Indian Pudding aka Warm Cornmeal Pudding of Love

Are you looking for a comforting dessert to warm you up on a chilly night? Then consider the delectable caramelly delight that is Indian pudding. This rich caramel-y cornmeal pudding has been a traditional favorite in New England for centuries.

Serve it warm from the oven with your favorite vanilla ice cream and you'll wonder why you hadn't tried it sooner!

Is homemade pudding hard to make?

Most people my age and younger think of homemade pudding as mixing some magic powder from a little a box with milk. At least that is a step above, those dreaded little flavorless snack cups.

Once I learned how easy homemade pudding is, I developed a love affair with them. Most involve simple ingredients cooked together to achieve the proper consistency, then cooled until serving.

But some, like this cornmeal pudding and Figgy Pudding are best served warm.

Give it a try on one of these chilly fall evenings and I am sure you and your family will fall in love with it like we did.

History of Indian Pudding

I know the name "Indian Pudding" is offensive to both the Native American peoples and those of the Indian subcontinent. I did not create the name or the recipe. That happened 300 - 400 years ago.

Back in colonial America, the colonists adapted their traditional English recipes to use ingredients available to them. In this case, the traditional Hasty Pudding made with wheat flour and sugar was reimagined to use cornmeal and molasses.

Cornmeal was called "Indian meal" and anything made with cornmeal was referred to as "Indian".

But, in the era of SEO, the almighty search engines would probably bury this post in the far recesses of the internet never to be found again if I changed the name. So, Indian Pudding it is.

Ingredients for Indian Pudding

The ingredients are so basic and easy to find, you may already have them in your house.

• milk (I used dairy, but you can use non-dairy)
• light brown sugar
• yellow cornmeal
• molasses
• butter (or non-dairy alternative)
• spices: ground cinnamon, ground ginger, vanilla extract

For serving I highly suggest some vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

More Dessert Recipes

Fall calls for comfort, including comforting desserts. While these desserts can be enjoyed anytime of year they seem to be extra tasty when the weather starts to chill.

Delicious Desserts for Dessert Day

• Blackberry Cornbread Cobbler from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Creme Brulee from Art of Natural LIving
• Eggnog Bundt Cake with Sugared Cranberries from Creative Cynchronicity
• Maple Cranberry Squares from Hezzi-D's Recipe Box
• Mini Chocolate Bundt Cakes from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Old Fashioned Pumpkin Pudding from Jen Around the World

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Recipe

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Ingredients

 

• 2 ¼ cups milk
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• ⅓ cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 325℉
• In a medium saucepan combine milk, sugar, cornmeal, molasses, cinnamon and ginger. Stir over medium heat until thickened about 10-15 minutes. It should be thick but still pourable.
• Stir in butter and vanilla and pour into a 1 quart baking dish.
• Bake for 60-75 minutes until the center no longer moves when the dish is shaken. Let cool 10 minutes.
• Serve while warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if desired.

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More Pudding Recipes

Until next time, happy eating.
~Audrey