A creamy and comforting classic dessert, all made in the slow cooker. Slow Cooker Rice Pudding is as easy as mixing everything together and letting it cook for 3-4 hours. Easy to adapt with different toppings, this is a real family favourite. Minimal prep and just a few ingredients, and it's super budget friendly too!
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Forget about that weird gluey rice pudding you used to get served at school! This is rich, creamy and luxurious but a totally hands-off recipe as the slow cooker does all the hard work.
Cooking it low and slow means the rice has the best texture. Follow all our tips on how to make rice pudding in the slow cooker.
If you are looking for another slow cooker dessert to try, then why not try our self saucing Slow Cooker Chocolate Cake? Total comfort food and so easy to make.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Rice - We used pudding rice for this slow cooker rice pudding recipe. You can find this in the same aisle as the pre-made rice pudding in the supermarket. However any medium grain white rice will work.
- Milk - For the best flavour and creaminess, use whole milk. You could use skimmed, or even oat milk or almond milk if you wanted to make it vegan. You won't get as good results though. We also added some coconut milk for extra creaminess, but you could swap that for cream.
- Sugar - Rice pudding needs to be sweet in our opinion. How sweet is totally up to you. You can adjust the sweetness to suit your own tastes. We used caster sugar.
- Vanilla - This adds a real warmth to the recipe. Make sure you are used vanilla extra and not essence.
- Butter - Use unsalted butter.
Variations
The great thing about rice pudding in the slow cooker is that there are so many different ways to make it. You can use brown sugar instead of caster, which gives it a lovely caramelised flavour.
If you want a chocolate version of this, then add 4 tablespoons of cocoa powder to the mixture at the same time as all the other ingredients. You could swap some of the milk for chocolate milk too - our kids love that swap!
If you don't fancy making rice pudding in the slow cooker, then why not try our Oven Baked Rice Pudding or Coconut Rice Pudding.
Or for a savoury side dish, try our Slow Cooker Rice.
How to Make Slow Cooker Rice Pudding - Step by Step
- Step 1: Put all of the ingredients into your slow cooker. Mix well.
- Step 2: Cook on low for 3-4 hours.
Rice Pudding Toppings
There are so many options when it comes to rice pudding, which is one of the many reasons we love it. We went with some raspberry jam and a little extra cinnamon and sugar. But here are some more of our favourite topping ideas:
- Chocolate chips
- Nutella
- Biscoff
- Jam
- Marmalade
- Chopped nuts
- Raisins
- Stewed plums
- Dried cranberries
- Lemon curd
- Stewed apples
- Caramelised peaches
- Figs
Storage
These storage instructions assume you have used pudding rice. Other rice will store and reheat with mixed results in our opinion.
Store: Put the pudding in an air tight container and store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Freeze: You can store it in the freezer for up to 3 months in ziplock freezer bags.
Defrost: Defrost in the fridge overnight.
Reheat: You will need to loosen it up a little before reheating, as it firms as it cools. Add a little water or milk and reheat in the microwave. You can also eat rice pudding cold.
Extra Tips
- Make sure you butter the slow cooker bowl well before you add the rest the ingredients. This will stop everything sticking to the sides.
- For some extra richness, stir in a little cream before serving.
- To make this dairy free, swap the whole milk for almond or cashew milk. It won't have the same rich creamy texture though.
- When the rice pudding is cooked, it can still look a bit milky. Just give it a good stir and it will be fine.
- You can use risotto rice (arborio) if that is all you can find.
Frequently Asked Questions
Every slow cooker cooks things differently, so you might need to leave yours to cook for an extra 30 minutes. Keep checking on it so it doesn't get mushy.
If there is too much liquid still and the rice hasn't soaked it up, then cook it for a final 30 minutes with the lid of.
More British Dessert Recipes
If you've tried this slow cooker rice pudding recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Slow Cooker Rice Pudding
Ingredients
- 150 g (0.75 cups) Pudding rice
- 750 ml (3.25 cups) Milk
- 300 ml (1.25 cups) Coconut milk
- 30 g (1 oz) Butter - melted
- 60 g (0.5 cups) Caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Instructions
- Put all of the ingredients into your slow cooker. Mix well.
- Cook on low for 3-4 hours.
Recipe Tips
- Make sure you butter the slow cooker bowl well before you add the rest the ingredients. This will stop everything sticking to the sides.
- For some extra richness, stir in a little cream before serving.
- To make this dairy free, swap the whole milk for almond or cashew milk. It won't have the same rich creamy texture though.
- When the rice pudding is cooked, it can still look a bit milky. Just give it a good stir and it will be fine.
- You can use risotto rice (arborio) if that is all you can find.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Sharon Armstrong says
I havent made this yet, I was wondering the difference between Aborio rice and pudding rice.
3 and half cups of rice, sounds like a lot.
Sharon Armstrong says
I just weighed 1 cup of Aborio rice and its approx 150 grams , I I think your 7 cups is incorrect.
Dannii Martin says
Sorry about this - it's because we weigh everything in grams and the programme we use automatically changes it to cups and it's an error on their end. I have manually changed it now.
dana says
Rice pudding is a fave of mine! I can't wait to try this. Super nostalgic treat for me!
Tracy says
This was so easy to make and delicious! The whole family loved it and I loved how simple it was!
Suja md says
I just love this and this was such a pleasing experience!
Kathleen says
Simple ingredients and simple to make this rice pudding is sure to be a hit in my house. I'm also considering using chocolate milk like you suggested. Yum!
Shadi Hasanzadenemati says
Thank you for sharing this incredible recipe that has become a staple in my dessert repertoire. The Slow Cooker Rice Pudding brings back fond memories while creating new ones with its comforting and delightful flavors. It's a true keeper!
Julia says
Followed the recipe to a ‘’T”! Perfectly smooth and velvety texture! So good!
Liz says
This was so yummy! I'll definitely be making it again!
Ned says
I love rice pudding but don't have a ton of time to make it. Cooking this in the instant pot made it happen on my busy schedule. Thank you for an awesome recipe!
Kate says
We loved this one so much Dannii! Wow so good. Just the perfect comforting dessert!
Ali says
I love rice pudding and was so excited to try this recipe. It turned out amazing! And making it in the slow cooker was so easy, will be using this recipe again for sure!
Sangeetha says
Absolutely loved this Slow Cooker Rice Pudding recipe! It's the ultimate comfort dessert made effortlessly. Plus, the versatility to customize with different toppings is a fantastic touch. It's a real family favorite that brings everyone together, and the fact that it's budget-friendly is a huge bonus. Thanks for sharing this gem of a recipe!
Beth Sachs says
Our favourite comfort food pudding and perfect for chilly evenings.
Alison Corey says
Thank you for sharing this culinary masterpiece that has redefined the art of dessert-making. A heartfelt toast to the beauty of simplicity, comfort, and the magic of slow cooking!