Desserts are often the best part of a meal for children, and puddings are surely among their favorites. Further, since they are versatile and customizable, you can make delicious pudding recipes for kids healthier by including fruits and nutritious ingredients. Thus, these sweet, milk-based desserts are a great way to encourage your children to consume milk and fruits.
Children should consume sweets in moderation because, according to the Agricultural Research Service survey, pudding and frozen dairy desserts account for 7.7 percent of added sugar in the diet of children aged two to five years.
Keep reading for some tasty and easy dessert recipes for kids. You can try to make amazing puddings at home or add your own twist to these recipes according to your children’s tastes. Your kids will surely be delighted by these yummy dessert options and ask for more.
Top 11 Pudding Recipes For Kids
Here are our top kids pudding recipes that are easy to prepare.
1. Hot Mocha Pudding:
You Will Need:
- 150 ml milk
- 2 Tbsp chocolate
- 50 g pitted prunes or dates
- 50 g butter
- 50 g icing sugar
- 1 egg
- 50 g almonds powder
- 2 Tbsp cocoa
- 1 Tbsp self-raising flour
- 4 scoops ice cream of your kid’s choice
- Pinch of salt
How To:
- Blend the milk, prunes, and chocolate. Add butter, sugar, almonds, cocoa, egg, salt and flour to the blender and churn to make a smooth paste.
- Pour the mix into a ramekin and microwave for six minutes on medium heat. Let the pudding remain in the microwave oven for five minutes. Scoop out the pudding and add a dollop of ice cream on top before serving.
2. Creamy Vanilla Rice Pudding:
You Will Need:
- 1/4thTbsp white unsalted butter
- 1 cup of rice
- 1 Tbsp light muscovado sugar
- 2 Tbsp golden caster sugar
- 2 l skimmed milk
- ½ vanilla pod
- 3 Tbsp crème Fraiche
How To:
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Grease a baking dish with butter.
- Add rice, milk and sugar in a pan. Split the vanilla pod and add it to the pan. Heat the milk and remove from heat just before it is about to boil. Pour it into the dish and bake until the mix turns creamy and thick.
- Remove the pudding from the oven and let it sit for a minute before adding the crème Fraiche.
3. Lemon Pudding:
You Will Need:
- 3 whole eggs
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 cup of whole milk
- 1 Tbsp grated lemon zest
- 3/4 cup of sugar
- ⅓ cup of all-purpose/ gluten-free flour
- 1/4thTbsp salt
- Cooking spray
How To:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a ramekin with a cooking spray and place on a baking pan.
- Mix egg yolks and butter in a bowl. Add the milk and lemon zest to the egg mix. Stir in the flour and sugar.
- Add the egg whites and salt to make the paste fluffy. Pour the mix into the ramekin and pour hot water into the baking pan to fill up till half.
- Bake till the pudding turns fluffy.
4. Baked Lemon And Vanilla Rice Pudding:
You Will Need:
- 600 ml milk
- 450 ml single cream
- Zest of one lemon
- 25 g caster sugar
- 1 cup of rice
- 25 g butter
- Vanilla pod
How To:
- Preheat the oven to 280 degrees F.
- Heat the milk, vanilla pod, zest, and cream in a pan over medium heat. Add rice and sugar.
- Pour the mix into a baking dish and add butter on top. Bake until the pudding becomes soft and creamy.
5. Banana Apple Pudding:
You Will Need:
- ½ cup of chopped banana
- ½ cup of peeled and chopped apple
- 1 ½ tbsp brown sugar or jaggery sugar
- 1 crushed biscuit
- ½ tbsp ghee
How To:
- Heat ghee in a pan and cook the fruits until they turn soft.
- Add sugar and cook until it caramelizes.
- Add the biscuit powder and cook for two more minutes.
Stacey, a mother of four who also possesses a background in human nutrition and dietetics talks about a yummy and healthy banana and chia seed pudding that she makes for her kids. She talks about the recipe and says, “Blend the banana and milk together as if you were making a smoothie. Then add the chia seeds, and stir them through the smoothie. Give a few pulses to mix them in through the smoothie, but so as not to completely demolish them. Pour into a serving bowl or jar, refrigerate for a minimum of 20 mins before serving (i).”
6. Banana Brown Rice Pudding:
You Will Need:
- 2 cups of cooked brown rice
- 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/3 cup of sugar
- ½ Tbsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 3 peeled and sliced bananas
- 1 tbsp butter
How To:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a baking dish with butter.
- Mix the brown rice, almond milk, cinnamon stick, 1/4th cup of sugar, salt, and vanilla in a bowl. Pour the mix into the baking dish.
- Spread the remaining sugar on a plate and coat the bananas with it. Place the banana slices on top of the rice mix. Bake for 30 minutes and remove the cinnamon stick before serving.
7. Coconut Pudding:
You Will Need:
- 1 cup of coconut sugar
- 5 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4thTbsp salt
- 2 cups of milk
- 1 ½ cup of cream
- 1 can unsweetened coconut milk
- ¼ cup of butter
- 2 tbsp vanilla bean paste
- Sweetened whipped cream
How To:
- Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a pan. Add milk, cream and coconut milk. Let the mix boil over medium heat.
- Add butter and vanilla. Place it in a serving dish and refrigerate for four hours. Add whipped cream and strawberry on top before serving.
8. Cardamom Rice Pudding:
You Will Need:
- 8 cups of low-fat milk
- 1 cup of uncooked basmati rice
- 1 cup of sugar
- ½ tbsp kosher salt
- ½ tbsp cardamom powder
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 vanilla bean
- 3 sliced peaches
- ⅛ tbsp cinnamon powder
- Cooking spray
How To:
- Add the milk, rice, sugar, salt, cardamom, cinnamon and vanilla in a cooker coated with cooking spray. Cook until the mix thickens. Remove the vanilla bean shell and cinnamon stick.
- Garnish with cinnamon powder and peach slices before serving.
9. Bread And Butter Pudding:
You Will Need:
- 8 slices French bread
- 2 Tbsp butter
- ½ tbsp cinnamon powder
- 3 eggs
- ⅔ cup of sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- ⅛ tbsp salt
- 2 ½ cup of milk
- Powdered sugar
How To:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Butter a casserole and apply butter on one side of each bread slice. Layer the bread in the casserole with the buttered side facing up. Now sprinkle the cinnamon powder.
- Mix the eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla in a bowl. Add milk and stir well. Pour the egg mix over the bread.
- Place the casserole in hot water and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 40 minutes. Sprinkle powdered sugar over the pudding before serving.
10. Pudding Fruit Salad:
You Will Need:
- Refrigerated vanilla pudding
- ½ cup of frozen whipped topping
- 1 cup of halved seedless green grapes
- 1 cup of miniature marshmallows
- 1 can of mandarin orange slices
- 1 can of pineapple slices
- 1 cup of sliced strawberries
How To:
- Mix pudding and whipped topping in a bowl.
- Add the fruits to the mix. Stir well before serving.
11. Chocolate Avocado Pudding
- 2 avocados (pitted, peeled and cubed)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup coconut milk
- ½ cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
- 2tsp vanilla extract
How To:
- In a blender, combine avocados, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon and coconut milk. Blend it until smooth.
- Transfer the ice cream to a container and refrigerate for around 30 minutes. Serve chilled.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is it okay for children to have pudding every day?
Experts recommend restricting desserts, such as puddings, as occasional treats and serving them in reasonable amounts only (1).
2. Should kids get dessert if they don’t eat dinner?
Ideally, they should not get a dessert to compensate for a meal. Also, giving desserts as the only meal for dinner can lead to unhealthy eating habits in children. Therefore, it is essential to encourage balanced nutrition and model healthy eating habits instead.
3. Does pudding have a lot of sugar?
Traditionally puddings are made of milk and sugar. Still, you may try sugar-free alternatives such as low-sugar pudding mixes, greek yogurt pudding, and homemade sugarless pudding with honey, maple syrup, or fruits (avocado and banana).
Most children can never say no to sweet treats. They are the ideal go-to snacks and even meals for those with a sweet tooth. So, if your child is such a sweet lover, these mouth-watering creative pudding recipes for kids are just what you need. Whether it’s a special day or a lazy weekend, these dessert recipes for kids are perfect for every occasion. So go through and try out the different options and treat them with recipes, such as lemon pudding, banana apple pudding, and coconut pudding.
Infographic: Easy Pudding Dishes For Children
Having food with children is fun and memorable. The key to having an enjoyable experience is to find the proper recipe. You and your child can create a lifetime of memories while enjoying tasty treats with the perfect dish. Discover easy-to-make, mouthwatering pudding ideas for children by reading this infographic.
Key Pointers
- Puddings are popular desserts for children that can be made healthier by adding fruits and nutritious ingredients.
- Children can be encouraged to consume milk and fruits through puddings.
- Puddings can be easily customized at home to cater to your child’s preferences.
- Experts suggest limiting desserts to occasional treats and in reasonable quantities.
- Offering desserts as the sole dinner meal can lead to unhealthy eating habits in children.
Illustration: Healthy And Simple Pudding Recipes For Kids
Delight your kids with these 4 easy and delicious milk pudding recipes! Learn how to make these yummy desserts in just 15 minutes!
Personal Experience: Source
MomJunction articles include first-hand experiences to provide you with better insights through real-life narratives. Here are the sources of personal accounts referenced in this article.
i. Banana chia pudding – My kids lick the bowl.https://mykidslickthebowl.com/banana-chia-pudding/
References
- Sugar: How Bad Are Sweets for Your Kids?
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/sugar-how-bad-are-sweets-for-your-kids/
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