Instant Pot Rice Pudding – Easy Recipe

While the Instant Pot is known for creating fantastic appetizers and entrees, did you know it’s the perfect tool for whipping up a quick dessert? Rice pudding has been one of my favorite desserts since childhood and is a firm favorite with everyone from young kids to grandparents.

The Instant Pot locks in the moisture of this dish, making it the most delectable rich and creamy rice pudding. After a few attempts, I’ve come up with the best recipe for this classic dessert, which takes under thirty minutes to prepare in the Instant Pot.

Rice pudding is the ideal winter dessert, and sometimes I think it’s an underrated classic. When you’re cuddled up inside by the fire, watching the snow fall down to the ground outside, there’s nothing better than a bowl of steaming rice pudding. However, before the Instant Pot, I used to struggle to get that perfect consistency.

I no longer have to worry about it going slightly crispy. Instead, I simply throw in the ingredients and let the Instant Pot work its magic. This recipe uses just eight ingredients, which you probably already have in your kitchen cabinets.

As a child, rice pudding was always my favorite dessert, and I used to be so excited when my Mom would serve it after dinner. It’s such a simple dish, but I remember savoring every last bite of its creamy goodness and licking the bowl clean afterward! It’s the perfect dessert for young children and, in comparison to some other options like cakes and pies, is slightly healthier.

I like to eat my rice pudding hot, although I sometimes wait for it to cool a little after cooking to get it to the perfect temperature. You can even serve it cold if you prefer, and if you have leftovers, put them in the fridge overnight. As it cools and sets, it will get a little bit thicker, but you can add in cold milk the next day to get it to the desired consistency again. I love having the leftovers for breakfast the next morning. It’s a delicious start to any day!

Before I give you the step-by-step instructions for this recipe, I wanted to share with you a few of my top tips for making the perfect rice pudding.

When it comes to choosing the right rice to use, there are so many different choices that it can become overwhelming. This recipe uses long-grain rice, as it’s able to absorb plenty of moisture without falling apart.

This means you get that ideal rich and creamy pudding, with good consistency and texture. While other types of rice could work, I’d highly recommend basic long-grain rice for the best results.

You may be wondering why this recipe calls for quite a lot of water. The milk and cream that the recipe uses have a good amount of fat, which when heated up during the cooking phase, can potentially develop a poor taste or consistency.

Water is added to stop this from happening. During the cooking process, the water will evaporate and condense, so your rice pudding will still be the perfect texture and taste delightful when finished.

After cooking the rice pudding, one of my favorite parts is adding the toppings. You can customize this dessert however you like, but I’d recommend adding a sprinkle of cinnamon on top for that warming winter flavor.

Younger children may just prefer it plain, or they might enjoy a bit of jam on top. I personally enjoy adding a berry jam, as its tartness contrasts well with the creaminess of the rice pudding.

If you are looking to make this a truly indulgent dessert, why not add a teaspoon of Nutella or chocolate spread on top? It will make for an even richer dish and is perfect as a treat after a long day at work or school.

If you don’t want to make it quite so rich, but love chocolate, just sprinkle a little cocoa powder on top. Kids and teens will particularly love the addition of chocolate to their pudding! I’d recommend using an unsweetened cocoa powder, and then you can add sugar to taste if needed.

There are so many options for topping your rice pudding, so have fun experimenting each time you create this dish. For something really exotic, add chili jam or an Indian-style pickle. I’d love to hear what your favorite topping is for this Instant Pot Rice Pudding!

Below you’ll find everything you need to know to get started with this rice pudding recipe. I’ve listed all of the ingredients you’ll need, most of which you probably already have at home, and then our step-by-step guide with photos.

The Instant Pot makes creating this recipe an absolute delight, and you’ll no longer have an excuse not to make your family a dessert on a busy weeknight. The recipe serves between four and six people, so simply adjust the quantities to fit the number of portions you need to serve each time. Enjoy making our Instant Pot Rice Pudding and don’t forget to check out our other recipes for more quick and easy Instant Pot meal ideas.

Instant Pot Rice Pudding (makes 4-6 servings)

Prep: 5 minutes 

Cook: 25 minutes

Total: 30 minutes 

Instant Pot Rice Pudding Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup long-grain rice
• 3/4 cup of water
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 3 cups of whole milk
• 1/2 cup of white granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. of vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

Instant Pot Rice Pudding Step by Step Instructions:

1. Begin by adding all of your ingredients into your Instant Pot. Mix well together to ensure that all of the ingredients, especially the rice, are well incorporated. You want to avoid having any bits of dry rice for this recipe!

2. After you’ve ensured that all of the ingredients are well mixed together, place your Instant Pot lid on and screw to close. Close the valve on your pressure cooker.

3. Select “Porridge” on your Instant Pot, and allow this setting to run for 20 minutes. Once it has finished cooking, allow it to naturally release for 15 minutes. After the 15 minutes have passed, manually release the device by using a hot pad or a towel and bringing the valve toward you to release the pressure. 

4. After you’ve removed the lid, check the flavor and texture of the rice. If you find that your rice pudding is a little too thin for your liking, you can press cancel on your instant pot, and turn on the “sauté” mode to reduce it further.

5. Once your rice pudding is finished, top with cinnamon or another topping as desired. Serve in bowls and enjoy!

There you have a simple recipe for the best rice pudding, which requires minimal ingredients and takes just five easy steps to create. I’m sure you have everything you need in your kitchen already, so what are you waiting for? It’s the perfect dessert for those nights where you are still a little hungry after dinner, but don’t have the time or energy to commit to baking something extravagant. Give it a try for your next family gathering or dinner, and it’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser!

FAQ About Instant Pot Rice Pudding

What Nationality Is Rice Pudding?

Rice pudding is thought to have originated in ancient China since this centuries-old civilization has several different varieties of rice pudding, including a savory rice pudding known as congee. However, if you do a little digging into the history of the dish, you’ll soon discover that almost every culture in the world which features rice as a main staple in its cuisine has invented some form of rice pudding.

Why Is Rice Pudding Bad for You?

Rice pudding isn’t necessarily bad for you, it’s just that this tasty dessert has a lot of sugar per serving. Since the serving size of rice pudding is only a few ounces, it’s very easy to over-indulge in this sweet treat.

However, this doesn’t mean that you have to give up rice pudding in your diet. Here are a few ways you can make rice pudding more healthy:

• Use reduced sugar in the recipe. The resulting rice pudding won’t be as sweet, but it also won’t have as many empty calories.
• Balance out your meals the rest of the day. If you know you’re having rice pudding for dessert, try to go easy on some of the other heavy dishes you might otherwise eat at other meals during the day so that you still eat a relatively healthy diet.
• Stick to a real serving size. Instead of scooping yourself a full-sized bowl of rice pudding, serve yourself a portion around the size of a pudding cup or an ice cream scoop. This will provide enough sweetness for the end of a meal to be a good dessert without going overboard.

Do You Rinse Rice for Rice Pudding?

Not only should you rinse rice for rice pudding, but you should also rinse your rice for any meal you cook with it. There are a few reasons for this:

• Food hygiene: Imported rice goes through a lot of hands between the rice paddy and your plate, so you want to make sure that it’s cleaned so you’re not eating any debris or dust along with your rice.
• Kickstart cooking: Rinsing rice begins the process of rehydrating the rice for cooking in water. This causes it to cook faster once you introduce it to the pot.
• Starch residue: As rice is transported in a bag, a starchy dust becomes coated on each rice grain. If the rice is cooked with this starch coat intact, the resulting rice will be slightly gooey. This is not the texture you want for rice pudding.

To rinse rice for rice pudding, simply run rice under cold running water and drain until the water coming off the rice runs clear. At this point, your rice should be ready to cook with.

What Is the Rice Button on an Instant Pot?

The Rice button on Instant Pot is a preset setting for the pressure cooker that is designed to allow it to cook white rice perfectly. This automated cooking mode is set to run for ten to twelve minutes, just enough time to rehydrate rice to steamy perfection.

It’s important to remember that once the rice has been cooked, you still need to wait another fifteen minutes while the Instant Pot is locked for the pressure inside the Instant Pot to dissipate. Once the pressure is vented, the Instant Pot will be safe to open and remove the cooked rice.

Which Is the Best Type of Rice for Rice Pudding?

The best type of rice for rice pudding depends on the way you like your rice pudding. The rice style you choose will affect the final texture of your pudding. Here are some common choices of rice for rice pudding:

• Medium grain white rice: Medium grain rice is probably the most common type of rice used in rice pudding. This type of rice will give your rice pudding a moderate texture.
• Arborio rice: Arborio rice can make your rice pudding extra creamy, but requires more water and a longer cooking time than other rice types.
• Long grain rice: Using long grain rice will give your rice pudding a lot of texture compared to other rice types. Use long grain rice when you want to create a rustic, old-fashioned rice pudding.

Any of these types of rice work well with rice pudding. The key is preparing the rice and cooking it properly.

Does Rice Pudding Help With Weight Loss?

While rice pudding can cause you to gain weight if you eat too much of it too often, it is still a healthier dessert than many other desserts that are commonly eaten, such as cheesecake or ice cream.

Compared to these other high-fat and high-calorie desserts, eating a reasonable amount of rice pudding for dessert can help curb the temptation to binge on unhealthy foods.

Is Rice Pudding Good for Weight Loss?

Since it has processed sugar and simple starches in it, there are better foods out there for weight loss than rice pudding. If you’re serious about weight loss, cut fruit or no dessert at all would be a better option. However, if you’re using rice pudding as a light substitute for a less healthy starch-based dessert such as cake or cookies, it can be helpful for weight loss.

Many people find it hard to completely give up desserts and sweets entirely during a diet, which can cause them to binge on sweets when the temptation grows too great. Incorporating a light dessert into your meal plan is healthier in the long run than trying to go cold turkey on anything that tastes remotely good.

Is Rice Pudding a Healthy Snack?

Rice pudding is a healthy snack as long as you eat a reasonable portion of it and you’re sure to balance it out with other healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Rice pudding offers the following nutritional benefits:

• Calcium: Rice pudding is chock full of calcium for building strong bones and teeth thanks to the dairy that is used to bind it together. Calcium also helps protect against cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
• Iron: Iron is a necessary mineral for the production of red blood cells in the circulatory system, and it’s also important for several other processes in the body. Lack of iron in the body can lead to a weakened state called
• Protein: Rice pudding may not have as much protein as meat or legumes, but the protein from the dairy in rice pudding is great for building muscle and other chemicals the body needs to function properly.

Even though it’s still a sweet dessert, if you put rice pudding up against any other popular dessert such as vanilla ice cream or chocolate cake, this creamy concoction puts them all to shame. For those with a sweet tooth, it’s definitely the lesser of two sugary evils.

Is Rice Pudding High in Calories?

Rice pudding is around 133 calories per 4 ounces, which means that it has fewer calories than a can of Coca-Cola and slightly fewer calories than half a cup of vanilla ice cream. So while rice pudding isn’t high in calories, it isn’t really all that low in calories either. In comparison, a serving of grapes for dessert only has 64 calories, while a serving of strawberries only has 47.

How Many Calories Are in Homemade Rice Pudding?

The bad news is that an average portion of homemade rice pudding has over double the amount of calories as a serving of processed rice pudding – around 310 calories per serving. This is usually due to the fact that home cooks add extra dairy and sugar to the rice pudding to improve its flavor. Delicious for your tastebuds, but bad for your waistline. 

The good news is that if you’re trying to watch your calorie intake, you can reduce the number of calories in your homemade rice pudding by replacing the sugar in the recipe with an artificial sweetener, a sugar substitute such as stevia, or by simply reducing the amount of sugar you include when you cook it.

Can You Eat Rice Pudding Straight From the Tin?

You can eat rice pudding cold straight out of the package, or you can heat it up first. Rice pudding is delicious either way, though it might have a slightly more creamy and less congealed texture if it’s heated. However, there are many people who prefer it chilled straight from the fridge. Either way you like it, it’s a snack worth trying out!