How to Make Rice With Milk

Co-authored by JoAnna Minneci

Last Updated: December 18, 2022

Rice with milk, also known as rice pudding in North America, arroz con leche in Spanish-speaking countries, and kheer in India, is a delicious dessert with many possible variations. Use cooked rice in an equal ratio to milk or cook the rice from scratch with a high ratio of milk to rice to get the right consistency. Sweeten it to taste with a sweetener of your choice, then try adding spices and other ingredients to create unique flavor combinations and find a rice with milk recipe that you love!

Ingredients

Cooking the Rice from Scratch

1 cup (175 g) of short-grain rice
4 cups (946 mL) of milk
Sweetener
1/4 tsp (1 g) of salt
Other flavoring ingredients

Using Cooked Rice

Leftover rice
Milk
Sweetener
1/4 tsp (1 g) of salt
Other flavoring ingredients

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Cooking the Rice from Scratch

1
Rinse and drain 1 cup (175 g) of short-grain rice. Measure out 1 cup (175 g) of short-grain rice into a bowl and fill it with enough water to cover it completely. Stir the rice around with your hands, then drain it through a fine mesh strainer. Repeat the process until the water you drain away is clear and not cloudy anymore.^{[1]
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- Rinsing rice removes all the starch from the outside and makes it less sticky. When the water runs clear, it means you have washed away all the starch.
Tip: Cooking rice and milk from scratch is the traditional Southern U.S. style of making rice pudding. Keep in mind that using this method will take longer to get the right consistency than if you were to use already-cooked rice.
2
Combine the rice with 4 cups (946 mL) of milk in a non-stick pot. Pour the washed rice into a non-stick pot. Cover it with 4 cups (946 mL) of the milk of your choice.^{[2]
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- Use whole milk for the richest, creamiest texture. Use 2% or low-fat milk if you want a less-caloric option. For a non-dairy version, you can use coconut milk or almond milk.
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3
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Set the pot with the rice and milk on a burner on the stovetop. Turn the burner’s heat to medium-high, then bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently.^{[3]
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Keep a close eye on the mixture and keep stirring it until it boils so the milk doesn’t get scorched or boil over.
4
Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Turn the heat down to low so the mixture is just simmering. Put a lid on the pot to cover it.^{[4]
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- Make sure that the rice and milk are simmering gently while covered. If the mixture starts to boil, decrease the heat further so the milk doesn’t get absorbed too fast.
- If you use more than three cups of water, you may need to let it simmer for a while.
5
Simmer the mixture over low heat for about 20-25 minutes, stirring twice. Continue to let the rice and milk cook until it has thickened but there is still creamy liquid visible. Stir the pot after the first 10 minutes and after 18 minutes to mix the rice and milk together and check the consistency.^{[5]
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If the milk seems to be getting absorbed faster, you can cut this cooking stage down to 18-20 minutes.
6
Stir in sweetener to taste, 1/4 tsp (1 g) of salt, and any other flavors you want to add. Remove the pot from the stove and in 1-2 tbsp (12-24 g) of sugar or 1-2 tbsp (15-30 mL) of another sweetener like honey or maple syrup. Stir in 1/4 tsp (1 g) of salt, taste the rice pudding, then add more sweetener if you desire. Mix in any other spices or other flavoring ingredients at this stage as well.^{[6]
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- You can even sweeten it with a little brown or palm sugar.
- The other ingredients you add at this point are completely up to you. Add small amounts, stirring and tasting as you go, until you are happy with the flavor.
- See the section on adding different flavors below for some more specific ideas about what kinds of ingredients and flavors you can add.
7
Cook the mixture for 5 more minutes over low heat. Return the pot to the burner and cook it over low heat for 5 more minutes to combine all the flavors. Turn off the heat and remove the pot from the stove after 5 minutes.^{[7]
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- If the rice pudding is still too creamy, you can cook it for an additional 3-4 minutes.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Cooked Rice

1
Combine equal parts of cooked rice and milk in a non-stick pot. Put whatever already-cooked rice you have into a non-stick pot. Cover it with an equal amount of the milk of your choice.^{[8]
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- For example, if you have 1 cup (195 g) of cooked rice, combine it with 1 cup (236 mL) of milk.
- Make sure that you only use unflavored cooked rice for this. You can use short-grain, long-grain, white or brown rice.
- Whole milk will give the rice pudding the richest flavor. However, you can use 2% or low-fat milk if you prefer. Avoid using skim milk as it is too watery. If you want a non-dairy option, try using coconut milk or almond milk.
Tip: Using cooked rice is the easiest way to make rice pudding. You don’t have to cook it as long as if you were to make the rice from scratch and the texture will be very pudding-like. This is the traditional way to make arroz con leche, which is the Spanish and Latin American version of rice with milk.
2
Bring the rice and milk to a boil over medium-high heat. Place the pot with the rice and milk on a burner on the stove. Turn the burner on to medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently.^{[9]
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- Stay right in front of the mixture stirring it until it comes to a boil. Milk boils over very easily, so if you take your eye off the pot for a minute or two, you might end up with a mess on your hands!
3
Turn the heat down to medium-low once the mixture begins to boil. Lower the heat enough that the rice and milk are just simmering. This is the temperature to cook it over to get a custard-like consistency.^{[10]
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- It’s important to turn the heat down quickly so the milk doesn’t get scorched.
4
Stir in sweetener to taste and 1/4 tsp (1 g) of salt. Stir in 1-2 tbsp (12-24 g) of sugar or 1-2 tbsp (15-30 mL) of a liquid sweetener of your choice like sugar, honey, or maple syrup. Taste the pudding and add more if you want it to be sweeter. Add about 1/4 tsp (1 g) of salt and mix it in to bring out the sweetness and balance the flavors.^{[11]
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- The milk will give the rice some sweetness, so you don’t need to add a lot of sweetener. It’s essential to taste the mixture as you add sweetener so you don’t end up overdoing it.
5
Add any other flavoring ingredients you want to and stir them in thoroughly. This is where it’s up to you to get creative. Add some of each ingredient you want to use, stirring and tasting as you go, until you’re happy with the flavors.^{[12]
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- See the section on adding flavors below for some specific ideas about different ingredients and combinations to try.
6
Simmer the mixture over medium-low heat for at least 15 minutes. Continue to cook the rice and milk after you have stirred in all the other ingredients until all the milk has been absorbed and the rice has a pudding-like consistency. This usually takes about 15-20 minutes, but keep an eye on the mixture and remove it from the heat when you’ve attained the desired texture.^{[13]
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- You can either serve the rice pudding warm or let it cool down in the fridge for a cold dessert.
- The rice pudding will keep in the refrigerator for about 4 days.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Adding Different Flavors

1
Add warm ground spices for a classic flavor. Stir in 1/4 tsp (1 g) measurements of warm ground spices like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and cardamom after you stir in your sweetener and salt. These types of spices are traditionally used in many types of rice pudding from the Americas to India.^{[14]
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- You could also try using warm spice blends like pumpkin spice or Chinese 5 spice.
Tip: Always start by adding in small amounts of any ingredients you want to try and taste the pudding as you go. It’s much easier to add more of an ingredient to make the flavor stronger than to fix the pudding if you add too much of something.
2
Stir in a spoonful of citrus zest if you want brighter flavors. Try adding about 1 tbsp (15 g) of grated orange, lemon, grapefruit, or lime zest after you add the sweetener and salt. Taste the pudding after you stir in the zest and add more to taste if you want to.^{[15]
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- You can also combine these citrus flavors with other spices to create nice flavor combinations. For example, cinnamon and orange zest go well together.
3
Mix in 1 spoonful of cocoa powder to make a chocolate rice and milk pudding. Scoop a generous spoonful of cocoa powder into the rice and milk after you stir in sweetener and salt. Stir it in thoroughly and taste the mixture, then add more cocoa if you want it to be more chocolatey.^{[16]
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- You could also use grated fresh chocolate instead of cocoa powder or a combination of both.
4
Add dried fruits or nuts if you want more flavor and texture. Stir in a handful of dried fruits like raisins or figs, or nuts like almonds or walnuts after you sweeten the mixture or right before serving. These will add more natural sweetness and give the rice pudding some additional texture.^{[17]
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- You can also use these types of ingredients as toppings rather than mixing them into the pudding.
5
Pour a splash of sweet liquor into the pudding if you want an adult version. Pour a splash of a sweet liquor like Irish cream, amaretto, or orange liqueur into the pudding after you sweeten it. Stir the liquor in and taste it, then add more if you want a stronger flavor.^{[18]
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- You could even use a stronger liquor like whiskey or rum if you want more alcohol flavor in the pudding.
6
Squeeze in a few drops of a liquid flavor extract to add additional flavors. Add 2-3 drops of an extract like vanilla extract or almond extract to the mixture after you sweeten it and add other ingredients. Stir it in thoroughly to combine all the flavors.^{[19]
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- Extracts have very strong flavors, so make sure to only use 2-3 drops at a time.

Community Q&A

Question

What if I don't want sugar in it?

Community Answer

You can make it without sugar, but it won't taste quite how it should. Rice with milk is a dessert, so it is supposed to be sweet.
Question

How long can this last?

Qamar

Top Answerer

It can last about a week if it is covered with plastic wrap and stored in the fridge.
Question

Could I add raisins, as my great grandma always did?

Community Answer

Of course. Just add them to the recipe in this article.