This creamy rice pudding is a timeless comfort dessert made with simple pantry ingredients and slow, gentle cooking. What makes a great rice pudding is patience: allowing the rice to slowly absorb the milk creates that naturally thick, velvety texture without needing heavy thickeners. As it simmers, the starch from the rice releases gradually, turning the milk silky and rich while keeping each grain tender, not mushy. The light bubbling you see in the pot is exactly what you want it means the pudding is cooking evenly and developing flavor.
This recipe is perfect for cozy evenings, family desserts, or even a comforting breakfast the next morning. You can keep it classic with vanilla and cinnamon or customize it with lemon zest, nutmeg, raisins, or a drizzle of honey. The beauty of rice pudding is its flexibility: serve it warm for pure comfort or chilled for a thicker, custard-like texture. It also reheats beautifully with a splash of milk.