If your #Homeschooling your children and teaching them about Thanksgiving we all know Pilgrams and Indians are a big part of Thanksgiving. I thought you might want to share a unique #Holiday I found out about called National Indian Pudding Day- November 13th. I’ve even included a recipe for Indian Pudding your students can make.
National Indian Pudding Day – November 13
I wanted to let you know every year on November 13, food lovers celebrate National Indian Pudding Day. National Indian Pudding Day honors a traditional New England dessert called Indian Pudding, which dates back to colonial times.
What is Indian Pudding?
- A warm, comforting dessert made with cornmeal, milk, molasses, and spices.
- The name “Indian” comes from the use of cornmeal, which Native Americans introduced to early settlers.
- Indian Pudding is often baked slowly until thick and custard-like, sometimes served with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Why Celebrate?
- National Indian Pudding Day is a way to preserve culinary history and appreciate the resourcefulness of early American cooking.
- Indian Pudding reflects the blending of Native American ingredients with European cooking traditions.
- Indian Pudding is perfect for Autumn, the recipe ties in beautifully with Thanksgiving flavors.
How to Join In
- Try baking Indian pudding at home and share it with family or friends.
- Post your creation online with #NationalIndianPuddingDay.
- Explore other traditional New England recipes to connect with American food heritage.
Here’s a detailed recipe you can follow:
Ingredients (serves 8)
- Whole milk – 4 cups
- Yellow cornmeal – ½ cup
- Molasses – ½ cup
- Light brown sugar – ½ cup
- Unsalted butter – 2 tablespoons
- Large eggs – 2, beaten
- Salt – 1 teaspoon
- Sugar – 2 teaspoons
- Ground ginger – ½ teaspoon
- Ground cinnamon – ½ teaspoon
- Ground nutmeg – ⅛ teaspoon
Optional: golden raisins (about ½ cup) for extra texture, and vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for serving.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Butter a 1½-quart casserole dish.
- Heat milk in a double boiler until it simmers.
- Whisk in cornmeal slowly, cooking for about 15 minutes until smooth and thickened.
- Add molasses, brown sugar, butter, salt, and spices. Stir until well combined.
- Temper the eggs: whisk a little of the hot mixture into the beaten eggs, then add back to the pot.
- Pour mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
- Bake for 2 hours until firm and the top is browned.
- Rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. The pudding should be soft in the center, almost custard-like, with a deep molasses flavor balanced by the spices.
Notes & Tips
- Texture: Indian Pudding is meant to be rustic—soft, slightly lumpy, and deeply comforting.
- Flavor balance: If molasses feels too strong, reduce to ⅓ cup and add a bit more brown sugar or maple syrup.
- Cooking method: Traditionally baked low and slow, but you can also make it in a slow cooker for convenience.
- History: This dessert dates back to colonial America, adapted from British “hasty pudding” using native cornmeal instead of wheat.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
