Have you ever found yourself craving something that straddles the line between sweet, creamy dessert and cozy, carb-loaded comfort food? Enter cinnamon kugel – the unexpected dish that manages to satisfy both of those cravings in the most delightfully decadent way possible.
This traditional Jewish dish may look unassuming, but one bite reveals its true magic. We’re talking tender egg noodles enveloped in a luscious custard-like sauce made from a heavenly blend of eggs, milk, tangy cheeses like cottage cheese and cream cheese, vanilla, and of course plenty of sweet cinnamony sugar.
It’s essentially the lovechild of bread pudding and cheesy baked pasta, with the most luxurious texture that’s somewhere between silky and spoonable. As it bakes, the cheesy egg custard becomes incredibly velvety while creating pockets of tender noodle pockets throughout.
While that creamy custard interior is certainly swoon-worthy on its own, the real star is the crunchy cinnamon streusel topping. A smattering of cinnamon sugar gets sprinkled over the top before baking, creating an incredibly craggy, candied crust that provides the perfect textural contrast to all that molten cheesiness below.
Every bite delivers a glorious mashup of flavors and sensations. You get bites of gooey, almost pudding-like custard punctuated by tender yet toothsome noodles. Ribbons of tangy-sweet cheese sauce get studded with crunchy cinnamon crumble for an addictive salty-sweet chew. It’s downright heavenly and comforting in a way unlike any other dish.
While it may seem a bit unorthodox at first, cinnamon kugel is the kind of unique yet nostalgic dessert that tends to create instant fanatics. It has the nostalgic warmth and homeyness of a cheesy noodle casserole with the decadent luxury of a creamy baked custard or bread pudding. You get the best of both worlds in each spoonful.
Cinnamon kugel is also wonderfully versatile for serving at breakfast, brunch, or as a showstopping dessert. Top it with some fresh whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you have an epically indulgent sweet treat. Or keep things more brunch-appropriate by enjoying it closer to room temperature with a cup of coffee.
No matter when or how you serve it, this cinnamon kugel is sure to become an instant favorite. It’s creamy, cheesy, crunchy and bursting with cinnamon sugar deliciousness. The perfect mashup of nostalgic pudding and noodle kugel that you never knew you were missing!
Ingredients
- 12 oz wide egg noodles cooked al dente per package instructions
- 5 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups cottage cheese
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 stick 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 8 oz cream cheese softened at room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.
- In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, cottage cheese, sour cream, 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar, melted butter, cream cheese, vanilla and salt until very smooth and creamy.
- Fold in the cooked and drained egg noodles until fully coated in the custard mixture. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer.
- In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, 1/3 cup granulated sugar and cinnamon.
- Evenly sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the top of the noodle kugel.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes until the top is deeply golden brown and the center is just set with a slight jiggle.
- Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving warm, at room temperature, or fully chilled. Top with whipped cream, ice cream or fruit if desired.
Let me know if you need any other tips for bringing this decadently cozy yet indulgent noodle pudding mashup to life! It’s an unexpected yet absolutely crave-worthy dessert mashup.
Enjoy all the great recipes and elated when my wife prepares them. Keep them coming.