Creamy Stovetop Rice Pudding with Cinnamon

Ingredients

• 100 g short-grain pudding rice or arborio rice
• 750 ml pasteurised whole milk, plus up to 100 ml extra if needed
• 40 g caster or granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, for serving

Instructions

1. Choose a suitable pan. Use a heavy-based medium saucepan, around 2 litres in capacity, with space for milk to rise. Measure the rice and milk. Pick over the rice for any stray debris; do not rinse repeatedly, because the surface starch helps make the pudding creamy. Keep the optional extra milk chilled until needed.
2. Warm slowly. Add rice, 750 ml milk and salt to the pan. Bring just to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring around the bottom. Reduce the heat as soon as small bubbles appear. A rolling boil can scorch the milk and make it climb the pan before the rice has time to soften.
3. Cook gently. Simmer uncovered for about 30–35 minutes, stirring every few minutes and more often as it thickens. Scrape the corners gently with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon. The grains should remain surrounded by liquid. If the pan dries before they are tender, add extra milk a tablespoon or two at a time.
4. Sweeten near the end. When the rice is almost tender, stir in sugar and vanilla. Continue cooking for about 5–10 minutes until the grains are soft throughout and the milk lightly coats them. Taste a cooled spoonful to check the grain texture. Stop before it becomes a stiff mound; the spoon should leave a trail that slowly fills.
5. Adjust the consistency. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir gently. If thicker than you like, loosen with a little extra milk and heat briefly until evenly hot. Do not scrape a scorched layer into the pudding: transfer the unburnt upper portion into a clean pan if it catches.
6. Serve or cool promptly. Divide into four small bowls and dust lightly with cinnamon. Serve warm, taking care with the hot centre. For cold pudding, transfer straight into shallow containers and cool quickly, ideally refrigerating within 1 hour. Do not leave the full pan on the counter to cool slowly.

Tips and troubleshooting

A heavy pan and low heat are more useful than vigorous stirring. If the grains are firm but the milk has reduced, add a little more milk and keep cooking gently. A cold pudding will be noticeably firmer than a hot one; loosen an individual serving rather than adding lots of milk to the entire batch. Different short-grain varieties take different times, so tenderness is the final guide.

Substitutions and serving ideas

A small strip of washed lemon peel can simmer with the milk; remove it before serving and avoid the bitter white pith. For a less rich result, semi-skimmed milk can be used, with a thinner finish. Plant-based drinks behave differently and may separate or taste sweeter, so a dairy-free version requires separate adjustment rather than a guaranteed direct swap.

Allergen notes

Contains milk. Check the vanilla and any toppings for additional allergens. No egg is added. If using a milk alternative, check its own allergens and do not assume that a plant-based drink is suitable for everyone.

Storage

Rice needs prompt cooling even when cooked in milk. Refrigerate in shallow covered containers at 4°C/40°F or colder and eat within 24 hours. Reheat only once, stirring with a little milk until steaming hot throughout, then eat immediately. Discard pudding left warm for an extended time; reheating does not reliably undo poor storage. See the Food Standards Agency guidance linked below.

Food safety reference: Food Standards Agency guidance on storing and reheating rice.