Vegan Risalamande (Coconut Rice Pudding)

This Vegan Risalamande is a traditional Danish Christmas dessert that is absolutely delicious and made without dairy! This easy gluten-free sweet rice pudding comes together quickly and easily. You'll love the creamy, light and fluffy texture of it. Perfect for Christmas but also easy enough to whip up at any time of the year.

Risalamande is a traditional Danish dessert made at Christmas with rice pudding, whipped cream, almonds, and a cherry sauce. This recipe is based on my traditional Risalamande recipe, but this version is totally vegan!

This rice pudding is perfect for vegans and non-vegans alike, or great if you prefer not to eat dairy or gluten. It's just as delicious and creamy as the original with a sweet, warm cherry sauce on top, dressed up with some fresh mint leaves and sliced almonds.

Traditionally, a whole almond would be hidden inside one of the serving glasses or bowls of risalamande. The prize for finding the almond is usually something like a marzipan pig (a piece of candy shaped like a pig) or a chocolate heart, but you can make your prize whatever you like!

This vegan rice pudding is perfect for making a fun new Christmas tradition at holiday parties or just with your family.

📋 Ingredients

For the pudding:

• Arborio rice – an Italian variety of superfine rice, it helps make this pudding creamy
• water
• almond milk – soy milk or oat milk may be used instead
• vanilla extract
• sugar
• chopped almonds
• one whole almond
• sliced almonds
• coconut cream – from 1 can of whole fat coconut milk
• powdered sugar
• fresh mint

For the cherry sauce:

• frozen cherries
• granulated sugar
• water
• cornstarch
• lemon juice

🔪 Instructions

1. Cook the rice

In a medium saucepan combine the rice and water over medium heat. When the water starts to boil, add the almond milk, vanilla extract and sugar.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the rice absorbs all water and is soft, about 30 minutes. Stir it occasionally while it's cooking. Remove rice from the heat and stir in the chopped almonds. Let the rice cool completely.

2. Make the whipped cream

In a large bowl, combine the coconut cream and powdered sugar. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream on a medium speed until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cooled rice and almond mixture.

3. Make the cherry sauce

In a small saucepan combine the frozen cherries, sugar and water. Meanwhile, dissolve the cornstarch in the lemon juice in a small bowl. When cherries start to boil, add the cornstarch mixture and cook until the sauce slightly thickens, about 3-5 minutes.

4. Serve!

This step is optional, but really fun! Place the whole almond in one of the serving glasses. (Whoever finds the almond, wins a small prize – usually it's a marzipan pig).

Spoon a few tablespoons of vegan Risalamande into each serving glass. Drizzle with cherry sauce and place a few mint leaves on top. Sprinkle with some chopped or sliced almonds.

🍰 Similar Recipes

If you're looking for a quick overview of the recipe, please check out my vegan Risalamande web-story.

If you make this recipe, please leave me a comment below and rate it. I always appreciate the feedback. Also, you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

📖 Recipe

Vegan Risalamande (Coconut Rice Pudding)

This traditional rice pudding is perfect for the holidays and is vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Danish

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Author: Iryna

Cost: $4

Ingredients

Pudding

• ▢ ½ c (125 gr) Arborio rice
• ▢ ¼ c (59 ml) water
• ▢ 2 c (500 ml) almond milk soy milk or oat milk may be used instead
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 tablespoon sugar
• ▢ ¾ c (65 gr) almonds chopped
• ▢ 1 almond whole
• ▢ 1 c (225 gr) coconut cream from 1 can of whole fat coconut milk
• ▢ 2 tablespoon powdered sugar
• ▢ 6 teaspoon sliced almonds optional
• ▢ ¼ c (7 gr) fresh mint optional

Cherry sauce

• ▢ 15 oz (320 gr) frozen cherries
• ▢ 3 tablespoon sugar
• ▢ ½ c (120 ml) water
• ▢ 2 teaspoon cornstarch
• ▢ 2 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions

For the pudding

• In a medium saucepan combine rice, water and put it on a medium heat. When water starts to boil, add almond milk, vanilla extract and sugar.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and stirring occasionally cook until rice absorbs all water and is soft, about 30 minutes. Remove rice from the heat, stir in chopped almonds and let the rice cool completely.
• In a large bowl, combine coconut cream and powdered sugar. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream on a medium speed until stiff peaks. Fold whipped cream into the cooled rice and almond mixture.

For the sauce

• In a small saucepan combine frozen cherries, sugar and water. 
• While the cherries are cooking, dissolve cornstarch in lemon juice in a separate small bowl.
• When cherries start to boil, add cornstarch mixture and cook until the sauce slightly thickens, about 3-5 minutes.

To serve

• This step is optional - Place 1 whole almond in one of the serving glasses. (Whoever finds the almond, wins a small prize like a marzipan pig.)
• Spoon a few tablespoons of vegan Risalamande into each serving glass. Drizzle with cherry sauce, place a few Mint leaves and sprinkle with some chopped or sliced almonds.

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