Pumpkin Rice Pudding

This creamy Pumpkin Rice Pudding is what happens when two old-fashioned favorites—rice pudding and pumpkin pie—come together in one simple fall dessert.

Arborio rice gives the pudding its creamy texture, while pumpkin puree, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg add all those familiar pumpkin pie flavors. It’s lightly sweetened with honey and made with unsweetened almond milk.

And it’s surprisingly easy. You start the rice on the stovetop, stir in the pumpkin mixture and then let the oven do the rest of the work.

The hardest part may be waiting for it to chill.

Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Rice Pudding

• Two favorite desserts in one. It’s part creamy rice pudding, part pumpkin pie.
• Warmly spiced. Cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg give it classic fall flavor.
• Naturally sweetened with honey. Just ¼ cup sweetens the entire recipe.
• Mostly hands-off. Once the ingredients are combined, the pudding finishes cooking in the oven.
• Perfect for making ahead. It needs to chill, so it’s an ideal dessert to prepare the day before.
• Easy to customize. Serve it plain or add whipped topping, cinnamon, dried fruit or a spoonful of frozen yogurt.

Ingredients

Arborio rice – The short-grain rice traditionally used for risotto works especially well here because it becomes naturally creamy as it cooks.

Unsweetened almond milk – Keeps the pudding creamy without making it overly rich.

Pumpkin puree – Use pure canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. You can also use homemade pumpkin puree.

Honey – Adds just enough sweetness without overpowering the pumpkin and spices. Pure maple syrup can be substituted.

Vanilla extract – Rounds out the flavors.

Cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg – The trio of warm spices gives the pudding its pumpkin-pie flavor. Pumpkin pie spice is a good substitute.

Salt – Just a little helps balance the sweetness.

Optional toppings – Light whipped topping, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, dried cranberries, raisins, chopped candied ginger (affiliate link), vanilla frozen yogurt or ice cream.

How to Make Creamy Pumpkin Rice Pudding, Step-by-Step

Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients

Gather and prepare all the ingredients.

Step 2: Preheat the Oven

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Step 3: Cook the Rice

In a small ovenproof saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil over high heat.

Stir in the Arborio rice and cover. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the rice is almost done.

Step 4: Mix the Pumpkin Mixture

In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond milk, pumpkin puree, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt.

Step 5: Combine

Stir the pumpkin mixture into the hot rice until well combined.

Step 6: Bake

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the pudding is bubbly and the liquid has reduced by about one-third.

Step 7: Cool

Remove the pudding from the oven and transfer it to a large bowl.

Stir well.

Step 8: Chill

Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.

Step 9: Serve

Divide the chilled pudding among four dessert bowls.

Serve as is or top with a little light whipped topping and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Recipe Notes & Variations

Prefer it less sweet? You can reduce the honey from ¼ cup to 2 tablespoons. This will also lower the calories and WW Points.

Use maple syrup. Pure maple syrup can be substituted for the honey in an equal amount.

Use homemade pumpkin. Either canned pumpkin puree or homemade pumpkin puree works well. Just don’t use sweetened pumpkin pie filling.

Double it. This recipe can easily be doubled if you need more servings.

Change the spices. Substitute pumpkin pie spice for the individual spices or adjust the cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg to suit your taste.

Serving Suggestions

Enjoy this pumpkin rice pudding chilled or let it sit at room temperature for a bit before serving.

I like it simply topped with a little whipped topping and cinnamon. For something a little more special, add chopped pecans, raisins, dried cranberries or a small spoonful of vanilla frozen yogurt.

Storing Leftovers

Store leftover rice pudding covered in the refrigerator.

Because rice pudding thickens as it chills, you can stir in a small splash of almond milk before serving if you’d like a looser, creamier consistency.

How Many Calories and WW Points in Pumpkin Pie Rice Pudding?

According to my calculations, each serving has about 190 calories.

To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)

If you’ve made this vegetarian friendly Pumpkin Pie Rice Pudding, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Recipe source: So Easy: Luscious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Week (affiliate link) by Ellie Krieger

More Rice Pudding Recipes

• Strawberry Rice Pudding
• Chocolate Slow Cooker Rice Pudding
• Crock Pot Rice Pudding (using leftover cooked rice)
• 2-Ingredient Chocolate Rice Pudding