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
- Place the rice, milk, grated lemon peel, vanilla bean (affiliate link) pulp or extract into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
- 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.
- In a separate pan, brown the butter. Once the rice is cooked, stir in the browned butter.
- 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:
- With 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 Cherry Compote 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 apfelmus (German 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.
More German Sweet Dishes
Did you try this recipe?
Please leave a rating or make a comment below. I would love to hear from you. You can send me an e-mail or comment on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest.
Why not share our Facebook Group - Homemade German Food & Recipes. Here we chat about German Food and share recipes.
Recipe
Creamy Milchreis - German Rice Pudding
Ingredients
- 250 g rice pudding rice 8.8 oz (alternatively use arborio rice/ sushi rice/ risotto rice or another short-grain rice)
- 1 litre whole milk (3.8% fat) 34 fl oz (or use another milk of your choice such as almond, soya or oat milk)
- 1 teaspoon lemon peel grated
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pulp of a vanilla pod alternativley use 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (affiliate link)
- 60 g sugar 2 oz (optional)
- 1 tablespoon butter
To serve
- 4 tablespoon sugar and ground cinnamon (affiliate link) mixture
- sour cherry sauce
- fruit compote of your choice i.e. rhubarb, apple or plum
Instructions
- Place the rice, milk, sugar, grated lemon peel, vanilla bean (affiliate link) pulp or extract into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
- 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.
- In a separate pan, brown the butter. Once the rice is cooked, stir in the browned butter.
- To serve, pour the rice pudding into bowls. Sprinkle with a sugar and cinnamon mixture or serve with a topping of your choice.
Notes
Milch Reis Topping Suggestions
- Cinnamon and Sugar milk rice
- Rice Pudding with Sour Cherry Sauce
- Milchreis with German vanilla pudding
- with fruit compote. Such as rhubarb compote, apple sauce or plum compote
- Fresh fruit
- For extra sweetness, you can add some raisins, and for extra crunch some seeds and nuts.
- Rote Grütze German red berry dessert
- Chocolate – 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.
jane cre
My dad made this rice pudding all though my childhood but instead of stirring the browned butter in he used to smooth the top of the rice pudding in our dishes, pour on the fizzing, red hot browned butter and then shake cinnamon all over the top followed by the sugar. It is one dish that takes me back to my childhood and I absolutely love it.
I am so pleased you have the full recipe because homemade rice pudding never tasted like his and you have reminded me that he used lemon peel.. something I had forgotten.
many thanks
Marita
You are welcome Jane. I am glad this recipe stirred some childhood memories. It is one of my favorite as well.
John McDade
As a TYPE 1 Diabetic this recipe sounds perfect for someone who enjoys a dessert and the optional sugar content makes this one I can make and enjoy
Marita
Hi John, thanks for the comment. I am glad this recipe will suit your dietry needs. It is delicious even without sugar. Hope you will enjoy it. x
Mihaela|https://theworldisanoyster.com/
Aww, rice pudding brings back childhood memories; it is true! Mom made the exact same recipe and served it with cinnamon or a very sweet, sticky pine syrup she used to make. What a delightful treat!
Jean
I'll try this recipe and use oat milk thanks for the reco. I love rice puddings and learning new meals I guess this will be added to my breakfast list too.
Marita
Thanks Jean let me know how you like it