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I am completely obsessed with this Slow Cooker Rice Pudding – it’s rich, creamy and literally *THE* easiest homemade dessert ever! Making rice pudding in the slow cooker is so simple, I can’t believe I haven’t done it sooner. It’s a great naturally gluten free dessert.
Notes On This Slow Cooker Rice Pudding Recipe
💛 You only need 7 ingredients to make this easy slow cooker rice pudding and it takes two minutes to chuck it all in the slow cooker. Then just let it work its magic!
💛 Home made rice pudding is one of my favourite classic British desserts – plus its naturally gluten free, meaning everyone can enjoy it.
💛 The slow cooker produces a silky, creamy rice pudding which is great with jam, syrup or stewed fruit. You can easily customise it and it’s great for freezing too!
Table of Contents
Ingredients and Substitutions
There’s a printable recipe card for this easy slow cooker rice pudding recipe below. But for the shopping list you will need…
- Pudding Rice: Or short grain rice. Be aware that some brands have a ‘may contain’ warning for wheat. Always double check the pudding rice you’re using is gluten free.
- Butter: This is used both to grease the slow cooker pan and to add a rich creaminess.
- Full Fat Milk: I recommend using full fat and not skimmed milk for the best results.
- Double Cream: Or heavy cream in the US.
- Caster Sugar: You can also use golden caster sugar or even light brown sugar. For a refined sugar free rice pudding, swap for honey or maple syrup.
- Vanilla Extract
- Ground Nutmeg: You could also add some ginger or cinnamon if you like.
I like to always have some strawberry jam for topping this rice pudding, like I had when I was a kid! But I have some ideas for other variations and toppings below.
How to make slow cooker rice pudding
There’s a printable recipe card below with the method. But here are some step-by-step photos to show you how easy this gluten free rice pudding is to make:
Recipe Troubleshooting
Slow cookers do vary, so it’s important to keep an eye on this rice pudding – it’s done when the rice is tender (not mushy) and the creamy sauce is thick and silky.
Becoming too thick? If it looks like the slow cooker is running hot, you can add a little extra milk if it seems to be thickening up too fast. Check the rice after 2 hours and again after 2 hours 30 mins, as it may be done sooner.
Not becoming thick? If the rice pudding has been in for 3 hours and it hasn’t thickened yet, you can try turning it up to high for 30-60 minutes. Keep an eye on it.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
TO STORE: Any leftover rice pudding can be kept in the fridge for 3-5 days. I adore this rice pudding recipe hot or cold – you can enjoy it either way.
TO FREEZE: You can also freeze leftover slow cooker rice pudding in portions and defrost/reheat as and when you need a speedy dessert!
Slow Cooker Rice Pudding Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 150 g pudding rice, (short grain rice)
- 20 g butter, (melted)
- 750 ml full fat milk
- 200 ml double cream
- 60 g caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Rinse the pudding rice in a sieve under cold water and drain.
- If you are not using a non-stick slow cooker, use a little butter to grease the bottom and sides of the slow cooker pot to stop the pudding from sticking as it cooks.
- Add the rice, melted butter, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla extract and ground nutmeg to the slow cooker pan and stir to mix.
- Place the lid on and cook for 3 hours on low. You can give the rice a stir half way through the cooking time or just leave it. Slow cookers do vary, so check the rice after 2 hours and again after 2 hours 30 mins – it's done when the rice is tender (not mushy) and the creamy sauce is thick and silky.
Video
Notes
- Once cooked, this rice pudding can be kept in the fridge and reheated, or frozen. I recommend only reheating this once, and do so thoroughly.
- Slow cookers can vary, so make sure you keep an eye on this after 2 hours. If it appears to thick and dry, add a splash extra milk. If it’s not thickening, turn it up to high for 30-60 minutes.
- Try adding sultanas, chocolate or even mincemeat for a variation on this recipe.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some FAQs about this easy slow cooker rice pudding recipe – if you can’t find the answer to your question here or in the post above, please comment and I’ll try answer!
Rice itself is naturally gluten free. However, some pudding rice packs have a ‘may contain’ warning for wheat, making them unsuitable for people with coeliac disease or on a gluten free diet. Always double check the labels as some recipes may change and allergy warnings like this are often added and taken away!
At the time of writing, the Sainsbury’s pudding rice has a may contain warning for wheat. The Asda, M&S and Tesco ones do not.
Usually rice pudding is a gluten free dessert option – and while you can easily buy rice pudding tins, making your own is much better!
All slow cookers can vary and I strongly recommend checking your rice pudding frequently (every half hour) after about 2 hours cooking. As soon as the rice is tender, it is ready.
If you overcook the rice it will become mushy – so it’s best to keep checking to be on the safe side until you learn exactly how long your specific slow cooker needs to cook rice pudding perfectly!
Variations
Want to mix up your slow cooker rice pudding? Here are some ideas for switching up this easy rice pudding recipe:
- Cinnamon Rice Pudding: Add 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon to the slow cooker mixture for a warming, winter rice pudding recipe. You could even add pumpkin spice mix too.
- Mincemeat Rice Pudding: Stir through some gluten free mincemeat for a great Christmas dessert with minimal effort.
- Chocolate Rice Pudding: Add some milk chocolate squares to the slow cooker and stir them in when they’ve melted for a delicious slow cooker chocolate rice pudding.
- Stewed Fruit: Heap some stewed apples or stewed pears onto this rice pudding and swirl through for a fruity rice pudding recipe.
- Dried Fruit: Add some dried fruit like raisins or sultanas to the rice pudding mixture in the crock pot – and a cheeky splash of spiced rum if you fancy it!
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More Gluten Free Dessert Recipes
If you like this Slow Cooker Rice Pudding recipe then make sure you check out these other delicious gluten free dessert recipes too…
Welcome recipes
Perfectly delicious!
This recipe didn’t work for me. It just sat there on Low for 3 hours and didn’t cook the rice at all or reduce the liquid to a creamy consistency. Ended up having to transfer the whole lot to an oven dish to salvage it.
Slow cookers vary and this recipe might work better on High for some people, so be cautious if you’re trying it and be prepared to bake it if need be.
Apologies for this, I’ve added some extra troubleshooting notes, I have found since making this in several different slow cookers they can vary so I’ve updated the post to reflect this!