Baked Rice Pudding
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Apr 3, 2025 
The Best Baked Rice Pudding Recipe Ever – This baked rice pudding is a cozy dessert and so easy to make with just a handful of pantry staples and warm spices. It’s a rustic, sweet, and comforting dish that’s sure to delight!
Why We Love This Baked Rice Pudding Recipe
There’s nothing quite as comforting as warm rice pudding. It’s a classic dish that features pieces of tender rice and plump raisins in a rich, sweet, cream and cinnamon custard base. Every bite has a delightful balance of textures and flavors!
This old-fashioned dessert is a must-have around the holidays. Although it’s easy to make on the stovetop, our baked rice pudding recipe is perfect for potlucks served in a pretty casserole dish.
Old fashioned rice pudding is creamy and perfectly spiced with an assortment of dried fruits for a variety of flavors and textures! One look at that golden brown topping will have guests clamoring to dive in!
Ingredients You Need
- Dried white rice – or cooked and cooled white rice, your choice of long grain or short grain (we prefer long grain jasmine rice)
- Half & half – for the richest and creamiest pudding
- Eggs – large and at room temperature
- Granulated sugar – white sugar (or brown sugar, coconut sugar, or even maple syrup)
- Vanilla extract – use a high-quality version
- Spices – ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and a pinch of salt
- Raisins – purple or golden
How to Make Baked Rice Pudding
Find the full printable Rice Pudding recipe with detailed instructions and video tutorial in the recipe form at the bottom of the post.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy this baked version of rice pudding for a comforting dessert on a chilly weekend. Bring to potlucks or serve at holiday gatherings for an impressive dish (that’s actually super easy to make)!
You can add a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon, if you like, for an extra festive touch.
I also love to enjoy a bowl for a sweet breakfast treat! It’s delicious cold from the fridge or reheated briefly in the microwave.
Recipe Variations
- Diced apples – Add fresh chopped apples for a sweet and slightly tart flavor.
- Dried cranberries – Swap raisins for dried cranberries for a pop of tangy sweetness.
- Dried pineapple chunks – Mix in dried pineapple chunks for a tropical twist.
- Chopped dried apricots – Stir in chopped dried apricots for a soft, chewy texture.
- Chopped almonds, pistachios or pecans — Toss in chopped pecans, almonds, or pistachios for extra texture.
- Dairy-free – Substitute the half-and-half for dairy free alternatives like coconut milk, almond milk or oat milk.
- Brûlée style finish – Sprinkle granulated sugar on top before baking and broil for a crisp and caramelized brûlée-style finish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Any kind of long-grain white rice is great. Jasmine rice is my favorite for its taste and texture.
Rice pudding will thicken up and set as it cooks because it is basically a custard! The eggs in this recipe help to stabilize the other ingredients and create a creamy smooth texture!
Cool completely, transfer to an airtight container, and keep the baked rice pudding in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Of course, you can! Although this recipe is crafted for baking, it can easily be tweaked for the stovetop. It won’t have the toasty brown top, but will still be creamy and delicious.
Cook the rice and mix the ingredients as directed below. Then pour the contents into a saucepan and simmer over medium to medium-low heat, until the custard thickens to a gravy-like consistency. Stir as it simmers to keep the rice from boiling, so it doesn’t burn the bottom.
Yeah! You can use leftover cooked rice, and it’s a total time saver. Just make sure that it’s not seasoned.
Looking for More Easy Dessert Recipes? Be Sure to Try:
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- Mini Banana Cream Pie Recipe
- How To Make Smores In The Oven
- Mint Oreo Chocolate Bark Recipe
- Caramel Brownies (Stuffed!)
- Thai Mango Sticky Rice
- Slow Cooker Cheesecake
- How to Make Funnel Cake
- Cream Cheese Pound Cake
- Chocolate Glaze for Pound Cake
- Apple Brown Betty (Old-Fashioned Recipe)
- Impossible Pie (Easy Coconut Pie)
- Blackberry Bread Pudding
Baked Rice Pudding Recipe + VIDEO
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried white rice or 3 cups cooked rice
- 4 cups half & half
- 3 large eggs
- 2/3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup raisins black or golden
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set out a 9 x 9-inch baking dish or 11-inch round quiche dish. Grease the baking dish and set aside.
- Set a large sauce pot on the stovetop for the rice. Cook the rice according to the package instructions. (This usually includes 1 cup of rice and 2 cups water. Simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes.) Once the rice is cooked, fluff and set aside to cool.
- Once the rice has cooled, set out a large mixing bowl. Add the half and half, eggs, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk well to combine.
- Then mix in the cooked rice and raisins. Stir until well coated.
- Carefully spoon (or pour) the rice mixture into the prepared baking dish. Smooth out in an even layer. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the sides are set but the center is still jiggly. In an 11-inch pan, the time will be 35-40 minutes, and in a 9-inch dish 40-45 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow the mixture to cool and sit for at least 20 minutes. Served warm or at room temperature.
This was such a nice cozy treat! The creamy texture was everything!
My great-grandmother used to make rice pudding all the time and I was craving it, this recipe is so good and dare I say better than hers ;)
My husband LOVED this. It has always been his favorite so thank you for this recipe!