How to Make Pumpkin Rice Pudding with Pumpkin Pie Spice

Creamy and warmly spiced, pumpkin rice pudding brings pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and vanilla together in a comforting stovetop dessert. The rice simmers with the flavors until the pudding thickens, then it’s ready to serve warm or chilled. With just 5 minutes of prep and 35 minutes of cooking, this recipe takes 40 minutes total and makes 8 servings.

Why Make This Pumpkin Rice Pudding

Pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and vanilla give this stovetop rice pudding its cozy pumpkin flavor. The rice cooks with the other ingredients until the mixture thickens into a creamy dessert, with the whole recipe taking 40 minutes from start to finish. It makes 8 servings, so there’s enough to share or enjoy over several portions. Serve it warm straight from the pot or chill it for a cold dessert; either way, chopped pecans on top add the finishing touch.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Rice Pudding

• 1 cup long-grain white rice: The base of the pudding, cooked first with water and cinnamon sticks.
• 2 cups water: Simmered with the rice for 10–12 minutes, until most of it is absorbed.
• 2 cinnamon sticks: Cook with the rice at the start, then are discarded before serving.
• 3 cups milk: Added after the first cooking stage to make the pudding creamy.
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree: Stirred in with the milk to give the pudding its pumpkin flavor.
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice: Added with the pumpkin and milk for warm spice flavor.
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract: Stirred in later, along with the brown sugar.
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar can be used; add it with the vanilla.
• Chopped pecans: Sprinkle them on top when serving.

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How to Make Pumpkin Rice Pudding

Make the pudding in five stages: cook the rice with cinnamon, add the milk and pumpkin mixture, stir in the vanilla and sugar, then cook until thick. Finish by removing the cinnamon sticks and serving the pudding warm or cold.

Simmer the Rice with Cinnamon

Combine the long-grain white rice, water, and cinnamon sticks in a medium pot. Set the pot over medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally as it heats. Once boiling, cover the pot and reduce the heat to low.

Simmer for 10–12 minutes, until most of the water has been absorbed. This is the first cooking stage for the rice; it will continue cooking after you add the milk, pumpkin puree, and spice. Keep the pot covered while it simmers.

Add the Milk, Pumpkin, and Spice

When most of the water is absorbed, stir in the milk, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice. Mix them into the rice, then cover the pot again. Cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.

This stage brings the pumpkin and warm spice into the pudding while the rice continues to cook in the milk. After the 10 minutes, remove the lid to prepare for adding the vanilla and brown sugar.

Stir in the Vanilla and Brown Sugar

Remove the lid and stir in the vanilla extract and packed brown sugar. The recipe allows either light or dark brown sugar, so use whichever is specified in your ingredients. Stir until these additions are incorporated into the rice and pumpkin mixture.

Once the vanilla and sugar are mixed in, continue cooking the pudding. The next stage takes about 20 minutes, with occasional stirring as the mixture thickens.

Cook Until the Pudding Thickens

Continue cooking for about 20 minutes, raising the heat to medium if needed. Stir occasionally during this stage to help keep the pudding from sticking to the pot. As it cooks, the mixture thickens; the stated doneness cue is that the pudding is thick.

Keep cooking until it reaches that thick consistency, stirring from time to time. The timing is approximate, so use the texture cue along with the cooking time to tell when this stage is complete.

Remove the Cinnamon Sticks and Serve

Once the pudding is thick, remove the pot from the heat. Take out and discard the cinnamon sticks before serving. The pudding can be served warm or cold, depending on your preference.

Top each serving with chopped pecans. They are the specified finishing touch for the pudding; add them when serving, whether you serve it warm from the pot or chilled.

Tips for Cooking the Pudding

Stir the rice mixture occasionally as it comes to a boil. Once the milk, pumpkin, and spices are added, keep stirring occasionally during the final cooking stage, when the pudding thickens. This helps prevent it from sticking to the pot. The recipe calls for occasional stirring rather than constant stirring, so you can check and mix the pudding from time to time as it cooks.

Cook the pudding over the stated heat levels, and raise the heat to medium during the final stage if needed. Continue cooking for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pudding is thick. The texture is the cue for doneness; the timing and heat adjustment are part of that final cooking stage.

Serving Pumpkin Rice Pudding

Serve the pudding warm after cooking or cold if you prefer it chilled. Both options are included in the recipe, so you can choose the serving temperature that suits you.

Top each serving with chopped pecans. Add them when serving, whether the pudding is warm or cold.