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What to eat in North America? Top 14 North American Puddings

Last update: Fri Feb 14 2025
Top 14 North American Puddings
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01

Pudding

PUERTO RICO
4.7
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This creamy pudding is one of Puerto Rico’s specialties, made by cooking coconut milk with cornstarch and sugar, then topping the concoction with cinnamon. The end result is a slightly firm pudding with a smooth custard-like texture, and it is typically served cold.


The name tembleque means wiggly, referring to a slight wiggle when the pudding is shaken. This rich dessert can also be flavored with vanilla, nutmeg, or rum, if desired. It is especially popular at birthday parties and similar festive occasions.

02

Pudding

SOUTHERN UNITED STATES, United States of America
4.1
Banana Pudding
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Banana pudding is a sweet treat originating from the Southern United States. It typically consists of layered vanilla custard, sliced bananas, and wafers or ladyfingers. The concoction is then topped with either meringue or whipped cream. This dessert became closely associated with the American South after WWII, when numerous banana pudding recipes started to get published in newspapers.


Nowadays, there are many variations of this classic dessert that is often seen at church picnics and family gatherings.

MOST ICONIC Banana Pudding

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03

Pudding

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.8
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This classic American dessert is prepared with caramelized brown sugar that is blended with a creamy mixture of butter, milk, and eggs. When cooked, it transforms into a thick, velvety custard which is traditionally served well-chilled, merely topped with a dollop of whipped cream.


Although not much is known about the origin of this creamy delicacy, the term butterscotch was originally used to refer to the famous English confectionery created in 1817, but today it mostly describes various sauces or custards produced by cooking sugar and butter.

MOST ICONIC Butterscotch Pudding

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04
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Aromatic capirotada is the Mexican version of bread pudding, consisting of old bread, chunks of nuts and fruits, cinnamon, brown sugar, sweet syrup, and cheese on top. The combination of these ingredients is traditionally baked in an oven. Fruits might include coconuts, apples, bananas, raisins, and dates, while nuts range from peanuts to pine nuts.


Capirotada was originally a savory dish in pre-colonial Spain, when it was mostly associated with the Jewish people and the Moors. Over time, the dish made its way to the New World, where it became the tasty dessert that we know today. It is closely associated with Lent, being a great way to use up all of the leftovers before fasting. 
05
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Duckanoo is a boiled Caribbean pudding consisting of cornmeal, grated coconut, and brown sugar with the addition of vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, butter, and raisins. This sweet treat is mostly consumed as a snack or dessert. The combination of those ingredients is traditionally stuffed into banana leaves and boiled in water, hence the other name of the dish, tie-a-leaf.


Duckanoo is often consumed as it is, but it can also be paired with a dollop of whipped cream on the side.

06
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Bahamian bread pudding is a traditional dessert made with stale bread, butter, sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla, and raisins. The bread is soaked in water to soften, then combined with other ingredients. The concoction is baked until a knife that is inserted in the center of the bread pudding comes out clean.


The dessert can be eaten on its own or served with a dollop of whipped cream.

07
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Pain patate is one of the most beloved Haitian desserts. The main ingredient used in pain patate are sweet potatoes, preferably the variety with violet skin and white interior. Apart from those, the dessert is made with freshly grated coconut, coconut milk, butter, sugar, crushed ripe bananas, and whole milk.


Pain patate is flavored with lemon or lime zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, ginger, and raisins. When the sweet pudding is baked, it is often served with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

08

Pudding

NEW ENGLAND, United States of America
n/a
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Unrecognizable anywhere but in New England, Indian pudding is a traditional sweetened stove-top Thanksgiving dessert that was brought over from the 17-century English colonists in the original form known as hasty pudding. Traditional Indian pudding is a combination of cornmeal, water, molasses, butter, and eggs, along with available spices, fruits, and nuts.


Cornmeal was abundant for the early settlers and made a suitable base, while molasses was used as a sweetener due to the massive amounts of rum being produced at the time. The pudding is slowly cooked over a low flame for the smoothest possible consistency, similar to the way New England kitchen stoves radiated heat long after the cooking was done, and it can be left warm, frozen, fried, or served with a scoop of ice cream.

MOST ICONIC Indian Pudding

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09

Pudding

INDIANA, United States of America
n/a
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Persimmon pudding is an American dessert made from the pulp of persimmons. The fruit must be completely ripe to avoid astringency, as unripe persimmons can be very bitter due to their high tannin content. The pudding is not a pudding in the conventional, custard-like sense but is more akin to a moist, dense cake or a steamed pudding.


Its consistency varies from soft and spoonable to a firmer, cake-like texture that can be sliced. The ingredients typically include persimmon pulp, flour, sugar, eggs, milk, and spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, which complement the sweet and subtly spiced flavor of the persimmons. 

MOST ICONIC Persimmon Pudding

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10

Pudding

NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR, Canada
n/a
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Figgy duff is a flavorful Canadian pudding made with flour, molasses, raisins, breadcrumbs, brown sugar, and butter. The mixture is stuffed in a cotton bag or cloth, then steamed or boiled in water. It is believed that the dish originated with the first settlers in Newfoundland and Labrador.


Regarding the name of the dish, figgy refers to raisins, while duff refers to the dough. It is recommended to serve the pudding with whipped cream or fruit custards.

11
Pudding
NEW MEXICO, United States of America
n/a
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Rice Pudding
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS, United States of America
n/a
14
Pudding
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS, United States of America
n/a

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North American Puddings