thickened to a loose, creamy porridge. It will look looser than you want; it thickens a lot as it cools.
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Temper the yolks
Whisk the yolks and cream together in a bowl. Pull the pot off the heat, then whisk in a ladle of hot pudding, a little at a time. Stir the mixture back into the pot.
Add the first spoonfuls slowly. Hot liquid poured in at once will scramble the yolks.
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Warm it through
Return the pot to low heat and stir 1 to 2 minutes, until the pudding is steaming and one bubble breaks the surface. Don't let it boil. Take it off the heat and remove the zest.
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Add vanilla and serve
Stir in the vanilla. Spoon into bowls and dust with cinnamon. Serve warm, or press plastic wrap onto the surface and chill at least 3 hours.
Good to know
the stuff I’d tell you over the phone
- Long-grain white rice such as jasmine or basmati holds its shape. Arborio cooks a little faster and goes creamier. Quick-cooking rice turns mushy.
- Whole milk matters. Lower-fat milk makes a thinner, less rich pudding.
- Chilled rice pudding sets firm. Stir in a splash of milk or cream to loosen it before serving.
- Try brown sugar in place of white, a pinch of nutmeg, or a spoonful of jam on top.
- Storage. Cover and refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan with a splash of milk.
Questions, answered
asked and answered at the kitchen counter
Can I use leftover cooked rice for rice pudding?
Yes, and it's quicker. Simmer the cooked rice in the milk with the sugar and salt until it's thick and creamy, then finish with the yolks, cream and vanilla. Start with less milk than the recipe calls for and add more as it thickens.
Why is my rice pudding too thin?
Keep simmering a few minutes longer; the starch needs time to thicken the milk. Remember it also firms up as it cools, so judge it when it's looser than you want.
Why is my rice pudding gluey?
The rice was cooked too long or too hard, or you used short-grain or quick rice. A low simmer and long-grain rice give creamy but distinct grains.
Can I make rice pudding without eggs?
Yes. Leave out the yolks and cream and use the milk-and-rice pudding as is. It will be a little less rich but still creamy.
Should rice pudding be served warm or cold?
Either. Warm is soft and spoonable; chilled is thicker and sets like custard. Many people like it cold with cinnamon.
Can I use a different milk?
Whole milk gives the creamiest result. Reduced-fat milk works but makes a thinner, less rich pudding, and plant milks vary a lot, so expect a different texture.
From the table
Made it? I want the full report: first bite, best compliment, and who tried to take the leftovers home.
Made it?
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Published October 29, 2026.