Instantly warm up chilly winter days with a bowl of cozy brown rice pudding. This naturally vegan recipe is delightfully cinnamon-spiced and comes together with just 6 wholesome ingredients.
Once the temps drop below freezing, it’s rice pudding season here in the midwest. If you aren’t familiar with traditional rice pudding, you’re in for a treat today! Homemade brown rice pudding is thick, slightly sweet, creamy, and warms you up from the inside out! It’s like a second cousin to oatmeal – especially when made with a whole grain like brown rice. Often enjoyed for dessert, we love rice pudding for breakfast or an afternoon pick-me-up, too.
This wholesome stovetop brown rice pudding is made in about an hour (lots of hands-off time) with simple ingredients and without any refined sugars. Here at Fit Foodie, we love cinnamon – if you do, too, we recommend increasing the amount to 2 teaspoons for even more warm, cozy flavor. Our naturally plant-based recipe is also gluten free, making this a versatile sweet that everyone loves!
Featured Comment
“Easy recipe to follow and we loved the results. We added a small handful of raisins at the 45 minute mark, and they added a nice texture and sweetness. We love cinnamon, and will increase the amount for the next batch.” – Ryan
What is in brown rice pudding?
All you need are just a few pantry staples to make this simple recipe:
- Brown rice (we used long grain)
- Almond milk
- Maple syrup
- Salt
- Vanilla
- Cinnamon
Brown Rice Pudding Variations
Rice pudding is a very forgiving recipe and works well with any of these substitutions:
Rice: Use the same amount of white rice instead of brown rice.
Milk: Instead of almond milk, use any kind of plant-based or regular milk. Oat milk would add a delicious creaminess and sweetness.
Maple Syrup: Feel free to use honey instead, but the pudding would no longer be vegan.
Spices: Increase the amount of cinnamon or mix things up by adding homemade pumpkin pie spice or a chai spice mix.
FAQ
Do you serve rice pudding for breakfast or dessert?
Rice pudding is typically a dessert, but this recipe could totally pass for breakfast! Top with berries or a sliced banana, nuts, and a drizzle of maple syrup for a wholesome breakfast.
Is rice pudding gluten free?
Yes, this is a naturally gluten free (and dairy free/vegan) recipe!
How do you thin out rice pudding?
Rice pudding is supposed to be pretty thick. Once cooked, if it’s too thick for your liking, add 1-2 tablespoons of additional milk at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It’s a great meal-prep snack or dessert to make on the weekend and enjoy all week long!
Freezing Brown Rice Pudding
Let the rice pudding cool to room temperature, transfer to freezer-safe containers (we like to freeze this in individual servings), and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and warm before enjoying – you may need to stir in a splash of almond milk to thin the pudding out a bit.
Serving Suggestions
Serve brown rice pudding hot with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon and a splash of almond milk. If you’re eating this recipe for breakfast, I suggest swirling in a nut butter (like cashew butter or peanut butter) and adding a handful of raisins or nuts.
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Easy Brown Rice Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain brown rice
- 4 cups unsweetened almond milk divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch salt
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup*
Instructions
- Place the brown rice, 3 cups of almond milk, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and maple syrup in a medium pot set over medium/high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover the pot with a lid. Let simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining cup of milk and simmer for another 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is soft and chewy.
- Serve with a sprinkle of cinnamon and optional almond milk.
Tips & Notes
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing Instructions: Once cool, transfer rice pudding to freezer-safe containers, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and warm before enjoying – you may need to stir in a splash of almond milk to thin the pudding out a bit.Â
- Maple Syrup: Use 1-2 more tablespoons of maple syrup for sweeter rice pudding. Feel free to use honey instead, but the pudding would no longer be vegan.
Man, I need to get a rice cooker! Does this taste like oatmeal at all?
DO IT! It is VERY VERY VERY similar to oatmeal.
I just tried rice pudding for the first time not too long again. I never understood what all the fuss was about until I tried it… amazing! I can’t wait to make this recipe!
Seriously. I AGREE. I think it’s because rice has classically been eaten savory. People are missing out!
I just love the food pictures on your blog. They make almost anything look so delicious!
Well thanks Nikki đŸ™‚
Looks so comforting!!! đŸ˜€
Random question: What software/app do you use to add captions to your pictures?!
Oh and this recipe looks flipping deeeeelicious. Anything warm and creamy is like crack to me. Ha!
Hey lady! I use Photoshop. BUT a good free one that I use on my phone is called Over. Check it out!
Thanks a bunch! đŸ™‚
I think I definitely need a rice cooker! This recipe looks so delicious and I’ve always wanted to try rice pudding for breakfast.
I love my rice cooker!! Every Sunday I use it to make quinoa for lunches during the week. Such a versatile tool in the kitchen đŸ™‚
I do that too!!!!! Perfect quinoa. EVERY TIME.
How do you cook quinoa in the rice cooker?
Hey Sara. I’ve never actually tried, but I assume you just add 1 cup quinoa and 2 cups water into a rice cooker and turn it on!
OMG I cannot wait to make this! I have been wanting to make a sweet rice in my rice cooker and so excited to try this out. I’m so bad at cooking rice on the stove, hence why I have a rice cooker and I love it. Thanks for sharing!
LOL. I hear you. IT ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS overflows. #fail
Fall is in full swing here too. Perfect weather for a comforting bowl of rice pudding. I’m thinking some coconut butter would be killer in this!
Holy kamoly. That is GENIUS.
YUM! That looks so good! Is there a big difference between a rice cooker and a crock pot? (Is that a dumb question?) I don’t have a rice cooker but I do have a crockpot! đŸ˜‰
I was actually thinking about that yesterday. I am not sure if you could make that in a crock pot because rice cookers get much hotter. If I find any info on that I’ll let you know!
Awesome recipe!!! And yes, I use my rice cooker ALL the time!!! Makes the best rice!
Can’t wait to try this! đŸ™‚
Woot! Let me know how it goes Hannah đŸ™‚
Yum! I love rice pudding đŸ˜› This looks amazing!
It’s crazy how much you use a rice cooker once you have one. I never thought I’d have so many uses for mine until I started using it, and found I could cook nearly everything I wanted to in it. This rice pudding sounds so comforting, and I bet nobody will ever miss the extra fat/sugar/other extraneous rice pudding ingredients.
Agreed! I can’t believe how often I use it. Plus- no more overflowing on my stovetop!
YES YES YES!!
especially the organic cane sugar.
How many servings does this make?
I would say 4! The rice really puffs up because it absorbs so much liquid. I will add that into the recipe!
Does anyone know how to substitute honey for the sugar? Does it matter if I just put in a teaspoon or two ?