Slow Cooker Rice Pudding

Slow cooker rice pudding with Minute rice is delicious with just a few other ingredients. If you love a good creamy Crockpot dessert, this is it. An option for dairy free like our pressure cooker coconut rice pudding but cooked low and slow.

Crockpot Rice Pudding

So we made Instant Pot rice pudding a few years ago. I will tell you that it is fabulous made that way and is usually our go to but I wanted to try something different. I like offering our favorite dessert recipes in every form so no matter what kitchen appliance you have, your family can enjoy them.

with Minute Rice

This is super simple to throw together. Let’s start with what we used. For the one in the recipe card you will NOT use long grain, instant is best. I have even made this for my husband who cannot have lactose and it works too. You can find many milk alternatives nowadays.

I have made this for him using coconut milk as I also have done with our stovetop version of black rice pudding. If you want to add fiber into this old fashioned favorite treat you should try that grain too with the hull still attached.

Ingredients

1. Minute rice – or store brand instant rice is fine, not long grain rice
2. Sugar makes it sweet
3. Cinnamon is great in the Fall for flavor
4. Vanilla extract or almond is nice
5. Whole milk is necessary, don’t try it with anything lower in fat
6. Brown sugar for sweet too
7. Butter salted is what I use

Substitutions

If you love rice pudding but need a dairy free option, I like vanilla almond or coconut milk. I have found a plant based lactose free butter product that comes in sticks from Country Crock too. I use it in lots of dishes and most of the time you can’t even tell the difference once it is done.

Coconut milk could be a good dairy free alternate which is great because it adds even more sweetness. If you do this direction you could sprinkle in some actual flakes as well.

What can you use to thicken rice pudding?

You can use an alternative starch based thickener such as arrowroot powder which is gluten free, tapioca powder or rice starch. Why is it important to use whole milk? You need that added fat to create the smooth nature you want. Yes you can use a thickener as well but I prefer to leave those out at all possible.

Combine it with the sugar called for in your rice pudding recipe. These alternative starches are similar to cornstarch but twice as potent as wheat flour. Measure accordingly or it will be thicker than you want. A little goes a long way.

What else can you add?

1. Raisins
2. Cinnamon
3. Added brown sugar for sweetness
4. Whipped cream is sometimes good before serving on top

If you do want to use long grain or arborio rice we have directions for that in the recipe card below. For a treat after dinner quick rice is what you do want.

We have a few step by step photos for this sweet Crockpot white rice here so you can see how it’s done. It is ideal if you are able to gently stir or fold ingredients together 1-2 times throughout the cook time. If you can’t though don’t worry about it too much.  This just helps rotate ingredients so rice is tender in all areas of the Crock pot.

How to Make Slow Cooker Rice Pudding

1. Add all ingredients except butter and stir everything together.
2. Slice butter and plop on top all the way round
3. Cover and cook on low until grains are as tender as you’d like.
   1. I’d suggest not to cook on high as it needs low and slow to come out rich and creamy
4. When done allow to cool. (it will cool faster if transferred to a separate large bowl)
5. I prefer to divide this into smaller dishes and refrigerate overnight so it really thickens up.

How to save leftovers

First off, place leftovers in a freezer safe container and seal tight so there’s no air left inside. Using containers that are not freezer safe can cause freezer burn and impact the quality of the dessert. You can freeze rice pudding for up to three months.

Let’s jump to recipe here shall we? It’s printable and has nutritional information on it so you can keep it handy too.

Looking for other quick easy desserts? You should try our Instant Pot tapioca pudding after this one. If you do insist on using the “regular” version you can try it and see which you prefer, we like the other, you will need: