Milchreis (German Rice Pudding)

Milchreis aka German Rice Pudding is creamy, a little sweet and usually served warm topped with cinnamon sugar or a fruit compote. Made with a short grain rice, cooked in milk, a little sugar, vanilla and a touch of salt, it’s the perfect cool weather afternoon snack.

What rice is best for German rice pudding?

A short grain rice is best for this pudding because it gets nice and plump and gives a slightly sticky and plump result. I used Arborio rice but any rounder, short grain rice will work! I haven’t tested this recipe with a longer grain rice and it will probably still thicken but might not give the same soft and creamy texture.

Do you have to rinse rice first?

Nope! For a pudding like this, you want to retain the starch in the rice.

What are the best toppings for Milchreis?

Classically most people grow up topping milchreis with a bit of cinnamon sugar but the options are really endless. If you want something a bit more, a fruit compote or any warmed fruits taste delicious on top (warmed frozen raspberries are a classic but I also like to sauté plums in brown sugar and butter!). Beyond fruit, you could add nuts, chocolate, or dried fruits too!

Additional Recipes to try:

• Vanilla Pudding
• Grießbrei
• German Quark

Tips for making Milchreis

• This isn’t a very complex recipe so the tips are minimal but using a good, heavier bottomed pot is great because it will keep the milk and sugar from burning.
• While you’re waiting for the milk to initially come to a simmer, don’t walk too far from it. Once it starts to bubble it will boil over very quickly.
• The amount of time the pudding takes to cook will depend on your stove and pot, ideally you want it to be just barely bubbling the whole time which may mean turning it a bit higher than low if you have an electric stove.
• If the pudding isn’t sweet enough for you, you can always add more sugar but I recommend leaving it as is and letting the toppings compensate as this isn’t meant to be a super sweet treat.

Ingredients

• Short grain, round rice: Depending on where you are in the world you may have “milchreis” available to buy, but if not, I like to use Arborio rice or any other short grain, round rice.
• Granulated Sugar: Simple white sugar is used to give the pudding a little sweetness. While I haven’t tested others, I believe most other sugars would work including brown and coconut sugar – liquid sweeteners such as maple syrup may work as well but will definitely alter the flavor.
• Vanilla Extract: I like to keep this pudding as simple as possible so I just use vanilla extract but you could also scrape out the insides of a vanilla bean or add in some vanilla bean paste if you have it.
• Salt: A pinch of fine sea salt or kosher salt balances out the sweetness of the pudding and enhances the natural flavors from the rice.
• Milk: Strongly recommend using whole milk for that yummy creamy texture and taste but any milk will work! If you only have skim milk but want it a little creamier, replace 50 milliliters of the skim milk with heavy cream.

How to make Milchreis

Cook the Pudding

• Pour in the sugar, salt, vanilla, and milk into the pot with the rice.
• Stir to combine.
• Place the pot over medium heat and bring to just a simmer. Immediately turn the heat down to low (the milk should still be just barely bubbling).
• Continue cooking and stirring until thick, it will continue to thicken as it cools so don’t over cook it. This should take between 15-20 minutes.

Serving

• Serve warm and top with a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar, sautéed plums, warm raspberries, or some chocolate curls!

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