An amazingly simple recipe made entirely from store cupboard ingredients. To me, this coconut rice pudding, suitable for everyone in the family including your baby is the ultimate comfort food for cold Irish evenings (or mornings, or afternoons!)

Coconut Rice Pudding is perfect for milk allergic babies

This rice pudding is suitable for ANY baby, child or adult! But it’s particularly handy for those babies who are milk allergic or who are being raised on a plant-based diet. Because, naturally, coconut milk is dairy-free!

Is tinned coconut milk a good substitute for milk in milk allergic babies?

No, it’s not! In this recipe, I’ve used a tin of coconut milk firstly because it gives a lovely taste and creamy texture but also because it’s a handy store cupboard ingredient. But it’s important to know that coconut milk from a tin doesn’t contain the same nutrients as other milk substitutes.

What other milk can I use?

You can use:

• Fortified coconut milk (you’ll find this in a carton with the other plant-based milk)
• Fortified oat milk 
• Fortified soya milk
• Fortified nut milk

Rice milk isn’t suitable for children under five years.

Get professional, evidence-based advice on managing cows milk protein allergy

Is this pudding suitable for the whole family?

Of course! I’m a huge believer in sharing foods with your baby. But because this recipe doesn’t contain any added sugar you might not find it sweet enough for your tastes. That’s easily fixed though! Just take out your baby’s portion and then sweeten yours with a sweetener of your choice including sugar, honey or maple syrup.

How to eat it

• With chia jam
• With mashed ripe fruit or fruit finger food like banana or kiwi
• With mashed tinned fruit like mandarins or peaches

How can I store this coconut rice pudding?

This recipe is perfect for freezing. Or it will keep in your fridge for up to two days. It’s nice cold as well as hot!

What you’ll need

100g pudding rice

1 tin of coconut milk

400mls water

1 tsp vanilla extract

Spray oil or unsalted butter, for greasing

What to do

Preheat the oven to 150C

Spray an ovenproof dish (diameter about 20cm) with oil or grease with unsalted butter

Add the rice, coconut milk, water and vanilla

Bake for 1 3/4 hours, stirring 3 or 4 times during that time. If you want a nice brown topping don’t stir for the last 30 minutes. That’s my favourite part!

Coconut Rice Pudding

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Another simple recipe made entirely from store cupboard ingredients. To me, rice pudding is the ultimate comfort food for cold Irish evenings!

Ingredients

• 100g pudding rice
• 1 tin of coconut milk
• 400mls water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Spray oil or unsalted butter, for greasing

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 150C
2. Spray an ovenproof dish (diameter about 20cm) with oil or grease with unsalted butter
3. Add the rice, coconut milk, water and vanilla
4. Bake for 1 3/4 hours, stirring 3 or 4 times during that time. If you want a nice brown topping don't stir for the last 30 minutes. That's my favourite part!