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We’re well in our way into pumpkin season! While Pumpkin Spice Lattes are definitely everywhere and I love to have one or two during the year, I also have enjoyed pumpkin savory dishes in my Vegan Pumpkin Mushroom Pasta and my Aloo Kohra Sabji, an Indian potato and pumpkin curry.
One dessert in particular that’s been on my bucket list for quite some time has been a classic Southern-style rice pudding. To add a little fall touch for this time of year, I threw some pumpkin pie goodness to the mix! With Canadian Thanksgiving in a week from today at the time of publishing this recipe, Halloween soon approaching, and then for my American readers your Thanksgiving coming up next month, the perfect easy recipe to make in advance for those holiday parties is an easy pumpkin rice pudding! To satisfy the crowd’s pumpkin cravings, put your heart in a bowl by making this creamy fall-themed Pumpkin Pie Rice Pudding recipe as part of your Live to Cook one-month challenge! Be sure to start today by signing up to my free email newsletter, plus you’ll get all of my latest recipes sent straight to your inbox!
The video will outline everything presented in this post and give you a representation of the step by step pumpkin rice pudding recipe! Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you’re not already, and be sure to press the bell button so you’re notified when all of my video recipes are live! Let’s get cooking!
What Is Rice Pudding?
Rice pudding is a dessert that fundamentally comes down to rice cooked with milk and some sugar added for sweetness. From my exploration of different cuisines, it seems that many cultures have their own methods of preparing rice puddings with flavours that are iconic in those cultures! The rice pudding that I grew up with was Chawal ki Kheer, which is an Indian rice pudding. When I was exploring Peruvian cooking, I tried out their version, which is called Arroz con Leche. However, believe it or not, I’ve never made a classic American-style rice pudding before! From what I’ve researched, the elements of a classic Southern rice pudding include eggs, milk, rice, sugar, vanilla extract, and cream. As a result, I’m going to use all of these principles in our rice pudding and add a fall twist with some pumpkin spice and fall sweetness!
Why You Need to Make This Pumpkin Pie Rice Pudding Recipe!
- Easy to follow: We don’t have too many steps here and they are quite simple to execute! The two main parts of making this pumpkin rice pudding are to cook the rice in milk and then prepare your pumpkin cream mixture.
- Minimal ingredients: Perhaps you already have everything in your fridge and pantry!
- Great for parties: You can make a big batch of pumpkin rice pudding for your Thanksgiving and Halloween parties! It’s easy to make a large amount if you have a large pot to make the rice pudding in. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post to see how to scale the recipe.
- Pumpkin goodness: With pumpkin-everything going on this time of year, it’s a perfect opportunity to use up those cans of pumpkin you may have in your pantry! As I mention in my free motivational guide to explore your potential in the kitchen, Make Cooking Fun!!, both having a theme and using ingredients that you already have on hand can spark your creativity! Pumpkin sure is an iconic ingredient in the month of October, so if you’re not sure how to use up pumpkin that was in that big can you get at the store, then this pumpkin rice pudding is a wonderful opportunity to use it up!
- Make-ahead friendly: This dish stores very well in the fridge and just gets more delicious over time! If you need to get your dessert out of the way before other components for a dinner party, or you just want a creamy and thick pumpkin treat in the fridge waiting for you, then this rice pudding recipe is a superb option!
Questions You May Have!
What Rice Should I use to Make Rice Pudding?▼
In a classic Southern rice pudding recipe, a long grain white rice is the traditional choice. With that being said, basmati rice or jasmine rice excellent options. I used basmati rice in our pumpkin spice rice pudding recipe. You could use a short- or medium-grain rice if this is all you have, but you’ll need to be mindful of different cooking times and different starchiness.
What About Using Brown Rice?▼
While there are so many different types of rice out there, fundamentally rice is rice and at the end of the day you’ll end up with a rice pudding no matter what kind of rice you use. However, as mentioned previously, the type of rice you use can greatly affect the final results in terms of the texture, flavour and even the aroma. When having the conversation about using brown rice versus white rice, making this fall-themed rice pudding recipe with brown rice will have a nuttier, chewy texture, as compared to the milder, softer texture from white rice.
You also need to be mindful that it will also take significantly longer for brown rice to become soft and you may need more milk and/or water to achieve the desired consistency. As a result, it is crucial to keep an eye on the moisture level and adjust as needed.
Do I Have to Rinse the Rice for Rice Pudding?▼
This will depend on the rice that you use. In my case, the rice pudding was not sticky at all despite me not rinsing the rice. If you’re using a very starchy rice, then you’ll need to rinse it well so that your rice pudding is not mushy. However, if you know that your rice is not excessively starchy, then this step is optional and you can skip it.
Can I Make this Rice Pudding Dairy Free?▼
While I’m using dairy in the cream and milk in this recipe, from what I’ve seen online there are lots of vegan rice pudding variations that you can try out. I recommend you use coconut milk and coconut cream for the creamiest results that will closely replicate the dairy milk and cream used here. I’ve used coconut milk in my Peruvian rice pudding and I can say it was fantastic! Coconut milk is rich and sweet making it the perfect choice. However, if you want to lighten up the calories, you can use other milks such as almond milk. Bonus points if you make your own almond milk from scratch, which you can follow along with my Homemade Almond Milk Recipe!
In terms of replacing the egg, you could make a chia seed or flaxseed egg replacement.
Is Pumpkin Pie Rice Pudding Healthy?▼
In a sense it is! You’ve got lots of fibre coming from the pumpkin. Furthermore, pumpkin is loaded with Vitamin A , Vitamin B2, Vitamin E, and Vitamin C, in addition to minerals such as potassium, manganese, and iron. These benefits can contribute to weight loss, reducing the risk of cancer, and improving overall health thanks to the antioxidants in pumpkin. To get more details on the health benefits of pumpkin, check out this article.
While we are indeed using whole milk and heavy cream that pack on the calories, the whole milk has its own health benefits. It is packed with protein, calcium, and Vitamin D.
Additionally, the spices in the Pumpkin Spice (cinnamon, clove, allspice, and ginger) all have their own nutritional benefits, including antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, assisting with blood sugar levels, improve insulin sensitivity, and even assist in digestion.
The only “unhealthy” part of our rice pudding will be the sugar that comes from the maple syrup and brown sugar. A bit of sugar won’t hurt anyone since this is a dessert after all, so be mindful and portion control if you want to.
In conclusion, there are health benefits to our rice pudding, and the sugar and syrup adds sweetness. Overall, it’s healthy if you consume your rice pudding with pumpkin in moderation.
Can I Use Cooked Rice to Make Rice Pudding?▼
No, you cannot use cooked rice to make this rice pudding with pumpkin. The whole point of making rice pudding is that the rice absorbs the milk so that the flavour is distributed throughout the rice. Furthermore, cooking the rice with the milk allows the overall texture of the rice pudding to be thick and creamy, which is what we’re looking for!
Why Is my Rice Pudding Mushy?▼
If you have overcooked the rice so that it has completely lost its structure and bite. While mushy rice pudding is not inedible, you may not like the texture compared to if the rice was cooked properly!
How Do I Adjust the texture of This Rice Pudding?▼
There are a couple of factors to consider when adjusting the texture of your rice pudding:
- The amount of liquid and the rice’s cook time will dictate on the thickness of the rice pudding. If you use more liquid and cook for a shorter time, you will have a thinner pudding. On the other hand, being patient and cooking the rice for a longer time will result in a thicker pudding. Just keep in mind to use the least amount of liquid needed to cook the rice thoroughly until soft.
- The type of rice will affect the overall texture of the rice pudding. I encourage you to experiment with various types of rice to determine what kind of rice will give you your desired thickness of the rice pudding!
- The fat content of the milk and cream will affect the creaminess and texture of the rice pudding. You’ll get nice and thick rice pudding use full fat milk and heavy cream as I am, and your pudding will be thinner if you’re using lower fat milk and cream.
Is this Rice Pudding sweet?▼
I did not make the base too sweet so that you could even enjoy it for a balanced breakfast or dessert. If you want it a bit sweeter, you can add more maple syrup and/or brown sugar as desired!
Do I Eat Rice Pudding Hot or Cold?▼
Technically you can have it either way, but I believe that the Fall Rice Pudding will be best enjoyed cold! If you do want to enjoy it hot, you can place it in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in the microwave in 30 second intervals for one to two minutes, or until it’s at the desired temperature for you.
Tools Needed
Tips for Guaranteed Success
- Rinsing the rice is an important step in ensuring a creamy texture in the pudding if the rice you are using contains excess starch. For the brand of rice I was using, I was able to skip this step so it really depends on the type of rice you use
- Eggs are an essential component if you are aiming towards a more traditional recipe for this American style pudding. However, if you want to skip on the eggs, you can, the final texture won’t be as thick, but would still suffice with help from the milk, cream and rice as they cook down.
- Gradually incorporating some of the hot rice-milk mixture to the egg mixture helps temper the eggs before we pour in the egg mixture in the pot. Unless you want scrambled egg pumpkin pudding, I’d suggest take it slow, never stop mixing until you are ready to portion out the pudding to the serving bowls.
- Enjoy this pudding both hot and cold, my preferred way for this recipe is definitely cold, since allowing the pudding to set for at least 6 hours, guarantees a satisfying thick and creamy texture.
Ingredients
All ingredients and their quantities can be found by scrolling to the bottom of this post or by pressing the “Jump to Recipe” button for the FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD. The recipe card can also allow you to scale the recipe based on how many portions of Fall-Themed Rice Pudding you want to make and you can save the recipe for later! By default, the recipe will yield 3 hearty portions of rice pudding.
- Rice: I’m using white basmati rice for this recipe. I recommend a white long grain rice for best results.
- Pumpkin puree: You can make your own pumpkin puree or use a canned one. You will definitely save time using canned pumpkin puree, and your rice pudding will taste just as good!
- Pumpkin spice: You can make your own fresh blend in about 5 minutes or use a store-bought pumpkin spice. Pumpkin spice is made with cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and allspice.
- Milk: I’ll be using full fat milk to make this rice pudding delicious and creamy. You can use 2% milk if you would like, but I would avoid 1% milk or skim milk.
- Water: If you notice that the rice is getting hard, you can soften it with some additional cooking liquid, so I added some extra water while the rice was cooking with the milk.
- Heavy cream: Heavy cream will really make your rice pudding smooth and extra rich.
- Egg yolks: Large egg yolks help to bind the rice pudding mixture together. Don’t waste your egg whites - keep them for an omelette or to use in mousse!
- Vanilla extract: A dessert isn’t complete in my opinion without the aroma of some vanilla extract! It certainly enhances our rice pudding, and a little bit will go a long way!
- Sweetener: You can technically use any sweeteners of your choice, but for fall I found that maple syrup and brown sugar were suitable! Of course, feel free to use regular table sugar if desired. Alternative liquid sweeteners include honey or agave syrup. You can also experiment with coconut sugar or cane sugar for natural powdered sugars. You can use Stevia or Splenda as zero-calorie sweeteners if you really feel like it.
- Salt: Although it’s dessert, salt can really unlock all of the amazing flavours going on in our recipe!
How to Make a Super Cozy Rice Pudding with Pumpkin
Prepare the pumpkin mixture by mixing all the ingredients for it together. Store in an air tight container in a cool, dry place.
Rinse the rice as needed and then add to a large pot or saucepan. Pour in milk, mix well and turn the heat to medium. Stir every few mins, until the milk comes up to a simmer. Keep a close eye to prevent the milk from boiling over.
Once the milk starts to simmer, lower the heat to medium low, adjust the heat as needed until the milk has the laziest of simmers. Cook until the rice is completely soft and the milk has reduced by more than 50%, about 25-30 minutes.
While the rice is cooking, whisk together the egg yolks, heavy cream, pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, vanilla extract, brown sugar, maple syrup and a pinch of salt in a bowl.
Set aside for now.
Once the rice-milk mixture has reached the correct consistency, start to temper the egg mixture (if the rice needs more time to cook, add water 1/2 Cup at a time and simmer gently until ready). To avoid scrambling the eggs, add small spoonfuls of the hot rice pudding mixture to the egg-pumpkin mixture while whisking continuously. Add about 1 1/2 cups or about 1-1 1/2 ladles of the hot rice mixture slowly until the egg mixture is warmed up.
Stir the tempered egg-pumpkin mixture back into the pot and turn the heat to medium. Stir gently and continuously until the mixture thickens into a custard-like consistency. This should take a few minutes. Avoid letting the mixture boil.
If the pudding becomes too thick, you can add a little more milk or cream to reach your desired consistency.
Taste and adjust for sweetness. Serve hot or chilled!
Serving Suggestions
You can enjoy this dessert on its own or as part of a satisfying treat! I’ve topped mine with additional maple syrup and some pumpkin spice, but there are a variety of ways you can switch up the toppings and how you could pair this rice pudding for an incredible fall delight!
- Homemade Whipped Cream: I recommend you use a whipped cream dispenser for professional results!
- Nuts: Chopped walnuts or pecans.
- Cinnamon stick
- Raisins
- Caramel sauce: Use your favourite store-bought caramel sauce or make your own!
- Starbucks Caramel Macchiato
- White Hot Chocolate
- French Vanilla Cappuccino
- Iced Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso
- Chocolate Cream Cold Brew
- Protein-Packed Chocolate Covered Rice Krispies
- Mini Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls
- New York Black and White Cookies
can i make Pumpkin Pie Rice Pudding in advance?▼
Yes you sure can! Actually, you technically need to make your Easy Pumpkin Pie Rice Pudding in advance because it will continue to thicken up in the fridge, and you need to allow it enough time to cool and settle completely before serving. All you need to do is to transfer the rice pudding in an airtight container and store in the fridge. Because of the dairy products, I would not keep it in the fridge longer than 4 to 5 days.
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