Slow Cooker Rice Pudding is an old-fashioned dessert made easy! Let your crockpot do all the work before indulging in a bowl of this sweet, comforting, and cinnamon-spiced treat.
Give this Slow Cooker Rice Pudding Recipe a try the next time you’re craving a warm and comforting dessert. It practically cooks itself!
Forget everything you know about fussing over rice pudding on the stove. This easy, hands-free alternative involves tossing the ingredients into a slow cooker, letting it do its thing for a few hours, and then indulging. It’s the perfect treat to enjoy after a busy day.
Recipe features
- An almost no-effort dessert that only requires 5 minutes of hands-on prep time.
- Made with simple ingredients you likely have in your kitchen right now!
- It’s creamy, comforting, and has the perfect balance of sweetness and warmth.
- Serve each cozy bowl with lots of toppings, like the brown sugar butter in the recipe, fresh fruit, or chocolate chips.
Ingredients
Milk – You need a good amount of milk to make the rice pudding rich and creamy, so use one you like. Whole milk is great, or you can use 1%, 2%, or non-dairy milk, like oat or soy milk.
Sweeteners – A blend of maple syrup, brown sugar, and vanilla extract sweetens the rice pudding. You can replace the brown sugar with coconut sugar or an equal amount of maple syrup if you’d like.
Cinnamon – The rice pudding just wouldn’t be as warm and cozy without the cinnamon! Even a pinch of nutmeg would be nice here.
Rice – Long-grain white rice is the best choice for rice pudding because it cooks evenly and holds its shape well (no more mushy rice pudding!). Jasmine, basmati, or arborio rice will also work, but the cooking times will vary and the texture of the final pudding may not be as tender.
Instructions
Step 1: Combine the ingredients. Spray your slow cooker with non-stick spray, then dump in all of the ingredients except the butter. Stir well to combine, then place the butter on top.
Step 2: Cook. Place the lid on top of your slow cooker and cook on high until the rice is tender.
Step 3: Add toppings and serve. Divide the rice pudding into bowls and top with the optional cinnamon brown sugar butter or your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Tips and FAQs
- Stir the rice pudding every hour or so to prevent the grains from sticking together.
- Once cooked, let the rice pudding rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. Or, for a deliciously cool and creamy dessert, chill the rice pudding in the refrigerator for a few hours. This allows the flavors to meld and the pudding to thicken slightly.
- If your rice pudding is too thick, stir in a splash of milk or cream until it reaches your desired consistency.
Tip
Quickly toast the uncooked rice in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden before adding it to the slow cooker. This is a great way to infuse the pudding with a delicious nutty flavor while preventing the rice from becoming mushy.
Variations
- Vegan option – Use your favorite non-dairy milk and vegan butter to make vegan rice pudding instead.
- Fruit mix-ins – You can stir in fresh diced apples, diced pears, or dried fruits like raisins, cranberries, apricots, or figs with the rest of the ingredients. Or, for a sweet, citrusy kick, add the zest and juice of an orange.
- Chocolate rice pudding – Stir in a few squares of chopped dark chocolate or replace the cinnamon with 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder for a chocolatey version.
- More mix-in ideas – Chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts, pepitas, or sunflower seeds would add a great crunch, while toasted coconut flakes would add a tasty tropical twist.
Topping ideas for rice pudding
Toppings are optional but will make every bowl of rice pudding that much more fun to look at and eat. My favorite is the cinnamon sugar butter in the recipe card; I love its subtle crunch and extra sweetness. But there are plenty of other options, such as:
- Strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries
- Sliced bananas
- Cinnamon raisin granola
- Chocolate chips
- Diced apples
- Candied or chopped nuts
- Crushed graham crackers or ginger cookies
- Crunchy apple chips
What is old-fashioned rice pudding?
Old-fashioned rice pudding is a comforting dessert made by simmering rice, milk, sugar, vanilla, and warming spices together until you have a subtly sweet and creamy pudding. It’s similar to arroz con leche (Mexican rice pudding), which is essentially Latin America’s version of rice pudding. The only difference is that it’s usually made with condensed milk or evaporated milk instead of or in addition to regular milk and doesn’t contain vanilla.
How long does it take to make rice pudding in the slow cooker?
It takes a minimum of 2 ½ hours or a maximum of 3 ½ hours to make rice pudding in a crockpot on high. After 2 ½ hours, you’ll want to check the rice to see if it’s tender but not mushy. If it isn’t there yet, continue cooking and checking in 15-minute increments.
Can I use less sugar?
Rice pudding is intended to be sweet but if it’s a little too sweet for you, you can reduce the brown sugar to 2 tablespoons. Natural sweeteners also work well as a substitute for brown sugar, like more maple syrup or coconut sugar.
Does brown rice work?
Yes, you can use brown rice to make rice pudding. Just increase the cooking time by about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Storage
Make ahead: Rice pudding can be made up to 3 days before serving. Just keep it covered and in the fridge before reheating it on the stove or enjoying it cold.
Refrigerator: The leftover cooled rice pudding will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Freezer: You can also freeze leftover rice pudding for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating or serving cold.
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Slow Cooker Rice Pudding
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Ingredients
- 4 cups milk
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup long-grain white rice
- 2 tablespoon butter
Toppings per bowl:
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
- cinnamon
Instructions
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Spray your slow cooker with nonstick spray.
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Add all ingredients except the butter to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Then, add the butter on top of the mixture.
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Cover and cook on high for 2.5-3.5 hours or until the rice is cooked through and tender.
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Divide into bowls and top with the optional butter brown sugar topping. Enjoy!
