The Best Creamy Rice Pudding
January 25, 2023. Wet, rainy day. Best Creamy Rice Pudding.
Updated and published October 29, 2026.
Jump to RecipeWhen I picked up my son from school today, the first thing he asked was “Please make that yummy Colombian rice treat! Pretty please!” How can I refuse such an earnest request? Haha.
He was referring to the creamy delicious rice dessert I made a while back. A few years ago, my father-in-law’s sister, Aunty Amelia shared her Arroz con Leche recipe when we were sheltering at home due to the pandemic. Back then, I made a gigantic enough-to-feed-the-village pot (my huge stock pot) of arroz con leche that my son somehow managed to eat all of it in the short span of two days! Yup, it was that delish!
Today’s cold and wet weather is a perfect excuse to cook up a batch of this yummy treat. This treat can be found in many cultures around the world – the basic ingredients are simply rice, milk, sweetened with sugar or syrup. Perhaps the big difference of this Colombian version is the use of cinnamon sticks and vanilla extract, and perhaps the addition of raisins.
Variations of Creamy Rice Pudding
I know there are so many variations of this treat from the Americas as well as the ones from Europe. Perhaps there are even more in other parts of the world that I have not yet encountered. However, more familiar to me are the versions served in Asia, the Malaysian pulut bubur hitam, Thai’s sticky mango rice, India’s Kheer and so on. The pudding variations use different types of rice (long grain, glutinous), liquids (milk, coconut milk), spices, etc. I think each of these rice treats are different, but delicious in their own way!
I have tweaked the recipe to suit our taste (and scaled down for normal consumption) and my family (especially my son!) think that this is the best creamy rice pudding. Well, without further delay let’s get cooking!
Ingredients for Creamy Rice Pudding
Let’s gather all the ingredients below before starting. Listing them roughly in the order they will be used.
1 cup long-grain white rice washed, not instant or parboil
2 cups water
2 cinnamon sticks (or 2 tsp ground cinnamon)
1 tsp salt
2 tablespoons butter
4 cups milk, divided (use more for runnier texture)
3 tsp vanilla extract
¼ to ½ cup granulated sugar (use more or less to suit your taste)
¼ cup golden raisins
14 oz sweetened condensed milk (1 can)
We will also need a large and deep sauce pan or pot to make this dessert.
Making the Creamy Rice Pudding
In a large sauce pan, add rice, water, cinnamon and salt. Then, cook the mixture over medium heat for 5 minutes, or till mixture comes to a boil.
Add butter, vanilla extract, 2 cups of milk, and sugar (adjust to suit your taste -use less sugar if you want it to be less sweet). Let the mixture continue to simmer and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes and stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Next, stir in the raisins and add in the remaining milk and condensed milk. Mix well and lower heat to medium low. Then, cook for approximately 45 minute to an hour, or until the rice pudding thickens. Just remember to stir every now and then to prevent sticking.
If you want a runnier texture, feel free to add more fresh milk. When the pudding mixture reaches your desired consistency, remove from heat. Next, locate and remove the cinnamon sticks.
Let the pudding cool a bit, and scoop out into a pretty container and serve. This pudding can be enjoyed warm or chilled. Buen provecho! Enjoy!
Serving Creamy Rice Pudding
To serve this with a bit of pizzazz, I like to use wide rimmed martini glasses, topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon powder to give it a bit more flare. I also like to put the rice pudding into small flan cups and put a plastic wrap over it before chilling. The options are endless. Have fun and enjoy!
Notes:
As I was writing this, I was curious to know the origins of Rice Pudding. A quick online search yielded quite a few articles. I thought this one was interesting =>
https://gulfnews.com/food/rice-pudding-and-its-8000-year-old-journey-1.1640504530276
Want to explore more rice dishes? Check out this Festive Buttery Bejeweled Rice post. This is a feast for the eyes and mouth and perfect for your holiday table.
Creamy Rice Pudding (Arroz con Leche)
Equipment
- 1 Deep Sauce Pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup long-grain white rice washed, not instant or parboil
- 2 cups water
- 2 cinnamon sticks (or 2 tsp ground cinnamon)
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 cups milk divided, more, if desired
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ to ½ cup granulated sugar adjust to taste
- ¼ cup golden raisins
- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk (1 can)
Instructions
- In a large sauce pan, add rice, water, cinnamon and salt. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, or till mixture comes to a boil.
- Add butter, vanilla extract, 2 cups of milk, and sugar (adjust to suit). Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes and stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Next, stir in the raisins and add in the remaining milk and condensed milk. Mix well and lower heat to medium low. Cook for approximately 45 minutes to an hour, or until the rice pudding thickens. Stir every now and then to prevent sticking.
- When pudding reaches desired consistency (add more milk here for slightly runnier consistency), remove from heat. Locate and discard cinnamon sticks.
- Let the pudding cool a bit, and serve with a sprinkle of cinnamon, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- This pudding can be served warm or cold
- Leftover pudding can be stored in the fridge, covered tightly with plastic wrap for up to 3 days.
- Add a splash of milk on top of chilled pudding to moisten the dessert before serving.
More Fab Food Ideas:
See how I make these cute Bunny Rolls => Let’s Make Easy Adorable Strawberry Bunny Buns
If you in the mood for something savory, have you seen my Zucchini and Cheese Galette? You can see how I put it together here => Quick Zucchini and Cheese Galette
Looking for a quick and easy dessert? Checkout my semi homemade apple pie here => How to make Easy Semi-Homemade Apple Tart
