For me, a good, creamy maple rice pudding is love in a bowl. It’s comfort writ large, perhaps because it was among a small rotation of puddings that my mom made for dessert when we were kids. Warm bowls of tapioca, bread pudding, and vanilla custard were regulars at our table. Rice was always my favorite.
Strangely, it was never a part of the repertoire in my own home, comforting and wholesome as it is.
A Creamy, Maple-Sweetened Dessert or Snack
That is until now. This Creamy Maple number has me hooked. It’s appealing as a dessert, of course, but also terrific for a snack. That’s because it has the nourishment and heft to sustain kids (and grown ups) from the afternoon until suppertime
Arborio Rice Makes the Best Rice Pudding
You can pretty much make pudding using every variety of rice under the sun. I imagine my mom used standard short grain rice. And I make a very satisfying breakfast rice pudding using brown basmati (that recipe is in my book Rise & Shine). That said, I’ve had the best results for a truly creamy pudding using arborio rice. It’s the starchy variety used for Italian risotto, a dish that at its best is luscious and creamy, too.
A Wholesome Treat
Sure it’s a treat, thanks to the maple syrup, but not an empty one. A generous amount of milk lends a meaningful dose of calcium and protein. You can cut back the amount of maple syrup if you prefer it a little less sweet. And each serving comes in at about 200 calories.
The Option to Add Eggs to Rice Pudding
The recipe includes instructions in the head note if you want to add an egg or two. Since the pudding doesn’t go back on the stove once the eggs are added, I recommend pasteurized eggs, such as Safest Choice.
Either warm from the pot or cooled in the fridge, served straight up, or topped with fruit, Creamy Maple Rice Pudding is just the sort of sweet to share as you sit around the table after school and catch up on the day. Or pack it into to-go containers and eat en route to whatever activity the afternoon brings.
But before you do any of that, when the pudding is just cooked and still warm on the stove, go ahead and spoon it straight from pot to mouth when nobody’s looking.
I’m sure my mother would approve.
If you like Creamy Maple Rice Pudding, check out:
Creamy Cashew Chocolate Pudding
Salted Butterscotch Mousse Cups
Lighter Chocolate Pot de Creme
This recipe for Warm Coconut Rice Pudding on Cooking Light.
Creamy Maple Rice Pudding
Enjoy this pudding either warm or cold. Pack it up in sealed to-go containers for after school snacks or in a lunch box. For a more filling and protein-rich pudding, whisk about 1/3 cup of the cooked pudding into one to two beaten pasteurized eggs, such as Safest Choice. Add another 1/3 cup of the pudding into the rice. Then, pour the egg/rice mixture back into the pot with the remaining pudding. Stir well.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup arborio rice
- 2 cups low-fat milk (or oat milk if using plant milk)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Chopped pistachios (or other favorite nuts) and fresh fruit, such as orange, berries, or banana
Instructions
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Put the rice in a fine-mesh colander and rinse under cold water for 10 seconds. Drain.
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Transfer the rice to a medium saucepan and add the milk, water, maple syrup, cardamom, cinnamon, and salt. Stir well. Set the pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Once it boils, drop the heat until the it simmers. Cover with a lid and simmer until the rice is very tender and the consistency is just a touch thinner than a typical pudding (it will thicken as it cools), about 50 minutes. Remove the lid and stir in the lemon zest. Let it cool for a few minutes before serving.
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Serve warm or chilled and top with chopped pistachios and favorite fruits. If the pudding thickens beyond your liking, simply stir in a little more milk.