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What makes this rice pudding recipe easy? You only need a handful of very simple ingredients and a pot on the stovetop to simmer the rich, creamy, and decadent Southern dessert. Bourbon-soaked raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves add layers of delicious flavor!
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Whether it’s served as a main dish in meals like chicken bog or jambalaya, in sides like red rice, or in desserts like this rice pudding recipe, rice has been an important component in American Southern cuisine for generations. It’s time to bring back the old-fashioned dessert, which deserves a spot on your sideboard along with the other holiday treats!
What makes this rice pudding recipe easy?
This rice pudding recipe is incredibly easy, thanks to its simple ingredient list, minimal equipment, and minimal cooking experience required. If you can stir a pot, you can make this dish! You don’t need to turn on the oven, and you definitely don’t need to create a hot water bath for baking.
Tender rice combines with warm spices, plump bourbon-soaked raisins, sugar, and cream for a rich dessert with very little effort. The only key? Stir the rice regularly as it simmers on the stovetop so that the mixture becomes smooth and thick, but doesn’t clump together or stick to the bottom of the pot.
The Best Type of Rice for Rice Pudding
This recipe calls for regular long-grain white rice — nothing fancy! The long grain rice has a good amount of starch to thicken the pudding, becomes tender and fluffy, and doesn’t clump together. I do not recommend substituting with brown rice, instant rice, or other varieties, since those will require different amounts of liquid and different cooking times.
Ingredients for this Creamy Rice Pudding Recipe
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients in rice pudding. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Raisins: for sweet, juicy, chewy bites throughout.
- Bourbon: to soften and flavor the raisins. Feel free to substitute with rum, or use orange juice for a non-alcoholic option.
- Whole milk and water: the liquid that the rice absorbs as it slowly simmers on the stovetop.
- Long grain white rice: do not substitute with brown rice, instant rice, short grain rice like arborio rice, or other varieties, since those different varieties will require different amounts of liquid and different cooking instructions.
- Sugar: for just the right amount of sweetness.
- Cinnamon stick: to infuse the pudding with warm, cozy cinnamon flavor. If you don’t have cinnamon sticks, you can add a little bit of ground cinnamon instead.
- Salt: to balance the sweetness and enhance the other flavors.
- Ground nutmeg and ground cloves: for warmth. You can omit these ingredients if you prefer, or try other spices like allspice or ginger, too.
- Heavy cream: for the richest, creamiest texture.
- Egg yolks: add richness and help thicken the pudding.
- Vanilla extract: use our favorite two-ingredient homemade bourbon vanilla extract for the best flavor!
How to Make Rice Pudding
Keep this rice pudding recipe easy and stir together a batch on the stovetop whenever it suits your schedule. It’s a great make-ahead dessert that’s perfect for Christmas, Sunday suppers, or other holiday entertaining. I’ve included the detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick version:
- Soak the raisins in bourbon while the rice cooks.
- Simmer milk, water, rice, sugar, and spices until the rice is tender and the mixture thickens, about 40 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.
- Whisk together the cream, egg yolks, and vanilla extract.
- Stir the cream mixture and the raisins into the hot rice mixture.
Serving Suggestions
This vintage Southern dessert can be served warm or chilled. It’s even a nice option for breakfast or brunch, since it’s not too sweet. We like to garnish individual bowls of the stovetop rice pudding with any of the following toppings:
- Extra bourbon-soaked or rum-soaked raisins, cranberries, or other dried fruit
- A sprinkle of ground cinnamon or ground nutmeg
- A cinnamon stick
- Fluffy, pillowy clouds of freshly-whipped cream
- Strips of orange zest, candied orange peel, or candied ginger
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Leftover rice pudding will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Reheat the rice pudding in a saucepan on the stove over low heat, just until warmed through. Add a splash of milk or cream, if necessary, to thin the mixture. You can also reheat individual servings in the microwave for a few seconds.
- I don’t recommend storing rice pudding in the freezer, since the texture will be different when thawed. Dairy-based dishes have a tendency to separate or “break” when thawed, too.
Recipe Variations
- Add grated orange peel or grated lemon zest to the pudding for a bright, acidic, citrus flavor.
- Omit the cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. If you prefer, you can use other spices like ginger and allspice, or just keep it simple with the vanilla extract.
- The raisins are optional, but recommended for great flavor and texture.
- Soak the raisins in rum or orange juice instead of bourbon.
- Substitute dried cranberries (“Craisins”) or other dried fruit (like dried cherries or chopped dried apricots) for the raisins.
- Other nice add-ins for this classic rice pudding include chopped, toasted pecans, almonds, walnuts, or hazelnuts.
Tips for this Easy Rice Pudding Recipe
- Soak the raisins before adding them to the pudding. This softens them, helps them plump, and adds even more flavor.
- If you like a stronger bourbon flavor in your rice pudding, don’t strain the raisins before stirring the raisin-bourbon mixture right into the dish.
- Stir the rice very frequently (especially as it gets closer to the end of the cooking time). This will prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot and scorching, and will also prevent it from clumping together.
- Garnish each serving with a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg, a cinnamon stick, a dollop of freshly whipped cream, or some extra bourbon-soaked raisins.
- Serve the rice warm or chilled — whichever you prefer. If storing the rice to serve later, place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming.
More Southern Desserts to Try
Southern Cream Cheese Pound Cake
2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
Peach Blackberry Cobbler
1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Kentucky Butter Cake
1 hour hr 50 minutes mins
Southern Rice Pudding
Ingredients
- ½ cup raisins
- 1 ½ tablespoons bourbon (or sub with orange juice or rum)
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Pinch of grated nutmeg
- Pinch of ground cloves
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract (use this 2-ingredient homemade bourbon vanilla extract for the best flavor!)
- Optional toppings: additional grated nutmeg; ground cinnamon; whipped cream
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the raisins and bourbon. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, combine milk, water, rice, sugar, cinnamon stick, salt, grated nutmeg, and ground cloves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat so that the liquid is at a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 40-45 minutes. Stir the pot often, especially towards the end.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cream, egg yolks, and vanilla extract. Drain off any extra bourbon from the raisins (unless you want a stronger bourbon flavor in your pudding, in which case you can stir that bourbon right into the mixture along with the raisins). Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk the cream mixture into the rice. Stir in the raisins.
- Serve immediately, or pour into a bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Serve warm or chilled, and garnish with optional toppings.
Notes
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- Soak the raisins before adding them to the pudding. This softens them, helps them plump, and adds even more flavor.
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- If you like a stronger bourbon flavor in your rice pudding, don’t strain the raisins before stirring the raisin-bourbon mixture right into the pot of rice.
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- Stir the rice very frequently (especially as it gets closer to the end of the cooking time). This will prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot and scorching, and will also prevent it from clumping together.
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- Garnish each serving with a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg, a cinnamon stick, a dollop of freshly whipped cream, or some extra bourbon-soaked raisins.
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- Serve the rice warm or chilled — whichever you prefer. If storing the rice to serve later, place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming.
- Recipe adapted from Paula Deen’s Southern Cooking Bible
