Best Ever Carrot Pudding

If you have never tried Carrot Pudding, you miss out on a real treat. Carrots are first cooked and then baked into a delicious pudding. Your family members will scream with delight with this delicious recipe.   

carrot pudding slices stacked and carrots.


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Old Fashioned Carrot Pudding

Sometimes, this dish is called carrot soufflé. Whether you want to call it pudding or soufflé is up to you. Either way, this old-fashioned carrot pudding recipe is super simple, and even those who hate vegetables will love this dish.

Baked carrot pudding is a classic dish that’s the perfect side to entice picky eaters. This sweet carrot pudding is one of the best ways to use fresh carrots. It comes out wonderfully flavorful and moist and reminiscent of a super moist carrot cake.

What is carrot pudding?

You might think that whenever you hear the word pudding, it means chocolate or vanilla pudding. But the term “pudding” can describe something else entirely.

In fact, in many cultures worldwide, pudding can be something savory. Carrot pudding bridges the gap – it is both sweet and savory.

A must-try for a holiday meal  

Many people make a Christmas carrot pudding. If you are a fan of carrot cake, this recipe is for you. Carrots can be prepared in many different ways. I have to confess when I have made this recipe before. The dish always comes back empty; no one can quite figure out what it is, so it is perfect for people who are averse to vegetables. This super moist cake stood the test of time. 

Carrot Pudding Origin

Many food historians believe carrots were used to make sweet cakes in medieval Europe. Sugar was expensive, and many people used carrots as a substitute.

Variations of carrot pudding evolved to include baking with a crust (as pumpkin pie), and steamed with a sauce or molded in pans (as plum pudding).

What Makes This the Best Recipe for Carrot Pudding?

This recipe will become a family favorite even if you have kids who usually turn up their noses when presented with carrots. Whenever you serve this old-fashioned carrot pudding, I guarantee the dish will return empty. Serve it to guests; people will wonder what’s in it and ask for the recipe.

Carrot Pudding Ingredients

You aren’t going to need any exotic ingredients for your carrot pudding. You are going to need only a few simple things. Here’s a list:

  • Carrots
  • Sugar
  • Baking powder
  • Vanilla extract
  • All-purpose flour
  • Eggs
  • Butter
  • Powdered sugar for garnish
carrot pudding ingredients on a tray.

Ingredient Substitutions

For a gluten-free carrot pudding, use gluten-free flour.

Substitute brown sugar for regular sugar for an extra depth of flavor. Brown sugar will give it a slight caramel accent.

Ditch the powdered sugar and top your baked carrot pudding with whipped cream or sour cream.

And, here’s a vegan carrot pudding recipe for all you vegan eaters out there.

Carrot Buying Tips

For this recipe, buying a large inexpensive bag of carrots is practical, and it is okay if the carrots are huge. The larger the carrot, the sweeter it can be.

However, if you want to buy baby-cut carrots because they are easy to use and you don’t have to peel and cut them, that’s ok too.

Here’s a video explaining why carrots harvested in cold weather taste sweeter.

Equipment Needed

Cooking the Carrots

Cooking the carrots until they are fork-tender and then combining them with the rest of the ingredients is the real key to this recipe.

You can cook the carrots in two ways:

  1. You can steam carrots on the stovetop or in your Instant Pot.
  2. You can simply boil carrots in a saucepan. I prefer to steam them, but other ways work well.
cooking chopped carrots in a saucepan.

Some people like to roast carrots in a little butter to really bring out their natural sweetness and flavor.

How to Make Carrot Pudding

  1. Once the carrots are cooked and tender, blend them with a mixer in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Add the other ingredients, leaving the eggs and vanilla until last. Adding the eggs too early will cause them to start cooking from the heat of the carrots.
carrot pudding mixture in a bowl.
  1. Place the mixture in a casserole dish and bake at 325°F for 1 hour. If your oven runs hot, slightly reduce the temperature to avoid scorching the bottom.
stack of carrot pudding slices and three carrots behind it.

Carrot Pudding Recipe Variations

This pudding recipe is a very good classic, but it also lends itself to customization. So have fun with it and create your carrot pudding traditions! Here are a few ideas.

  • Jazz things up with a grating of fresh ginger for some zing and fresh orange zest for added brightness.
  • Instead of the vanilla, spice your pudding with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves.
  • Turn the recipe into a Christmas pudding by adding raisins, orange juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Click here for a helpful recipe.
  • For an additional festive flavor, add 1/3 cup of brandy.
  • For some added texture, include 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts.

How to Serve Carrot Pudding

This is a perfect dish to make for holiday meals like Easter, Christmas, or Thanksgiving. It’s also great to bring to potluck dinners or as a light lunch dish for bridal or baby showers.

Carrot Pudding also makes a good dessert. Try this pudding with:

What Goes With Carrot Pudding

Carrot pudding can be served as a side dish with rich meat like pork loin or pork chops. It’s a pudding that also goes well with beef, ham, or lamb dishes such as:

How to Store Carrot Pudding

Leftover carrot pudding can be stored in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil at room temperature for up to 3 days or in your fridge for up to 5 days. It freezes well (best eaten within 2 months). Reheat briefly in the microwave.

overhead view of carrot pudding slices and carrots.

More Great Carrot Recipes

Check out more of my easy side dish recipes and the best Easter recipes, Christmas recipes, and Thanksgiving recipes here on CopyKat!

carrot pudding slices stacked and carrots.

Classic Carrot Pudding

Classic baked carrot pudding is the perfect side dish for picky eaters. This old-fashioned sweet carrot pudding is one of the best recipes for fresh carrots!
5 from 7 votes
Print Pin Rate Add to Collection
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Carrot pudding, Carrot Recipes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 302kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds carrots about 8 medium-large carrots
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup butter melted
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 1 1/2 quart baking dish or 9-inch square pan.
  • Wash, peel, and cut the carrots into 3-inch pieces. Cut the thicker pieces in half lengthwise so they are the same thickness and will cook evenly.
  • Cook the carrots in a pot of boiling water for about 6 minutes, or until the carrots are fork-tender.
  • Drain the carrots and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
  • Puree the carrots with a mixer until they are smooth.
  • Add the sugar, baking powder, vanilla, and flour and beat for 3 minutes.
  • Continue to beat while slowly adding the melted butter.
  • Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  • Pour the mixture into the greased baking pan, and bake for about 1 hour, or until set in the center.
  • Lightly dust the top with powdered sugar just before serving.

Notes

Note: if your oven runs hot, reduce the temperature a bit to avoid scorching the bottom.

Nutrition

Calories: 302kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 212mg | Potassium: 480mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 19418IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 1mg

About Stephanie Manley

I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.

Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Linda

    Thank you! This a keeper. I always cook my carrots with a cinnamon stick and did so with these. I also added the zest of an orange. It was wonderful.

  2. Jaclyn

    5 stars
    This is beyond amazing!! I made this recipe tonight for my family and I want to eat the whole thing!! Going to make this for everyone to try! So happy I found this recipe!! I followed all the steps exactly. Carrots are the new sweet potatoes!

  3. Bonnie

    5 stars
    I made this Carrot Pudding today and I really liked it. I had never heard of this recipe before so I just made half of it ,I will make this again.Thank you for all the work you put into this site.

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