Milchreis – German Rice Pudding

This creamy Milchreis, (as rice pudding is called in German) is crowd-pleasing comfort food and very easy to prepare. Deliciously sweet and creamy German Rice pudding stirs childhood memories for many Germans. Children just adore this sweet cinnamon and sugary rice that is topped with seasonal fruit.

You can eat Milchreis hot or cold. It is served as a sweet dinner dish but also often as a sweet snack or dessert. 

I got this German milk rice recipe from my son’s Kindergarten. He was raved so much about how much better lunch tastes at his daycare that I had to ask the cook for the recipe. 

What is Milchreis? 

Milchreis is a sweet, creamy German rice dish. It is made from rice mixed with milk and vanilla. Milchreis translates as “milk rice” in English. “Reis” is “rice” in English. “Milch” is the German word for “milk”. 

Another name for Milchreis in German is “Reis Brei” – Rice Porridge or “Dicker Reis” - thick rice because of its creamy consistency.

How to pronounce Milchreis? 

You pronounce it “MIL-SCH-REI-SS” as an English speaker.

Müller Rice - A German Export

Müller is a multinational producer of dairy products that has its origins in Bavaria. It was founded in 1898. One of their popular products is Muller Rice, (in German Müller Milchreis). They are portion sized Milchreis pots, with different flavoured toppings that can be eaten hot or cold. These became available in the UK in 1989 and have been popular there ever since. [source wikipedia: Unternehmensgruppe The Müller]

They are easily available at UK supermarkets, and brought this dish to the British.

How to make Milchreis 

Ingredients:

•  250 g/ 8.8 oz rice pudding rice or alternatively use (arborio rice/ sushi rice/ risotto rice or another short-grain rice)
• 1 litre of whole milk 
• 1 teaspoon of grated lemon peel 
• 1 pinch of salt
• Pulp of 1 vanilla pod (alternatively use 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (affiliate link)) 
• 60 gr/ 2 oz sugar (optional)
• 1 tablespoon butter

Milchreis Recipe Steps

1. Place the rice, milk, grated lemon peel, vanilla bean pulp or extract into a saucepan and bring to a boil. 
2. Boil the rice on a low heat for 20 – 40 minutes. Keep on stirring it with a wooden spoon to prevent the bottom from burning. Depending on the type of rice you are using, your cooking time may vary slightly. The Milchreis is ready when the rice is nice and creamy and the corns no longer crunchy. 
3. In a separate pan, brown the butter. Once the rice is cooked, stir in the browned butter.
4. To serve, pour the rice pudding into bowls. Sprinkle with a sugar and cinnamon mixture or serve with a topping of your choice.

Ingredient Substitutions 

Which milk to use for milk rice? 

In Germany, we make Milchreis with an array of different options. These are the most popular ones: 

• Cows milk (3.8 % fat) or semi-skimmed milk (2.1 %). This is the classic German milk rice choice, and makes a delicious creamy rice pudding with milk flavour. 
• Whipped Cream. This originates from the Danish rice pudding called Risalamande. Here the whipped cream is folded into the cooked rice at the end and served with fruit. This makes a luxurious sweet rice dessert. 
• Vegan Milk. To make Vegan Milchreis, just substitute the cow’s milk with a plant-based one. Soya, almond and oat milk work well with this dish. 

Which rice for rice pudding?

The best rice to use for Milchreis is short-grain rice. The secret is in the roundness and size of the rice corn. This round shape enables it to soak up enough milk without becoming too soggy. 

• Arborio Rice – is the classic choice for milk rice. It is large corn is the largest and especially round. It absorbs the milk without becoming soggy and clumpy. 
• Risotto Rice - this is the second choice for rice pudding – use that if you do not have Arborio rice on hand. 
• Sushi Rice – Sushi Rice has a similar texture to Arborio rice. Due to its higher gluten content, it will make for a stickier rice pudding. 
• British Pudding Rice, is also the perfect choice for this German sweet rice dish. It is actually low-grade risotto rice. 
• Long Grain Rice – you can also use long grain rice for this dish, but be aware that it will not have the same creamy result. 

Sugar-Free Rice Pudding 

When making this milk rice for my children I often omit the sugar. This is because the toppings are often sweet enough. Also, when the milk starts to boil it turns into sugar giving the dish a natural sweetness. 

What to serve with rice pudding?

You can serve this German sweet rice dish with a variety of toppings. Here are the most popular ones: 

• Wit Cinnamon and Sugar – the classic combination. It is easy to make up a batch of this sugar mix and keep it in the cupboard when needed. It is a classic topping for many German sweet dishes such as German Pancake or Kartoffelpuffer and German Waffles 
• With Cherries (Milchreis mit Kirschen) is another classic. This sour cherry sauce is a classic German dessert sauce. 
• Milchreis with Vanilla Pudding – is another popular choice. You make the German vanilla pudding according to the recipe and prepare the rice pudding. Once both dishes are ready you slowly fold the pudding into the milk rice. Gives an extra rich creamy vanilla flavour. 
• With Fruit compote. This is an all-time favourite and can vary by season. In the summer with rhubarb compote and in the summer and autumn with plum butter or apple sauce. 
• For extra sweetness, you can add some raisins, and for extra crunch some seeds and nuts. 
• With Rote Grütze - add this German red berry dessert to your sweet rice dish for a fruity flavour. 
• Chocolate Rice Pudding – for a special treat just add dark chocolate squares or chocolate drops into the hot milk rice, these will melt and create a heavenly chocolaty treat. 

How to store and reheat Milchreis 

You can keep leftover Reisbrei in the fridge for up to two days. You can eat it cold or reheat it. If it dries out in the fridge, then just add some more milk to make it creamy again. Reheat it in the microwave or stove.