Just like mom used to make, this old fashioned Stovetop Rice Pudding is a hand-me-down recipe. The rich and creamy pudding with a touch of cinnamon, dried cranberries and topped with homemade whipped cream will be a favorite.
Reader review
One of my long time personal chef clients requested rice pudding. I had just the recipe. It's my childhood favorite old fashioned stovetop rice pudding. My Mom would make a super creamy pudding with a touch of cinnamon, a couple handful raisins and a sprinkle of nutmeg on top.
Just a little backstory about this rice pudding recipe.....
Leafing through my Mom's food stained Joy of Cooking cookbook is a trip down memory lane. Her hand written favorite recipes fill the what were blank front and back pages in the book. Every family holiday dessert table included her old fashioned rice pudding.
Many of her recipes were jotted down and made perfect sense to her at the time. But as I read these cherished recipes 30, 40 and even 50 years after they were written, the ingredients and even the instructions are sometimes vague and unclear.
The ingredient list for the all-time sour cream pound cake lists 5, 6 or 8 eggs. What?? I sometimes use 6 eggs while other times I use 8. And I'm not sure what possesses me to do so.
My Mom's rice pudding recipe is no different. Take a peek at the her recipe above.
She lists 5 tbls regular rice or more. When is the time to use more? And as a footnote, raisins, vanilla and cinnamon are listed with no measurements. I guess you just wing with those ingredients.
About 10 years ago, I set out recreating my Mom's old fashioned rice pudding recipe. Let's get cooking!
Jump to:
the ingredients
These are the ingredients you'll need to make this easy stovetop rice pudding recipe. Scroll to the recipe card below for full quantities of the ingredients.
- whole milk
- long grain rice
- granulated sugar
- salted butter
- vanilla extract
- cinnamon
- kosher salt
- large eggs
- dried cranberries
- nutmeg
- heavy whipping cream
substitutions and additions
I've tweaked my Mom's recipe over the years. But it still has the creamy texture with tender rice throughout.
- Almond extract can stand in for the vanilla extract.
- I love the sweet tang of dried cranberries so they take the place of raisins.
- My Mom folded in beaten egg whites. My recipe includes whole eggs.
- The finishing touch of a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream is my preference. If you prefer your whipped cream a little sweet, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of powder sugar when whipping the cream. Or use a store bought can of whipped cream instead.
recipe instructions
Stovetop rice pudding is one of the easiest puddings to make. As the rice cooks in the sugar sweetened milk, the grains become tender and thicken the pudding. A couple tablespoons of butter add extra richness to this warm and cozy dessert.
Scroll to the printable recipe card for the complete recipe directions.
Amy's expert tips
- Skip fat free or low fat milk when making this stovetop rice pudding. Use whole milk for a rich and creamy pudding.
- Keep a careful eye on the rice and milk mixture when it is coming to a boil. This can happen quickly and cause a big mess on the stovetop if the mixture boils over.
- Give the rice and milk mixture a stir occasionally as it is cooking to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Don't add cold beaten eggs directly to the hot rice and milk mixture. The eggs will scramble. Instead, slowly add about ½ cup of the hot rice and milk mixture to the beaten eggs stirring to combine. This process is called tempering.
- The pudding will thicken up as it cools. Add a couple tablespoons of milk to thin it out if you would like.
- Rice pudding can be served warm (it will be a little thinner) or chilled (it will be a little thicker).
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Recipe
Old Fashioned Stovetop Rice Pudding
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole milk
- ½ cup long grain white rice
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs beaten
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- nutmeg
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Place a 2 quart pot over medium high heat. To the pot add the milk, rice, sugar, butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and kosher salt. Stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the rice mixture uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes. Stir occasionally. The milk should reduce and the rice tender.
- In a small bowl add the beaten eggs. Ladle ¼ cup of the hot rice mixture into the bowl with the eggs. Stir to combine and warm the eggs. Add another ¼ cup of the rice mixture to the eggs and stir to combine. The eggs should be warm before adding them to the rice mixture in the pot.
- Add the egg mixture to the pot and stir to combine. Cook over low heat for 1 minute or so to thicken the mixture.
- Stir in the dried cranberries.
- Place the pudding in a medium sized bowl. Cover with plastic wrap pressing it down to be right on top of the pudding.
- Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 to 3 hours.
- Meanwhile, beat the heavy cream with a mixer until soft peaks form or about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Spoon the rice pudding into serving dishes, sprinkle with nutmeg and top with a dollop of whipped cream.
Notes
- Skip fat free or low fat milk when making this stovetop rice pudding. Use whole milk for a rich and creamy pudding.
- Keep a careful eye on the rice and milk mixture when it is coming to a boil. This can happen quickly and cause a big mess on the stovetop if the mixture boils over.
- Give the rice and milk mixture a stir occasionally as it is cooking to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Do not add cold beaten eggs directly to the hot rice and milk mixture. The eggs will scramble. Instead, slowly add about ½ cup of the hot rice and milk mixture to the beaten eggs stirring to combine. This process is called tempering.
- The pudding will thicken up as it cools. Add a couple tablespoons of milk to thin it out if you would like.
- I top the creamy cinnamony pudding with unsweetened whipped cream. If you prefer your whipped cream a little sweet, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of powder sugar when whipping the cream.
Nutrition
Kris says
I love that you use dried cranberries instead of raisins! I have always done the same in my rice pudding. Actually your recipe is very close to my own. I also like to put glazed walnuts & pecans on top & whipped cream of course. ?? Awesome recipe!
Amy Casey says
Thanks Kris! And the glazed walnuts and pecans sound like a dreamy addition. Thanks for sharing.