Pudding

Pudding is a broad category of desserts — and sometimes savory dishes — that can be creamy, baked, steamed, or chilled, depending on the tradition and recipe. In American usage, pudding typically refers to a smooth, creamy custard-like dessert thickened with starch or eggs. In British cuisine, “pudding” can mean almost any dessert, as well as specific steamed or baked dishes like sticky toffee pudding, Christmas pudding, or bread and butter pudding.

Popular sweet pudding varieties include chocolate pudding, vanilla custard, rice pudding, crème brûlée, panna cotta, and flan. Thickening agents range from cornstarch and gelatin to agar and eggs, each producing a different texture. Savory puddings like Yorkshire pudding and black pudding represent a completely different branch of the pudding family. Whether served warm from the oven or chilled from the refrigerator, puddings remain one of the most comforting and universally loved dessert categories.

Explore more about pudding — from classic recipes and regional traditions to thickening techniques and serving ideas — in the articles below.