This rich and creamy Vegan Coconut Rice Pudding Recipe is pure decadence! With an incredible coconut flavor and notes of vanilla and cinnamon, this vegan version is sure to be a hit with traditional rice pudding lovers! This delicious rice pudding is easy to make with just a few simple ingredients.
Rice pudding is a dessert that my mom always made me when I was little and growing up in Bulgaria. I really love recreating my childhood treats and making them vegan, and that's exactly what I did with this vegan rice pudding.
Whether you've had rice pudding before or it's your first time trying it, this creamy vegan rice pudding will become one of your favorite desserts! Combining the perfect amount of coconut flavor and sweetness, you'll absolutely love this dairy-free rice pudding.
You'll want to make up a batch of rice pudding to satisfy your sweet tooth throughout the week! For more delicious vegan pudding recipes, be sure to check out my banana pudding and chocolate protein chia pudding next.
What You'll Need to Make This Vegan Rice Pudding Recipe
This coconut rice pudding combines a few basic ingredients that can be found at most grocery stores. For the full recipe and ingredient measurements, be sure to check out the recipe card below.
- Brown Rice: Rice is the base for this vegan pudding recipe. While most rice pudding recipes tend to use white rice, I chose to use brown rice for a slightly healthier version.
- Sugar: Adds sweetness to the rice pudding. You can use white sugar, brown sugar, organic cane sugar, or coconut sugar.
- Dairy-Free Milk: Adds creaminess to the pudding. Use any non-dairy milk of your choice such as soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, coconut milk, or cashew milk.
- Vegan Butter: Adds richness to the rice pudding. You can use your favorite brand of plant-based butter.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds a hint of vanilla flavor to the pudding and also enhances the other flavors.
- Coconut Cream: Helps thicken up the pudding and provides the coconut flavor.
- Ground Cinnamon: A sprinkle of cinnamon adds flavor and is the perfect way to top off this creamy rice pudding.
Variations and Substitutions
- Tropical Twist: Give this rice pudding some tropical flair by enhancing the coconut flavor with a sprinkle of coconut flakes or toasted coconut and adding some crushed pineapple and sliced bananas on top.
- Chocolate Rice Pudding: Mix in some cocoa powder for a chocolaty flavor.
- Add Some Zest: Mix in some orange zest or lemon zest for some zing.
How to Make Creamy Coconut Rice Pudding
- Step 1: Rinse and drain the uncooked rice and then add it to a large pot. Stir in the sugar, milk, butter and vanilla.
- Step 2: Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium. Cover and allow the rice to cook for 45-50 minutes, stirring every 7-10 minutes.
- Step 3: Take a small amount of rice and taste for doneness. It should be soft and chewy, not crunchy.
- Step 4: Once the rice is done, remove from the heat and add in the coconut cream. Stir in some cinnamon or serve topped with cinnamon. Enjoy the pudding warm or refrigerate and serve cold.
Serving Suggestions
This vegan rice pudding makes the perfect ending to a meal with friends or an indulgent afternoon treat! Serve it with your favorite toppings such as dark chocolate chips, chopped nuts, fresh fruit, or drizzled with maple syrup.
Enjoy it on its own, with a whipped coffee, a dalgona matcha latte, or your favorite after dinner drink
Expert Tips
- Be sure to use a large enough pot. You want to have room to boil the milk and for the rice to increase in volume.
- Don't skip the stirring! Make sure you stir the rice every 7-10 minutes while cooking to prevent it from sticking.
- Don't turn the heat too high. Cook the pudding on medium low heat to medium heat to ensure the rice cooks evenly.
- Store leftover pudding in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. Leftover rice pudding can be reheated in the oven or microwave or enjoyed cold.
Recipe Video
Recipe FAQs
Traditional rice pudding is not vegan since it is made with dairy milk. But this version uses dairy-free milk instead to make it the perfect vegan option.
The best kind of rice to use for this recipe is long-grain rice, such as basmati or jasmine rice. But you can experiment with different rices such as a short-grain rice like arborio rice.
More Creamy Vegan Desserts
Rice Pudding Recipe
Equipment
- large pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 5 cups dairy free milk
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup coconut cream
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Start by rinsing and draining the rice. Then add the rice to a large pot. Add the sugar, milk, butter, and vanilla to the rice and stir them together.
- Turn the stove on high heat until the milk starts to boil. Then reduce the heat to medium. Cover with a lid while the rice pudding is cooking. Stir the rice pudding every 7-10 minutes.
- Cook the rice for 45-50 minutes. To test if it's ready, take out a small amount of rice and taste it to make sure that it's soft and chewy, and not crunchy. *Blow on it first to cool it off before testing it so that you don't burn yourself!
- Once the rice has cooked, remove from heat. Most of the liquid will have evaporated, but there should still be a some liquid left. The consistency should be fairly runny. If you like the pudding to be thicker, you can cook the pudding for longer and adjust it to your preference.
- Once you have removed the rice pudding from the heat, add in the coconut cream. This will make the rice pudding thicker.
- You can add the cinnamon into the rice pudding and mix it in, or you can leave it out and top each bowl of rice pudding that you serve with a layer of cinnamon (like I have in the photos above).
- You can enjoy the rice pudding warm or refrigerate it and enjoy it cold. You can store in the fridge for about 5-7 days.
Video
Notes
- Be sure to use a large enough pot. You want to have room to boil the milk and for the rice to increase in volume.
- Don't skip the stirring! Make sure you stir the rice every 7-10 minutes while cooking to prevent it from sticking.
- Don't turn the heat too high. Cook the pudding on medium low heat to medium heat to ensure the rice cooks evenly.
- Store leftover pudding in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. Leftover rice pudding can be reheated in the oven or microwave or enjoyed cold.
Laurie
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