Creamy Instant Pot Rice Pudding: Dairy-Free and Delicious
This Instant Pot rice pudding recipe transforms humble pantry staples into a velvety dessert. It’s dairy-free, vegan, and a snap to make in an Instant Pot.
The information provided on this site is based on my personal experience living with alpha-gal syndrome. I consistently cite and link to expert sources, but nothing published on this site should be perceived as medical advice. Alpha-gal sensitivities vary by person. Be sure you understand your dietary restrictions, make any needed tweaks, and work with your physician as directed.
My youngest daughter discovered Petitpot’s organic French rice pudding last year, and I swear her already high standards for dessert were raised with each bite. I get it though. This creamy rice pudding is basically heaven in a jar. It’s made with organic ingredients, perfectly balanced with vanilla, and has none of that sicky sweetness that makes your teeth hurt. Pure comfort food perfection!
But here’s the thing. While my daughter was falling head over heels for her fancy French pudding, I was having heart palpitations at the checkout counter. Each tiny 4-ounce jar costs about $3.00, and for alpha gals who avoid dairy, the heavy cream is a non-starter.
After some experimenting, I cracked the code on homemade rice pudding that rivals its fancy French cousin. This Instant Pot version delivers all the ooh la la of the original, minus the OMG at the grocery checkout.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and Easy: Transform pantry staples into a creamy, comforting dessert in just 15 minutes.
- Dairy-Free Delight: Enjoy a luscious, velvety pudding without any dairy.
- Instant Pot Convenience: Let the Instant Pot handle the cooking, ensuring perfect results with minimal effort and cleanup.
Key Ingredients in Instant Pot Rice Pudding
Making creamy rice pudding at home isn’t complicated, but it does require the right ingredients. And, unlike many Instant Pot pudding recipes, this dairy-free version doesn’t include a can of condensed milk. Here’s what makes this Instant Pot rice pudding recipe work so well:
Canned Coconut Milk
The secret to perfect homemade rice pudding starts with this dairy-free hero. Canned coconut milk brings all the richness and none of the heavy cream drama.
Plant-Based Milk
Any unsweetened non-dairy milk works here. I have tried this instant pot pudding recipe with soy milk, almond milk, and oat milk, and all work well with the canned coconut milk to create the creamiest pudding.
Sweetener
I only buy organic sugar in order to avoid white sugar processed with bone char. Maple syrup or honey work beautifully too — just dial it back to 3 tablespoons instead of ¼ cup.
Sage Advice: While honey is alpha-gal friendly, it’s not vegan. If you want to keep your dairy-free rice pudding vegan stick with organic granulated sugar or maple syrup instead.
Rice
You can’t make rice pudding without rice, but you do need the right rice for the best results. You’ll want to use a medium grain rice like risotto rice, paella rice, or sushi rice for this recipe. I’m partial to arborio because these chubby little grains have a starchy goodness necessary to create rice pudding’s signature creamy texture. You can use another short-grain rice like carnaroli or sushi rice, but don’t go rogue with long-grain rice or try to substitute brown rice unless you’d like to be disappointed.
How to Make Rice Pudding in an Instant Pot
If you can shake a can of coconut milk and measure and pour ingredients into a pressure cooker, you can make this rice pudding. The Instant Pot does all the heavy lifting, turning simple ingredients into creamy comfort food in just minutes.
Here’s what you’ll do:
- Mix the liquids, sugar, and salt in your Instant Pot. Don’t forget that splash of vanilla extract, it’s essential for that classic rice pudding flavor.
- Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then stir it into the liquid mixture.
- Pop a cinnamon stick on top, pressure cook for just three minutes, and then let your rice pudding hang out undisturbed for another 10 minutes.
- When you open the pot, it’ll look soupy. That’s normal! Give it a good stir and watch it transform into creamy perfection as it cools.
- Do you like your rice pudding cold? If so, chill before serving. Otherwise, grab a spoon and dig in any time!
How to Store Leftover Rice Pudding
Leftover rice pudding? First of all, congratulations on your self-control. But since you managed to save some, let’s talk storage.
Transfer your leftover pudding into an airtight container and stash it in the fridge for up to four days. You can enjoy it straight from the fridge (my preferred midnight snack method) or warm it up in the microwave.
Planning ahead? This pudding freezes beautifully for up to three months. When you’re ready to indulge, just move it from the freezer to the fridge the night before and let it thaw slowly.
Sage Advice: If you want to enjoy your leftover rice pudding warm, you can reheat it in the microwave. Add a splash of plant-based milk and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each.
No Artificial Intelligence
Every recipe I share has been cooked in my kitchen, photographed by me, and taste tested by my very patient family. No AI-generated slop here! If it’s on Sage Alpha Gal, it’s because I made it, loved it, and would gladly put it on my table again.
Creamy, Dairy-Free Instant Pot Rice Pudding
Equipment
- Stirring spoon or spatula
Ingredients
- 1 14 oz can coconut milk
- 1 ½ cups milk, dairy-free (I prefer soy milk, almond milk, or oat milk)
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (I use organic to avoid bone char. See notes for other options)
- pinch of salt (I used 1/8 tsp)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup arborio rice, uncooked (or another short-grain rice)
- 1 cinnamon stick
Instructions
- Shake the can of coconut milk well to combine before opening. Pour into the Instant Pot.
- Add the dairy-free milk, water, sugar, and salt. Stir well to dissolve the sugar.
- Add the vanilla.
- Rinse the rice in a mesh strainer until it runs clear. Add the rinsed, uncooked rice to the milk mixture in the pressure cooker and stir to combine.
- Place the cinnamon stick on top of the rice pudding mixture.
- Seal the electric pressure cooker and cook for 3 minutes.
- Once the cook cycle has ended, let the pot sit undisturbed for a 10 minute natural release. Then, turn off the pot.
- Release the pressure and carefully open the Instant Pot. Remove the cinnamon stick and stir the rice pudding. The mixture will be a bit runny but thicken as the rice cools.
- Serve warm or chilled, adding your favorite toppings (suggestions below) before serving.
Notes
- It’s easy to double this recipe and portion it into individual containers for grab-and-go desserts all week.
- You can substitute 3 tbsp of maple syrup or honey instead of the ¼ cup granulated sugar, if desired. Just remember that, while honey is safe for alpha-gals it is not a vegan ingredient.
- When cooking your rice pudding in the Instant Pot switch up the spices by adding 1 ½ tsp of chai spice mix.
- Or go wild with different extracts — almond, orange, or even a touch of rose water can transform this recipe.
- This recipe works best with a short-grain rice like arborio or carnaroli. I do not recommend using long grain rice (like basmati rice or jasmine rice). I also do not recommend making this rice pudding with brown rice.
- If your pressure cooker has a rice setting, do NOT use it for this recipe. The rice function is only for plain, white rice and is inaccurate when cooking other types of rice and this rice pudding recipe.
- When serving, top your Instant Pot rice pudding with fresh fruit like diced mangoes or blueberries, dried fruit like golden raisins, or shredded coconut. Or go one step above and beyond by topping your homemade rice pudding with Bourbon-soaked raisins.
- In addition to one of the toppings above, sprinkle your Instant Pot rice pudding with a touch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger just before serving.
Nutrition
Please Note: Nutrition information is automatically calculated. It should only be used as an approximation.
Love how quick and easy it is to make—can’t wait to try it!
My kids LOVED this rice pudding! And, I like serving them this versus a packaged option, because I know exactly what went into every bite.
Can you mix in a teaspoon of cinnamon instead if a cinnamon stick?
Absolutely! Add ground cinnamon to taste.
I had some really poor quality, broken rice and this recipe redeemed it!