I love leftovers! Although I’m not sure that I was as big a fan of leftovers when I was a kid as I am now, everything changes when you become the cook and meal planner. I also really hate food waste and want to keep the food budget down. Plus, I always have rice leftovers…
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Like leftover potatoes (see my Caesar Twice Baked Potatoes), rice is another one of those things I always make too much of. And that’s exactly how this recipe was born. However, I wanted a rice pudding that was a little more “festive” so in honor of the holidays, I have made this rice pudding into a Cranberry Gingerbread Stovetop Rice Pudding!
Stovetop Rice Pudding
I’m pretty particular about my rice pudding. Some recipes don’t use condensed milk, but that’s my preferred sweetener. And to me, rice pudding isn’t rice pudding without cinnamon, yet strangely enough, some recipes don’t call for it at all. Nor do I put egg in my rice pudding; it’s just not necessary. The other ingredients thicken it up nicely – no egg required! Making rice pudding on the stovetop is a quick and easy method. And since most rice pudding recipes use raisins, in the name of Christmas and all things Chrismasy, I replaced them with dried cranberries. Plus half of the people in my family don’t like raisins. I think that’s reason enough.
Rice pudding is yet another one of those things that I didn’t grow up with. I don’t know why I never had it as a kid, but my family wasn’t big on dessert anyway. That is a bad, but oh so good, habit I have acquired along the way. And I can’t even recall how old I was when I did have it for the first time, but I loved it so much that I would actually buy it as a treat.
Quick Rice Pudding
And even though I didn’t grow up with it, it’s still pure comfort food! I guess the sweet, milky cinnamony flavors somehow remind me of french toast (in rice form, of course) on a cozy weekend morning. And the cranberry and gingerbread flavors completely elevate this pudding to an entirely new level, while giving it that comforting holiday flair!
So, if you are looking for festive and quick rice pudding recipes, this is it!
If you are looking additional leftover rice recipes, give my  Gluten-free Ham & Rice Benedict a try!
If you are looking for even more leftover reicpes, check out my Leftovers Reinvented Board on Pinterest!
Cranberry Gingerbread Rice Pudding
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked, leftover rice
- 3/4 cups milk *I use 1 percent
- 1/2 cup condensed milk
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 2/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Garnish
- whipped cream optional
- cinnamon sprinkles
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients, except whipped cream.
- Cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 10 minutes or until thickened, stirring often.
- Remove from the heat; spoon into serving dishes. Serve warm; top with whipped cream if desired and cinnamon sprinkles.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe is part of The Country Cook’s Weekend Potluck!
What a great easy recipe. I too hate wasting but this is so delicious it’s not even like eating leftovers! Thanks for the great recipe 🙂