A classic, simple rice pudding recipe made with cooked rice and a few pantry staples. It's a wonderfully rich and creamy single serving dessert.
Have you ever found yourself with leftover cooked rice in your fridge? I certainly have. If you've got a small amount of rice sitting in the fridge, you should definitely consider making baked rice pudding. Making rice pudding with leftover rice is unbelievably easy and so incredibly delicious.
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What Is Rice Pudding?
Rice pudding is a rice-based dessert featuring rice, milk, and a few other ingredients.
Some old-fashioned rice pudding recipes call for cooking the rice in milk similar to the way we make our chocolate rice pudding. Other recipes call for using cooked rice. I love using cooked rice because it is a wonderful way to use any that might be leftover from a previous meal. This easy rice pudding recipe can be a quick dessert to throw together on a whim.
Why This Recipe Works
- Use any kind of cooked rice: Use cooked white rice, brown, long-grain, or short-grain.
- Use any kind of milk: Using whole milk will give you a richer and more velvety rice pudding but you can also use lower fat milk such as 2%, skim, coconut milk, or almond milk.
- A great way to reduce waste: If you have cooked rice leftover from a previous meal, rice pudding is a great way to use it.
- Recipe doubles well: If you'd like to make more, just double the ingredient amounts and use a larger baking dish.
RELATED: 15 Easy Dessert Recipes For One
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
To make the best rice pudding with cooked rice, you will need:
- Egg: 1 large egg helps to create a custard-style rice pudding.
- Milk: I've experimented with different kinds of milk and I prefer using whole milk which gives the rice pudding a creamy, smooth texture.
- 2% milk can be used instead but the pudding will be less rich.
- Skim milk will make the pudding much less rich and with a more watery flavor.
- You can use non-dairy milk in this rice pudding recipe like coconut milk or almond milk which both impart rich flavors into the rice pudding.
- Salt and vanilla extract: For flavor.
- Spices: Ground cinnamon and nutmeg are perfect in this recipe.
- Sugar: 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar add the perfect amount of sweetness.
- Rice: 1 cup of cooked rice is all you need to make this rice pudding.
- Whipped cream: Optional, but delicious.
- Butter or oil spray: For greasing the baking dish.
See below for ways to use leftover ingredients.
How To Make Rice Pudding For One
See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Preheat the oven to 325° F (165° C). Lightly butter a 4x6 or a 5x5-inch baking dish.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, salt, spices, sugar, and vanilla.
- Stir in the rice and pour into a small baking dish.
Pro Tip: I use a 4x6-inch baking dish that has a base area of 24 square inches. You can also use a 5x5-inch baking dish with a base area of 25 square inches or a 6x6-inch dish which will yield a thinner pudding and may bake faster.
- Boil a kettle of water to make a water bath. Place the baking dish with the rice pudding into a larger baking pan. I use either an 8x8-inch pan or an 8 or 9-inch round pan. Pour the boiling water into the larger pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the rice pudding dish.
Place the pan on a rimmed sheet pan which will make it easier to transfer into and out of the oven.
Pro Tip: This is called a water bath or a bain marie. A water bath is a dish of water used to bake recipes requiring gentle, even heat. It insulates the dish so that it doesn't overcook. Please don't be put off by this, it's incredibly easy. You will need to find a pan that will comfortably hold your small baking dish while maintaining an inch or more of space around the sides for the water. A small to medium-sized roasting pan works well.
- Place the pan in the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes, until lightly browned and set.
Expert Tips
- Use any kind of leftover rice: Any cooked rice is great for making a classic rice pudding.
- Recipe doubles well: If you'd like to make extra rice pudding, just double the ingredients in the recipe and use a larger baking dish.
- Add-ins: Feel free to add 2 to 3 tablespoons of raisins to your rice pudding.
Frequently Asked Questions
For this mini rice pudding recipe, we use a 4x6-inch baking dish that has a base area of 24 square inches.
Other alternative baking dishes:
5x5-inch dish
6x6-inch dish (this will yield a thinner rice pudding)
6-inch round dish
These baking dishes can be viewed on our Store page.
If you would like additional information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
Rice pudding is incredibly delicious on its own but I love adding fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream to the top of mine.
Store the rice pudding in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay good for four days.
Yes! If you'd like to make more rice pudding, double the ingredients in this recipe and bake in an 8-inch round pan or a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
For this baked rice pudding recipe, use any kind of cooked rice you have. White rice works beautifully, and so will brown.
Variations
Although I love this old-fashioned rice pudding just as it is, you might like these rice pudding variations:
- Add raisins: Add a few tablespoons of raisins to your rice pudding before baking.
- Top with fruit: Add slices of fresh pears or bananas along with a drizzle of honey to your baked rice pudding.
- Add a dollop of whipped cream: You can't go wrong with homemade whipped cream. It makes the rice pudding extra creamy!
- Butter: Right after you remove the rice pudding from the oven, add ½ tablespoon of butter to melt into the pudding - heavenly!
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this easy rice pudding recipe, you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
- Eggs: Cheesy Baked Eggs, Two Ingredient Chocolate Cake, Coconut Cream Pie, Banana Upside Down Cake
- Cinnamon: Donut Holes, Apple Cinnamon Scones, Snickerdoodles, Fried Apples
- Nutmeg: Alfredo Sauce, Apple Galette, Mini Spice Cake, Apple Butter
- Rice: Fried Rice, Pork Stir Fry, Spicy Peas With Mint, Chickpea Curry
If you’ve tried this mini rice pudding recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Recipe
Rice Pudding For One
See the post above for expert tips,
FAQs and ways to use leftover ingredients.
Equipment
- 5-inch baking dish or a 4x6-inch baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup milk
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup cooked rice
- Optional: whipped cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325° F (165° C). Lightly butter a 4x6 or a 5x5-inch baking dish.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, and vanilla.
- Stir in the rice and pour into a small baking dish.Pro Tip: I use a 4x6-inch baking dish that has a base area of 24 square inches. You can also use a 5x5-inch baking dish with a base area of 25 square inches or a 6x6-inch dish which will yield a thinner pudding and may bake faster.
- Boil a kettle of water to make a water bath. Place the baking dish with the rice pudding into a larger baking pan. I use either an 8x8-inch pan or an 8 or 9-inch round pan. Pour the boiling water into the larger pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the rice pudding dish.Place the pan on a rimmed sheet pan which will make it easier to transfer into and out of the oven.Pro Tip: This is called a water bath or a bain marie. A water bath is a dish of water used to bake recipes requiring gentle, even heat. It insulates the dish so that it doesn't overcook. Please don't be put off by this, it's incredibly easy. You will need to find a pan that will comfortably hold your small baking dish while maintaining an inch or more of space around the sides for the water. A small to medium-sized roasting pan works well.
- Place the pan in the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes, until lightly browned and set.
- Enjoy with whipped cream, if desired.
Notes
- Use any kind of leftover rice: Any cooked rice is great for making a classic rice pudding.
- Recipe doubles well: If you'd like to make extra rice pudding, just double the ingredients in the recipe and use a larger baking dish.
- Add-ins: Feel free to add 2 to 3 tablespoons of raisins to your rice pudding.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Garlic Girl says
I have not had rice pudding in eons....this was a splendid comeback!
Christina says
Hi! I'm such a fan of your website and recipes, but this will be my first time making one myself :). I wanted to ask if you think half and half would work or how it'd affect the rich and creamy effect that you mention with whole milk. Do you think it'd be doable? I've never baked with half and half!
Joanie Zisk says
Yes, half and half will work just fine and should make the rice pudding extra rich.
J. Hegyi says
Great recipe.
Tracy Hansen says
Delicious! So nice. What a lovely light custard.
Barbara says
I made your rice pudding recipe last night. I only had heavy cream and added raisins. It’s super easy to make and I ate about 1/4 of it last night so can look forward to more today! Delicious!
Nancy says
Hello Joanie: I have 2% milk and heavy cream. Would one or the other or a blend be my option for success. I love rice pudding. I used to make a Norwegian version Riskrem but makes way too much for just me these days. Thank you!
Joanie Zisk says
Hi Nancy, you could use either or a blend. The higher the fat content of the milk you use, the richer your rice pudding will be. Enjoy!
Clara says
Can i make this recipe without the egg?
Joanie Zisk says
I recommend using an egg in this recipe. Since this is a baked custard style rice pudding, the egg is necessary. If you'd like to make a rice pudding without using an egg, you might like to try this chocolate rice pudding recipe - https://onedishkitchen.com/chocolate-rice-pudding-recipe-for-one/
Nancy says
I’ve made this about 3 times now - works perfectly....I use full fat coconut milk and add raisins as well....very very tasty!!
Joanie Zisk says
Nancy,
I'm so happy you enjoy the recipe and it's great to know that full fat coconut milk works well too. Thank you for letting me know! Have a wonderful weekend.