Last Updated on June 25, 2022
Lebanese Rice Pudding Recipe
Rice pudding is a universal dessert, found in many cultures, in different forms, and under different names.  Lebanese peeps don’t have a monopoly on it this time. However what probably makes this a “Lebanese” version is the addition of orange blossom water (mazaher) to the recipe. In Lebanon this dessert is known as “Riz B Haleeb” which translates to “Rice in Milk.”
Lebanese Rice Pudding (Riz B Haleeb)
A traditional Lebanese dessert, the Lebanese Rice Pudding Dessert With Pistachio is a perfect choice after a meal dessert. This Middle Eastern rice pudding is easy, homemade, and full of creamy goodness!
Lebanese Rice Pudding – Riz bi Haleeb
Lebanese Rice Pudding With Rose Water
Orange blossom water is a flavoring syrup made by distilling flowers from orange trees and is generally added to many Arabic/Turkish/Lebanese desserts. It can be typically found in Middle Eastern grocery stores or can be purchased online.
There is no Difference Between Kheer and
This rice pudding isn’t too far from what is served in Indian/Pakistani/Afghani/Persian restaurants as “kheer“. There are a few different variations of it. The basic ingredients are water, sugar, and orange blossom water, then you would add rice powder and/or rice and/or corn flower. All will yield to a virtually identical taste, but with different textures.
FAQs
How do you make rose water rice pudding?
The procedure of making rose water rice pudding is simple and easy. You can note it down from the following section.
How much rosewater do you put in rice pudding?
While making Rice Pudding the amount of Rose Water you need is one and a half teaspoons.
What is in Riz B Haleeb?
It is a traditional Lebanese sweet like kheer in Pakistan and India. Only Rice, Milk, and Sugar are the main ingredients.
Lebanese Rice Pudding Dessert With Pistachio
Ingredients
- 4 cups of milk
- 10-12 teaspoons of sugar to taste
- 1/2 cup of rice
- 2-4 Table Spoons of corn flour
- 2 teaspoons of orange blossom water
- Pistachio as a garnish
Instructions
- Rinse the rice then let dry
- Boil the milk with the sugar and rice on low heat for 15 minutes or until the rice softens all while stirring continuously.
- As the rice softens add the orange blossom water and the corn flour and stir it in and boil/stir for another 5 minutes or until the pudding hardens and gains the consistency of yogurt. If you add too much corn flour the pudding becomes too jello-like and if you add little it'll take on a more watery consistency. This is a personal preference. Try adding 2 first then increase if you need to.
- As the pudding hardens, pour it in your heat-resistant serving cups/plates and let rest for a few minutes before garnishing with pistachio and refrigerating.
- Serve cold.
I made this tonight with my leftover rice. I just used 2 cups of milk as I had half of the cup of rice I made for dinner. Added a 1/4 cup of sugar to the milk brought to a rolling simmer and added the rice and lowered to a simmer for 30 minutes. I added about 3 TBS of corn starch to about a 1/4 cup of milk and added to the pot with about 3 tsp of orange blossom water. Came out perfectly.
Taste was nice but just way too hard and not enough cooking time. Ended up standing at the stove for an hour!
This took way longer than 25 mins. The rice was still HARD at 20 mins, unless it’s meant to be crunchy rice pudding? The traditional Lebanese recipe states at least 50 mins cooking time and it definitely takes that at the very least.
boil the rice seperately then add to milk with corn flour for best results
Hi, How many servings does this recipe make?
thanks
Shaden the ingredients of the said Lebanese Rice Pudding recipe should yield around 5-7 servings depending on how large the serving cups are.
What would be the best rice to use?
Any rice is fine Antoinette
The best is egyptian rice.
Italian rice or short grain – any sticky kind is best
Is corn flour another name for cornstarch?
Thanks
Barb corn flour and corn starch are the same
wow ! This is so simple and delicious.I tried with fried cashew nuts instead of pistachio.It was adjustable.
Thank you. Brilliant taste love pistachio. Can I please ask you to post a recipe on your size for the yellow rice that is sold in Lebanese restaurants. It’s made in a huge pan and is fluffy and really tasty. Many thanks it goes really well with the mashwe chicken and garlic sauce. Ash.
Hi Ash – I don’t believe that there is much “lebanese” about the yellow rice… it probably is rice cooked with a bit of butter in the water as well as Saffron for coloring.
Mmm… with a summery spring Down Under, I’d love to make this and keep it in the fridge ’til it’s cold and refreshing… My mum parboils the rice before she puts it in the milk, but I’ve heard if you let it cook in the milk the starch from the rice helps thicken the milk too.. 🙂
Great recipe. Missing it big time. Should go buy some full cream milk (it always needs the full cream milk ;)) and make some myself.
Thank you Fati and sahtain salaf! 🙂
thanks