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Indian Pudding

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desserts•american•vegetarian, contains dairy, contains eggs
2 hours 45 minutes•8 servings•

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter – for greasing the baking dish
  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
  • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • vanilla ice cream – for serving
Indian Pudding

Instructions

  1. 1.

    Preheat the oven to 300°F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter and set it on a rimmed baking sheet.

  2. 2.

    In a heavy medium saucepan, heat the milk over medium until just beginning to simmer, 4–6 minutes.

  3. 3.

    While whisking steadily, rain in the cornmeal and add the salt. Cook, whisking often, until the mixture thickens to a soft porridge and the cornmeal loses its raw taste, 8–12 minutes.

  4. 4.

    Remove from the heat and whisk in the molasses, brown sugar, and 3 tablespoons butter until fully dissolved.

  5. 5.

    Whisk in the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and vanilla.

  6. 6.

    In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth, then slowly whisk in about 1 cup of the hot pudding to temper. Return the egg mixture to the pot and whisk to combine.

  7. 7.

    Scrape the pudding into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top.

  8. 8.

    Bake until the edges are set and the center still quivers slightly, 2 to 2.5 hours, stirring the pudding once or twice during the first 45 minutes to prevent separation and ensure an even, custardy texture.

  9. 9.

    Let cool 20–30 minutes so it sets but remains warm and spoonable. Serve warm, optionally with vanilla ice cream.

Indian Pudding is a warmly spiced, custardy baked dessert with a deep molasses sweetness and gentle cornmeal body. The texture is silky with a tender, spoonable crumb, often finished with a bronzed top and aromatic notes of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Served warm—traditionally with cream or, more commonly today, a scoop of vanilla ice cream—it’s a comforting, cool-weather classic from New England.

Its roots trace to colonial-era adaptations of English hasty pudding, substituting Native American cornmeal (then called Indian meal) for wheat. Molasses became a defining sweetener thanks to early Atlantic trade, giving the pudding its signature dark color and robust flavor. Over time, long, low baking and intermittent stirring evolved into hallmarks of the dish, preserving its place on New England holiday tables and in regional diners alike.