Easy Homemade Cream of Rice
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If you grew up loving the cozy comfort of Cream of Wheat, this delicious homemade Cream of Rice Cereal is sure to warm your heart! It’s a wonderful gluten-free alternative to store-bought Cream of Rice made with just a few simple ingredients.
This warm and tasty bowl is seriously comfort food at its very best.
Growing up, Cream of Wheat was one of my favorite foods. I remember the small red box on the kitchen countertop, knowing the yumminess that was inside. I loved diving into that bowl of creamy goodness topped with brown sugar, a little milk, and a dollop of margarine (yikes. Yes, I said “margarine.”)
Simply delicious, but not very healthy.
Since our family eats gluten-free and mostly whole foods, I don't have that box in our house ever, and in fact, my kids have never tried the original Cream of Wheat. But I wanted them to experience the same goodness that I'd experienced.
So one day, I realized that it should be pretty simple to make my own Cream of Rice cereal. I did, and now this Cream of Rice Cereal is a favorite in our house.
It’s a simple but also special treat for any day, but it's also very soothing for an upset stomach. It's our go-to whenever there's a stomach bug in the house.
I know you’re going to love this gluten-free cream of rice cereal, and your family will, too!
What is Cream of Rice?
The boxed cereal called Cream of Rice® is a processed hot cereal made from ground, uncooked white rice. It's the gluten-free counterpart to the popular boxed cereal Cream of Wheat®. Both cereals are fortified with vitamins.
This homemade version can be made with either white or brown rice.
It's a simple dish, but the real magic happens when you add a bit of creamy liquid like coconut milk, a little butter, and a sweetener. Then, it turns into a delicious bowl of cozy comfort!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
The boxed brand of Cream of Rice is gluten-free, making it great for those who are avoiding gluten, but it contains synthetic vitamins that you might not want to eat.
Don’t you just love tasty, hearty recipes that you can feel good about sharing with your family? Plus, it will save you quite a bit of money over the boxed brand.
The ingredients in this homemade cereal are very inexpensive. Basically, you only need rice (white or brown) and liquid, which can be water, milk, or a dairy-free milk substitute.
At the time of publishing this post, a serving of the homemade variety cost only 14 cents each, which was about one-fifth the price of boxed Cream of Rice cereal.
This recipe also comes together in just five easy steps, and you most likely have the ingredients on hand in your pantry.
What You Will Need
- Uncooked Rice: I recommend brown rice, but white rice works too.
- Coconut Milk: water, milk, or non-dairy milk like coconut milk, almond milk, or rice milk. I prefer coconut milk, or almond milk to add extra fat to balance out the carbs.
- Salt: optional, but optimal in my book. Salt really makes this dish.
- Optional Toppings: butter (or other fat), sweetener, cinnamon, cinnamon sugar (here's a link to our “best” homemade cinnamon sugar), etc.
How to Make Cream of Rice Cereal from Scratch
This recipe is so simple, it can be made on even the busiest of mornings. And what busy mom doesn’t love having yummy recipes you can make in a matter of minutes?
Here are the basic instructions to make cream of rice. For the full details, see the recipe card below.
- Grind rice coarsely in a blender or coffee grinder.
- Heat liquid over medium heat to a slow boil.
- Add rice gradually, stirring while adding.
- Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally.
- Serve with desired toppings.
Topping/Add-In Options
Because the rice makes such a neutral and comforting base, you can have a lot of fun with the toppings and can also add other ingredients to boost nutrition. Here are some ideas to add to your homemade cream of rice:
- Cinnamon or Healthy Cinnamon Sugar
- Chocolate Chips
- Protein powder: a great way to add protein to this dish.
- Cocoa powder: for chocolatey cream of rice. So yummy!
- Fruit Jam, Jelly, or Curd (Elderberry Jam and Lemon Curd are two great options.)
- Butter, and lots of it!
- Heavy Cream or Coconut Cream
- Coconut Chips or Shreds or Toasted Coconut Chips
- Chopped Nuts
- Berries
- Almond Butter Fruit Dip
- Colostrum: a super creamy heavy duty boost of nutrition.
You could even make this into a savory dish by adding in scrambled eggs, tofu, and/or some cooked veggies.
The way we love this is cooked in coconut milk with even more coconut milk on top, stevia extract, lots of grass-fed butter, a dash of cinnamon, and salt. Nothing like it!
Recipe Tips and Dietary Notes
- Grinding tips: It’s up to you how finely you want to grind the rice, as this will affect the texture of the cereal. I prefer a coarser grind for a heartier feel.
- Coconut milk alternatives: You can use any type of milk or even water. I prefer coconut milk for its creaminess and also to add more fat to an otherwise carb-heavy dish.
- Rice options: You can use any variety you choose. White rice will cook faster, but you will be giving up the fiber and nutrition of the bran and germ. White rice also has a higher glycemic index. I always use brown rice, which makes a hearty and filling dish. You could also use basmati rice, jasmine rice, wild rice, black Japonica rice, or any other variety. Each one will give a different flavor profile.
- Salt: I mention in the recipe card that salt is optional, but for me, it most certainly is mandatory. Try it and you'll see what I mean. It accents the sweetener, and the cereal just isn't the same without it.
- Nutrition/digestion tip: Boost the nutritional value of this dish by soaking the rice overnight.
More Processed Food Replacements
Here are some more alternatives to packaged foods that you'll love.
- Homemade Taco Seasoning: So good, you'll never buy packets again!
- Homemade Vegetable Broth | All-Purpose Seasoning: Tastes great on everything.
- Homemade Chocolate Chips: Fun to make, and they taste amazing.
- Keto Powdered Sugar: A simple way to save on a pantry staple made low-carb.
- Homemade Truvia Copycat: A great low-carb sugar substitute.
Cream of Rice Cereal
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked rice (I prefer to use brown rice.)
- 4 1/2 cups coconut milk (See Recipe Notes for alternatives)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- sweetener
- optional toppings (cinnamon, coconut shreds, butter, etc).
Instructions
- Grind rice coarsely in a blender or coffee grinder.
- Heat coconut milk or other milk or water over medium heat to a slow boil.
- Add rice gradually, stirring while adding.
- Cover and simmer for 5-15 minutes, until thickened. Stir occasionally and add more liquid as needed.
- Serve with desired toppings.
Notes
- Watch the pan when cooking the cereal. If necessary, add more liquid to keep the cereal from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- You can boost the nutritional value of this dish by soaking the rice overnight.
- Rice: You can use any variety you choose. I prefer whole grain brown rice. If you use white rice it will cook much faster, but it has less fiber and nutrition. White rice has a higher glycemic index as well.
- Coconut milk alternatives: You can use any type of milk or even water. I prefer coconut milk for its creaminess and also to add more fat to an otherwise carb-heavy dish.
- Optional toppings: I recommend butter or another fat like coconut oil, plus sweetener, cinnamon, chopped nuts, or fruit.
- Salt: I mention in the recipe card that salt is optional. For me, it most certainly is not. Try it with a dash and you'll see what I mean. It accents the sweetener, and the cereal just isn't the same without it.
- Cooking Time: Your cooking time will depend on the size of the grains after processing, so adjust accordingly.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may vary depending on ingredient brands, substitutions, and preparation methods. Optional ingredients are not included. Net carbs are typically calculated by subtracting fiber and sugar alcohols (such as erythritol) from total carbohydrates. This information should not be relied upon for medical or nutritional purposes.
Note: This post was originally published in April, 2013. It has since been updated with new information and new photos. Here is an original photo for reference:
Once you've tried this Cream of Rice Cereal, I'd love to hear how you liked it and what toppings made it delectable for you!
I am diabetic, and rice, white OR brown really spikes my blood sugar, so I can’t eat it. HOWEVER, I CAN eat wild rice (actually a grain, not rice).
I know you only did this with brown rice, but do you think I could use wild rice to make this? I’m certain I’d need to use more water as wild rice requires more for cooking…..
Just wondering if any readers used wild rice….(I didn’t read ALL comments…)
Thanks fir any input.
It should be fine – but I don’t recall anyone saying that they had done that. I’m pretty careful with carbs as well. Looking into something that I think will help with managing that! Stay tuned.
Hi Adrienne! Happy New Year! I am new to your blog, and I love all your healthy recipes for food and health. It is so difficult, to know what all these ingredients are in our food and healthcare and cleaning products. I am being more aware now. You have promoted the company Beauty Counter, I have sensitive skin, and looking for a really good and trustworthy product line to trust. Have you had really good results from this company? Thanks! Stephanie
Hi there – yes I have. I have found that my skin is healthier as I have worked on my overall health but I really do like the products and I have tried a lot.
I’m happy to help you find something that works for you! I’ll reach out via email :).
Super! Thanks for the feedback! Sometime soon, I would like to try a few of the skincare products. If you have had really good luck with any particular products, please let me know!! ?
You’re welcome! I love the Countertime personally. It can be a bit strong for some people but I really like it. Mostly it depends on your skin type and goals, which I’m happy to help with.
Thanks for the kind words as well :).
Thanks for your dedication
Thank you for your support!
I tried this and I just used Almond milk, salt, butter, sugar and cinnamon. It was so delicious. I like the coarseness of it too.
So glad to hear! If you are so inclined feel free to come back and leave a 5 star review. It helps others find good recipes and helps my site as well. Some bloggers manipulate reviews, but I don’t. Thanks for reading and again, so glad you liked it!
Just love this breakfast cereal. Takes longer for me to cook for some reason, but so tasty it’s worth it! I usually make on Sunday night and take a portion to work for breakfast throughout the week.
So glad to hear – yes seems the time is all over the place but I’m really glad you enjoyed it!
I had to go gluten free years ago. I absolutely love Cream of Wheat and have been craving it. This recipe is so wonderful in hitting that craving. Thank you so much!
You are so welcome! I am so happy to hear this – best wishes on your GF journey. So many have to do it—thankfully almost all whole foods are naturally GF :)!
Don’t know what I did wrong, but it took way longer than the recipe said. The alternative fluids and seasonings are missing from the recipe. I ended up following guidance for rice pudding…
Hi there. I edited the post to make it more clear but there were alternative options for the milk in a Recipe Note section above the recipe card. How much / fine did you grind your rice? That will have an effect on how long it takes to cook it. Let me know and thanks for reading!
Thanks for the follow up! I ground it pretty fine… It was 20 minutes by the time it was close to softening up, so I ended up dumping in a bunch more water. I’ll give it another try another day.
You’re welcome. I’m a little befuddled by this b/c it must have worked quickly for me. Glad we connected about it though and hope it works out better for you next time!
Wow! This was so easy and delicious. Much better than the stuff in the box. Because I’m having digestive issues I tried it with white rice, Looking forward to making it with brown rice. It did take more than 4 minutes – maybe 10. I plan to try making it sweet with raisins – kind of like a quick rice pudding. Thanks for posting this.
You are so welcome! I’m going to adjust the time on the post b/c it really does vary for people! Yummy idea with the raisins!!!
Hi there, I was so thrilled to find out I could make my own rice cereal. I’m on a special diet and it’s very hard for me to get good cream of rice cereal anywhere! I am working on cooking it right now but notice that it takes a lot longer than four minutes. Maybe I’m doing something wrong. I decided to use a half a cup of rice and 2 1/4 cups water. Thought I’d check in with you to see if I need to tweak the recipe.
Thank you, Marna
Hi there! Did you grind up the rice? Maybe it’s just the size of the particles of rice?
The first time I ground it too fine…I’ll use it for flour….second time better. I used 1/2 the amount of rice and water and cooked it on the stove for 30 minutes! Not 4 minutes…
Yeah, 4 minutes seems waaay too short. 15-20 minutes is probably more realistic. I’m going to be making this tonight using coarse-ground basmati rice and diluted coconut milk. I might add some cardamom and cinnamon, agave syrup for sweetness, and definitely a little bit of salt which, as the author rightly pointed out, creates a synergy when paired with a sweetener (which is why good chocolate also contains a little salt).
Your recipe sounds amazing! If you are so inclined, we really appreciate 5 star reviews – helps others find good recipes and helps us as well. Thanks in advance–no pressure but would be fantastic.
Myself and my family thoroughly loved this recipe! We also used whole grain brown rice for added texture and nutrition. I did add 1 or 2 cloves whilst the milk was boiling along with some nutmeg and lime zest….just beautiful. Thanks for sharing! Love your blogs btw
What a yummy idea! Sounds amazing! Thanks for the kind words and hope to see you around again!
Do you soak the rice before you grind it or the other way around? This is going to be a great recipe since l’m having gum surgery on Monday.
You don’t need to soak it but you can. Were you thinking of doing it for nutrition? I would grind first. Hope your surgery goes well!
I always try to cook with nutrition in mind but I’ll be using white rice. I think I saw somewhere that I don’t need to soak white rice but I always soak for 1/2 hour or so anyways. I want to prepare everything ahead of tomorrow for Tuesday since I may not feel like it after surgery.
That’s a whole topic that I would like to learn more about – have you looked into resistant starch? That means that cooling and then reheating is much better for you. What kind of surgery are you having?
I’ve read in the past about resistant starch. I think it was on the Eat Beautiful site. Megan is very knowledgeable. I’m having two gum grafts done to oorow. This is my third time. I sure hope it’s not my new normal.
Yes, we are friends online. She is smart. I had those done. Perhaps we should talk about it. It led to other things. I am not saying don’t do it but there are things I wish I had known. Turns out I had mold toxicity and likely tick borne disease and liver stuff going on. Chronic fatigue for 10 years – finally gone as of this past Sept.
Was the mold related to the gum graft. I’d like to know why I keep having recession. BTW, I had some rice flour which I used to make the hot cereal. It had a gluey consistency but tasted ok once I added maple syrup and coconut butter.
I think a lot of things were related including genetics. It’s a LONG story. I think nutrition is key, managing genetic weaknesses and I had mold toxicity and liver issues and probable tick borne disease for a long time as well.