Coconut Rice Pudding is deliciously creamy and sweet with a rich coconut flavor! Comforting like regular rice pudding but with a strong tropical vibe, this dessert is ready in just 20 minutes.
Naturally vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
If you love rice pudding, try my Colombian Rice Pudding and Arroz con Leche too!
Quick Look: Coconut Rice Pudding
- 🕐 Ready in: 20 minutes.
- 👪 Serves: 4 people.
- 🥣 Main ingredients: Rice, water, canned coconut milk, shredded coconut, sugar.
- 😋 Taste: Coconutty, sweet, tropical.
- 📖 Dietary info: Dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan.
- ⭐️ Why you'll love it: It's a quick and easy dessert that's as creamy and comforting as classic rice pudding without needing any dairy at all. It has a bold coconut flavor and can be enjoyed warm or chilled!
SUMMARIZE AND SAVE THIS RECIPE ON
When I posted my Arroz Con Leche, I got a few requests for a dairy-free or vegan version.
For me, the only dairy-free and vegan rice pudding that is worth making is this Coconut Rice Pudding because it's NATURALLY dairy-free/vegan. It's not some modified version of rice pudding, that's what makes it good.
Coconut Rice Pudding is made with canned coconut milk, shredded coconut, and coconut extract for extra flavor. And of course, I had to top mine with some huge, freshly-toasted coconut flakes for a nice crunch!
🥥 If you love coconut, take a peek at my readers’ favorite Tom Cruise Coconut Bundt Cake, Coconut Cheesecake, my Pan De Coco (Coconut Buns), and my Coconut Lemonade!
Why my Coconut Rice Pudding is worth it:
- Creamy like regular rice pudding, but no need to use different types of milk: just coconut!
- Rich coconut flavor.
- Ready in just 30 minutes.
- You can have it warm or cold!
- It's easily customizable: add in your favorite toppings!
Jump to:
- Quick Look: Coconut Rice Pudding
- Why my Coconut Rice Pudding is worth it:
- Featured Comment
- Ingredients
- Substitutions and variations
- Best Coconut Rice Pudding Toppings And Add-Ins
- How To Make Coconut Rice Pudding
- Expert Tips
- Troubleshooting Guide
- Coconut Rice Pudding FAQs
- Other Dessert Recipes To Try
- Coconut Rice Pudding
Featured Comment
Excellent recipe. Easy and delicious! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Holly
Ingredients
- Rice. Use a long-grain white rice (such as Basmati) for this recipe, but don't wash it or soak it as usual. The reason why you usually wash rice is mainly to remove extra starch so it can turn out nice and fluffy, not creamy and sticky but in this case you want creamy and sticky so no need to wash it, you want all that starch to stay where it is!
- Water. For cooking the rice.
- Canned coconut milk. My favorite is Goya, but any good brand will work.
- Sugar. I like to use white sugar for my coconut pudding because it has a milder flavor compared to brown sugar (it doesn't overpower the coconut) and it keeps the pudding white, which I find aesthetically pleasing since it's coconut-flavored. I do use brown sugar in my regular Arroz Con Leche, though.
- Coconut. Flakes or shredded. I like using shredded for the pudding because the texture is finer, but I like flakes for topping: chunky flakes toasted in a skillet are delicious! And if you have leftover coconut, use it for my Coconut Macaroons without Condensed Milk or my Mango Crepe Cake!
- Coconut extract. This is what will give you a rich coconut flavor, so don't skip it. Depending on the brand and type of extract you get, you might need more or less product. You can also add some vanilla if you'd like, but I recommend using clear vanilla extract, or it will turn the pudding light beige.
Scroll to recipe card for quantities!
Substitutions and variations
If you have no shredded coconut, only flakes: If you only have coconut flakes on hand, you can turn them into shredded coconut by adding them to a blender or food processor and pulsing until they reach a texture similar to that of shredded coconut.
Sweetened shredded coconut: This recipe uses unsweetened shredded coconut, so if you’re using sweetened shredded coconut, you might want to keep an eye on the sugar and add less (there’s a reader who has successfully used sweetened coconut and reduced the sugar amount, check out the comments!).
Different rice: Short-grain rice can be used, but it significantly alters cooking time, liquids, and cooking method, so it would completely change the recipe into one that I haven’t personally tested.
Different Sweetener: Brown sugar and grated panela also work in the same amount but will make the pudding a light sand color and provide a more caramel-like flavor. I haven’t tested other sweeteners.
Best Coconut Rice Pudding Toppings And Add-Ins
Mango: To make coconut rice pudding with mango, simply add fresh chopped mango on top. I would use about 1 large mango or 2 smaller ones for this recipe. Or try my Mango Coulis for a pourable mango topping!
Any fruit. Bananas, Fried Ripe Plantains (maduro), apples, pears, berries, choose your favorite!
Lime: To make coconut lime rice pudding, add 1 teaspoon finely-grated organic lime zest to the rice while it’s cooking for a zesty lime flavor.
Raisins: Soak about 1/4 cup of raisins in boiling water for 60 seconds before adding them to your prepared rice pudding.
Alcohol: Add 1 tablespoon rum, brandy, or aguardiente to the prepared rice pudding. Or measure by heart hehe!
Nuts like pecans, walnuts, almonds, whatever you like.
Cinnamon: Add 1 cinnamon stick or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon to the rice while it’s cooking (step 1). If using the stick, remove and discard before adding the milk (step 2).
Chocolate. Add a few pieces of chocolate or chocolate chips on top!
Dulce de leche. Delicious!! This isn't vegan or dairy-free, but you can get vegan versions of it. If you plan to add dulce de leche to your rice pudding, please reduce the amount of sugar in this recipe, or it may turn out too sweet.
How To Make Coconut Rice Pudding
Step 1: Cook the rice in water over medium heat until all the water evaporates.
Step 2: Add the coconut milk, sugar, and coconut, and cook until the rice starts boiling again, stirring until the rice pudding has thickened.
Step 3: Add the extra coconut flakes to a pan over medium-high heat and toast until golden brown.
Step 4: Top with toasted coconut flakes and serve.
Expert Tips
- If you want to add spices like cinnamon, allspice, anise, or cloves, I recommend using whole spices and adding them to Step 1 when you’re cooking the rice so they infuse it. You can discard them once the water evaporates. You can also use ground spices, but they will leave little specks in the pudding.
- Make sure the rice is done before adding the sugar in Step 2, as sugar won’t allow the rice to keep cooking once you add it in!
- When the rice pudding looks thick and creamy in Step 3, remove it from the heat. It will continue to thicken as it cools, so you don’t want it to be overly thick while it’s still hot!
- You can enjoy this warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
- I love serving this Coconut Rice Pudding with tropical drinks like Passion Fruit Juice or Mango Juice!
Troubleshooting Guide
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Rice pudding is too thick | Overcooked | Stir in 2-3 tablespoon (30-45 ml) canned coconut milk or another plant-based milk while still hot |
| Rice pudding is too thin | Undercooked or added too much liquid | Keep cooking over medium heat while stirring until thickened |
| Rice pudding is watery | Washed rice, soaked rice, or lower-fat content milk was used | Make a slurry with 1 tablespoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon water, stir into the pudding, and cook for another 5 minutes |
Coconut Rice Pudding FAQs
I wouldn’t recommend using all canned coconut cream in place of the canned coconut milk, as its higher fat content can make the pudding too heavy. If that’s what you have on hand, you can dilute it with 1/2 cup (125 ml) of water to make it more similar to coconut milk!
If you love rice pudding warm, creamy, and velvety, it’s best enjoyed fresh since you’ll need to reheat it to bring back that luscious texture. If you prefer coconut rice pudding at room temperature or chilled, you can absolutely make it ahead of time and serve it that way, just keep in mind that it will become thicker and slightly chewier as it cools.
Store covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. You can serve it chilled, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, or even reheat it with a splash of any plant-based milk until creamy again.
Other Dessert Recipes To Try
If you make this recipe, be sure to comment and rate it down below. Also, don't forget to tag me @itsdamnspicy on Instagram and use the hashtag #itsdamnspicy so I can see your creations and re-share them with my followers! ⭐️
Coconut Rice Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200 g) long-grain white rice (do not wash or soak the rice)
- 2 cups (500 ml) water (or enough to cover the rice by 1-inch or 2.5 cm)
- 2 cups (500 ml) canned coconut milk (such as Aroy-D or Goya)
- 1/3 cup (60 g) white granulated sugar (for a sweeter pudding up the sugar to 1/2 cup or 100 g, this recipe is mildly sweet)
- 2 cups (160 g) unsweetened shredded coconut (or to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract (or to taste)
- 2 tablespoon coconut flakes (optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Cook the rice. In a medium pot over medium heat, add the rice and water. Once the water is boiling, cover and lower the heat. Cook until the water has evaporated and the rice is fully cooked. Depending on the type of rice you're using, this may take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes.
- Add the coconut milk, sugar, and coconut to the cooked rice. Set the heat on medium and cook until the rice starts boiling again, stirring constantly to keep it from sticking to the pot. Cook until the rice pudding has thickened (5-10 minutes).
- Top with toasted coconut flakes. This is optional. Add the extra 2 tablespoon of coconut flakes to a pan over medium-high heat and allow the coconut to brown (1-2 minutes), then turn off the heat and sprinkle over the top of the coconut rice pudding right before serving.
- Serve immediately for warm rice pudding or allow to cool down to room temperature and then pop in the refrigerator to chill for cold coconut rice pudding.
Holly says
Excellent recipe. Easy and delicious!
Adean L Freeman says
This was so quick and easy to make,because I used sweetened shredded coconut, I used less white sugar. I also add cinnamon and chopped pecans.