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Creamy arborio rice combines with milk, vanilla, and crème fraîche (or sour cream) for a sweet, decadent rice pudding that’s truly the best you’ll ever taste.
If you’re searching for the best rice pudding recipe, look no further — this is the one! The recipe comes from my friend Lisa Kolb Ruland, the talented pastry chef behind the popular recipe blog, Unpeeled. Lisa’s recipes are simply fantastic (you must try her sugar-crusted pecan shortbread and French fruit tart if you haven’t already). What makes this rice pudding recipe special is the use of arborio rice, a short-grain rice that’s typically used in risotto. With its high starch content, arborio rice creates a creamy and rich texture without the need for eggs. But that’s not all — Lisa also folds in a generous dollop of crème fraîche (or sour cream) at the end to give the pudding an extra layer of creaminess and a subtle tangy flavor that balances out the sweetness. Finally, to gild the lily, Lisa infuses golden raisins with orange liqueur and cinnamon, and stirs them into the pudding just before serving. This adds yet another special touch to this timeless and comforting dessert.
What You’ll Need To Make Rice Pudding
Step-by-Step Instructions
In a large saucepan, bring the milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt to a boil. (Watch carefully so it doesn’t overflow!) Add the rice.
Stir, and boil gently for one minute.
Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for 40 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened and creamy (you’ll need to stir more frequently towards the end of the cooking time to prevent sticking).Pour the rice pudding into a bowl and stir occasionally until cooled to room temperature. If you’d like to speed the cooling process, put the bowl over an ice bath or a bag of frozen vegetables.
Meanwhile, place the raisins, orange liqueur (or juice), and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Add enough water just to cover the raisins.
Bring to a boil, then immediately remove from the heat.
Steep for about 15 minutes, then drain. Set aside.
Give the crème fraîche (or sour cream) a quick whisk to make it fluffy and a little aerated. Gently fold into the cooled rice pudding, along with the steeped raisins. Stir in the orange zest, if using.
At this point, the rice pudding can be served at room temperature or refrigerated for up to 2 days.
To serve, spoon the rice pudding into serving bowls. Top with a small sprinkle of cinnamon and some orange zest, if desired.
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Rice Pudding
Creamy arborio rice combines with milk, vanilla, and crème fraîche (or sour cream) for a sweet, decadent rice pudding that’s truly the best you’ll ever taste.
Ingredients
For the Rice Pudding
- 5 cups milk (whole or 2%)
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup arborio rice
For the Steeped Raisins
- ½ cup golden raisins
- 2 tablespoons orange liqueur, such as Grand Marnier or Cointreau, or orange juice
- ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon, plus more for serving
For Finishing & Serving
- ¾ cup crème fraîche or sour cream
- ½ teaspoon orange zest, from 1 orange (optional)
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, bring the milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt to a boil. (Watch carefully so it doesn’t overflow!) Add the rice. Stir, and boil gently for one minute. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for 40 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened and creamy (you’ll need to stir more frequently towards the end of the cooking time to prevent sticking). Pour the rice pudding into a bowl and stir occasionally until cooled to room temperature. (To speed the cooling process, put the bowl over an ice bath or a bag of frozen vegetables.)
- Place the raisins, orange liqueur (or juice), and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Add enough water just to cover the raisins. Bring to a boil, then immediately remove from the heat. Steep for about 15 minutes, then drain. Set aside.
- Give the crème fraîche (or sour cream) a quick whisk to make it fluffy and a little aerated. Gently fold into the cooled rice pudding, along with the steeped raisins. Stir in the orange zest, if using. At this point, the rice pudding can be served at room temperature or refrigerated for up to 2 days.
- To serve, spoon the rice pudding into serving bowls. Top with a small sprinkle of cinnamon and some orange zest, if desired.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: This rice pudding will keep, refrigerated, for up to two days. Rice pudding tastes best cool, but not cold.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 409
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated fat: 7 g
- Carbohydrates: 63 g
- Sugar: 41 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.