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Old-Fashioned Grape-Nuts Pudding with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

Old-Fashioned Grape-Nuts Pudding with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

A traditional baked custard pudding made with softened Grape-Nuts cereal, cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg, finished with homemade cinnamon whipped cream. Serve it warm, at room temperature, or chilled for a firmer custard.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 minute
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pudding
  • 1/2 cup Grape-Nuts cereal
  • 2 cups Whole milk
  • 3 eggs Large eggs
  • 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon Ground nutmeg, optional
  • As needed Butter or cooking spray
Cinnamon Whipped Cream
  • 1 cup Cold heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons Confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter or spray an 8-inch square baking dish or a 1 1/2-quart shallow casserole, then place it inside a larger roasting pan.
  2. Warm the milk in a saucepan until steaming but not boiling. Remove it from the heat, stir in the Grape-Nuts, and let the mixture stand for about 5 minutes.
  3. Whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and optional nutmeg together in a bowl. Slowly whisk the warm milk mixture into the eggs to temper them.
  4. Pour the custard into the prepared baking dish. Carefully pour hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the pudding dish.
  5. Bake for 45–55 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still has a slight jiggle. A knife inserted near the center should come out mostly clean.
  6. Remove the pudding from the water bath and cool for at least 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, or refrigerate it for up to 2 hours for a firmer chilled texture.
  7. Beat the cold heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla to soft or medium peaks. Spoon the cinnamon whipped cream over individual servings just before serving.

Notes

The water bath helps the egg custard bake gently and stay smooth. Do not overbake; the center should tremble slightly because it continues setting as it cools. For a less-sweet pudding, some versions use 1/3 cup sugar, but 1/2 cup gives the traditional dessert-level sweetness.