Toasted Coconut Rice Pudding (Printable)

Creamy rice infused with toasted coconut and tropical flavors, ideal for breakfast or dessert.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup Arborio rice

→ Coconut & Dairy

02 - 1 can (13.5 fl oz) full-fat coconut milk
03 - 2 cups whole milk or unsweetened almond milk

→ Sweeteners

04 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

→ Flavorings

06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
08 - Pinch of salt

→ Toppings (optional)

09 - 1/4 cup toasted coconut flakes
10 - Fresh mango or pineapple slices

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat a dry skillet over medium heat and toast the shredded coconut, stirring frequently until golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
02 - In a medium saucepan, mix rice, coconut milk, whole milk, sugar, toasted shredded coconut, salt, and cinnamon together.
03 - Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally.
04 - Lower the heat to low and cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until rice is tender and pudding achieves a creamy consistency, approximately 30 to 35 minutes. Add additional milk if necessary to adjust texture.
05 - Remove the saucepan from heat, stir in vanilla extract, and allow the pudding to stand for 5 minutes to thicken.
06 - Serve warm or chilled topped with toasted coconut flakes and fresh tropical fruit as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's the kind of dessert that feels indulgent but won't leave you heavy, especially when you serve it chilled on a warm day.
  • The toasted coconut gives it a depth that makes people ask what your secret ingredient is.
  • You can throw it together on a weeknight and have something that tastes like you spent hours on it.
02 -
  • The pudding will thicken as it sits, so don't panic if it seems a little looser than you'd like right when you take it off the heat; patience changes everything here.
  • Toasting your own coconut makes a genuine difference that pre-toasted flakes simply cannot match—it's worth those three minutes of attention.
03 -
  • Make this pudding the day before if you're serving it cold; the flavors deepen and the texture settles into something even silkier overnight.
  • If your pudding breaks or separates, pour it into a blender and pulse it smooth, then transfer it back to a bowl to chill; it will come back together beautifully.
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