Baked Rice Pudding is rich, creamy, and the perfect simple dessert. Baking the rice pudding produces thick pudding-like rice with a gorgeous thick custard like skin top. The skin is the best part!! Made with short grain Italian Arborio Rice or Pudding Rice the texture is perfect!!

baked rice pudding in a ceramic dish on a white surface with a white and blue stripped towel

Baked rice pudding is one of the desserts I grew up with. The thick, dense, slightly sweet, creamy, rice is heaven to me and my family.

The perfect dessert hot or cold. Cold rice pudding is H-E-A-V-E-N. This baked rice pudding is so thick and dense you can legit cut a square of it and it holds its shape once it’s cold.

Baking the rice pudding creates this caramelized milk skin- let me tell you its delicious. It’s chewy, sweet, and creamy- basically all my favorite things

In order to achieve the right texture this baked rice pudding needs to cook for 2- 2 1/2 hours. It is well worth the wait!

If you are looking for a soupy, liquidy rice pudding- this is not the recipe for you.

fork holding a bit of baked rice pudding

Let’s get to the recipe.

What are the ingredients for baked rice pudding recipe?

Granulated Sugar/Caster Sugar
Arborio Rice/ Pudding Rice
Pure Vanilla Extract
Ground Cinnamon or Ground Nutmeg, optional
Evaporated Milk
Whole Milk
Heavy Cream/ Double Cream

How do you make baked rice pudding?

Preheat your to oven to 305F/ 151C.

baked rice pudding ingredients in a small dish

I like to bake my rice pudding on top of a sheet pan in case any bubbles overflow. So I place a shallow casserole on a large sheet pan. For the casserole dish I use approx 11″x7″ 2 inches deep, I used this Le Creuset Au Gratin Dish, feel free to use something differently shaped just roughly the same capacity.

Add all ingredients except the butter and gently stir around for a minute or two so everything is combined.

hand holding spatula stirring baked rice pudding ingredients

On top add chunks of cubed butter.

butter cubes place on top of baked rice pudding before baking

Carefully transfer the tray to the oven, trying not to spill, then bake for 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes- you want a dark golden skin and all the liquid should be absorbed.

Let cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes before serving. Store in fridge.

Do you need to refrigerate rice pudding?

Yes, to prevent any bacteria from growing store your baked rice pudding in the refrigerator- transfer to an air-tight container or cover the top with plastic wrap.

rice pudding in a ceramic dish with half of the pudding gone

Some of my other childhood favorite recipes:

Shortbread – this butter cookie biscuit is perfect with a cup of tea. Made with 4 simple ingredients, this recipe also keeps for days. So it’s a perfect hostess gift or Christmas gift!
Scones– Tender, moist, and delicious these scones are a traditional English treat. Serve them with butter or if you dare make the easiest clotted cream!
Chicken Curried Salad – this chicken salad puts all others to shame. The flavor is unbeatable!!
Coffee Cake– not your average coffee cake! This cake is a sponge flavored with coffee and topped with coffee buttercream, heaven on a plate!

Please let me know if you make this Baked Rice Pudding Recipe by leaving a rating and review below!

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