Vegan Bourbon Orange Rice Pudding is a festive holiday dish with a plant-based twist. It's dairy-free, and gluten-free with a sugar-free option.
Rice pudding is a rich, tasty dessert that many people like to make around Christmas. From what I understand, rice pudding is a traditional Danish Christmas dessert.
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Maybe you have a family tradition of making rice pudding around the holidays. Or, maybe you (like me) have heard of rice pudding but never tried it.
Whether rice pudding has been a family recipe for years, or this is your first time making the dish, you're going to love this Vegan Bourbon Orange Rice Pudding. It's thick, creamy and rich, with tons of festive flavor.
Ingredient Notes
- Arborio Rice: For best results (aka maximum creaminess) use arborio rice. Arborio rice is known for its ability to thicken, which will lead to a delightful pudding. If you can't find arborio rice, you can use another white rice, and I've even had success with brown rice. Cook times differ among types of rice, so be sure to check the rice frequently when cooking to avoid over or undercooking.
- Kosher Salt: A bit of salt in the rice helps maximize flavor.
- Cashews: We'll use cashews to make the base of a vegan cream.
- Oat Milk: You can use any non-dairy milk that you'd like. I find that oat milk is the creamiest and tastiest option. We'll use some of the oat milk for the cream and some by itself.
- Maple or Date Syrup: Rice pudding is a slightly-sweet dessert, so we'll want to include some type of liquid sweetener. Date syrup is simply pureed dates and is the healthiest sweetener because it's just fruit! If you don't have date syrup or don't want to use it, you can also use maple syrup.
- Bourbon: As the name suggests, there is some bourbon in this recipe. The alcohol will cook off, but you'll be left with a delicious flavor. Even if you're not a whiskey-lover, don't leave out the bourbon. The bourbon in this rice pudding does not taste the same as a glass of whiskey. Also, no need to use high-end bourbon for this pudding - any low- to mid-range bottle will do.
- Orange: We'll use the zest and the juice of the orange, so make sure to buy a good one! I have blood oranges in the pictures, but I used a regular navel orange in the actual recipe.
- Cloves: Cloves add an intense wintery flavor to the dish. There's only a small amount, but if you're not a huge fan of cloves, feel free to just add a pinch.
- Walnuts: I used walnuts as a garnish. You can also chop them up and stir them into the pudding after it's cooked. Or, leave them out of the recipe entirely.
How to make Vegan Bourbon Orange Rice Pudding
Step 1. Soak the cashews in boiling water for 20-30 minutes. This helps them soften, so we can blend them into a cream.
Step 2. In a large saucepan, stir the rice, salt, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Then turn the heat down to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
Step 3. Zest and juice the orange. Set aside.
Step 4. Drain the cashews. Add them to a blender or food processor and blend, adding 1 cup of the oat milk until a creamy consistency is achieved.
Step 5. When the rice is cooked, add the cashew cream, remaining oat milk, maple or date syrup, bourbon, orange zest, orange juice, and cloves. Return to a simmer and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and the mixture is thick, 15-20 minutes. Test for doneness by running a wooden spoon through the pan - the mixture should stay separated for several seconds.
Step 6. Remove from the heat and serve immediately. Or, chill for 30-60 minutes and serve cold. Garnish with walnuts and a fresh zest of orange. Enjoy!
FAQ & Expert Tips
If you want to save a bit of time, you can make the cashew cream ahead of time. Soak the cashews overnight or whenever you want to make the cream, and then skip to step 4 to blend the cream. This may not save you tons of extra time, because during part of the cashew soak time you are also cooking the rice.
Use a store-bought non-dairy cream instead.
This entire recipe can be prepped ahead of time. Follow the entire recipe and then store in the fridge. The pudding can be served cold, straight from the fridge, or be re-heated in the saucepan.
Store this Vegan Bourbon Orange Rice Pudding in the fridge until you're ready to serve. It will last a week or so.
Recipe Prayer
Thank you God for tasty food and unique flavors. Watch over us as we enjoy this rice pudding. Amen.
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Bourbon Orange Rice Pudding
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ Cup Arborio Rice
- ½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ¾ Cup Cashews
- 1 ½ Cups Oat Milk divided
- ¼ Cup Maple or Date Syrup
- ¼ Cup Bourbon
- 1 Medium Orange
- Pinch Cloves
- Walnuts for garnish
Instructions
- Soak the cashews in boiling water for 20-30 minutes.
- In a large saucepan, stir the rice, salt, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Then turn the heat down to low and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes or until all the water is absorbed.
- Zest and juice the orange. Set aside.
- Drain the cashews. Add them to a blender or food processor and blend, adding 1 cup of the oat milk until a creamy consistency is achieved.
- When the rice is cooked, add the cashew cream, remaining oat milk, maple or date syrup, bourbon, orange zest, orange juice, and cloves. Return to a simmer and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and the mixture is thick, 15-20 minutes. Test for doneness by running a wooden spoon through the pan - the mixture should stay separated for several seconds.
- Remove from the heat and serve immediately. Or, chill for 30-60 minutes and serve cold. Garnish with walnuts and a fresh zest of orange. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate.
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