This creamy Brown Rice Pudding is naturally sweetened, dairy-free, vegan, and packed with wholesome ingredients for a satisfying yet light indulgence. It’s a cozy, nourishing treat made with simple ingredients that works as breakfast, a snack, or dessert. Made with coconut milk, almond milk, and cooked brown rice, it’s the perfect way to use up leftover rice while creating something comforting and delicious!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Brown rice has always held a special place in my kitchen. Its nutty flavor and wholesome goodness make it a staple in my home. Unlike white rice, brown rice retains its bran and germ layers, offering a bounty of fiber, protein, minerals, and essential fatty acids. It also creates a delicious chewy texture that’s missing in most traditional rice pudding recipes.
While it’s true that brown rice takes a bit longer to cook—about 45-50 minutes on the stove top compared to 20 minutes for white rice—I find it worthwhile to prepare a large batch early in the week. This way, I have cooked rice ready for various meals, like turkey stuffed bell peppers or kimchi fried rice.
Are you skeptical about the use of bay leaves in rice pudding? When my Puerto Rican mother-in-law suggested it to me, I was too. But it really adds an interesting earthy, floral note to the creamy rice pudding. It’s definitely not a deal-breaker, though. Serve this brown rice pudding recipe with a berry compote, winter fruit salad with pears, figs, and apricots, a handful of raisins, or drizzled with dark chocolate sauce for a decadent treat.
Ingredient Notes
- Coconut milk – Adds a subtle sweetness and creamy texture without the dairy. Use full-fat for extra indulgence or light for a lighter version.
- Almond milk, rice milk, or hemp milk – A plant-based milk that complements the coconut milk while keeping the pudding dairy-free. Each type of milk brings a slightly different flavor and consistency.
- Brown rice syrup – A mild, butterscotch-like sweetener that enhances the pudding without being overpowering. It’s less sweet than maple syrup or honey.
- Cooked brown rice (short or long-grain) – The base of this pudding! Short-grain rice gives a creamier consistency, while long-grain results in a slightly chewier texture.
- Vanilla bean (or vanilla extract) – Infuses a depth of flavor. Using a whole vanilla bean provides the best aroma, but vanilla extract works beautifully too.
- Bay leaf – A surprising but delightful addition that adds an earthy, floral note. If you don’t have it on hand, you can still make a delicious pudding without it.
- Salt – Just a pinch balances the sweetness and brings out all the flavors.
For exact ingredient amounts and instructions, see the printable recipe card below.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Whisk together coconut milk, almond milk, and brown rice syrup until blended.
Step 2: Place the cooked brown rice in a medium, heavy-bottomed pot. Add the coconut milk mixture, vanilla bean, bay leaf, and salt. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice but is still creamy, about 20 minutes.
Step 3: Turn off the heat and remove the vanilla bean and bay leaf. Serve warm or at room temperature. The pudding will thicken as it sits.
Expert Tips
- While this recipe calls for cooked brown rice, you can make it with different varieties. Short-grain brown rice tends to yield a creamier texture, while long-grain brown rice offers a slightly chewier bite. If you’re looking to incorporate more whole grains into your diet, this pudding is a delightful way to do so.
- Don’t hesitate to add other flavors into your pudding. A cinnamon stick and pinch of cardamom simmered with the rice adds warmth, while a strip of lemon zest can add a subtle brightness.
Serving Tips
- Toppings Bar: Set up a topping station with fresh fruits like apples, berries, or bananas, crunchy nuts such as almonds or walnuts, dried fruit, and extras like cinnamon, coconut sugar, or cacao nibs for added texture. Add some homemade apple caramel sauce to top it all off.
- Extra Creamy Option: For an ultra-luxurious texture, stir in a splash of whole milk, soy milk, or heavy cream just before serving. This makes the pudding extra rich and smooth.
- Pairing Ideas: Enjoy with a cup of gingerbread yerba mate latte, a turmeric latte, or a drizzle of espresso for an extra special moment.
Storage Tips
To store any leftovers, transfer the cooled brown rice pudding into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, you can serve it cold straight from the fridge or reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
If the pudding has thickened too much upon standing or reheating, simply stir in a splash of your preferred milk—be it almond milk, oat milk, or even traditional whole milk—to achieve your desired creamy texture.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! This pudding is a fantastic way to repurpose leftover rice. Using pre-cooked long or short grain rice saves time and allows the grains to absorb the flavors more readily.
What’s so great about this recipe is its flexibility. Taste the pudding as it cooks, and if you prefer a sweeter profile, gradually add more brown rice syrup or your chosen sweetener until it suits your palate.
While it’s best enjoyed fresh or within a few days of refrigeration, you can freeze brown rice pudding. Portion it into individual servings, place them in airtight containers, and freeze for up to one month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat gently, adding a bit of milk to restore its creamy consistency.
Brown rice syrup imparts a mild sweetness with a hint of butterscotch, complementing the nutty flavor of the rice. However, you can use other sweeteners like pure maple syrup, coconut sugar, or even a touch of brown sugar, depending on your preference.
If your pudding is too thin, it may need more time to simmer so the rice can absorb more liquid—just keep cooking on low heat, stirring frequently, until it thickens. If it’s too thick, brown rice naturally continues absorbing liquid as it sits, so simply stir in a splash of your milk of choice before serving to loosen it up and restore the creamy texture.
More Sweet Pudding Recipes
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Creamy Brown Rice Pudding Recipe (Vegan)
Ingredients
- ½ 13- ounce can coconut milk , (¾ cup)
- ¾ cup almond milk, rice milk or hemp milk
- 1/3 cup brown rice syrup
- 2 cups cooked brown rice, short or long-grain
- ½ vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 bay leaf
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Whisk together coconut milk, almond milk and brown rice syrup until blended.
- Place the cooked brown rice in a medium, heavy-bottomed pot. Add coconut milk mixture, vanilla bean, bay leaf and salt. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, but is still creamy, about 20 minutes.
- Turn off heat and remove vanilla bean and bay leaf. Serve warm or room temperature. Pudding will thicken as it sits.
Notes
- While this recipe calls for cooked brown rice, you can make it with different varieties. Short-grain brown rice tends to yield a creamier texture, while long-grain brown rice offers a slightly chewier bite. If you’re looking to incorporate more whole grains into your diet, this pudding is a delightful way to do so.
- Don’t hesitate to add other flavors into your pudding. A cinnamon stick and pinch of cardamom simmered with the rice adds warmth, while a strip of lemon zest can add a subtle brightness.
- To store any leftovers, transfer the cooled brown rice pudding into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, you can serve it cold straight from the fridge or reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- If the pudding has thickened too much upon standing or reheating, simply stir in a splash of your preferred milk—be it almond milk, oat milk, or even traditional whole milk—to achieve your desired creamy texture.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Don’t have brown rice syrup…what could I use as a substitute?
Honey or maple syrup.
Great thanks! Looking forward to trying this.
Mmmm yummy. I just made this as I needed a gluten free dessert treat for a friend. I didn’t have the coconut milk but mixed almond vanilla and almond coconut milk and I used fresh honey instead of the rice syrup and also goji berries! It’s delicious!!
Oooh, goji berries take this up a notch! Nice!
Thanks!
Instead of steaming brown rice have you ever boiled it like pasta? I do this quite often and like you I cook a large batch so I will have rice for the week.
Great point to bring up, Audrey! Yes, I have been cooking my rice that way exclusively since I learned more about the high concentration of arsenic in rice. It actually cooks faster, too. Thanks!
The bay leaf is used when the dish is made more on the sweet side?
The bay leaf adds an earthiness, but it doesn’t take away from the sweetness at all. It’s optional if you don’t have it.
How do you cook brown rice? Is it 2/1 like white rice? my brown rice is never fluffy.
Couple of tips I can give you that seem to work for me: rinse your rice before cooking to get rid of any excess starch; make sure you have a pot that’s neither too big nor too small; do NOT stir, touch, peek at your rice while cooking; 2 to 1 water to rice is usually a good bet with brown rice. I also like it to steam a bit after it finishes cooking with the lid on, but heat off. Good luck!
I love rice pudding and decided to try your recipe for breakfast this morning instead of the usual oatmeal. It was the BEST…so creamy and tasty (also a learning experience using brown rice syrup)! I put a cinnamon stick
in the water when I cooked the rice, and the rice actually absorbed the cinnamon flavor; I also added ground cinnamon and nutmeg to the finished product. Thanks for all the great tips!
Cinnamon stick in the water for the rice — GENIUS! Thank YOU for the great tip.
I made the pudding yesterday with goat’s milk. The rice syrup tasted very “ricey” by itself – I had to put my finger in the jar since I never used it before- but it blended very well in the pudding. We added blueberries and walnuts and we had a wonderful breakfast! I am going to incorporate rice syrup when I bake something sweet. I love the fact that is a relatively healthy alternative . Thank you Pamela for introducing it!
Pancakes next!
Good to know that goat’s milk is a good substitute for almond milk. This is one of my family’s favorite breakfasts!
Does instant brown rice work in the brown rice pudding recipe? And are any health benefits lost by using instant brown rice instead of slow cooking?
Maria — Good question! Unlike instant oats versus steel cut oats, there is no significant difference in the nutrient profile of instant brown rice versus regular brown rice. Instant brown rice has been parboiled, which leaves the outer bran layer open and able to absorb water more easily and quickly when you cook it. Enjoy!
This is so delicious! I have a sweet tooth and in the morning I just crave for this! definitely my favorite breakfast dish!