Crock Pot Rice Pudding
Crock Pot Rice Pudding is super flavorful with sweetened tender rice and lightly flavored with delicious brown sugar and cinnamon!
AN OLD-FASHIONED DESSERT
Let me start by saying that this ain’t your Grandma’s rice pudding. I feel rice pudding gets a bad rap. It’s kinda like fruit cake. We’re bringing rice pudding back. And if you like this one, make sure you check out my Crock Pot Coconut Rice Pudding!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Quick cooking rice is best for this particular recipe. The reason being is we are really trying to get this to cook down to be very creamy. Much of the starch has already been removed (but not all) from quick cooking rice (Minute Rice). This helps to keep it creamy rather than gummy. But if you are absolutely against quick cooking rice – then by all means – try long grain rice. I have not tested uncooked long grain rice with this recipe so I cannot give you cooking times or cooking recommendations.
Absolutely. It is a perfectly safe way to cook rice and the heat is so low that you don’t have to worry about burning.
It is similar in texture to tapioca but better. It is a creamy pudding with just the slightest texture added by the rice. The best rice pudding is smooth and creamy with tender bits of rice.
It’s a combination of factors. It is the starch released from the rice as well as the absorption of the liquid by the rice.
Not when using quick cooking rice (Minute Rice). It is not necessary since much of the starch has already been removed. Rinsing rice helps to remove some of the starch coating. When cooking with long grain rice, you will always want to rinse the rice beforehand.
Leftover rice pudding must be stored in a covered container in he refrigerator. It will keep for up to 3 days. Warm in the microwave to reheat. I do not recommended freezing leftover rice pudding.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- butter – you can use unsalted or salted butter here. I always have salted butter on hand so that is what I usually use.
- whole or 2% milk – no skim milk – it’s too watery. Also, some recipes use evaporated milk and I honestly think that ruins the overall flavor so stick with regular milk.
- Minute® White Rice – it has to be instant rice to work with this particular recipe. You would have to make adjustments with other rice and I have not tested any other rice.
- sugar – real sugar here. I have not tested this with any sugar substitutes.
- cinnamon – use your favorite ground cinnamon. I like the Saigon cinnamon (you can buy this at the regular grocery store, see my ingredient image below).
- brown sugar – I think this adds such a nice depth of flavor so don’t skip it! If you like a deeper molasses flavor then use dark brown sugar.
HOW TO MAKE CROCK POT RICE PUDDING
Grease the inside of a 4 quart slow cooker with butter. Be sure to get the sides too. Set aside the butter for use again in just a minute. Note: You can use a round, oval or casserole-shaped slow cooker.Cooking times may vary slightly when using different shaped slow cookers.
Add the milk, Minute Rice, sugar, salt, cinnamon, vanilla extract and brown sugar into the crock pot.
Give it all a gentle stir. Then dot the top with the remaining butter.
Cover and cook on low for about 3-4 hours.
When the rice is tender, it is ready. Stir well, then top with a sprinkling of cinnamon. This dish will thicken as it cools. If it isn’t thick enough for your tastes, just let it hang out for about 30 minutes and it will get thicker. Alternatively, if you want to thin it, just add a bit of milk until you reach the desired consistency.
Cook’s Notes: This dish is traditionally made with raisins added. My family just doesn’t care for raisins in this. But if you want to add them, stir about a cup of raisins in during the last hour of cooking. Also, to change it up a bit, you could used dried cranberries as well.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
- Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding
- Hot Chocolate Bread Pudding
- Homemade Vanilla Pudding
- The Best Banana Pudding
Originally published: November 2015
Updated and republished: December 2021
Crock Pot Rice Pudding
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 6 cups whole or 2% milk (no skim milk – it's too watery)
- 2 cups Minute® White Rice, uncooked (INSTANT RICE ONLY)
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅓ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
Instructions
- Grease the inside of a 4-quart slow cooker with 3 Tablespoons butter. Be sure to get the sides too. Set aside the remaining butter for use again in just a minute.
- Add 6 cups whole or 2% milk, 2 cups Minute® White Rice, uncooked, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/3 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 Tablespoons brown sugar into the crock pot. Give it a gentle stir.
- Then dot the top with the remaining butter.
- Cover and cook on low for about 3-4 hours (stirring occasionally while cooking.)
- When the rice is tender, it is ready.
- Stir well, then top with a sprinkling of cinnamon.
Video
Notes
- NOTE: it has to be instant rice to work with this particular recipe. You would have to make adjustments with other rice and I have not tested any other rice.
- Please refer to my FAQ’s and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
- You can use a round, oval or casserole-shaped slow cooker. Cooking times may vary slightly when using different shaped slow cookers.
- This dish will thicken as it cools. If it isn’t thick enough for your tastes, just let it hang out for about 30 minutes and it will get thicker. Alternatively, if you want to thin it, just add a bit of milk until you reach the desired consistency.
- This dish is traditionally made with raisins added. If you want to add them, stir about a cup of raisins in during the last hour of cooking. Also, to change it up a bit, you could used dried cranberries as well.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
I cannot wait to make this recipe for thanksgiving! How long will it stay fresh in the fridge?
What about using Splenda instead of sugar? This looks great!
Made this today and it turned out wonderful. Couldn’t be easier and everyone loved it. Thank you 🙂
Hi Brandie! This looks delicious but I wondered if it might be cooked in an oven instead . Somebody stole my crockpot at work ! ????
I like to use cream of coconut , just add to milk, leftover rice from takeout, just fluff the rice with a fork and some warm milk first. I also soak the raisins in rum or amaretto , softening with a minute or so in the microwave. You can use water, too. This plumps up the raisins, or dried cranberries, dried cherries, blueberries. I let my family add these and or fresh fruit, coconut, chocolate pieces, cinnamon, ice cream sauces to their rice pudding, and top with whipped cream, making a topping bar.
do you leave the lid on or off while waiting for it to thicken ?? smells really good 🙂
Natalie – I usually take off the lid the help cool it and thicken. Just make sure that it has cooked long enough and the rice is tender. Hope that helps! 🙂
I made it last night and it turned out great. Very delicious ????????
Do you use Minute Rice that is instant or just cooked rice?
Hi Donna – Minute Rice is an instant rice. Hope that helps!
Add some dark rum and some nutmeg to the party and this recipe could give innocent old rice pudding a bit of an edge.
Ok love this idea.
That sounds really good Pam. How about rum chatta after it’s done cooking?
Hi
I’m from the UK we don’t have Minute rice here. Can I substitute Uncle Bens precooked rice or something similar as we do have other similar products?
Uncle Ben’s precooked is the UK equivalent of Minute rice.
I only have a crock pot that has HI 4 hr and 6 hr. Options and LOW 8 hrs and 10 hrs. Which would you recommend I cook this recipe at? Thanks! Can’t wait to make this!!
Had to make this with some modifications. I used coconut milk. And brown rice.It worked. Made a small batch in my smallest crock. Which only had a low setting. The brown rice takes much longer to cook. I usually make it the old fashion stove top way. I was out of white and didntfeel like running to the store. So I saw some of the posts asking about brown rice so I thought I’d try it. And I would think if coconut milk worked no reason almond wouldn’t. Cheers
I see this makes 8 servings, can you tell me what the serving size is?
I am assuming the caloric chart at the bottom is for per serving, not for the whole recipe?
Thank you for this, will make this weekend.
OMG! Brandie this is awesome! I think I got it too thick and over cooked it, but it was awesome anyway. I even managed to forget to add the sprinkle of cinnamon before serving it. I will be making this frequently. I’m going to try adding just a pinch of nutmeg. Thank you, thank you, thank you for this recipe.
I made a half batch in a 2 quart mini crock pot and gave it 3 hrs. I think 2 1/2 hrs would have been plenty. It seemed awfully thick so I added some more milk. As soon as it’s cool enough, I’m going to try it. It looks and smells delicious.
I was just thinking about having to cut it all in half lol I only have a 2 quart crock myself, love rice pudding….
Is this served warm or cold?
Either way. Doesn’t matter.
I’m not a cook but i do love rice pudding. I wont to try to add raisins to get how about how much and when should i add them?
I think I’ll try it with regular rice, but cook it almost all the way in the auto rice cooker before mixing everything in the crockpot. I think it’d be good with Craisins and a bit of lemon, Portuguese style…
I will second the NO on using anything besides the minute rice. I used regular long grain white rice. It has been cooking for 7 hours at this point and the rice is still crunchy/chewy. Not to mention having to keep adding milk. Then milk. Then more milk to give it more moisture to hopefully finish the rice cooking. However, the flavor is great. After I tried the original recipe I added pumpkin purée and craisins. (Not that it needed it, just wanted to try a spin on rice pudding. ) This dish was amazing. It takes the long time in front of the stove away. Thank you for this recipe. .
Can you tell us how much pumpkin puree you used & the amount of craisins ?? THANKS
Has anybody made this with Splenda sugar instead of regular?
I was wondering the same thing. Did you try it?
DOESN’T THE MILK CURDLE IN A SLOW COOKER
Nope because it cooks so slowly. 🙂
I saw the comments about using soymilk, almond milk, coconut milk, etc…has anyone tried it yet with these substitutes? We LOVE rice pudding at our house, but I have eliminated pretty much all dairy (except the occasional pizza slice!) due to sinus issues. I may just go ahead and try to make it with a almond milk/coconut milk combo. Will let you know if I do, and how it turns out. I’ll also be using jasmine rice because that’s all I have!
Please do Mary! Would love to hear your thoughts on it!
So I did make this today. The flavor is great with the coconut milk/almond milk combo. I used 5 cups coconut and 3/4 cup almond, 1/4 cup water (I ran out of milk!)
I did use erythritol instead of regular sugar. I used 1/2 cup, as it is about 70% as sweet as sugar, and I didn’t want a super sweet taste . I also had to account for the sweet taste of the coconut milk.
I used Jasmine rice, and I wish I had used minute rice, but alas, jasmine is all I have. 2 reasons I wish I used minute rice – cook time. On low, it took hours upon hours to do anything, so I turned it to high for about 2 hrs. Total cook time was right over 5 hours. Second reason I wish I had used minute rice is due to the consistency. Probably because it took so long to cook, the rice came out mushy. It could also be because I didn’t babysit the crock pot those last 2 hours and it was on high.
Anyway, I am sitting here enjoying a bowl of it. The flavor turned out great! I will probably try to freeze this batch as well.
I will make this recipe again!
Thank you!
THANK YOU
THANK YOU MY WAIST LINE WILL LOVE YOU
I can’t wait to try this. My mom always made rice pudding and it was my favorite.