Low in calories (only about 200 per serving) and easy to make, this dessert is simply a lightly-sweetened egg custard, flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg and combined with Grape-Nuts cereal.
Grape-Nut custard pudding has been a favorite of New England cuisine dating back to the early 1900s. It was very popular in the 1970s when I was living in Rhode Island and you could find it on the dessert menu of many casual restaurants.
Tips for making grape nut pudding
Depending on the size of the pan you use for baking, the cereal will either sink to the bottom of the custard to form a thick, soft crust (photo above) or be distributed throughout the custard (photo below).
- Scald the milk and use some to soften the Grape Nuts prior to mixing them with the other custard ingredients.
- Temper the eggs by mixing in a little of the scalded milk.
- Bake the custard in a bain-marie (water bath).
- Cool completely before cutting.
- Leftover Grape-Nuts cereal can be frozen in a tightly sealed container for up to 6 months.
More New England recipes
New England has a wide variety of dishes unique to the region and with its vast and bountiful coastal waters, many of them center around fish and seafood.
Even though we no longer live there, we honor our New England roots by making a few iconic regional dishes. Here’s a partial list of our favorites:
If you’re interested in reading more about New England foods, Yankee Magazine/NewEngland.com has a full list of classics.
Grape-Nut Custard Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 cup Post Grape-Nuts cereal
- 4 cups whole milk
- 5 large eggs
- 2 to 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, plus more for dusting over the top of the pudding
- Freshly ground nutmeg, for dusting over the top of the pudding
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and heat a kettle of water to just below boiling.
- Generously butter the bottom and sides of a glass baking dish (either 13 x 9 or 9 x 9 – see notes).
- Place the Grape-Nuts cereal in a large bowl and set it aside.
- Scald the milk in the microwave or a saucepan and pour it over the cereal, reserving 1/2 cup for tempering the eggs.
- Set the cereal and milk aside for 5 minutes to begin softening.
- While the cereal soaks, whisk the eggs, vanilla, sugar, salt, and cinnamon together until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is a little frothy.
- Start whisking the reserved milk into the eggs, 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Once the eggs are tempered, add them to the bowl with the milk and cereal.
- Stir to combine, pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish, and sprinkle some extra cinnamon and nutmeg over the top.
- Place the baking dish into the center of a large roasting pan and carefully pour the hot water into the outer pan to a depth of about 1-inch.
If you aren’t familiar with baking custard in a water bath (bain-marie), click here for a more detailed explanation. - Carefully place the pan in the oven and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the pudding pulls away from the edges of the dish slightly and a butter knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the pudding from its water-filled outer container and set the dish on a cooling rack to cool completely.
- To serve, cut into squares for serving and top with whipped cream if desired.
MaryAnn Horne says
It’s always a hit and so easy to make. I have to double the recipe. I’m going to bring it to our Super Bowl party this February.
Francis Craft says
Truly New England. I have always and will continue to love it and order it when I find it on a menu!
Lynne Webb says
Hi Francis – Thanks for your comment. I lived in Rhode Island for many years and loved this dessert. I’m in Florida now, so if I want Grape Nut Pudding, I need to make it myself – I’ve yet to see it on a restaurant menu here.
Andrea says
The Hilltop Steakhouse in Saugus, Mass., had the BEST! ~Cut into big squares and served with whipped cream. Sorry the Hilltop has closed its doors after many years.
Laureen says
Yes I remember Hilltop
Chris says
I was introduced to grape nut pudding at the Hill Top Restaurant in New Hampshire about twenty five years ago. I live in Sturbridge Mass and my husband and I started going to this local restaurant called Annie’s and I found out they serve grape nut pudding, which is to die for.
T Endicott says
I grew up in Maine and the restaurant at which I worked served it. We used less grape nuts and allowed them to float so we could have a lot of rich custard too. The other side of this delicious coin included some other wonderful local treats made with corn meal and/or molasses–Indian Pudding, corn fritters, and the best toasting bread ever, Anadama bread.
Lillian says
From the box many years ago!!
3/4 C. Grape-nuts cereal
1/4 C. melted butter or margerine
1/2 C. sugar
3 well beaten eggs
2 C. milk
1/4 C. raisins
1 t. vanilla
1/8 t. nutmeg or cinnamon
1/8 t. salt
Diane says
Anyone have the grapenut custard pudding recipe from off the grapenut box? thanks Diane
Cynthia says
Born in Mass, now live in Fla. always had this dessert and make it myself. Just today we visited our favorite restaurant Towne Tavern in Celebration, Fl. They are a Mass based seafood rest. and have the seafood flown in everyday and one of there desserts is to die for Grapenut custard pudding which we always get warmed with whipped cream. Now I have to make it again tomorrow. YUM!
Lynne Webb says
Hi Cynthia,
Thanks for your comment. We moved to Florida from Rhode Island back in the ’90s – still miss the seafood. We’re in Orlando and we’ll have to check out the Towne Tavern some time. There’s another restaurant in Winter Park called Boston’s Fish House – same deal, seafood flown in from New England. Enjoy the pudding!
Cynthia says
Hi Lynne, I just re-read my comment and put down KIssimmee but the Towne Tavern is actually in downtown Celebration. We where just there a few weeks ago and as usual enjoyed the clam chowder and all the other seafood (combo plate) which I get on purpose so I can bring half home for lunch the next day.
cynthia
Lynne Webb says
Hi Cynthia – I made the change on the original comment. Thanks for the update!
Bette Smith Knightm says
I remember Grapenut pudding from boarding school in Milford Ct, where the sisters had desserts ready for us after school. We all enjoyed the cottage pudding, brownie square and butterscotch pudding, but the days we saw GRAPENUT pudding, that was the greatest treat. I am now 90, make it for neighbors, family and of course myself . More moms should make it for breakfast before school. It is so nutritious!!!
Lynne Webb says
Hi Bette,
Like you, I love Grapenut Pudding but never thought of trying it for breakfast. You make a good point about it being nutritious! Thanks for taking the time to share the idea with us.
DOROTHY CASEY says
had a recipe, 4 eggs, 4 cups milk, vanilla, salt. cook in water bath 90 minutes. i forget how much sugar, and grapenuts.
Michelle says
I grew up on a dairy farm in northern Vermont and my mother (God rest her soul) was an awesome cook who never measured anything! We ate this for dessert atleast 3 times a week. Her recipe was in her head and now in my heart! I just made some and it’s in the oven as I write this! Brings back great memories and it’s healthy too!
Lil says
Being born in MA, this was a very common dessert.
Love it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Lisa Tomeo says
My grandmother used to make this recipe (she just passed away a week ago) and now i’m going to pass on this amazing tradition of making grape-nut custard! I could eat the entire tray! 🙂
Lind says
I lived in Maine and a little restaurant called the Railway cafe in Randolph served grapenut pudding with whipped cream. It brings back fond memories of my daughters enjoying this desert on Sunday after church.
B ward says
I used to get it at Marcellos family restaurant in e. providence or cranston
mjzuccaro@comcast.net says
Enjoy!
Chef Griff says
Just like I remember it from Rhode Island!!!
Gloria McCoy says
Same as I remember from Rhode Island. Made it as a regular dessert in my Restaurant in San Diego. People loved it!
Barbara says
I believe the recipe used to be printed on the box of Grape Nuts cereal.
Brenda Ballard says
I am from New England and I grew up with this dessert and love it! I now live in Georgia and recently made it for some people that I work with (who had never even heard of it!)and they absolutely loved it too!
George Medeiros says
I remember going to the Stop&Shop with my mom in the early 60’s and at the bakery they would serve Grape Nut Custard. That’s where I first encountered this wonderful dessert. Then my mom started making it at home and I would get in trouble for eating it all.
deirdre burke says
im from Boston,Masss ….my Mom made this,but she baked it in a bowl.i made some a long time ago and then lost the recipe. is this just a New England thing?
Lynne Webb says
Hi Deirdre,
Grape Nut pudding is a classic New England recipe that I believe was first published in Yankee Magazine (which explains the regional focus). I’ve seen instructions for making it in a bowl too – we just prefer cutting it into squares for serving.
Linda (Furtado) Willits says
It was….and this weekend when I started craving it (I grew up in Fall River, MA), I bought the cereal and was disappointed NOT to find the recipe on the box. LOL…had to do my own research.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Linda,
Glad you found a solution. Hope you enjoyed it.
Dorothy Shea says
I have never made this pudding before but your instructions seem pretty easy to follow. thank you.