Baked Apple Cinnamon Rice Pudding

From the roundup: 24 Apple Dessert Recipes for Fall You Will Want to Bake All Season

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Baked apple cinnamon rice pudding is one of those desserts I make when I have leftover rice from dinner and a couple of apples that need to be used up. Ten minutes of mixing, then it goes into the oven at 325 degrees and mostly takes care of itself for the next 55 minutes.

The one thing I learned the hard way: pull it out when the center still looks loose and a little jiggly. The first time I made this I waited until it looked fully set, and by the time it cooled it was closer to a rice brick than a pudding. Trust the jiggle.

It serves six, and honestly it gets better on day two when the apples have softened into the rice completely. My kids will eat it cold straight from the fridge, which makes it a rare dessert that actually works as a next-morning breakfast too.

Why you will love this

• Uses already-cooked rice, so it comes together fast on a night when you have leftovers
• Active time is about 10 minutes, then the oven handles the rest
• The pudding thickens as it cools, so it slices cleanly the next day if you want to serve it cold
• Firm baking apples hold their shape through the bake and give the pudding some texture instead of turning to mush
• No eggs, no tempering, no standing over the stove stirring

Tips for success

• Use short-grain or medium-grain rice, not long-grain. Long-grain does not release enough starch, and the pudding stays thin and watery instead of creamy.
• Stir from the bottom up at the 25-minute mark. The rice sinks and can form a dense layer if you skip this step.
• Pull the pudding when the center still jiggles. It will look underdone, but it firms up significantly as it rests and cools. Overbaking dries it out.
• If you want a lightly golden top, remove the foil for the last 5 minutes only. Leaving it uncovered longer will dry out the edges before the center is done.

If the pudding turns out too thick

• Stir in a splash of whole milk, one or two tablespoons at a time, before reheating. It loosens back up quickly.
• If it thickened in the fridge overnight, let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before stirring in milk. Cold pudding absorbs liquid more slowly.
• Thin it on the stovetop over low heat rather than the microwave if the whole batch needs loosening. The microwave can make the edges rubbery before the center warms through.

Substitutions

Whole milk gives the creamiest result, but 2 percent works fine if that is what you have. For a dairy-free version, full-fat canned coconut milk is the best swap because it has enough fat to keep the pudding rich. Oat milk works too but produces a slightly thinner pudding. Brown sugar can replace granulated sugar one-for-one if you want a deeper, more caramel-leaning flavor.

For the apples, any firm variety holds up well through the bake. Honeycrisp, Fuji, Braeburn, or Granny Smith are all good. Avoid anything labeled a sauce apple or anything that feels soft when you buy it, because those will disappear into the pudding rather than staying in distinct pieces.

Make-ahead and storage

You can mix everything together, pour it into the baking dish, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it for up to 8 hours before baking. Add about 5 extra minutes to the bake time since you are starting from cold. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The pudding thickens considerably as it chills, so stir in a splash of milk before reheating in the microwave in 30-second intervals, or warm it gently in a small saucepan over low heat.

This recipe does not freeze well. The rice turns grainy after thawing and the texture does not recover, even with added milk.

Brittany Stage

Baked Apple Cinnamon Rice Pudding

Cooked short-grain rice bakes low and slow in sweetened whole milk with diced spiced apples until thick, creamy, and deeply comforting. It is an easy fall dessert that the oven does most of the work to finish.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 310

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups cooked short-grain or medium-grain white rice cooled, packed loosely
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 2 cups firm baking apples peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch dice, about 2 medium apples
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter cut into small pieces, for dotting the top

Equipment

• 2-quart or 9×13 baking dish
• aluminum foil
• mixing bowl
• wooden spoon

Method

 

1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter or spray the inside of a 2-quart baking dish or a 9×13 dish.
2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the cooked rice, whole milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until well combined. Fold in the diced apples so they are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
3. Pour the rice mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it out in an even layer. Scatter the small pieces of butter across the top. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.
4. Bake covered for 25 minutes, then carefully remove the foil and give the pudding a gentle stir from the bottom up to prevent the rice from settling. Re-cover the dish and return it to the oven.
5. Continue baking for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the pudding has thickened and the apples are completely soft when pressed with a spoon. The center should still look slightly loose and jiggly, not fully set, because it will firm up as it cools.
6. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes of baking if you want a lightly golden top. Let the pudding rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. It is excellent warm, at room temperature, or cold straight from the refrigerator.

Notes

Short-grain or medium-grain rice releases enough starch to create a creamy texture. Long-grain rice stays too firm and makes the pudding grainy rather than smooth. Day-old rice works perfectly here.

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