18 Rice Pudding Recipes That Are Rich, Creamy Perfection

Rice pudding is an easy dessert that’s incredibly versatile. Simply infuse it with different flavor combinations or upgrade it with your favorite spices and add-ins. Whether you choose bright flavors like mango and orange or classic combinations like cinnamon and raisin, it’s sure to be a hit whenever (and however) you serve it up. Dress it up for dinner parties or whip up a batch on a busy weeknight, either way this rich-and-creamy treat is the comfort food dessert that’s always welcome at the table. Looking for a traditional take? You can’t go wrong with Ellie’s version. It has just the right amount of al dente bite in every spoonful. Cinnamon and vanilla extract add deeper flavor, and a pinch of salt helps balance out the sweetness. Serve warm or at room temperature for the perfect dessert.

Homemade malted whip cream is the perfect topping for rice pudding—it adds extra creamy richness to an already-indulgent dish. This easy recipe includes a hazelnut crunch to add nutty texture on top of each bowl. Whether you serve it warm or room temperature, this dessert will continue to thicken as it cools.

This rich and creamy rice pudding uses medium-grain rice to add extra crunch and texture. The classic combination of cinnamon and raisin is infused in every bite of silky pudding. One hour is all you need to whip up this impressive dessert, and it can be served warm or room temperature.

All you need is 55 minutes to create this impressive dessert that’s rich and creamy. Dried apricots specked throughout the rice pudding add fruity flavor and chewy, sticky texture. Cardamom and nutmeg help add a deeper, more complex flavor that’s warm and bright.

For a rice pudding recipe that’s a bit more hands-off, look to this version that gets baked in the oven to reach a perfect texture. Orange zest adds vibrant flavor while cream, sugar and butter add richness. It’s an impressive dessert that’s creamy and packed with flavor.

This easy rice pudding recipe takes just 30 minutes to prepare, which means it’s perfect for a weeknight indulgence. Raisins are the key to adding fruity flavor and chewy texture, and a squeeze of lemon juice helps brighten up the dish with a bit of acidity.

Shole zard, also known as Persian saffron rice pudding, highlights the vibrant flavor of saffron. Shole refers to the pudding-like texture and zard means yellow in Farsi. The creamy dish is complemented by subtle notes of rosewater and cardamom, and crushed pistachios add nutty crunch.

This easy recipe can be ready in just 40 minutes, which means it’s perfect for making when you’re short on time. Prepare it for a fancy dinner party or whip it up on a busy weeknight. It’s rich and creamy with hints of orange and cinnamon.

This recipe is a great way to put your pressure cooker to work. The creamy, comforting dessert comes together in an Instant Pot, allowing the flavors to develop throughout the process. Make it in advance and let the flavors get even more pronounced overnight.

It doesn’t get easier than this recipe that’s requires just three simple ingredients. Ready in only 25 minutes, cooked white rice, rum raisin ice cream and ground cinnamon combine to make a simple and impressive dessert. Garnish with extra cinnamon before serving.

One way to make an impressive dessert even more fantastic is to focus on presentation. We love that this creamy pumpkin rice pudding is served in a mini pumpkin and gets garnished with brown sugar. It’s a dessert that’s as beautiful to look at as it is as delicious to eat.

Rice pudding can be really rich and decadent, so adding a bit of lemon helps balance out the sweetness with some vibrant acidity. The easy recipe can be ready in under an hour and can be served warm or at room temperature.

The difference between Turkish rice pudding and other rice puddings is that sütlaç is baked in the oven, which gives it a delicious caramelized topping. Milk based desserts are very popular in Turkey and sütlaç is a classic. Though it is common to make the sweet at home, it can also be found at almost every Turkish restaurant and muhallebici (milk-based dessert shop). Sütlaç is even tastier the next day once it's completely chilled. Some cooks garnish it with hazelnuts, though I prefer pistachios.

Rice pudding is a versatile recipe that lends itself to a lot of different flavor profiles, and this recipe is proof of that. Coconut milk combines with orange zest to develop a tropical, fruity flavor. The best part? It’s vegan and dairy free.

Basmati rice is ideal for rice pudding because it keeps a firm shape without becoming mushy. Indian flavors like cardamom, coconut and mango add deep, complex flavor that’s fruity and refreshing. Before serving, top with mango and pistachios for extra crunch.

Horchata is the perfect flavor profile to combine with rice pudding—this spin on the traditional recipe highlights flavors of cinnamon, sugar and almonds. A topping made from brown sugar and almonds adds a delightful crunch, and cayenne pepper balances out the sweetness with a bit of heat.

Forty two minutes and a handful of ingredients are all you need to whip up this perfectly-indulgent dessert. Basmati rice has a firm yet chewy texture, which makes it perfect for rice pudding. Half and half adds thickness, and dark rum infuses every bite with deep, complex flavor.