Rice puddings are back.
The silkiest, sweetest and most satisfying spoonable treats are super easy and quick to make, and they’re perfect for a late-night snack or a formal dessert to end a meal with the family.
If you’re staying away from carbs, we’re sure you miss rice a little, especially in sweet concoctions like a traditional rice pudding. This is why we’re substituting it with almond flour — you won’t notice any difference.
Of course, rice puddings are all about the spices used to give the pudding personality. You can use ground cinnamon and vanilla extract, but today we’re going with my favorite flavor combination: cardamom and fancy saffron. Are you excited already? I am!
Saffron is the most expensive spice on the planet; it can cost up to $10,000 per kilo. That’s actually not that bad because you only need to use two or three strands, weighing less than a gram. Saffron gives a flowery, warm flavor to meals but also a hard-to-match bright color to food. It does wonders for our non-rice pudding.
Indian Influences
Although you’ll find rice puddings everywhere, from Mexico to the UK, the one we’re making today is loosely inspired by a classic Indian Rice Kheer. The main difference is that the authentic kheers are loaded with sugar and often use regular milk. Ours calls for almond milk, which is much more compatible with the almond flour we’re using to substitute rice.
The result is fantastic. This is one of the easiest desserts to make in the world, and it’s so beautifully creamy and balanced. As for substitutions, you can swap the heavy whipping cream with Greek yogurt, and you can use any type of milk you want, from whole milk to coconut or oat milk alternatives — you just can’t get this one wrong.
Actually, I did mess up a batch of this creamy treat one because I added too much cardamom; the stuff is potent! Now I recommend a teaspoon tops, and that’s for eight servings. You can skip the saffron too and use something else, like cinnamon or nutmeg.
Again, this dish is easily customizable. Feel free to add a fistful of crushed nuts, pistachios or something, and garnish your cups or bowls with a little extra cardamom powder in the top. Be creative with this one!
Patience My Friend
One more thing before we get cooking. Be patient! The custardy treat must be just right texturally: creamy and thick, which means simmering it for a few minutes while stirring. Get it wrong, and your rice pudding will be runny.
You’ll have to be patient again while waiting for the pudding to find its right temperature. The colder, the better — that’s the secret behind the most sumptuous rice puddings and non-carb alternatives, like our almond flour pudding.
Time is a critical ingredient in this recipe, so although it’s basically all cooked in 15 minutes, make sure you pay attention throughout the process. The result will be the loveliest, sweet and creamy dessert with the most thrilling flavors and spicy aromas. That’s guaranteed

Keto Rice Pudding
The silkiest, sweetest and most satisfying keto rice pudding is super easy to make and perfect for a late-night snack or a formal dessert to end a meal with the family.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
- 1/2 cup Almond Flour
- 2 tbsp zero-carb sweetener (Stevia or Truvia)
- 1/2 tsp ground Cardamom
- 2 Saffron Strands
Instructions
- Crush your saffron strands and mix them with the heavy cream.
- Add the heavy cream, almond milk, almond flour, sweetener and cardamom into a saucepan and incorporate.
- Heat over a medium flame while occasionally stirring until the mixture boils and lower the flame. Let the pudding reduce until creamy and thick.
- Let the mixture cool to room temperature and then chill in the fridge for one hour. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 148Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 9mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 2g