Jamaican Cornmeal Pudding with Coconut and Nutmeg

About This Recipe

Cornmeal pudding is a beloved Jamaican dessert, a dense, custardy bake made from fine cornmeal simmered with coconut milk and warm spices, then finished in the oven until the top forms a slightly caramelized crust while the inside stays moist and pudding-like. It's a common treat sold from roadside stalls and made at home for special occasions across the island. The cornmeal is cooked on the stovetop first, whisked constantly into the coconut milk and spices until it thickens to a thick porridge, before being poured into a baking dish to finish setting in the oven. This two-stage cooking method, stovetop then oven, is what gives the pudding its signature dense yet tender texture, quite different from a cornbread's crumbly structure. Freshly grated nutmeg is essential here, its warm, slightly resinous aroma is one of the pudding's defining characteristics, and a final dusting on top before baking helps it bloom further in the oven's heat.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 2 cupsfine yellow cornmeal
• 2 canscoconut milk
• 2 cupswhole milk
• 1 cupgranulated sugar
• 1 tspvanilla extract
• 1 tspgrated nutmeg(plus more for topping)
• 1 tspground cinnamon
• 0.5 tspfine sea salt
• 3 tbspunsalted butter(melted)

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat and prep

   Preheat oven to 175C (350F). Grease a baking dish.

2. 2

   Cook the cornmeal mixture

   In a large pot, whisk cornmeal, coconut milk, milk, sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt together over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, 8-10 minutes until thickened to a thick porridge.

3. 3

   Finish the batter

   Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and melted butter.

4. 4

   Pour and top

   Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Dust generously with extra grated nutmeg on top.

5. 5

   Bake

   Bake 45-50 minutes until the top is golden and slightly firm to the touch but the center still has a gentle wobble. Cool at least 30 minutes before slicing.

Variations

• •

  Add raisins soaked in a little rum for a more festive, holiday version.

• •

  Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a modern dessert presentation.

• •

  Use only coconut milk instead of a coconut-milk-and-dairy mix for a fully dairy-free version.

Storage

Refrigerate covered up to 5 days; the pudding firms up further when chilled. Serve cold, at room temperature, or gently warmed, all common ways to enjoy it in Jamaica.

Frequently Asked Questions