Easy Brown Rice Pudding
Published 10/2/2018 • Updated 12/8/2023
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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
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.
Yes, this is a naturally gluten free (and dairy free/vegan) recipe!
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.
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.
- 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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Rice pudding is one of my favorite desserts, but I rarely ever have it because of the dairy overload. I love that this version uses almond milk and it’s healthier. Look forward to trying!
WOOT! Dairy free baby 🙂
This is one of my favorite things to make with leftover brown rice. Sometimes I add a little cardamom too or use full fat coconut milk to make it extra rich and creamy. This just seriously gave me a craving since it’s chilly here today!
Lee,
What kind of rice cooker do you use/recommend? I’m looking for a good one!
I actually got mine as a gift. The brand is Aroma. Mine is a smaller one because I don’t need to make 10 cups of rice at a time 🙂
I would omit sugar and add stevia and raisins, craisins, chopped prunes or chopped dates for sweetness. Drugstore.com sells a convenient squeezable liquid stevia.
You could definitely do that! Sometimes I just like the taste of real sugar 🙂 But stevia is definitely an option 🙂
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 🙂
Looks so comforting!!! 😀
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! 🙂
I think I definitely need a rice cooker! This recipe looks so delicious and I’ve always wanted to try rice pudding for breakfast.