Where did rice pudding originate from?

Although rice pudding does not have one specific origin, many believe that this sweet rice dish began in India during the Mughal empire and made its way across the world. However, there are several accounts of the same dessert being made in different countries under another name.

Since rice is a staple in Asian countries, it is generally agreed that Asia is the origin of rice sweets as well. With its abundance of rice and spices in Asia, it is likely that rice pudding was originally created in Persia, India or China and eventually made its way to Europe, where recipes for baked rice puddings began to appear around the 17th century.