This recipe for Danish rice pudding is a very traditional and famous dish in Denmark. In Denmark we call this dish Risengrød which directly translated simply means Rice pudding. Risengrød is mostly served in the month of December and especially in the time around the Christmas days. In many families a large batch of rice pudding is made the 23rd of December where some of it is eaten for dinner and the rest is saved for the 24th. On the day of Christmas eve the rice pudding is mixed with vanilla, whipped cream and almonds and it’s served as the famous and very delicious Christmas dessert Risalamande.
See also: Christmas Recipe for traditional Danish Butter Cookies
There are slightly different ways of making this rice pudding, however, this is the recipe my mother always used when I was a kid and it’s the one we use today. Risengroed is very easy to make, you only need four different ingredients, rice, milk, water and some salt – all the ingredients are pouring into a large sauce pan and boiled for about 35 minutes. However, you do have to remember to stir in the pudding once in a while so that the rice don’t burn to the bottom of the sauce pan. Personally we prefer to eat the rice pudding with cinnamon sugar and a tablespoon of butter as topping. Cinnamon sugar is simply just sugar and cinnamon mixed in the ratio of 4:1.
If you are making this rice pudding for the Danish dessert Risalamande we suggest that you add the vanilla from 1-2 vanilla beans and the empty bean to the rice pudding while boiling it. Also leave out the salt.
Ingredients
- 2.25 dl short-grained white rice pudding rice
- 1 dl water
- 1 liter milk
- 1 tsp salt
Cinnamon-Sugar
- 4 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Pour the water and the rice in a large sauce pan. Add salt, heat it up and let it boil for about 2 minutes.
- Pour the milk into the sauce pan and let it boil while stirring.
- Let the rice pudding boil lightly/simmer for about 35 minutes under a lid. Remember to stir in the pudding regularly so that the rice does not burn to the bottom of the sauce pan.
- Make some cinnamon sugar by mixing the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
Notes
This worked out perfectly. Thank you from South Africa!
Hi Lise, that is just super. Thanks for your comment :) Regards Kim
Although I am from New Mexico, USA, my great grandfather was from Denmark. My family has lost all its traditions from Denmark so we have begun to make new traditions and enjoy making foods from Denmark. We made Kringle yesterday and will be making this rice pudding today. Thank you for posting this.
Hi Marc. Nice to hear from you – it really sounds like a great idea of bringing back some of your old danish roots. I hope you are going to enjoy the rice pudding – it is a really popular danish dish especially during the Christmas time. Regards Kim
Hello Kim! Thank you for creating this blog. So many foods from my childhood you have given back to me. The chocolate oatmeal balls were ones my dad made every Christmas when we were kids, but he quit making them when we all moved out of the house, and now he has passed away he won’t be making them anymore. So, I am going to restart the tradition and my grandchildren will be helping me make them this weekend. A pre-Christmas trial to make sure we get them just right! Glaedelig Jul!
Hi Kirsten. That is a nice story and it sounds really great that you are going to continue the tradition. I guess it is a nice way of bringing back some good memories each Christmas. Regards Kim
Hi Kim,
Each Christmas my family picks a different country that celebrates some type of holiday in the winter. We have the kids vote on which country to pick then make a traditional meal and learn about some of the customs/traditions of that particular country. The kids picked Denmark this year so I’m looking forward to learning more about your country and trying the wonderful dishes. I’m in charge of the Risengrod and very excited to try this! Thanks for sharing this traditional recipe!
Julie
Hi Julie. What a wonderful tradition you have – such a great way to learn about another country. I hope that you will like the Risengrod. Actually, it is Risengrod which are served to Santa Claus when her is delivering presents for the kids – like cookies and milk which are served in the states :-)
Hi Kim I was born in Denmark but have lived most of my life in New Zealand I have never forgotten how special Christmas was in Denmark when I was young , I have continued with the Danish Christmas tradition with my Kiwi family and they all love it and are introducing it to their own families . From making our own red cabbage to baking Danish Christmas cookies but the risengrood is definitely the favourite I sometimes make it as a treat during the year.
Hi Bent. Thanks for your comment. It’s always nice to keep some of the old and good traditions. And a side note; New Zealand is a country high on my list of countries I want to visit in the future.
Hello Kim,
I am celebrating Danish Christmas in England and fiund all the recipes I needed on Nordic Food & Living!
Thanks so much for publishing this great blog and god jul!
Stina
Hi Stina. You are welcome :-)
Salt goes in at the end normally :)
Hi Kim,
Thank you very much for this lovely blog! I’m living in Denmark with my boyfriend and we are very curious about all the traditional Danish meals. We used your page a couple of times to make different kinds of dishes! Today we are making risengrød :)
You are welcome :-) I am glad that you like my page. Risengrød is a great choice if you are looking for some traditional Danish food.