Cookies and Scream Franken-Puddings

Ingredients

• 150 g (¾ cup)sugar
• 32 g (4 tbsp)cornflour
• 710 ml (3 cups)milk
• 5 ml (1 tsp)vanilla extract
• 1 packagechocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
• To tastefood colouring

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the dry ingredients

   In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar and cornflour. Gradually stir in the milk, whisking until the mixture is smooth.

2. 2

   Cook the pudding

   Set the pan over a low heat and bring the mixture to the boil, stirring constantly until it thickens. Take it off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and food colouring.

3. 3

   Chill the pudding

   Cover the pudding and refrigerate it until chilled.

4. 4

   Decorate the cups

   Use a permanent marker to draw Frankenstein faces on the sides of small clear plastic cups.

5. 5

   Fill and finish

   Spoon the pudding into the cups, leaving about 1.25 cm (½ inch) of space at the top. Cover with the crushed cookie crumbs and serve.

What are Franken-Puddings?

These are individual cups of chilled vanilla pudding topped with crushed chocolate sandwich cookies, decorated to look like Frankenstein. The playful presentation is a Halloween twist on a familiar pudding-and-cookie combination.

The method uses a simple stovetop pudding thickened with cornflour, then chills it before assembling. Clear cups show off the layers and make the drawn faces visible.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 610 calories, 10g protein, 104g carbs, 21g fat.

The sugar, milk and cookie crumbs provide most of the carbohydrates; the milk and cookies also contribute fat and a little protein. Serve one cup with fruit or alongside a meal with a protein-rich main to make the overall plate more balanced.

Why the cornflour matters

Cornflour: whisk it with the sugar before adding the milk so it disperses evenly and is less likely to form lumps.

Milk: pour it in gradually while whisking until smooth. The recipe does not specify a fat level, so use the milk you have on hand.

Cook to a thickened cue

Low heat: bring the mixture to the boil gradually and keep stirring throughout, especially around the base and corners of the pan.

Thickness: the recipe calls for cooking until thickened. Once it reaches that point, remove the pan from the heat before adding the vanilla and colouring.

Chill before assembling

Chilling: cover the pudding and refrigerate until cold before filling the cups. The recipe gives no set chilling time, so use the chilled texture as your cue.

Cookie topping: add the crumbs shortly before serving if you want them to stay distinct rather than soften against the pudding.

Make the monster faces

Clear cups: draw the faces on the outside with a permanent marker before adding the pudding, which keeps the decoration away from the food.

Headroom: leave about 1.25 cm (½ inch) at the top so the cookie crumbs fit without overflowing.

What to serve alongside

These cups work well as a standalone party dessert, especially after a savoury meal. For a larger spread, serve them with fruit or other small Halloween treats rather than adding more toppings to the cups.

Recipe notes & tips

• Whisk the milk in gradually to help keep the pudding smooth.
• Keep stirring as the pudding heats so it does not catch on the bottom of the pan.
• Draw the faces on the cups before filling them.
• Crush the cookies into small crumbs so they are easy to spoon over the pudding.
• Chill the pudding fully before assembling the cups.

Variations

• Tint the pudding: use food colouring to give the vanilla pudding a green monster-like shade.
• Layer the crumbs: alternate pudding and cookie crumbs in the cups for visible stripes.
• Add a topping: finish with a small extra sprinkle of cookie crumbs just before serving.
• Use different cookies: swap in another crushed chocolate sandwich cookie if needed.
• Make mini cups: divide the mixture among smaller clear cups for party-sized portions.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Adding milk too quickly: it can leave lumps, so pour it in gradually while whisking.
• Leaving the pan unattended: the pudding can catch as it thickens, so stir constantly.
• Stopping before it thickens: keep cooking over low heat until the mixture has thickened.
• Filling warm cups: the topping may soften, so chill the pudding before assembling.
• Filling to the brim: leave about 1.25 cm (½ inch) for the cookie crumbs.

How to store

Cover and refrigerate assembled cups, ideally adding the cookie topping shortly before serving so it stays crumbly. Keep leftovers chilled and eat within 2–3 days; the crumbs will soften over time.

Frequently asked questions