The best and creamy 3 ingredients rice pudding recipe

Rice pudding is one of those old recipes that you can find in almost every household worldwide, so it’s no wonder that this smooth and delicious homemade rice pudding fills us all with memories.

Origin of this Dessert:

 Since this dessert is such a simple and ancient recipe, there are no exact records of its origin. However, it is known that the Muslims in Spain popularized it (sometime between the 7th and 16th centuries), and from there, this recipe spread to the Spanish colonies in America.

Variations: 

Since this recipe is prepared in so many places, it’s logical that it has varied and adapted to local tastes and ingredients. The main rice pudding recipe variations are as follows:

• Spanish: It is characterized by using cinnamon and lemon or orange zest. This is the recipe provided below because my grandmother was Spanish, so for me, this is the classic rice pudding recipe.
• Portuguese (and Asturian): It includes a layer of caramelized sugar that gives it a crispy touch, similar to crème brûlée.
• Mexican: In some places in Mexico, liquor is added and flambéed.
• Cuban: The rice is soaked a couple of hours before starting the cooking.
• Puerto Rican and Colombian: Butter is added at the end of cooking to make the rice pudding creamier.
• Peruvian: They have their own version, in addition to the “Spanish” rice pudding, called arroz zambito, which is made with chancaca or piloncillo and condensed milk.
• With Condensed Milk: In several tropical countries, condensed milk is often added, as well as grated coconut.
• With Dulce de Leche: In Argentina, dulce de leche is often added to give it more flavor.
• Empress: This is one of the variations that the author likes the most. After finishing making the rice pudding, you mix 1/4 cup of milk with 2 or 3 egg yolks. When the mixture is warm, strain it (to ensure that it is super silky) and add it back to the pot, stirring vigorously, to make it creamier.

Ingredients for Rice Pudding:

It’s logical that this dessert is so popular because it’s made with very economical ingredients that we all have in our kitchen: rice, sugar, and milk or easily found in any grocery store.

If you want to do another dessert with simple ingredients try this leche asada recipe.

Which kind of rice is best for a perfect rice pudding?

Any type of rice will work, but if you use grains of rice with a high amount of starch the final result will be creamier. So the best option is risotto rice (arborio rice), or sushi rice for having a super creamy rice pudding.  If you want your rice pudding to have a special flower touch you can use jasmine rice. But the truth is that any white rice will work (just don´t use brown rice or wild rice)

About the milk for this delicious dessert: 

the ideal is to use a full fat or whole milk, but you can use reduced-fat milk too.

If you want to do a vegan rice pudding you can replace the milk with oat milk, coconut milk, or almond milk.

How to Make Creamy Rice Pudding:

To make this easy recipe, you don’t need any extra ingredients or extravagant tricks; the slower you cook it and the faster you stir it, the creamier it will be. The starch from the rice comes out of the grain with the movement, making the milk “thicken” and resulting in a creamier dessert.

Duration and Storage:

Once the dessert is cold, it’s best to store it in a glass or ceramic airtight container, covered in the refrigerator, where it can be kept without any problem for 1 week.

How to Serve this Dessert:

It can be eaten warm, at room temperature, or cold, depending on the season or personal preferences.

5 from 4 votes

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Rice pudding recipe

Rice pudding is one of those old recipes that you can find in almost every household worldwide, so it's no wonder that this smooth and delicious homemade rice pudding fills us all with memories.

Course Dessert

Cuisine international cuisine, latin cuisine, spanish cuisine

Keyword 3 ingredients rice pudding, creamy rice pudding, rice pudding recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Servings 8

Calories 435 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice
• 1 cup white sugar
• 4 cups whole milk

Instructions

1. Place the rice in a pot with plenty of cold water and heat over low heat until it begins to boil. Then, turn off the heat and drain the rice.
2. In a medium-sized pot, add the rice, sugar, and milk.
3. Cook over low heat and let him gentle boil until most of the milk has evaporated, stirring occasionally. The cooking time may vary depending on the heat and the size of the rice grain, so an exact time cannot be given.
4. Put it on a dish, let it cool, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

If you wish, you can add: a hint of vanilla (vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste), ground cinnamon, orange zest, a dollop of jam, or maple syrup to give this comforting dessert a special touch.