Coconut Rice Pudding
Written by: Nikki Hill, Claire Wadsworth | Published on:
Photo courtesy of Gentl & Hyers
This dessert is an OG. It has been on the menu since our first year and is one of our most popular. And it happened completely by accident. Nikki was making a vegan coconut custard that never set up. With a penchant for not being wasteful, she figured she could add some cooked rice to the loose coconut base, and voilà! It absorbed the custard perfectly! We then created an actual recipe for it. It has been a fun topic of conversation with guests for years because everyone loves the nostalgia of a bowl of rice pudding.
Coconut, cardamom, cinnamon, lemon, and thyme flavor the pudding base made with sweetly aromatic jasmine rice. Before the pudding goes in the fridge, it will still look a bit loose, but don’t worry, it will set up overnight. We serve ours chilled in a bowl with a raspberry compote underneath and fresh orange slices on top. Our fennel-spiced pepitas add a fun crunch and additional flavor to this comforting old-school dessert. It’s so good, we don’t even discuss taking it off the menu anymore.
Tip
Ingredients
1 cup (200 grams) organic cane sugar
1 cup (240 milliliters) fresh orange juice
6 cups (1.4 liters) full-fat unsweetened canned coconut milk
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1½ teaspoons ground cardamom
1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 sprigs thyme, tied into a bundle
finely grated zest of ½ lemon
1 cup (200 grams) jasmine rice
1½ cups (360 grams) Raspberry Compote (see below)
4 oranges, rind removed and sliced into ½-inch (12-millimeter) pieces, for serving
1½ cups (250 grams) Fennel-Spiced Pepitas (see below)
FOR THE RASPBERRY COMPOTE:
12 ounces (340 grams) frozen raspberries
⅓ cup (65 grams) organic cane sugar
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier liqueur
FOR THE FENNEL-SPICED PEPITAS:
1½ cups (216 grams) raw pepitas
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
3 tablespoons organic cane sugar
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon fennel seeds, ground in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle
Directions
1. In a medium saucepan, combine 2½ cups (600 milliliters) water with the sugar, orange juice, coconut milk, salt, cardamom, vanilla, cinnamon, thyme, and lemon zest and whisk to combine. Stir in the rice. Cover and place the pot over medium-low heat and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring every 4 to 5 minutes. Once it’s at a simmer, lower the heat to very low and tilt the lid to release steam so it doesn’t boil over. Check and taste the rice to make sure it’s cooked after about 45 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat and discard the thyme bundle.
2. Pour the rice pudding into a bowl and let cool, stirring every few minutes while it cools to prevent lumps or a skin forming. When the pudding is mostly cooled, press a sheet of plastic wrap directly against the surface, then transfer to the refrigerator. Let chill until set, at least 8 hours or preferably overnight.
3. When ready to serve, spoon a little of the raspberry compote (recipe below) on the bottom of serving dishes and top with a large scoop of the rice pudding. Finish with a spoonful of orange segments and a sprinkling of fennel-spiced pepitas (recipe below).
To make the Raspberry Compote (makes about 2 cups [480 milliliters]):
1. In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients and lightly mash the berries with a wooden spoon. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours. Uncover and use an immersion blender to purée the sauce until smooth.
To make the Fennel-Spiced Pepitas (makes about 1½ cups [250 grams]):
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Gather all the ingredients in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Spread the seasoned pepitas onto the prepared baking sheet and bake until golden brown and fragrant, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Reprinted with permission from La Copine: New California Cooking from an Oasis in the Desert. Text copyright © 2026 by Claire Wadsworth and Nikki Hill. Photographs copyright © 2026 by Gentl & Hyers. Published by Abrams.
Originally featured in 3 Vegan Favorites from a Culinary Oasis in California’s High Desert (Plus: A Mini Guide to Joshua Tree)
Tip
Ingredients
1 cup (200 grams) organic cane sugar
1 cup (240 milliliters) fresh orange juice
6 cups (1.4 liters) full-fat unsweetened canned coconut milk
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1½ teaspoons ground cardamom
1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 sprigs thyme, tied into a bundle
finely grated zest of ½ lemon
1 cup (200 grams) jasmine rice
1½ cups (360 grams) Raspberry Compote (see below)
4 oranges, rind removed and sliced into ½-inch (12-millimeter) pieces, for serving
1½ cups (250 grams) Fennel-Spiced Pepitas (see below)
FOR THE RASPBERRY COMPOTE:
12 ounces (340 grams) frozen raspberries
⅓ cup (65 grams) organic cane sugar
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier liqueur
FOR THE FENNEL-SPICED PEPITAS:
1½ cups (216 grams) raw pepitas
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
3 tablespoons organic cane sugar
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon fennel seeds, ground in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle