Hasty Pudding

Oh, you’ve just stumbled upon one of America’s oldest and most comforting desserts! Hasty pudding is pure colonial comfort food that’s been warming souls since the 1700s. Think of it as the original American comfort dessert – rich, warm, and utterly satisfying with that perfect balance of sweet molasses and warming spices.

What makes this pudding special is its incredible texture transformation – it starts as a thin liquid but bakes into this gloriously thick, spoonable treat with crispy edges and a soft center. The molasses gives it a deep, almost caramel-like complexity that store-bought puddings can only dream about. And when that scoop of vanilla ice cream melts into the warm pudding? Pure magic that’ll make you wonder why you haven’t been making this your whole life.

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 pint vanilla ice cream, for serving

Steps

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Position a rack in the middle of the oven. This moderate temperature allows the pudding to cook through evenly without scorching the edges.
2. In a medium heavy stainless-steel saucepan, combine the milk, cream, molasses, and brown sugar. Heat over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula. Look for small bubbles forming around the edges of the liquid – this is your visual cue that you’re approaching a simmer. Don’t let it come to a full boil as this can cause the milk to curdle.
3. While the liquid heats, in a separate medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, ginger, cinnamon, and salt until evenly combined. This pre-mixing prevents the cornmeal from clumping when added to the hot liquid.
4. Once the liquid mixture is hot (just before simmering), add the cornmeal-spice mixture in a steady stream while whisking constantly. This technique prevents lumps from forming. Continue whisking until the mixture just begins to simmer – you’ll notice it starting to thicken slightly and small bubbles breaking the surface.
5. Immediately pour the mixture into an 8×8-inch baking dish. Don’t be concerned if the batter looks very thin and shallow – this is normal! The cornmeal will absorb liquid and expand during baking.
6. Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes. The pudding will begin to set around the edges but still look quite liquid in the center.
7. Carefully remove from the oven and stir the pudding thoroughly with a heat-resistant spatula or wooden spoon. This redistributes the heat and helps prevent a skin from forming on top. It also ensures the cornmeal doesn’t settle too much at the bottom.
8. Return the pudding to the oven and continue baking for another 20 minutes. When done, the pudding will still appear quite wobbly – don’t worry! This is exactly how it should look. It will continue to thicken and set as it cools.
9. Place the baking dish on a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. During this time, the pudding will set to a spoonable consistency while still remaining warm for serving.
10. Serve warm, topped with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream that will melt beautifully into the warm pudding. For make-ahead convenience, you can cool the pudding completely, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm in a 350°F (175°C) oven for about 5 minutes until just heated through.

Smart Swaps

• Replace heavy cream with coconut cream (1:1 ratio) for a dairy-free version with a subtle tropical note
• Swap molasses for maple syrup (same amount) for a lighter, more delicate flavor profile
• Use almond milk instead of whole milk for a nutty undertone (use the same amount)
• Try bourbon vanilla ice cream instead of regular vanilla for an adult twist

Make It Diabetes-Friendly

• Replace the 1/2 cup molasses with 1/4 cup monk fruit sweetener plus 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses (reduces carbs by approximately 15g per serving)
• Substitute the 1/4 cup dark brown sugar with 3 tablespoons allulose plus 1/2 teaspoon molasses for color (saves about 12g carbs per serving)
• Serve with sugar-free vanilla ice cream or unsweetened Greek yogurt with a dash of vanilla extract (reduces approximately 15g carbs per serving)
• Consider adding 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum to the dry ingredients to improve thickness without extra cornmeal

Pro Tips

• For the silkiest texture, use stone-ground cornmeal rather than steel-ground
• The pudding will appear very liquid when going into the oven – this is exactly right!
• For a crunchy top, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of turbinado sugar over the pudding during the last 5 minutes of baking
• Allow the pudding to cool slightly before serving – it continues to thicken as it cools
• This pudding actually tastes even better the next day when the flavors have had time to meld