This Maple Cinnamon Pudding takes 10 minutes to make and tastes just like a snickerdoodle cookie in pudding form! It’s refined sugar free, sweetened only with maple syrup, and is a perfect gluten-free make ahead dessert. It comes out luxuriously thick and creamy every time and is so easy to make from scratch!
I originally shared this recipe in June, 2015 on my blog with a big announcement: that we were moving from Salem, MA to Austin, TX. And so it only seemed appropriate to revamp this post with new photos, improved instructions, and a similar announcement…
We’re moving back to New England! More specifically, to Rhode Island. In March! We’ve been busy packing, our house is being listed this week, and things have been generally a bit crazy over here. But we are over the moon excited to bring our little family up to the land of seasons and stuff our faces with as much seafood as possible.
And what better way to celebrate a New England homecoming than with a recipe heavy on pure maple syrup? You’re going to LOVE this easy maple syrup dessert recipe that tastes just like a snickerdoodle cookie!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Maple Syrup – use the real stuff here.
- Milk – I used whole milk, but lower fat will work, or a mixture of milk and half and half. Plant-based milk can be used for a dairy free version.
- Cinnamon – you can use pumpkin pie spice mix instead if you prefer.
- Egg Yolks – save those whites for something else like a frittata or omelette!
- Corn Starch – you need this to thicken the pudding. Arrowroot powder may be used for a grain-free version.
- Vanilla Extract
- Butter – or ghee for dairy-free.
- Kosher salt – just a little to balance the sweetness.
- Optional toppings: whipped cream, more cinnamon, and more maple syrup.
How to make Maple Cinnamon Pudding
- First, HEAT maple syrup, milk, cinnamon, and salt in a medium pot on the stovetop. Don’t get it too hot and boiling- just bring it to a gentle simmer.
- Meanwhile, WHISK the cornstarch, remaining milk, and egg yolks in a large bowl until smooth and no lumps remain.
- TEMPER the egg mixture by ladling a little bit of the hot milk and maple syrup mixture into the bowl, adding it gradually and whisking continuously (this will help cook the egg yolks smoothly).
- Then, POUR the tempered egg mixture into the hot milk mixture on the stovetop gradually, whisking continuously. Continue to whisk continuously on low until it’s thickened (which will take only about one minute).
- Remove the pudding from heat after it’s thickened and STIR IN the butter and vanilla extract until it’s melted and smooth.
- TRANSFER the pudding to a bowl or dessert glasses and cover with plastic wrap on the surface (this will prevent a skin from forming) and cool in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- SERVE with whipped cream, more cinnamon, and a drizzle of maple syrup if you like.
How to make homemade vanilla whipped cream
I’ll be honest: I usually just use store-bought whipped cream to top homemade puddings. But it’s actually very easy to make your own whipped cream from scratch, and healthier because you can control the ingredients in it.
I recommend making a vanilla whipped cream to go with this maple cinnamon pudding dessert. Just beat together 1 cup of heavy cream with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. It won’t be very sweet- if you prefer sweeter, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of sugar or maple syrup as well.
How can I make this pudding dairy free?
Just use a plant-based milk and skip the butter (or use a vegan/dairy free substitute like ghee) stirred in at the end!
Can I make this pudding vegan?
I’ve never made a vegan pudding and I’m not sure about a substitute for eggs. You might want to check out this recipe for vegan vanilla pudding for some more information.
Can I make it paleo?
Yup! Use almond milk, ghee instead of butter, and arrowroot powder instead of corn starch.
How long does this stay good for in the fridge?
This Maple Cinnamon Pudding will stay good for about a week in the fridge covered in an airtight container. You may notice some liquid separating out on the surface after a while – you can just pour it out or stir it back into the pudding before serving.
Other homemade pudding dessert recipes
- Pumpkin Pudding
- Butterscotch Pudding
- Two-Ingredient Dairy Free Rice Pudding
- Strawberry Chia Seed Pudding
I tend to keep things mostly recipe-focused on my website, but if you want to see more about our move to New England please make sure to follow me on instagram where I share personal updates more frequently!
Did you know commenting and rating recipes is one of the best ways you can support your favorite food bloggers? If you made this recipe or have a question, please click the stars below to comment and Rate this Recipe and/or share photos on social media using the hashtag #bowlofdelicious or tagging @bowlofdelicious!
Maple Cinnamon Pudding
Ingredients
For Maple Cinnamon Pudding:
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 cups milk (divided)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon butter
- whipped cream, cinnamon, and maple syrup for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Heat up the syrup (1/2 cup), 1 1/2 cups of the milk, cinnamon (2 teaspoons), and kosher salt (1/4 teaspoon) in a medium pot over medium heat until heated and simmering (but not boiling hard).
- Meanwhile, whisk the cornstarch (2 tablespoons), remaining 1/2 cup milk, and egg yolks (4) in another medium-large bowl until no lumps remain.
- Once the milk mixture on the stove is heated, ladle about half of it to the egg mixture, pouring it in gradually and whisking continuously to temper the egg.
- Pour the tempered egg and cornstarch mixture into the pot as gradually as you can, whisking continuously, and heat on low until thickened, whisking continuously.
- Once it has thickened (this will take about 1-2 minutes), remove the pot immediately from the heat and add the butter (1 tablespoon) and vanilla extract (1 teaspoon), continuing to stir or whisk until butter has completely melted.
- Use a silicone spatula to scrape the pudding into a bowl. To prevent a skin from forming, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to cool completely. (Alternatively, you can divide the pudding into cups, wine glasses, or whatever you want to use to serve it. Cover the surfaces with plastic wrap and allow them to cool in the fridge.)
- When you are ready to eat, add about 1/2 cup of pudding to a serving bowl, and top with whipped cream and an extra sprinkling of cinnamon and drizzle of maple syrup if desired (see notes for a vanilla whipped cream recipe).
Notes
- To make homemade vanilla whipped cream: Beat together heavy cream (1 cup) and vanilla extract (1 teaspoon) until stiff peaks form. Optional: add 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup or sugar for a sweeter version.
- For a dairy-free version, use plant-based milk and dairy-free butter substitute (or skip the butter).
- For a paleo and grain-free version, use almond milk and gee instead of butter, and arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch.
- Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week. If liquid separates out, pour it out or stir it back into the pudding before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and reflects one serving of the recipe (total servings indicated at top of recipe card). It does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
This post originally appeared on Bowl of Delicious on June 9, 2015. It has been republished with new photos, improved recipe instructions, and more pertinent information.
Alyssa Turner
Do you think layering this like banana pudding but with snickerdoodle cookies would be a good idea?
I’m looking for a christmas dessert and this pudding is perfect but would like an extra something in it!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Do I think this would be a good idea? HECK YES!! It’s genius, and I can’t wait to hear how it comes out if you try it. Yum!!
Pamela
Congrats on your move! I’m SO happy for you and kinda jealous at the same time! I hope everything goes SUPER smoothly! Please keep us posted!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Thanks so much Pamela! :-)
Margo Stretch
Just a question: the amount of maple syrup in the ingredients list for the pudding itself is 1/2 cup, but below in the instructions, you ask for only 1/4 cup to go into the pot. I’ve looked for when to add the other 1/4 cup in but am not seeing that. Did you mean for the full 1/2 cup syrup to go into the pudding (as I did before I realized there were two amounts), or is the other 1/4 cup for drizzling as a garnish? Perhaps I’m missing something.
Thanks for clarifying.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Ah! The instructions should also say 1/2 cup. I’m fixing it now- thanks so much for catching this and bringing it to my attention, and sorry for any confusion!
Margo
So, I just want to tell you why I’m excited about this recipe. There’s an old dessert recipe ~ at least here in Canada ~ called “Sex in a Pan”. (weird, yes). It’s a layered dessert on a lovely shortbread crust, cream cheese layer, pudding(s) layer (usually chocolate and then vanilla), topped with Whipped cream and a dusting of usually cocoa. It’s delicious. Another famous version is with pistachio pudding. Well… I LOVE cinnamon and snickerdoodles cookies, so this year for my upcoming birthday I wanted to invent a new version of the dessert ~ a snickerdoodle / cinnamon one. Although i’ve never had cinnamon pudding, I’ve adored cinnamon ice cream and I just knew someone online would have a great, homemade creamy cinnamon pudding. I can’t wait to put this into that dessert; with the cream cheese layer below it it is going to taste like “sex in a pan ala snickerdoodle”. (I may have to re-name it!!). Thank you so much! Maple syrup is also my favourite sweetener, so it sounds perfect.
Elizabeth Lindemann
*immediately googles “sex in a pan”*
So glad to hear this will work for your DELICIOUS snickerdoodle version of this fun dessert! Happy early birthday!
Lisa Lindemann
This pudding sounds SO yummy! Like, “lick the bowl” yummy! Will you make it for me on my birthday…come Fall? Cause you know, this year, you can! Your Texas family is waiting here with open arms. Soon! Love!
Elizabeth
Of course I will!! That sounds so fun. We can even put a candle in it :-)
Amity
Has anyone tried to make this vegan ? If so what did you substitute if anything for the egg?
Elizabeth Lindemann
I think for vegan pudding, you just use another thickening agent, like cornstarch. Here’s a vegan vanilla pudding recipe from one of my favorite vegan blogs (Make it Dairy Free) that might be a good start! https://makeitdairyfree.com/vegan-vanilla-pudding/
Sandra @ Heavenly Deviled Eggs
Congratulations! All I could think about as I read about your move to Austin is “She’ll have so much more natural light to work with for her food photos!” Your photos are all beautiful but it must have been tricky getting the natural light during the winter months. I live in Arizona and am so grateful for the abundance of natural light (although today is not a good example. Cloudy skies today, but that’s rare.) It sounds like this will be a huge blessing, not only for you and your husband, but your future children.
I love pudding and yours looks delicious!
Elizabeth
Thanks so much, Sandra! I am definitely excited about the natural light! It was VERY difficult in the winter. My foodgawker acceptances went way down when I was using artificial light, so I’m excited to be able to take better pictures more consistently.
Nancy
So excited you are coming to Austin! I love your posts!
Elizabeth
Thanks, Nancy!
Lisa
The pudding looks delicious! Congratulations on your move – how exciting! I look forward to your Texas-inspired posts.
Elizabeth
Thanks so much, Lisa! I am really excited about the blogging aspect of this- there are so many new food opportunities to post about!
Harold Lndemann
This looks so good !!! And your column is wonderful today as you articulated the emotions of living in New England and moving to Texas. We can’t wait for youall to get here!!!
Elizabeth
Thanks, Harold :-) We are so, so, so excited to get down there, too! Counting down the days. Three weeks from Thursday night we’ll be pulling into your driveway! In our OWN car!