Raisin Rice Pudding
intro
Creamy, warmly spiced stovetop rice pudding studded with plump sweet raisins, a nostalgic cozy comfort dessert made with simple pantry staples.
Ingredients
Steps
Rinse and drain rice
Place ¾ cup (135g) long-grain white rice in a fine-mesh sieve, rinse under cold running water for 45 seconds until runoff water is no longer fully starchy and cloudy, then drain completely to remove excess surface starch that would make the pudding gummy.
Simmer milk and rice
Pour 4 cups (960ml) whole milk into a heavy-bottomed 3-quart saucepan, add the drained rinsed rice and ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, stir once to combine. Set over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches a gentle simmer (small bubbles around the pan edge, approximately 8 minutes); do not let it reach a rolling boil to avoid scalding the milk.
Slow cook the pudding
Once the mixture reaches a gentle simmer, set a timer for 25 minutes, cook uncovered on low heat, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes to prevent rice from sticking to the pan bottom, until rice is completely tender and the mixture thickens to a loose, porridge-like consistency (it will thicken further as it cools).
Add raisins and sugar
After 25 minutes of slow cooking, add ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar, ½ cup (75g) dark raisins, and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon to the pan, stir thoroughly to evenly distribute ingredients. Continue cooking on low heat for 3 additional minutes to plump raisins and fully dissolve the sugar.
Mix in final flavors
Remove the saucepan from heat entirely, add 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, stir continuously until the butter is fully melted and incorporated, giving the pudding a glossy, rich sheen. Adding vanilla off heat preserves its delicate aromatic flavor.
Rest and serve warm
Let the pudding rest in the pan for 5 minutes off heat to allow the rice starch to set, then spoon into 4 individual serving bowls. Serve immediately while warm, or cover and chill for 2 hours for a thicker, cold rice pudding option.
Tips
2.For extra plump, juicy raisins, soak them in 2 tablespoons of warm water or dark rum for 10 minutes before adding, to prevent them from absorbing excess moisture from the cooked rice.
3.The pudding will thicken significantly as it cools; if it becomes too thick after resting or chilling, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of extra whole milk to reach your preferred creamy consistency.
OMG this creamy raisin rice pudding was such a hit at our Sunday family dinner! My 3 kids practically licked their bowls clean, even my picky 7 year old who swears he hates anything with raisins. So easy to throw together on the stovetop too, no fancy oven steps required. 10/10 will be making this every week for our dessert rotation!
Total game changer for my weekly meal prep! I make a big batch on Sunday night and portion it out for quick, sweet snacks all week. It stays creamy in the fridge for days, no weird grainy texture like other rice pudding recipes I’ve tried. The raisins plump up so nicely too!
SO good! I added a tiny dash of cinnamon on top right before serving and it took it to the next level. Super easy 40 minute cook time means I don’t have to spend forever in the kitchen after work to make a cozy dessert. Will definitely make again once this batch is gone!
This tastes just like the rice pudding my mom used to make when I was a kid! I was worried stovetop recipes would be too finicky, but the instructions were so straightforward even my teen grandson helped me stir it. We added extra raisins because we’re raisin fanatics in this house.
Brought this to my office potluck yesterday and it was gone in 10 minutes flat! Multiple people asked me for the recipe, I told them it’s so easy even someone who burns toast can make it. Only note: I wish I’d doubled the recipe because I barely got a bite myself!
As a broke college student with barely any cooking skills, this was perfect! I already had all the ingredients in my dorm pantry (well, except I used regular milk instead of half and half and it still turned out great). Way better than the instant pudding cups I usually buy.
Made this last night when it was pouring rain out and it was the perfect cozy comfort food. It’s not too sweet, which I love — so many rice pudding recipes are cloyingly sugary, but this one hits just right. Served mine warm with a little dollop of whipped cream, 10/10.
Wait, has anyone tried making this with oat milk? I’m dairy free and have been craving rice pudding something fierce, this recipe looks so easy but I don’t want to waste ingredients if it doesn’t turn out with plant based milk.
Super solid easy dessert! Cook time was exactly 40 minutes like the recipe said, which I appreciate because so many recipes lie about how long they take. The raisins get all plump and juicy from cooking in the creamy rice, it’s such a nice texture contrast. My only tiny complaint is I wish there was a note about how long it keeps in the fridge.
Wow this is SO good! I was a little nervous about making rice pudding on the stovetop because I thought it would burn easy, but as long as you keep the heat low and stir every few minutes it’s totally foolproof. Added a pinch of nutmeg because I love that warm, cozy spice, highly recommend giving that a try if you’re a nutmeg fan!