Description
Our gluten-free rice pudding recipe has all the classic flavor and creamy texture you crave. We love this easy, delicious dessert!
Ingredients
Scale
For The Rice Pudding:
- 1/2 cup uncooked arborio rice*
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt*
- 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
- 3 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/4–1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste*
Optional Toppings:
- Raisins, chopped almonds, fresh berries or berry sauce/cherry sauce, chopped pistachios, or whipped cream.
Instructions
- Combine arborio rice, sugar, salt and cinnamon stick in a large saucepan. Pour in the whole milk and stir to combine.
- Simmer & Cook To Thicken. Bring the pudding to a low simmer and cook 40-45 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring every few minutes to prevent burning or sticking on the bottom of the pan. (If the pudding starts to boil, reduce heat to keep it at a low simmer.) Keep in mind the rice will cook faster and need more attention toward the end of the cook time. The rice pudding should still look loose at this point, since the rice will continue to absorb the milk mixture as it cools. As long as the rice is tender and you’ve cooked it for the 40-45 minutes, trust that it will set up as it cools!
- Finish Pudding. Remove from the heat and stir in 1/4-1/2 cup heavy cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste.
- Chill At Least 4 Hours. Transfer rice pudding to an airtight container, cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours (up to overnight) to chill completely and to allow the rice to continue absorbing liquid.
- Stir & Serve. When you’re ready to serve, stir the pudding, and spoon into dessert cups. If desired, you can let the pudding come to room temperature before serving, though I prefer it cold!
- Store leftover rice pudding in an airtight container up to 3-4 days.
Notes
- Arborio Rice. This plump, short-grain rice is perfect for rice pudding or risotto because it releases starch as it cooks, which helps thicken the pudding, but it still maintains its texture. (You will not get the same results with another type of rice.) This recipe will NOT work with cooked rice.
- Salt. I’m using kosher salt, but if you’re using fine table salt, you’ll want to start with half of the amount.
- Cinnamon. A cinnamon stick helps infuse cinnamon flavor into the pudding without changing the color. If you can’t find cinnamon sticks, you can add a little ground cinnamon, to taste. But keep in mind, it will color the pudding slightly more brown.
- Vanilla. Vanilla bean paste can be a more affordable option for many, but if you’d prefer to use a vanilla bean, split the bean lengthwise, scrape out the black seeds with a sharp knife, and add both the seeds AND the vanilla bean pod to the milk with the cinnamon stick. Remove and discard the pod when you remove the cinnamon stick.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
