This creamy, comforting dessert takes hardly any time to assemble and can be left to cook unattended while you prepare, eat, and clean up after a dinner party. Just stir rice, milk, and sugar together in a slow cooker coated with butter and turn it on high. By the time the dinner dishes are cleared and folks are poking around for something sweet, dessert will be ready. Just before serving, stir in brown sugar, raisins, vanilla, cinnamon, and more milk to bump up the creaminess. To jazz things up for the adults, soak the raisins in warm rum for 30 minutes before stirring them in.

Game plan: The rice pudding will thicken significantly as it cools. To reheat, place the desired amount of pudding in a saucepan and add about 1/2 inch of milk. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally and adding more milk as needed, until warmed through and creamy.

This recipe was featured as part of our Slow Cooker Recipes for Hot Summer Days.

  • Yield: 8 to 10 servings
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: 4 hrs 10 mins  

Ingredients (9)

  • Unsalted butter
  • 7 cups whole milk, plus more as needed
  • 2 cups long-grain white rice
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 cup raisins (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Coat the insert of a 3-quart or larger slow cooker with a thin layer of butter. Add 6 cups of the milk, the rice, sugar, and salt and stir to combine.
  2. Cover and cook on high until the rice is cooked through and the pudding is creamy, about 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
  3. Stir in the remaining cup of milk, raisins (if using), brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Add additional milk as needed to reach the desired consistency. Serve immediately.