I Tried Glorified Rice, a Completely Forgotten Vintage Dessert Recipe

In my kitchen, there’s nothing I treasure more than my (extremely well-loved) Betty Crocker cookbook. I’m the third generation to flip through its pages. Some pages are dog-eared and familiar (like the ones with the recipe for spritz cookies). Other recipes haven’t seen the light of day since my grandmother bought this book in 1975. One of those recipes is glorified rice.

It sounds like a heavenly dish, so I had to know if this was some sort of vintage marshmallow fluff salad that really deserved my praise.

What is glorified rice?

With such a lofty name, this dish has to be something pretty fancy, right? Not so! This recipe is very similar to ambrosia salad. It’s made by combining cold rice with whipped cream, crushed pineapple, mini marshmallows, a touch of vanilla and a few maraschino cherries.

Glorified rice (sometimes called glorified rice salad) is often served alongside a meal the same way a Midwestern cookie salad or fluff salad might be, though it might also make an appearance as a dessert.

How do you make glorified rice?

Making glorified rice is pretty easy—and you can even prep some of it in advance. I used the exact recipe from my Betty Crocker’s Cookbook. Here’s what you’ll need for this throwback recipe:

• 1 cup cooked rice, cooled
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup miniature marshmallows
• 2 tablespoons drained chopped maraschino cherries
• 1 cup whipping cream

First, make the rice. You can even make the rice the night before if you like. What’s important is that it’s chilled.

Then, make a simple whipped cream. Beat the cream with a hand or stand mixer until it’s light and fluffy.

Combine the rice with the sugar, drained pineapple, vanilla, mini marshmallows and cherries. Then gently fold in the whipped cream until combined.

Cover the bowl, and chill the glorified rice until you’re ready to serve it. If you’re like me, you’ll add a maraschino cherry (or two) on top of each serving.

Should glorified rice make a comeback?

It depends! Rice desserts aren’t totally unusual. After all, there’s arroz con leche, rice pudding and kheer—all of which are sweet and comforting. If glorified rice was a family favorite once upon a time, I say it’s worth revisiting that well-worn page in your recipe book. And if you’ve never tried it, then for sure try it. You never know, it might just become your new favorite dessert.

I personally wished I was eating a pineapple fluff instead. The glorified rice dish has the creamy, tart and sweet components that I love about so many desserts, but I’d rather taste more fruit than rice.