Creamy Peanut Butter Coconut Rice Pudding with Toasted Peanuts

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 6 servings
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes (plus optional chilling)

Quick Ingredients

• 1 cup short-grain white rice, rinsed
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups whole milk (plus 1/2–1 cup extra if needed)
• 1 can (14 oz / 400 ml) full-fat coconut milk
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar or coconut sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• 1/3 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes or shaved coconut
• Optional: extra coconut milk or cream, honey/maple syrup, fresh fruit

Do This

• 1. Rinse rice until water runs mostly clear; drain well.
• 2. In a heavy saucepan, combine rice, water, 2 cups milk, and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cook over low heat, uncovered, stirring often, about 15 minutes.
• 3. Stir in coconut milk, sugar, and cinnamon (if using). Simmer on low, stirring frequently, until rice is very tender and mixture is thick and creamy, 10–15 more minutes.
• 4. Remove from heat; stir in peanut butter and vanilla until smooth. Let stand 5–10 minutes to thicken. Add a splash of warm milk if it gets too thick.
• 5. Meanwhile, toast peanuts and coconut flakes in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and lightly golden; set aside.
• 6. Spoon warm or chilled pudding into bowls; top with toasted peanuts and coconut, and drizzle with a little extra coconut milk or honey if desired.
• 7. Serve immediately or chill up to 3 days; loosen with extra milk when reheating.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Extra creamy and comforting, thanks to coconut milk, whole milk, and peanut butter all working together.
• Uses simple pantry ingredients but tastes like a special, restaurant-worthy dessert.
• Great warm on a chilly night or chilled straight from the fridge on a hot day.
• Easily adaptable: make it dairy-free, less sweet, or dress it up with fruit and sauces.

Grocery List

• Produce: Fresh berries or sliced banana for serving (optional)
• Dairy: Whole milk (or your favorite milk for cooking and thinning)
• Pantry: Short-grain white rice, canned full-fat coconut milk, granulated sugar or coconut sugar, fine sea salt, creamy peanut butter, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, unsalted roasted peanuts, unsweetened coconut flakes or shaved coconut, honey or maple syrup (optional)

Full Ingredients

For the Peanut-Butter Coconut Rice Pudding

• 1 cup short-grain white rice (such as Arborio or sushi rice), rinsed
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups whole milk, plus 1/2–1 cup extra for thinning if needed
• 1 can (14 oz / 400 ml) full-fat coconut milk, well shaken
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar or coconut sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (natural, unsweetened if possible)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional, but delicious)

For the Toppings

• 1/3 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes, chips, or shaved coconut

Optional Garnishes

• A drizzle of coconut milk, heavy cream, or coconut cream
• Honey or maple syrup, to taste
• Fresh berries or sliced banana
• A pinch of extra cinnamon

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Rinse the rice and gather your ingredients

Measure out all of your ingredients so they are ready to go. Place the rice in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cool running water, using your fingers to swish it around, until the water runs mostly clear. This helps remove excess surface starch so the pudding ends up creamy but not gluey. Let the rice drain well while you start heating the liquid.

Step 2: Start cooking the rice

In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan (this helps prevent scorching), combine the rinsed rice, 1 cup water, 2 cups whole milk, and the salt. Stir once to make sure the rice is evenly distributed. Set the pot over medium heat and bring the mixture just to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally so the rice does not stick to the bottom.
Once it is simmering, reduce the heat to low so you have only small, lazy bubbles. Cook uncovered for about 15 minutes, stirring every 2–3 minutes and scraping along the bottom and sides of the pot with a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon.

Step 3: Add coconut milk and sweeten

After about 15 minutes, the rice will have started to soften and the mixture will have thickened slightly. Pour in the can of coconut milk and add the sugar and cinnamon (if using). Stir very well to dissolve the sugar and evenly combine the coconut milk with the rest of the liquid.
Keep the heat on low and continue to cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until the rice is very tender and the pudding is thick, 10–15 more minutes. As it thickens, you may need to stir almost constantly to prevent sticking or scorching. You are aiming for a loose, creamy porridge-like texture; it will thicken more as it cools.

Step 4: Stir in peanut butter and vanilla

When the rice is fully cooked and the texture is rich and creamy, remove the pot from the heat. Immediately add the peanut butter and vanilla extract. Stir slowly but thoroughly until the peanut butter is completely melted and blended into the pudding, and the color is a warm, light caramel.
If the mixture seems too stiff at this point, stir in a small splash of warm milk (a tablespoon or two at a time) until it loosens to your preferred consistency. Let the pudding sit off the heat for 5–10 minutes; it will continue to thicken slightly as it rests.

Step 5: Toast the peanuts and coconut

While the pudding is resting, toast the toppings. Place a small dry skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped peanuts and cook, shaking the pan or stirring frequently, until they are fragrant and just starting to deepen in color, 2–3 minutes. Transfer them to a small bowl so they do not continue to cook.
In the same warm skillet, add the coconut flakes or shaved coconut. Toast, stirring often, until lightly golden on the edges, 1–3 minutes depending on how thin they are. Watch closely; coconut can go from golden to burnt quickly. Remove from the skillet immediately to a separate bowl to cool.

Step 6: Adjust the texture and sweetness

Take a look at your pudding. If it has thickened more than you like (especially if you plan to serve it chilled), stir in some of the extra milk, a few tablespoons at a time, until it is very creamy and still slightly loose. Taste and adjust the sweetness: if you prefer a sweeter dessert, stir in an extra tablespoon or two of sugar, honey, or maple syrup while the pudding is still warm so it dissolves easily.
At this point, you can serve the pudding warm, or let it cool to room temperature and then refrigerate it for at least 1 hour if you prefer it chilled. Remember that it will firm up more in the fridge, so leave it a bit looser than you think you want.

Step 7: Serve and garnish

To serve warm, spoon the peanut-butter coconut rice pudding into bowls while it is still cozy and steamy. For chilled pudding, give it a good stir, adding a splash of milk if it has set too firmly, then spoon into serving dishes.
Top each portion generously with the toasted peanuts and toasted coconut. If you like, drizzle a little extra coconut milk, cream, or coconut cream over the top for a pretty contrast, and add a thread of honey or maple syrup for shine. Fresh berries or sliced banana make a lovely, colorful finish. Serve right away and enjoy the contrast of the creamy pudding with the crunchy, toasty toppings.

Pro Tips

• Use short-grain rice for creaminess: Short-grain or Arborio rice releases more starch, giving you a naturally thick, velvety pudding without needing eggs.
• Stir often, especially near the end: As the pudding thickens, it is more likely to stick. Frequent stirring prevents scorching and keeps the texture silky.
• Add peanut butter off the heat: Stirring in peanut butter after removing the pot from the burner keeps it from splitting or catching on the bottom of the pan.
• Err on the loose side: The pudding will thicken as it cools. Stop cooking when it is slightly looser than you want the final texture to be.
• Toast toppings separately: Toast peanuts and coconut in separate batches so each can reach perfect golden-brown without burning.

Variations

• Dairy-free version: Replace the whole milk with additional coconut milk or a rich non-dairy milk (such as oat or soy). You may want to reduce the added sugar slightly, since coconut milk is naturally sweet.
• Chocolate-peanut swirl: Stir 2–3 tablespoons of cocoa powder and an extra tablespoon of sugar into the pudding along with the peanut butter, then top with shaved dark chocolate.
• Salted caramel twist: Drizzle finished bowls with warm caramel sauce and a tiny sprinkle of flaky sea salt along with the toasted peanuts and coconut.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Let leftover rice pudding cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The pudding will thicken substantially as it chills; when you are ready to serve, stir in a splash or two of milk or coconut milk to loosen it to your preferred creaminess. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat or in short bursts in the microwave, stirring often so it heats evenly and does not scorch. The toasted peanuts and coconut are best stored separately in an airtight container at room temperature and added just before serving so they stay crunchy.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values per serving (6 servings, without optional garnishes): about 520 calories, 28 g fat, 55 g carbohydrates, 13 g protein, 2 g fiber, and 22 g sugar. These numbers are estimates and will vary based on the exact ingredients and brands you use, as well as any extra toppings or sweeteners.