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Old-Fashioned Creamy Rice Pudding is the ultimate comfort food; it’s cozy, nostalgic, and so delicious. This easy rice pudding recipe is the perfect way to use up leftover cooked rice, turning simple ingredients into a creamy, dreamy dessert that feels like a warm hug.
With its old-fashioned flavor, silky texture, and touch of sweetness, this classic homemade rice pudding is making a well-deserved comeback. It’s easy to make, budget-friendly, and sure to bring back memories of comforting desserts from childhood.
Looking for another delicious dessert, check out my Coconut Guava Cake, and you’ll be helping animals from the 2025 LA wildfires; take a look for more info.
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Please let me know if you have any questions about this recipe. I read all the comments myself and I try to help as soon as I can. I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen on my site, and I’ve tried to answer some of your questions already in the post. But if I’ve missed anything, please feel free to leave a comment and ask.
Can I use leftover cooked rice to make pudding?
Yes! And, of course, this answers the question, “What to do with leftover cooked rice?”
I absolutely love the comforting combination of cooked rice and milk that creates the rich, creamy texture of a classic rice pudding. This easy rice pudding made with leftover rice will quickly become a family favorite — it’s cozy, nostalgic, and irresistibly delicious – perfect for breakfast as well (like a porridge).
It’s super creamy, flavorful, and simple to make. Just combine your leftover cooked rice, milk, a bit of sugar, and a pinch of salt in a pot. For extra richness, add a small pat of butter. Then cook it slowly, stirring for about 20 minutes, until it turns into a thick, luscious pudding — the very definition of old-fashioned comfort food.
For best results, skip the Minute Rice or instant varieties — they don’t have enough starch to give you that perfect creamy consistency this dessert deserves.
I also love that this recipe is egg free, so if you can’t eat eggs, it’s a great option.
What kind of milk should I use?
I’ve made this easy recipe with almost every kind of milk out there.
It’s super rich and creamy with half & half. I regularly make it with whole milk, which is my favorite. It’ll save a few calories if you use 2% or skim milk, and it’s still creamy and great!
Lactose intolerant or vegan? No worries! This rice pudding is so easy and classic it takes to any plant based milk as well. I’ve made it with soy milk, oat milk, rice milk, coconut milk. It’s great with almond milk or macadamia nut milk. I also have a delicious vegan Black Rice Pudding that’s so fun!
Make it extra special by using flavored coffee creamer (hello, pumpkin spice latte). Just know that it will add sweetness if you’re using a sweetened creamer, so cut back on the sugar accordingly. And I can’t really give you a guide here about how much to cut back, because the sweetness of the creamers varies widely.
So go with your favorite. Or, make it for a special holiday dessert for the ones you love with their favorite milk.
Chocolate version
I decided I needed to try a Dark Chocolate rice pudding.
I found some dark chocolate oatmilk at the store. And let me tell you, it’s amazing! Dark, chocolaty, rich, creamy, and super easy to make.
To make the chocolate version, follow the recipe card below, using 2 cups Dark Chocolate milk instead of plain milk and 1 teaspoon espresso powder (added while cooking the rice). I also bumped up the chocolatey-ness by tossing ½ cup chocolate chips in, after allowing the rice pudding to cool a bit (so they stay as chips rather than totally melting into the pudding).
Leftover rice
When I make rice for dinner, say maybe I’m making stir fry, I always make additional rice for leftovers. Leftover rice is great for tomorrow’s lunch or as a side dish for the next dinner. Or, most importantly, for rice pudding!
For this rice pudding recipe, any kind of fully cooked rice (not instant rice) will work nicely. I typically make a mixture of half brown rice and half white rice. It keeps both my husband and me happy. (I love brown rice while he prefers white rice).
For the rice pudding you see in the pictures I used all white rice, and a short grain white rice at that. Our house prefers short and medium grain rice in general, so, that’s what I’ve used. But, long grain rice will also work.
And, like I said, any regular (not instant) fully cooked rice will be great in this Easy Rice Pudding.
If you use all brown rice, it may require a bit more cooking time, as brown rice is a little denser. Brown rice is a whole grain, and good for you. Want more good for you treats? Check out my High Protein Desserts.
Using already-cooked rice helps this come together quickly. Rice is great for a dessert treat. Another way to use it is in these Loaded Rice Crispy Treats.
Recipe notes
There’s so much to love about this recipe. It’s gluten free, can be dairy free (vegan), egg free, and so creamy delicious. You can adjust the sweetness as you see fit as well but simply adding more or less sugar. No beaten egg necessary either. Just some simple stove top cooking and you have a fabulously cozy treat.
Want to make it extra special? Serve it garnished with maple syrup, honey, or a small pat of butter. Sprinkle it with nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, gingerbread spice mix, cinnamon, or ginger just before serving. And, candied ginger is a fantastic addition on top.
Yes, you can use raisins or golden raisins in it, just don’t tell me that you did. lol Dried cranberries and chopped dates are also a lovely addition.
And feel free to double the recipe if you want more. Simply use the servings slider or the calculator on the recipe card below.
Storage
Keep any leftovers in an airtight container or cover the bowls tightly with plastic wrap, in the fridge for up to 5 days. For best results, let it cool completely before storing and add a splash of milk when reheating if it has become too thick. It’s great cold from the fridge, but can also be warmed gently in the microwave by stirring every 30 seconds or so.
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How to make the best Rice Pudding Recipe
Easy Rice Pudding Using Leftover Cooked Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 2 cups milk use your favorite dairy or plant-based
- 1/3 cup granulated white sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter optional
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan heat the rice, milk, sugar, salt, and butter over medium heat. Stir until the milk begins to simmer, with small bubbles around the edges.
- Reduce the heat to low and continue to stir.
- Cook until the rice pudding is thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the vanilla.
- Divide among 4 bowls, and serve the rice pudding warm or transfer it to the refrigerator. It will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for several days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations, and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
Angela
I love this for so many reasons! I haven’t had rice pudding in forever plus I’ve been trying to cut down on dairy and this is a GREAT option!
Michaela Kenkel
My Mom always made us rice pudding when we were kids, and but raisins in it. I always loved it!!
Sandra Shaffer
We enjoy non-dairy foods and my husband is a rice pudding fanatic and I love all things chocolate! Dark chocolate oatmilk is on my grocery list!
Jennifer Stewart
Reminds me of my childhood. It’s creamy and delicious.
Kaimen Oquendo
can I cook the rice and then use it right after? hot and all? also, does sticky rice work?
Debi
Kaimen, yes you can cook the rice and use it right away. I do prefer leftover rice as it’s a bit drier and will absorb more milk, but hot fresh rice also works. I’ve never used sticky rice, actually I’ve never made it either, so I’m not sure of the difference. If it’s simply rice made with less moisture, certainly you can use that. You may have to adjust the liquid amounts. If you try the sticky rice, please let me know how it works.
Julie Menghini
This is amazing! I haven’t had rice pudding for years but loved it then. I made mine with a sprinkle of brown sugar!
Carol Mackey
Oat milk tastes chalky to me, but I will make the rice pudding from rice left over from take-out Chinese and half and half.
Amy
This is the recipe I was looking for. Simple…for real. I used whole milk since that is what I had and I was out of vanilla so I used maple syrup. Great recipe. Good texture and flavor. Looking forward to trying other toppings besides cinnamon and raisins.
Linda Chandler
Just the recipe I was looking for, simple and delicious!!
Heather
Particular question.
Have you tried making this with lactaid milk?
Pudding cannot be made with it.
Debi
Heather, no, I have not made this with Lactaid milk. I have made it with plant based milks and dairy milks. The thickening from this rice pudding comes from the rice rather than the milk. Much like congee is made with water. My guess would be that it would work with Lactaid. Let me know if you try it.
R
Love the simplicity! Much too sweet for us though! personal preference — I used half the amount of sugar.
Melissa Lopez
I made it with Lactaid milk, and it came out excellent.
Heather
I made this last night with some leftover rice (I used lactose-free 1% milk), and YUM!!! We ate it for breakfast this morning, along with some ham slices warmed in the skillet. There wasn’t a morsel left…thank you for this easy and delicious recipe!
Sue
OK! So it is about 22 and threatening snow. So I made the rice pudding with my leftover rice. And it is truly so close to what my Grandmother used to make when I was kiddo! BTW I am 61 yrs young. So it’s been a minute or two since I’ve had it.
However, I put my own twist to it. And instead of vanilla. I used Cook’s cinnamon extract. My family LOVE, LOVE, LOVED IT.
Sue
Melodi
I love that this has no eggs and raisins. I thought it would be quick and easy. I used leftover Minute Rice. Apparently, it doesn’t have enough starch to thicken. After 90 minutes of stirring, I basically had sweet milky rice. I turned the heat back up to help the liquid evaporate faster. That helped some. I let it sit for a few minutes to continue that evaporation process. I think refrigerating will finish it. I think if I made it again, I would use less milk to hurry the process.
Debi
Melodi, thanks for the update. I rarely think of instant rice, as we only use regular rice in our house. I’ve updated the recipe and post with the recommendation that this recipe isn’t intended for Minute rice or instant rice. Sorry it wasn’t as easy as you had hoped, but thanks for sharing your changes to the recipe. I appreciate it.
Sarah
Super delicious and easy.