Homemade Cream of Rice is a step above the boxed variety. Made with rice, coconut milk, agave, and vanilla create a vegan, dairy free, and gluten free warm cozy breakfast. A variety of delicious toppings allows everyone to make their breakfast unique.
Did you grow up eating warm bowls of Cream of Rice or Cream of Wheat? While the processed varieties bring back nostalgic memories, Homemade Cream of Rice is delicious and so simple to make.
What is Cream of Rice made of? Traditionally, Cream of Rice is made from a boxed rice flour with milk or cream, and heating it till it thickens. The end result was a little gloppy, and not the most appealing breakfast.
This recipe is gluten free, dairy free, and vegan. However, adding honey or a different milk can change the classification.
However, the best part of this recipe is dressing up the breakfast rice with a plethora of delicious and healthy toppings.
Ingredients
Follow my direction to learn how to make Cream of Rice with common pantry ingredients. My recipe for Homemade Cream of Rice uses long grain rice, creamy coconut milk, agave, and vanilla. The combination of these ingredients creates a pleasant texture of rice and cream, plus a light sweetness from the coconut milk and agave.
- Long Grain Rice
- Unsweetened Coconut Milk
- Agave (Honey can be used in place of Agave)
- Vanilla Extract
- Toppings: Nuts, Dried Fruit, Toasted Coconut, Cinnamon, Apples, Honey, Maple Syrup, Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Pour coconut milk into a medium sauce pan. Bring to a simmer.
- Add rice, agave, and vanilla. Stir. Turn heat to low and cook for about 20 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, stir and remove from heat. The rice should be tenders and milk thicken and sweetened.
- Serve in bowls with desired toppings.
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*Note: Honey can be used in place of agave, but it may not be considered vegan. Maple syrup is also a delicious substitute.
Coconut Milk
My recipe for Cream of Rice uses coconut milk. The recipe is vegan, gluten-free, and dairy free.
Coconut milk gives a slight nutty flavor and natural sweetness (even with an unsweetened variety).
Other options in place of coconut milk include:
- Cow's Milk
- Cream
- Almond Milk
- Soy Milk
- Cashew Milk
- Hemp Milk
- Rice Milk
Rice
My recipe contains long grain rice. Why? I prefer the hearty texture versus short grain or ground.
Traditionally, cream of rice contains a ground rice flour. I opted to update the recipe and keep the rice intact. However, you can easily grind up the rice to make a smoother version of this recipe if you prefer that technique.
To grind the rice, use a grinder jar or a blender. You may want to use a sieve because there may still be larger pieces. Using short gain rice will give a smoother texture as well.
If you are like me, and like a little heartiness to your rice, long-grain is a great option. Arborio rice is another great option, typically used in risotto, and is even a thicker rice than long-grain.
Brown rice will work very well in this cream of rice recipe.
Toppings
The best part- in my opinion!
I will tell you my favorite combination is toasted coconut and golden raisins.
It. Is. So. Good.
I love the little tropical twist with the coconut milk base, and the toasted coconut. I also like to add a few white chocolate chips. Adding those adds dairy, but you could add a little non-dairy dark chocolate flakes in place of the chips.
Here are a few more of my favorite flavor combinations:
- Freeze dried blueberries, chopped almonds, and dark chocolate mini chips
- Sliced apple with cinnamon and chopped walnuts
- Maple syrup, cinnamon, pears, and chopped pecans
- Dried pineapple, toasted coconut, and chopped cashews
- Raisins, dried apples, cinnamon, and pecans
Those are just a few of my favorites, but dressing-up the bowl is the best part.
FAQ
Is Cream of Rice the same as Cream of Wheat?
Nope.
Cream of Wheat contains wheat that is ground to make a smooth cereal and it contains gluten.
Cream of Rice uses ground rice to create a breakfast cereal.
However, both optional are as nostalgic as it gets!
Related recipes
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Homemade Cream of Rice
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Long Grain Rice
- 3 cups Unsweetened Coconut Milk
- 1 tablespoon Agave
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Toppings: Nuts, Dried Fruit, Toasted Coconut, Cinnamon, Apples, Honey, Maple Syrup, Chocolate Chips
Instructions
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Pour coconut milk into a medium sauce pan. Bring to a simmer.
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Add rice, agave, and vanilla. Stir. Turn heat to low and cook for about 20 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes.
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After 20 minutes, stir and remove from heat. The rice should be tenders and milk thicken and sweetened.
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Serve in bowls with desired toppings.
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