Boxed Cream of Rice is gloppy and processed, but homemade is delicious! Cook rice in milk and cream for a creamy texture that provides a great start to the day, especially when topped with fruits, nuts, and syrups.
Did your parents ever subject you to boxed hot cereals that brought Oliver Twist’s gloppy gruel to mind?
Did you ever think of hot cereal as torture more that a taste sensation?
Did you ever shake your head at the very idea of rice porridge?
Today’s a new day. And a chance to try something new and delicious and utterly budget-friendly.
Homemade Cream of Rice is a completely different dish than the boxed version your parents may have insisted you eat as a child. Trust me. I was that child.
Homemade Cream of Rice
Almost ten years ago, I heard a friend was waxing eloquently about the rice pudding she was making. I’d never had it, so I looked up recipes. The added egg was a turn-off, especially with an egg allergy in the house. So, I opted for a quicker, egg-free version.
The result is actually one of the easiest recipes in my world. Cook rice in milk and cream instead of water! How simple is that? My kids call it “rice pudding,” but creamy rice, or cream of rice would be more accurate.
It’s easy and delicious and super simple to prepare. And as a former child who shuddered over the gruel my parents fed me, I appreciate the whole grain texture of this dish, much like Not Mushy Oatmeal.
What is cream of rice made of?
Cream of Rice is actually a trademarked name for a commercial boxed porridge made of ground rice. You can make a homemade equivalent by grinding rice and cooking the powder or simply cooking rice in milk or cream.
Similar to a rice pudding, this cream of rice is toothsome with whole grain rice which gives it a hearty texture.
Ingredients needed to make this cream of rice recipe
- half and half
- milk
- rice
- salt
- toppings: brown sugar, dried fruit, maple syrup, or honey
I use half and half and nonfat milk because that is what I usually have on hand. I buy the half and half in large containers for a great price at Costco. But, feel free to experiment with the cream to milk ratio. Obviously, the dish will be more economical and less creamy if you use less half and half and more milk.
(For non-US readers, half and half is a product of half cream and half milk. You can make your own.)
I use arborio rice because it tends toward a creamier texture, but have also made this with other rices. Use what you have and/or what fits the budget.
What can I add to rice porridge?
To make this more like a rice pudding, you can add a vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, or dried fruit to the pot while the rice cooks. You may need to add more liquid to account for the dried fruit.
I like to keep this dish more neutral flavored so my kids can add the flavors they prefer. Leftovers work well for both savory and sweet dishes. I’ve even added the leftovers to soup.
How to make cream of rice
- In a medium saucepan, combine the half and half and milk. Bring to a low boil.
- Stir in the rice and salt.
- Cover and reduce to lowest heat. Cook for 20 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender.
- Serve with toppings.
How should you top rice porridge?
I dish up bowls of toothy rice and let my people top it anyway they please: cranberries, raisins, chopped nuts, brown sugar, maple syrup. Pretty much anything you would use to top oatmeal would work to make a great, filling breakfast for any day of the year. It cooks in just 20 minutes on the stove top.
How much does it cost to make rice porridge from scratch?
We often assume that making something homemade will cost less than the commercial alternative. Certainly, homemade tastes better and allows you better control of the ingredients.
That said, it’s helpful to know the bottom line.
Homemade, whole-grain cream of rice is made from standard kitchen staples: rice and milk. Let’s see what these specific ingredients cost when not on sale at a mid-range grocer:
- half and half – $0.90 ($1.79/qt)
- milk – $0.19 ($3.09/gallon)
- arborio rice – $1.25 ($2.49/#)
This works out to be $2.34/batch or 39 cents per serving. The commercial, name brand cream of rice costs 41 cents per serving. So…
homemade is better tasting and less expensive!
How to cut your costs even more:
- Shop the sales. Avoid paying full price whenever you can. Keep an eye on how prices fluctuate in your area and stock up when you see a sale. Remember milk can be frozen.
- Use lower cost alternative ingredients. This recipe is dairy-heavy. You can use more milk than half and half or substitute some water in the recipe to lower the cost. It will still be creamy made with less cream. Accordingly, long grain rice is usually less expensive than arborio rice. Use a cheaper rice to cut the costs even more.
If you prepare this recipe, be sure to take a picture and hashtag it #GOODCHEAPEATS. I can't wait to see what you cook up!
Cream of Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cup half and half
- 1 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cup arborio rice , can use other types of rice if you prefer
- dash salt
- toppings for hot cereal : brown sugar, nuts, dried fruit, maple syrup, honey
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the half and half and milk. Bring to a low boil, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Stir in the rice and salt.
- Cover and reduce to lowest heat. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender.
- Serve with toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published April 22, 2012. It has been updated for content and clarity.
Stacy says
Looks good. I’m going to try this soon, this week, I think. I don’t have that type of rice, but I’ll see how it goes with my brown rice. I’ve made rice pudding in the past, but it has been a long time. I’m going to check out the egg version to see about adding some more protein. Thank you. I recently saw a recipe to make quinoa as a breakfast cereal too, but I have not tried it.
Carla says
Too bad my guys aren’t hot cereal eaters. I’m slowly getting one there, but considering he’s almost 11, I have a long way to go. Sounds good. Whenever we had leftover rice as a kid we knew what was for breakfast the next morning–Rice & Raisins. Mom would boil up some raisins and stir them in with left over rice, milk, and butter and serve it sprinkled with sugar. Didn’t have the best texture in the world but was a filling meal. Thanks for sharing.
Suze says
I make a slightly sweetened version of this. I add a grate of nutmeg too. We generally eat this as dessert. Mine is always egg free due to allergies to yolk. I know some who make this out of left over rice. I always cook mine in the oven.
Shannon says
My mom used to give us “sweet rice” for dessert & some times breakfast when we were little (& had very little extra money for treats.) She would simply reheat day old rice with milk, butter & sugar and then add a little cinnamon to it. I loved it so much and to this day if I don’t have the leftover rice ear marked for something else I’ll make it for myself. Still working on my own girls and know I’ll get there. 🙂
Jessica says
@Shannon, we do that, too. Yum!
Tiffany @ DontWastetheCrumbs says
Using leftover rice for breakfast is a great idea! Would this fit well on your breakfast bar?
Jessica says
@Tiffany @ DontWastetheCrumbs, it probably would as long as the rice didn’t get cold waiting. Might work well in the rice cooker.
Jen@anothergranolamom says
Rice cooked in milk is a traditional Mexican dessert — arroz con leche. They even sing a song that if you know how to make arroz con leche you are ready to get married! They make it in a stirred version so that the milk never comes to a complete boil and it takes much longer — up to two hours to cook the rice. I pre-cook my rice in water about halfway, then finish it up in the milk. I like this because it is quite liquid. Flavored with cinnamon and vanilla, and a soft white bread roll on the side for dipping, this is a wonderful breakfast or dessert.
Jessica says
@Jen@anothergranolamom, how cool is that?!
Tamara Dillon says
Track this recipe from MONEY SAVING MOM and her meal plan. Looks like a great recipe- can’t wait to try!
Karen says
Growing up my parents made us rice cooked with raisins in it… we topped it with milk and brown sugar! It is one of me best food memories.
Dawn says
I wonder if it would work if I used nonfat evaporated milk instead of half and half?
Jessica says
@Dawn, I don’t see why not.
Donna Riopel says
So, I’m absolutely addicted to this now! Also have 1…maybe 2 kids hooked as well. But what a mess I make of the stove when I cook it! It always boils over, even on low…mess on the stove, in the pot, outside the pot…it’s crazy! Maybe I’m doing something wrong. Too hot? I’m cooking on a gas stove and preparing according to this recipe exactly. I’ll still be making this anyway, despite the mess. In fact, I’m eating some right now. 🙂
Jessica says
Try venting the lid just a smidge? That might help prevent the pot from boiling over. Do you have a burner that goes super low? Some stoves have one with a lower simmer setting than the others.
Amy says
Growing up, My mom would make us Arroz Doce [Portuguese Sweet Rice, as she and all of my family is from the Azores]. She would cook regular long-grain rice in milk, with granulated sugar, and lemon zest. After it was cooked, she would sprinkle it with Cinnamon. We ate it room temp or chilled, as a dessert, on special occasions or parties. I’ll have to try your version for breakfast!
Jessica says
@Amy, that sounds very yummy. Do you have a recipe?
Stacey K says
When I first made this, my husband ate a big bowl, but didn’t say anything. The next time I made it was a night I was too tired to make anything else and just wanted something warm and comforting. Hubby came home, took one look at the pot, and said, “Oh, yay! That stuff’s GOOD!” Win! It’s now our go-to meal when I’m too tired to make a full meal or nothing appeals to any of us. Then we eat leftovers for breakfast. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Jessica says
That is a happy story!
Lina says
Thanks for this recipe ! Rice pudding is very common here in Egypt. I love it and so do dh and kids BUT I can’t seem to make it right LOL Many in my family make it yummy and I ask for thier recipe but no success with me.
I googled Arborio rice and it says it’s like Egyptian short grain rice.I hope your recipe works for me 🙂
Jessica Fisher says
Good luck!
ashleigh says
hi there! i am trying to make this, and i am having trouble… my first batch had the bottom burnt and liquid still on top…. am i suppossed to be stirring while its simmering? please help!
Jessica Fisher says
It sounds like the heat is too high. Do you have a burner with a low setting. I have one on my stove that goes lower than the others. Also, is it a heavy duty pot or does it have a thin bottom. I used to have a thin bottomed one and it burned things like this all the time.
Diinaus says
I’ve discovered that this recipe concept can be made in the slow cooker for those that are interested. Jessica would work for a breakfast bar that needs to feed lost of folks .
I use a can of coconut cream (pantry staple) ,approx 10cups of water ,1 cup of short grain rice and a dash of salt. If I only have long grain I add in 1/4 cup of polenta to make the texture more creamy.
It’s a really economical dish to make and great to wake up to in the morning if cooked on low over night .Pairs well with sweet or savoury depending on the topping . My kids love it with home made jam or chocolate sauce. Makes a great lunch time snack or desert too:)
Jessica Fisher says
Thanks for the tip! That’s great to know.
Juls Owings says
Bfast every day was fried potatoes, fried bacon, milk gravy,fried eggs and canned biscuits. Brother got a small steak the morning of football games because his coach said he needed to eat more meat.
What you call cream of rice we called rice pudding.
Jessica Fisher says
Yes, but I think most rice puddings have eggs added to them.
Karen says
I have this cooking on my stove right now. I actually needed half the rice and twice the time. I keep adding milk and 10 minutes on the timer and I think it’s just about done now after an hour of cooking. The bits I’ve been tasting to see if it’s done yet are so delicious though!
Jessica Fisher says
Glad you’re enjoying it even if the time isn’t quite the same.