Is rice pudding the best comfort dessert of all time? This recipe is convincing enough—it’s simple and satisfying, and comes together in less than half an hour. All you do is combine milk, raw rice, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan and simmer for about 20 minutes. Stir in a bit of vanilla or almond extract and boom, you’re done. You can serve as is, or dress it up with accessories of your choice: nuts, a dash of cinnamon, dried or fresh fruit—the sky (and the resources of your pantry) is the limit. See our How to Make Pudding video for more inspiration.

For more, check out our Slow Cooker Rice PuddingChamporado (Filipino Chocolate Rice Pudding), and Creamy Rice Pudding with Boiled Plums.

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  • Yield: 6 servings
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: 25 mins 

Ingredients (6)

  • 1 quart whole milk
  • 1 cup short-grain or long-grain white rice
  • 6 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus more as needed
  • Pinch salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
  • Toppings such as chopped nuts, dried or fresh fruit, cinnamon, or nutmeg (optional)

Instructions

  1. Place the milk, rice, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved.
  2. Lower the heat to a bare simmer and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and the mixture thickens, about 20 minutes.
  3. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla or almond extract. Taste, adding additional sugar or toppings as desired.