Description
Deliciously creamy, this dairy-free rice pudding is coziness in a bowl. Incredibly comforting, slightly sweetened and fragrant with spices, this can be enjoyed as a warm dessert or chilled for a fresh treat. Naturally gluten-free too.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups unsweetened dairy-free milk
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 cup uncooked short-grain rice
- 1/3 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 tablespoons raisins (optional)
Instructions
- Combine Milk, Water and Rice: In a medium pot, combine the uncooked short-grain rice together with the almond milk and water. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add Salt and Cook Until Creamy: Add salt and cook over low heat for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot, until the rice becomes soft and creamy.
- Whisk Egg and Brown Sugar: In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and light brown sugar until the mixture becomes light and frothy.
- Add Some Rice Mixture to Egg Mixture: Gradually add 4–5 spoonfuls of the hot rice mixture to the egg mixture, stirring constantly to prevent scrambling.
- Transfer to Pot: Slowly pour the tempered egg mixture back into the pot with the rice mixture, stirring continuously. Let it cook for another 5 minutes over low heat, making sure it doesn’t boil.
- Remove from Heat and Add Vanilla, Spices and Raisins: Remove from heat and mix in vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and raisins (if using). Stir well to combine.
- Let Sit Before Serving: Let the pudding sit for a few minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together. Serve warm or chilled, garnished with extra cinnamon.
Notes
Milk: I like using an unsweetened version of my homemade almond milk, but another unsweetened non-dairy milk will also work (such as cashew milk, rice milk, oat milk, coconut milk, etc). If you are not lactose-intolerant, go ahead and use regular milk instead.
Rice: I recommend using short-grain white rice varieties (such as Arborio rice or Carnaroli rice) as they have a higher starch content which gives the creamy consistency that we look for in rice pudding. Note: DO NOT rinse the rice before cooking – rinsing will remove the starch, which is what we want.
Egg: If you wish to make this rice pudding egg-free or vegan, you can leave out the egg directly.
Sugar: I used light brown sugar, but white sugar, cane sugar, or dark brown sugar will work too. Just note that the darker the color of the sugar, the darker will be the rice pudding.
Vanilla Extract: I like adding vanilla extract for extra flavor, so I highly recommend that you add it in. However, if you are using almond milk and want to highlight the taste of almonds, you can use almond extract instead.
Spices: I used a mix of ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg to add a beautiful flavor to this creamy rice pudding.
Raisins: For extra sweetness, I’ve added raisins (a mix of golden raisins and black raisins) to this recipe, but feel free to leave them out if you prefer.
Storing: To store, place the cooled dairy-free rice pudding in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop before serving.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Stovetop
