Holiday Eggnog Rice Pudding
Rice pudding is a treat any time of the year, so this year treat the family to this Holiday Eggnog Rice Pudding for a seasonal spin off. It’s a decadent dessert option giving you one more way of highlighting the flavor of creamy eggnog this holiday season.
Easy Holiday Eggnog Rice Pudding Recipe
My Grandma was famous for her citrus-laced homemade boiled custard. Friends and family looked forward to her secret concoction every year. It was a tried and true family tradition and one I will remember all of my day. I wanted to honor the flavor combination this Holiday Eggnog Rice Pudding that she taught me to love. How to make Eggnog Rice Pudding on the stovetop.
- Eggnog – 4 cups of prepared eggnog, use your favorite brand.
- Rice – Cooked long grain rice.
- Thickener – Cornstarch.
- Seasonings – Pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon, salt and nutmeg.
- Mix-ins – Dried cranberries and orange zest.
- Flavoring – Vanilla or rum extract.
How to Make the Best Holiday Eggnog Rice Pudding Recipe
The flavor of rich eggnog mixed with fresh orange zest and chewy dried cranberries makes this dessert delectable served any time of day.
- Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Holiday Eggnog Rice Pudding: Cooked long grain rice, prepared eggnog, orange zest, cornstarch, pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, salt, dried cranberries (i.e. Craisins) and vanilla extract.
- Kitchen gadgets you’ll need: A heavy bottomed saucepan, measuring cups and spoons, a whisk, large spoon for scooping and serving. and a small bowl for mixing together the cornstarch with the eggnog for thickening.
- Start with cooked and cooled long grain rice. Make a special effort not to overcook the rice initially or the rice pudding won’t have a pleasing texture.
- When choosing the eggnog, go with a quality brand that you already enjoy. It forms the base and is the predominant flavor of this rice pudding making it imperative that you choose a good one for the best end result.
- When making this rice pudding, keep in mind that it will continue to thicken after the rice is added and as it cools. Please feel free to adjust the amount of cornstarch and thickness to your taste, as the starch content of all types of rice isn’t the same. To thin, add more eggnog or you could use half and half or cream. You can even do this after chilling the rice pudding. Simply add and stir to thin, if desired.
- You can serve this Eggnog Rice Pudding warm or chilled.
- You could use the same amount of raisins or dried cherries in place of the cranberries with no other adjustments needed.
- Store Holiday Eggnog Rice Pudding chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More Holiday Recipes using Eggnog to Make
I simply adore eggnog for it’s rich flavor and historical significance to the holiday season. It can transform everyday desserts into something festive in a jiffy. More recipes using eggnog that you may also like to try:
- Treat friends and family to this seasonal Eggnog Poke Cake.
- Chocolate Eggnog Pie features a creamy homemade chocolate pie filling made with eggnog.
- My homemade Eggnog Pound Cake recipe can be served with an eggnog glaze or a dusting of powdered sugar.
- You may also love my recipe for creamy Eggnog Pie topped with whipped cream and dusted with nutmeg.
- Make your own Homemade Eggnog recipe this year from scratch and serve it in a pretty punch bowl.
- Eggnog Truffles from Food Network.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Holiday Eggnog Rice Pudding
Ingredients
- 4 cup prepared eggnog divided
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch (See Cook’s Note)
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon
- 1/16 tsp nutmeg
- 3 cup cooked and cooled long grain rice
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1 Tbsp orange zest plus add’l for garnishing
- 1 tsp pure vanilla or rum extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- On the stovetop in a heavy bottomed saucepan, bring 3 1/2 cups of prepared eggnog to a boil. Add the pumpkin pie spice and nutmeg.
- Dissolve the 2 Tbsp cornstarch in the remaining 1/2 cup of prepared eggnog. Whisk until no lumps remain. (See Cook’s note)
- Once the eggnog comes to a boil on the stovetop, drizzle the dissolved cornstarch-eggnog mixture into the bubbling eggnog whisking constantly until thickened. This should happen quickly. Immediately lower the heat to prevent boiling over. (Repeat, using just enough milk to dissolve the corn starch, if you’d like it to be thicker.)
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the remaining ingredients. Mix well.
- Divide into serving dishes.
- Garnish with additional orange zest, if desired.
- Chill for 2-3 hours.
What type of rice have you had most success with? Would Jasmine be good? Or Balsamati?
Long grain rice work best in this recipe.
I substituted Chiobani Oat Nog to make this dairy free and it was delicious!
Thanks so much for sharing your experience!
You always have the best recipes. Thank you
Thank you Virginia, I appreciate your sweet comment!
Hi, Melissa, thank god for you, my mom made this dish but had dymentia from 2008 til she died in 2009, I found her recipe box, but the rice pudding recipe was not there. My Dad just loved it and had my mom make it every week, but different flavors, milk instead of eggnog, but she did do that Christmas. Now, I finally have the recipe and can make it for my husband, Thank You Carol
Hi Carol, I sincerely hope he loves this. Feel free to adjust the amount of cornstarch making it to the consistency you like best.
I followed directions and it turned into a brick when cooled. 4 tablespoons of cornstarch? I think one would have done the trick.
If this turned solid it sounds more likely that the rice was a factor, it shouldn’t have done that. You can (and should) adjust the thickness to your taste using more or less cornstarch based on the type of rice you use.
Hi Barbara, that’s interesting, come back and let me know how it goes in the pressure cooker.
This looks delicious! Think I’ll make for church this weekend!
Such a fun twist for the holidays. I think I might try making it in the pressure cooker.
Hi Sandie, I hope you like it as much as we do. Thanks so much for stopping by! ~ Melissa
Thanks Linda, come on over I’ll share some with you. [I wish!] ☺
Yum yum Melissa. Right up my alley!
Hi there Valerie! Thank you and thanks for stopping by. ☺
Oh, this is just pure comfort! So festive with the orange zest garnish. Love it, Melissa!