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Want the perfect old-fashioned recipe? This Rice Pudding with Cooked Rice lets you use up any rice you have leftover and elevate it into a delicious and addictive breakfast or dessert.
You will be surprised at how easy this recipe is to make as well as the colorful appearance when you use golden raisins with regular raisins.
HERE IS WHAT OUR READERS ARE SAYING:
“This is Fantastic!! First time making this and it turned out perfect!
I made a double recipe (didn’t have heavy cream so I just used whole milk). Even when cooled down, it is still a great consistency (I have another rice pudding recipe that always ends up like a brick, even when I add addtl milk, but this recipe was excellent!)
DEFINITELY RECOMMEND – will make again!” – Jessica
The best part is that this Rice Pudding can be served warm or cold. I know that everyone has their own preference for recipes, and this one can go either way!
We have been making this Rice Pudding with Cooked Rice since I was a little girl. It is so much simpler when you have your already-cooked rice.
But you can also cook some just to use for this recipe, no problem! Not everyone has leftover rice, but it is a great recipe for when you do. We always seem to, or I cook just a little bit more so I can make this.
This is such a classic dessert, and you either love it or hate it; I’ve never met anyone who was in-between. I absolutely am addicted to this, so obviously, you know what side I’m on!
Some of our favorite dessert recipes we have on our site that are rice-based or pudding-based include: Magnolia Banana Pudding, Chocolate Rice Pudding and Caramel Apple Pudding Cups, and our creamy Mexican Rice Pudding.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- Using already-cooked rice helps this come together quickly.
- We love using golden and regular raisins for a delicious contrast.
- You can double this recipe to serve more people.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE):
- Cooked white rice
- Whole milk
- Kosher salt
- Egg
- Heavy cream
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
- Granulated sugar
- Golden raisins
- Raisins
- Unsalted butter
- Vanilla extract
HOW TO MAKE RICE PUDDING WITH COOKED RICE:
- Place the cooked rice along with the milk, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally until thickened, about 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the beaten egg, heavy cream, cinnamon, and nutmeg, set aside.
- Pour the sugar into the rice mixture and stir to combine.
- Stream in the heavy cream mixture, stirring constantly until combined.
- Add both varieties of raisins, and stir to combine. Continue to stir occasionally until thickened, about 5-8 minutes.
- When it is thickened, take the pot off the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla.
- Let cool for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and serve.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
CAN I MAKE THIS IN THE MICROWAVE?
While I don’t generally enjoy using a microwave to make rice pudding and feel like it is much better on the stovetop, it is possible.
If you want to use the microwave, you’ll simply place the milk, eggs, sugar, and salt into a 2-quart microwaveable bowl.
Stir in your heavy cream, cooked rice, raisins, golden raisins, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla. Cook this on high for 8-10 minutes, stirring every 1-2 minutes.
HOW TO THICKEN RICE PUDDING:
If your Rice Pudding Recipe didn’t thicken as much as you would have liked, it was not cooked long enough.
My favorite way to thicken items is with a cornstarch and water mixture.
Mix about 1 Tbs cornstarch and 1 Tbs of water together and pour it into the pudding and stir over heat, and it should thicken right up.
WHAT IS THE BEST RICE TO USE?
Any rice will work fine with this recipe, medium grain, long grain, risotto, and minute rice.
Since it will be cooked, what you are looking for is the amount of rice, not the variety.
You just want to make sure that the rice you are using is not a flavored rice, so do not use any of those packets that might be flavored and used bags or boxes of plain rice.
WHAT ARE SOME SUBSTITUTIONS I CAN USE?
Other than the types of rice as listed above, you can substitute some other ingredients.
- In place of heavy cream, use a coffee creamer of any kind; this will make it sweet, so cut back on the sugar slightly.
- Pumpkin Spice in place of the cinnamon and nutmeg
- Dried cranberries, chopped dates, or chopped apricots switched out for the raisins
HOW TO STORE:
Rice Pudding with Cooked Rice can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container where it will last for up to one week.
This can also be frozen; place your cooled pudding in a freezer container or smaller containers if you want to portion out your servings.
Place in the freezer, and it should keep for up to 3 months. Let defrost in the refrigerator overnight to thaw.
If you want to reheat this (it is great served cold), you can pop it in the microwave or in a saucepan until heated through.
DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
- Any rice is great for this, and we like white rice; just make sure that it is not flavored.
- This can be frozen, see my tips above.
- Double this recipe if you want to have more for later or will be serving a larger crowd.
- If your pudding is too thin, you can thicken it, use my ratios above.
- If you are not a fan of raisins, you can omit them or just use one or the other.
- Add more or less cinnamon and nutmeg to your flavor preference.
Want a classic but super easy recipe that can be devoured any time of day? Then you need this Rice Pudding with Cooked Rice!
If you like this recipe you might also like:
If you’ve tried this RICE PUDDING WITH COOKED RICE let me know in the comments how it turned out! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!
Rice Pudding with Cooked Rice
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup cooked white rice
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 egg beaten
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch ground nutmeg
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup golden raisins
- ⅓ cup raisins
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place the cooked rice along with the milk, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally until thickened, about 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the beaten egg, heavy cream, cinnamon, and nutmeg, set aside.
- Pour the sugar into the rice mixture and stir to combine.
- Stream in the heavy cream mixture, stirring constantly until combined.
- Add both varieties of raisins, and stir to combine. Continue to stir occasionally until thickened, about 5-8 minutes.
- When it is thickened, take the pot off the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla.
- Let cool for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and serve.
Notes
- Any rice is great for this, we like white rice, just make sure that it is not flavored.
- This can be frozen, see my tips above.
- Double this recipe if you want to have more for later or will be serving a larger crowd.
- If you pudding is too thin you can thicken it, use my ratios above.
- If you are not a fan of raisins you can omit them or just use one or the other.
- Add more or less cinnamon and nutmeg to your flavor preference.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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Most favorite and now the ONLY rice pudding recipe I will ever prepare!
This is the absolute best rice pudding I have ever eaten! It’s quick and simple to make and the taste is perfection!
This worked perfectly. I had leftover rice only abound cup of whole milk and a bit of heavy cream in my fridge. The only thing I did differently was to combine the spices with the sugar as they tend to blend better that way.
I had some left over rice and my daughter asked me to get a tin of rice cream, so I found this recipe instead. I don’t like raisins in my food so didn’t put them in. Mine took a bit longer to thicken but it came out perfect and taste amazing. 😋
I followed your recipe as written, and this is a delicious rice pudding recipe. Thank you.
Made this tonight with a couple alterations. Good basic recipe and instructions.
I used powder milk, as I’m out of regular. I used the powder with water per the package instructions. Used only dark raisins b/c that’s all I have right now. Followed all other instructions and ingredients.
My husband said it’s the best rice pudding he’s ever had.
Delicious and so easy to make! I didn’t have any heavy cream and used hazelnut creamer instead. Worked beautifully. I also didn’t cut down on the sugar. i used the left over brown rice that I had that measured 2 cups. Put in 1/2 cup of raisins and it isnt too sweet but perfect.
This is sooooo good! Thank you for giving me something so insanely delicious to do with my left over rice.
I really loved this recipe. It is delicious.
I did not have heavy cream on hand and so I just used whole milk, but half of the recommended amount for heavy cream and it worked fine.
I will definitely make this again!
The BEST So good warm. Used my Chinese left over rice. Didn’t put raisins or nuts or anything in it. I will make this again. Great recipe.
Wonderful and so easy. I finally have use for leftover rice from my Chinese takeout ☺️
Can you cook one half the recipe? I’m I single person and love old fashioned desserts, rice pudding, custard and bread pudding. Yet all recipes make too much for one. 😊
So easy and tasty. I used some coconut milk and cold processed coconut oil to replace heavy cream and only had 1% milk in fridge so used that instead of whole milk. Delish. For the commenter who spoke about how it dries up when refrigerated, just add milk, coconut milk, almond milk when you serve it cold. You can also rewarm it!
Was very good warm but when I chilled it it was very firm.