Instant Pot Rice Pudding is my easy recipe for a creamy and delicious sweet rice dessert. Make this rice pudding with raisins or without. Either way, it's a no fuss recipe!
There are few things tastier than a delicious bowl of warm, sweet rice pudding! Easy to make, hearty and delicious, this simple treat is the perfect comforting dessert.
The flavor of this classic, old fashioned dessert may take you back in time. Visits to Grandma's house, helping her make this sweet rice dessert, along with chewy monster cookies, and old fashioned pecan bars.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easier than stove top and baked rice pudding recipes. Making pudding on the stove top requires constant stirring to prevent it from burning. This recipe will save you time and effort!
- Hands off recipe. Pressure cooker desserts make it easy to fulfill any sweet craving quickly, and you don't have to constantly watch over it.
- Simple ingredients: Don't have time to run to the store for fancy ingredients? It's okay, you may already have these ingredients on hand!
Enjoy a bowl of warmly spiced instant pot rice pudding, bundled up in your slippers and a cozy sweater. The whole family will enjoy this lovely dessert!
Ingredients
See ingredient substitutions in the next section. ⬇️
To make this sweet rice dessert, you'll need these ingredients:
- water
- Arborio rice: This is a starchy, short grain rice. The extra starch thickens the cooking liquid.
- white granulated sugar: The sugar sweetens the rice.
- whole milk: The fat in the milk gives the dessert a rich flavor and creamy consistency.
- vanilla extract
- spices: Some ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg add warm flavors to the pudding.
- salt: This often overlooked ingredient helps to balance the sweet and savory flavors.
- raisins: If you love rice pudding with raisins, use them!
Substitutions and Recipe Variations
- Arborio rice can be substituted with any short grain variety. Japanese short-grain rice is just one of the possible substitutes for Arborio rice.
- white granulated sugar: To reduce the calories, you can substitute the sugar with any cup-for-cup variety of granulated sugar substitute. Light brown sugar can be used as a substitute, but it will add a slight molasses flavor to the rice pudding. You can use honey or maple syrup, but it will result in thinner rice pudding.
- whole milk: For a creamier consistency, replace the milk with coconut milk, half and half, or even sweetened condensed milk. For less fat and calories, but a loss of creaminess and flavor, use low fat milk, almond milk, or other non dairy milk.
- vanilla extract: If you need an alcohol-free flavoring, you can use vanilla essence If you want a stronger vanilla flavor, feel free to include the inside "caviar" from a vanilla bean.
- spices: Swap out these warm fall spices for some other options. Clove, Allspice, or even Apple Pie spice would still bring out that warm spice flavor you're looking for in this rice pudding.
- regular or golden raisins: If you don’t like raisins, you leave them out, or replace them with a different dried fruit. For example, dried cranberries, banana chips, dried apple chips, dried apricots, etc.
How to Make Instant Pot Rice Pudding
Summary only. The complete recipe instructions are in the card at the bottom of this post ⬇️
- Cook rice and water on High pressure for 3 minutes.
- While the rice cooks, make the sauce.
- Allow a natural release of pressure for 12 minutes then open the lid.
- Stir in the "sauce" and raisins, then simmer.
Liz's Tips for the Creamiest Pudding
- Rinse the rice just a bit before using it. Although starch is what gives this sweet rice dessert its creaminess, if there is too much starch, the pudding will be clumpy and too sticky to enjoy.
- Some stirring is necessary. When simmering the mixture (after pressure cooking), you'll need to stir the mixture to prevent the rice pudding from sticking to the inside of the pot.
Storage
Storing: Once it's cool, keep the rice pudding in an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay good for about a week.
Freezing: You can also freeze the pudding for 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw in the fridge overnight before eating.
Reheat in a microwave-safe dish on 50% power in the microwave, OR in a saucepan over medium heat on the stove. If it's too thick after reheating, stir in a splash of milk or water to thin it out.
Topping Ideas
- Dried cranberries or apricots
- Chocolate chips
- Candied ginger pieces
- Chopped toasted nuts
- Sliced almonds
- Raspberry sauce
- Sprinkle of cinnamon
Instant Pot Rice Pudding Recipe FAQ
If your rice pudding is mushy, it's likely that you either overcooked it, or used too much water.
Not using enough water is the likely culprit to pressure cooker rice being hard.
With this recipe, the pudding will thicken as it cools. If the pudding is still too thin after cooling, you can use a cornstarch slurry to thicken it. Stir together 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of cold water in a small bowl. Bring the rice pudding back to a simmer and stir in the slurry.
If you have to choose between a short grain and long grain, always use one with more starch. The best options are either a medium-grain variety or a short-grain rice like Arborio or Carnoli.
Other Comforting Desserts To Make
Instant Pot Rice Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 cup arborio rice
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup raisins optional
Instructions
- Add the rice and water to inner pot of the pressure cooker. Cover the instant pot and set the steam valve to Sealing. Manually set it to cook at High Pressure for 3 minutes. *It will take a few minutes to come to pressure before the 3 minute cook time actually starts.
- While the rice cooks, in a small bowl combine sugar, milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.
- Let the instant pot naturally release pressure for 12 minutes, then manually release the rest of the pressure.
- Add the milk mixture to the rice and stir well.
- Set the pot to Sauté for 4 minutes. Stir constantly until the mixture begins to boil. Make sure to keep stirring or it can scorch the bottom of the pot. Let it boil for about 2 minutes while constantly stirring.
- Turn off the pot and fold in the raisins. Enjoy!
Helpful Notes and Tips From Liz
- Nix the raisins - If you don’t like raisins, you leave them out, or replace them with other dried fruits. For example, dried cranberries, banana chips, apple chips, dried apricots, etc.
Layna Georgia
Can you use a rice cooker instead of a instant pot?
Liz Marino
I've never tried it but I think a rice cooker is different- sorry!
CHRIS
Question about recipe ingredients: The ingredients list does not mention coconut milk or meringue powder, but you refer to them both in your comments regarding variations as if they were both listed as ingredients.
Liz @ Tasty Treats & Eats
There is no meringue powder in this recipe, we updated it to not include it since most people don't have it! Just fixed that. Just follow the recipe as is 🙂
Eileen Moran Griggs
Looks delicious! I don’t see meringue powder as an ingredient in the original recipe, when you suggest subscriptions for it?
Liz @ Tasty Treats & Eats
There is no meringue powder in this recipe, we updated it to not include it since most people don't have it! Just follow the recipe as is 🙂