This slow cooker Amish-style rice pudding is the kind of humble, comforting dessert I grew up with on Midwestern farm tables. It starts just the way my mother did on Saturday nights before church potlucks: raw white rice in the crock, and then a gentle pour of whole milk over the top. With only four more pantry ingredients, the slow cooker does all the work, turning simple staples into a creamy, old-fashioned pudding that seems to disappear faster than anything else on the dessert table. It’s the sort of recipe you make when you want something cozy and familiar, without fussing over the stove.
Serve this rice pudding warm right out of the slow cooker, with an extra sprinkle of cinnamon on top. It’s lovely with a cup of hot coffee or tea, or alongside a plate of simple butter cookies. For a heartier treat, spoon it into small bowls and top with a pat of butter or a dollop of whipped cream. It also tastes wonderful chilled the next day, with a handful of raisins or fresh berries scattered over each serving.
Slow Cooker Amish Rice PuddingServings: 6
Ingredients
1 cup uncooked medium- or long-grain white rice
4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for serving
Directions
Lightly grease the inside of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker with butter or cooking spray to help prevent sticking.
Scatter the uncooked white rice evenly over the bottom of the slow cooker crock.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole milk, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon until the sugar is mostly dissolved and the eggs are well blended.
Slowly pour the milk mixture over the raw rice in the slow cooker, making sure all the rice is moistened. The rice will float a bit, and that’s just fine.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours, without stirring for the first 2 hours so the custard can begin to set.
After 2 hours, check the pudding and give it a gentle stir, scraping along the bottom and sides to keep it from sticking. Continue cooking on LOW, stirring once or twice more, until the rice is tender and the mixture is thickened but still a bit saucy. It will firm up more as it cools.
When the pudding has reached a creamy, spoonable consistency, turn off the slow cooker and let it sit, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes to finish setting.
Serve warm, with an extra sprinkle of cinnamon on top if you like. If the pudding thickens too much as it sits, stir in a splash of warm whole milk to loosen before serving.
Variations & Tips
For a more traditional Amish-style touch, you can stir in 1/2 cup of raisins during the last hour of cooking so they plump up in the warm custard. If you prefer a richer dessert, replace 1 cup of the whole milk with heavy cream. Those who like a deeper flavor can swap 1/4 cup of the sugar for light brown sugar, which adds a faint caramel note. To keep the pudding from over-thickening, watch it closely near the end of the cooking time—slow cookers all run a little different, and older models often cook hotter. If your pudding seems too loose when the rice is tender, simply leave the lid off for the last 20 to 30 minutes so some of the steam can escape. Leftovers can be chilled and will firm up; stir in a bit of cold milk before serving to bring back that creamy, just-cooked texture.
