Christmas with kids 2026
All the dates from the first Sunday of Advent to St Knut's Day, Christmas markets and a Christmas that happens outdoors.
To the Christmas guideRice porridge over an open fire – creamy Christmas porridge that simmers slowly
Pudding rice, milk and cinnamon – slowly in the pot, with an almond for luck
- 4–6 servings
- Time: 10 min + 50 min over the fire
- Difficulty: Medium
- 10 ingredients
- 8 steps
Rice porridge is the best porridge of Christmas – creamy, mild and sweet, with cinnamon on top and an almond hidden somewhere in the pot. Whoever finds the almond gets to make a wish, or according to the old tradition will marry within a year. The porridge is perfect for Christmas Eve, but it is just as good on a cold December day outside by the fire, simmered slowly in a cast-iron pot while the children go sledging.
Rice porridge has a reputation for being hard to cook over a fire, because the milk easily burns onto the bottom. The trick is low, even heat, a lid and stirring. The pot should stand at the edge of the embers, not in the middle of the fire. And if you are in a hurry, you can start the porridge at home and let it finish cooking outdoors.
Method
- Let the fire burn down to an even bed of embers and place the pot on a grill or stones a little above the embers.
- Pour the water, rice, butter, salt and cinnamon stick into the pot and let it simmer until the water has almost boiled away, about 10 minutes. Stir a few times.
- Pour in the milk a little at a time and stir well.
- Move the pot out towards the edge of the embers, where it is warm but not hot. Put the lid on.
- Let the porridge simmer for 40–45 minutes. Stir every five minutes and scrape along the bottom with the flat edge of the spoon.
- The porridge is ready when the rice is soft and the porridge creamy. If it is too thick, stir in more milk.
- Take out the cinnamon stick and push the almond down somewhere in the pot.
- Serve with cinnamon and sugar, cold milk and a knob of butter.
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All recipes →How to keep the porridge from burning on the bottom
- Water first. Rice that has first cooked in water swells and sticks less when the milk goes in.
- The right place in the fire. Milk burns even at moderate heat. The pot should simmer quietly – if it bubbles hard, move it further out or lift it onto higher stones.
- Scrape the bottom. Do not just stir around the middle. Drag the edge of the spoon along the whole bottom so that nothing has time to stick.
- Start at home. Cook the porridge for 20 minutes on the hob at home, pour it into a sealed container and let it finish cooking in the pot outdoors. That halves the time by the fire.
- Burnt on the bottom? Pour the porridge into a clean pot without scraping the bottom – then the burnt taste does not come with it.
The almond in the porridge
The almond in the Christmas porridge is an old tradition. Whoever finds it gets to make a wish – or, as people said in the old days, will marry within a year. With children it becomes exciting to see who gets the almond. If you want to avoid disappointed faces, an adult can keep an eye on where it ends up, or you can put in one almond per child. Remember that small children under three should not have whole nuts or almonds – then a raisin or a piece of fruit can be the "almond".
Ris à la Malta from the leftovers
If there is rice pudding left over, it can become ris à la Malta the day after. Let the porridge cool completely, whip 3 dl cream and fold it into 5 dl cold porridge with 1 tbsp sugar and a little vanilla sugar. Serve with orange pieces or a warm berry sauce – for example warm berries as in vanilla ice cream with cloudberries.
Vary the porridge
- With cardamom: crush a few cardamom pods and cook them with the rice.
- With vanilla: split a vanilla pod and scrape the seeds into the milk.
- Lactose-free or vegan: use lactose-free milk or oat drink – oat drink makes the porridge a little thinner, so use less.
- With saffron: a pinch of saffron in the milk gives a yellow Lucia porridge.
Common mistakes
- The pot stands in the middle of the embers – the milk burns on and the porridge tastes burnt.
- No stirring – the porridge sticks to the bottom within minutes.
- The wrong rice – long-grain rice does not become creamy. Use pudding rice.
- Too little time – the rice should be completely soft. Allow 50 minutes in total.
Frequently asked questions
How long should rice porridge cook?
About 50 minutes: 10 minutes in water and 40–45 minutes after the milk has been added. The rice should be completely soft and the porridge creamy.
Can you make rice porridge the day before?
Yes. Heat it gently with an extra splash of milk and stir often. Over the fire: put the pot far out at the edge and heat it slowly.
Why does rice porridge burn on?
Milk burns even at moderate heat. Keep the pot on low, even heat, scrape the bottom when you stir and use a heavy pot, ideally cast iron.
What do you do about the almond if the children are small?
Whole almonds and nuts can get stuck in the throat of children under three. Use a raisin or a piece of fruit as the "almond" in the youngest children's portions.
More Christmas food and warm drinks by the fire: make glögg over an open fire, bake cinnamon buns in the pan or read the whole the Christmas guide.
More guides and recipes to read
More Christmas by the fire