Creamy Baked Rice Cinnamon

My grandmother kept a small notebook filled with recipe cards, and rice pudding was the one with the most coffee stains and margin notes. She'd make it on quiet Sunday afternoons, and the kitchen would fill with this gentle warmth—part cinnamon, part steam rising from the oven. I didn't appreciate it as a child, too impatient for anything that took more than twenty minutes, but somewhere between leaving home and learning to cook, I understood why she'd return to this recipe again and again. It's the kind of dessert that doesn't demand your attention but rewards patience with something impossibly creamy and comforting.

I made this for a dinner party once when I was trying too hard to impress—worried the whole time that it wouldn't set properly or would somehow disappoint. My partner kept telling me to stop opening the oven door, and of course, they were right. When I finally pulled it out and saw that creamy, trembling surface, everyone actually went quiet at the first spoonful. That silence told me everything I needed to know about this pudding.

Ingredients

• Short-grain white rice (120g): Short-grain holds moisture and breaks down slightly as it cooks, creating that signature creamy texture rather than staying separate like long-grain would.
• Whole milk (1 liter): The foundation of everything—it becomes thick and silky as the rice releases its starch, so don't skip it or substitute with something thin.
• Heavy cream (60ml): This is what tips the pudding from nice to luxurious; it's worth keeping on hand just for this moment.
• Unsalted butter (40g): Adds richness and helps create that velvety mouthfeel throughout.
• Granulated sugar (100g): Dissolves into the milk and sweetens gently without any grittiness if you stir while heating.
• Raisins (80g): They plump up beautifully in the warm milk and add little bursts of sweetness; soak them for five minutes first if you like them extra soft.
• Ground cinnamon (1 tsp): Blooms in the warm milk and wraps around every spoonful with warmth and comfort.
• Pure vanilla extract (1 tsp): Added off heat so you preserve its delicate flavor rather than cooking it away.
• Fine salt (1/4 tsp): Balances the sweetness and deepens the other flavors—never skip it.
• Ground nutmeg (optional): A whisper on top at the end adds a subtle sophistication, but this is truly optional.

Instructions

Set your space:

Preheat your oven to 160°C (325°F) and butter a 2-liter baking dish generously so nothing sticks to the edges later. This low, gentle temperature is the secret to creamy pudding rather than a scrambled mess.

Prepare the rice:

Rinse your rice under cold running water, stirring gently with your fingers until the water runs completely clear. This removes the excess starch that would otherwise make the pudding gummy and heavy.

Build the custard base:

Combine milk, cream, sugar, butter, cinnamon, and salt in a large saucepan and heat gently over medium, stirring often until you see steam rising and the sugar has completely dissolved. The milk should feel hot to your finger but shouldn't bubble aggressively—think of it as a warm embrace rather than a boil.

Combine and finish the liquid:

Stir in your rinsed rice and raisins, then remove from heat and add the vanilla extract so its flavor stays bright and true. The mixture will look soupy at this point, which is exactly right.

Transfer to the oven:

Pour everything into your buttered dish, stir once to distribute the rice and raisins evenly, then cover tightly with aluminum foil. Tight foil keeps the steam trapped and prevents a skin from forming on top.

First bake with covered dish:

Bake covered for 55 minutes, opening halfway through to give everything a gentle stir so the rice cooks evenly. You'll notice the liquid gradually thickening and the rice becoming tender.

Uncover and finish:

Remove the foil and continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes until the pudding has the consistency of loose porridge and the rice grains are completely soft. The top will look slightly creamy and set, and you might see a few darker patches where it kissed the edge of the dish.

Cool and serve:

Let it rest for 10 minutes—this helps it firm up slightly—then serve warm, or transfer to a bowl and refrigerate if you prefer it cold. Either way, a tiny pinch of nutmeg on top makes it look intentional and lovely.

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There's something almost meditative about watching this pudding transform over an hour—from soup into something with actual body and presence. The first time I served it to someone who expected restaurant quality, they were genuinely surprised that something so simple could taste so complete.

Why This Recipe Works Every Time

The magic here lies in respecting the low oven temperature and the patience it requires. This isn't a rushed dish, and that's actually its greatest strength because nothing burns, nothing seizes, and the milk gently coaxes all the starch and flavor from the rice without any aggressive heat. I learned this the hard way by trying to speed things up with a higher temperature once—the result was curdled edges and a gritty center that taught me a lasting lesson.

Serving and Pairing Ideas

Warm rice pudding paired with stewed apples or plums creates a sophisticated dessert that feels both homey and restaurant-worthy. If you're serving it chilled, a spoonful of whipped cream on top catches the light beautifully and adds a moment of lightness against the pudding's richness. I've also found that a small glass of something sweet—like a late harvest wine or even a cup of strong coffee—makes the whole experience feel more intentional and complete.

Variations and Substitutions That Work

This recipe is more flexible than it first appears, and I've experimented with it enough to know what holds up and what doesn't. Golden raisins work beautifully if you want something less heavy than regular raisins, and dried cranberries add a sophisticated tartness that balances the sweetness without requiring any other changes. For extra richness—which honestly feels decadent—swap half the milk for coconut milk, though this shifts the flavor toward something more tropical and requires a lighter hand with the cinnamon.

• Try cardamom or a pinch of clove in place of or alongside the cinnamon for a different warmth.
• Substitute some of the sugar with honey or maple syrup, though these make the pudding slightly less thick and require a few extra minutes in the oven.
• If you want to make this for someone avoiding dairy, the swap to oat milk works surprisingly well, though you'll lose some of the richness that makes this special.

Save

This pudding has become the dessert I return to when someone needs comfort or when I want to prove that the simplest ingredients, treated with patience and respect, can create something genuinely memorable. Every spoonful tastes like care.

Recipe FAQs

→ What type of rice is best for this dish?

Short-grain white rice is ideal as it absorbs liquids well and yields a creamy texture.

→ Can I substitute raisins with other dried fruits?

Yes, golden raisins or dried cranberries make excellent alternatives for varied sweetness and texture.

→ How do I achieve a thick, creamy consistency?

Simmering the rice gently in milk and cream, followed by slow baking covered, allows the mixture to thicken while remaining tender.

→ Is it possible to make this dairy-free?

Replacing half the milk with coconut milk adds richness while reducing dairy content, though butter can be substituted with plant-based alternatives.

→ What is the best way to serve this dish?

Enjoy it warm or chilled, optionally garnished with ground nutmeg or paired with stewed fruit or whipped cream for added richness.