Rooibos Chai Spiced Rice Pudding
Creamy rice pudding gently infused with rooibos chai—the warming spices and honeyed rooibos make a caffeine-free dessert pure comfort in a bowl.
Rice pudding is the ultimate comfort dessert, and rooibos chai turns it into something special. Steeping the chai into the cooking milk infuses every grain with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and clove, while the rooibos adds a honeyed sweetness that means you need very little extra sugar.
Because rooibos chai is caffeine-free, this is the perfect dessert for a cozy evening—warming and soothing without anything to keep you awake. It's the edible equivalent of curling up with a chai latte under a blanket.
The method is gentle and forgiving. Brew the chai strong, use it to cook the rice slowly in milk, and stir often so it turns creamy and tender. A handful of raisins or chopped dates soaked in the warm pudding adds little pockets of caramel sweetness.
Serve warm or chilled, dusted with extra cinnamon and a drizzle of honey. A few toasted almonds or pistachios on top give a lovely crunch and a nod to the cardamom-scented rice puddings of South Asia.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 3 rooibos chai tea bags (or 3 tbsp loose blend)
- 1/2 cup short-grain or pudding rice
- 2 tbsp sugar or honey
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (plus extra to dust)
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup raisins or chopped dates
- Toasted almonds or pistachios, to serve
How to make it
- 1Warm the milk until steaming, add the rooibos chai bags, cover, and steep 10 minutes, then remove the bags (squeeze gently).
- 2Stir the rice, sugar or honey, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt into the infused milk.
- 3Bring to a gentle simmer over low heat, stirring often to stop it sticking.
- 4Cook for 25–30 minutes, stirring regularly, until the rice is tender and the pudding is creamy. Add a splash more milk if it gets too thick.
- 5Stir in the raisins or dates in the last 5 minutes so they plump up.
- 6Serve warm or chilled, dusted with cinnamon, drizzled with honey, and topped with toasted nuts.
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