Jamaican Cornmeal Porridge
Jamaican Cornmeal Porridge – Tired of the same old oatmeal for breakfast? Mix things up with this warming cornmeal porridge instead! Infused with Caribbean spices and coconut milk, this Jamaican cornmeal porridge recipe is a thoroughly comforting breakfast.
Is there any better way to kick start the day than with a warm, hearty breakfast? Not in my book! And if you wake up wanting something a bit sweet like I do, this Jamaican porridge is perfect for combating those early morning cravings. It’s filling, just sweet enough, and super energizing. ⚡
Plus, it’s oh-so-cozy! When blessed with much-needed rain here in Southern California, all I want to do is cozy up with a bowl of this cornmeal porridge and watch as the rain falls in crazy, chaotic drops – slowly savoring one spoonful at a time. Secretly, I want it to go on for days on end, but alas, every good thing must come to an end.
What Is Jamaican Cornmeal Porridge?
This Caribbean breakfast dish dates back more than a century. It’s sometimes called “Cog” or “Pop.” It’s a hot cereal with depth and texture but not too heavy on the stomach. You make Jamaican cornmeal porridge with yellow cornmeal and infuse it with earthy spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. Some drizzle it with condensed coconut milk for a rich and sweet taste.
What does it taste like? The texture is an incredible cross between traditional porridge and grits. Flavor-wise, it has sweetness, the warmth from the cinnamon and nutmeg, and that lovely “corn” flavor from the cornmeal itself. 🌽
Recipe Ingredients
- Coconut Milk – Adding coconut milk to the water delivers a creamier, tropical-flavor-infused porridge.
- Cinnamon – A cinnamon stick adds warmth to the porridge, making it taste cozy and indulgent.
- Cornmeal – This Southern pantry staple makes a gorgeous porridge with a sweet corn flavor and texture slightly less grainy than grits.
- Flavorings – Vanilla notes and nutmeg pair with warm spices to enhance this Caribbean comfort dish.
- Sweetener – How and if you sweeten this dish is up to you. You could use condensed milk (my favorite), brown sugar, coconut sugar, or another sweetener here.
How to Make Jamaican Cornmeal Porridge
Cook the Porridge
- Liquids – Add about two cups of water and two cups of coconut milk to a large, heavy saucepan. Toss in half a cinnamon stick and bring everything to a boil. (Photo 1)
- Cornmeal – Gradually whisk in the cornmeal a little at a time, and keep stirring with a wooden spoon to prevent any lumps. (Photo 2)
- Simmer – Next, reduce the heat to low and simmer until thickened (about 15 minutes). (Photo 3)
Add Spices and Toppings
- Flavoring – Add the vanilla extract, nutmeg, and sweetened condensed milk. (Photo 4)
- Adjust the porridge consistency with coconut milk or water if desired. Turn off the heat.
- Serve piping hot with extra nutmeg, sweeteners, nuts, and fruit.
Recipe Variations
- More toppings. You can’t go wrong with your choice of sliced banana, mango, blueberry, slivered almonds, and walnuts.
- Adjust spices. Just note that if you’re going for a more traditional flavor, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla are non-negotiable. But cloves, cardamom, ginger, anise, etc., are also delicious additions.
- Consistency is up to you! Adjust the amount of milk to make the porridge thicker or thinner, as per your preference.
- Dairy-free. Replace the condensed milk topping with coconut condensed milk.
Tips and Tricks
- Be sure to stir the porridge frequently during cooking to avoid any lumps in your porridge.
- Remove the cinnamon stick before serving so no one gets a spicy, crunchy surprise.
- Cornmeal holds in the heat well, so be careful not to burn yourself when digging in. You might want to give it a few minutes to cool off or add a splash of cold milk to cool it quickly.
Make-Ahead Instructions
You can make this porridge a couple of days ahead of time. Just let it cool completely before storing it in an airtight container in the fridge.
You can also store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat it, put it in a pan set to medium-low heat and stir until it warms up. This porridge tends to thicken in the fridge, so you may need to add a splash of milk or water to loosen it up.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Serve Jamaican cornmeal porridge warm, topped with a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg and some fresh fruit.
Keep leftover porridge in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days and reheat as noted above. It will last in the freezer for 4-5 months.
What Goes With Jamaican Cornmeal Porridge
Make a fancy breakfast by serving bowls of Jamaican cornmeal porridge with other fun breakfast foods like sausage rolls and egg muffins. Serve it with an assortment of nuts and fresh, dried, and grilled fruits, like grilled apples, to make it the star of the show.
You might also want to make a steamy chai latte to drink. The warm spices are the perfect way to wash down the cozy porridge. 😊
More Jammin’ Jamaican Recipes to Try
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”4QfxWt6z” upload-date=”2019-04-01T07:24:57.000Z” name=”Cornmeal Porridge” description=”Jamaican Cornmeal Porridge – Tired of the same oatmeal for breakfast? Mix it up and try this warming cornmeal porridge instead! Infused with Caribbean spices and coconut milk for a complete warm and comforting breakfast.”]
This blog post was originally published in January 2017 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
Jamaican Cornmeal Porridge
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 2-3 cups coconut milk drinkable carton variety
- ½ cinnamon stick
- ½ teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg adjust to taste
- ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
- optional sweeteners (sugar, honey, coconut sugar, brown sugar, etc.)
Instructions
- Add 2 cups water and 2 cups coconut milk to a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Throw in ½ stick cinnamon stick, and bring to a boil.
- Gradually whisk in the cornmeal until you have added the whole thing to the pot, a little bit at a time, and keep stirring with a wooden spoon to prevent lumps.
- Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens, about 15 minutes.
- Add vanilla extract, nutmeg, and sweetened condensed milk.
- Adjust consistency with coconut or water if desired.
- Turn off the heat. Serve piping hot with extra nutmeg and optional sweeteners.
Tips & Notes:
- Stir the porridge frequently during cooking to avoid lumps.
- Remove the cinnamon stick before serving so no one gets a spicy, crunchy surprise.
- Cornmeal holds in the heat well, so be careful not to burn yourself when digging in. You might want to give it a few minutes to cool off or add a splash of cold milk to cool it quickly.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Thanks Imma. I used to make this growing up, but needed a reminder after some years. Great recipe.
Aww good to hear that. Browse the blog to have more amazing recipes and remember your days growing up.
Just made this following every step! Yum!
Woohoo! So glad it turned out great for you. Thanks for the feedback.
Love cornmeal porridge which to more taste more like corn bread. The only similarity I find to grits is the texture. Have not eaten grits for over twenty years can’t deal with the texture.
Fantastic. I tried another somewhat similar recipe which just didn’t do it for me (admittey, it used less condensed milk.) Other than using 1/2 /tsp ground cinnamon instead of the cinnamon stick, I made exactly as directed. Smooth and tasty… I had to push aside when I remembered that it’s supposed to be 5 servings. I’m one of those fortunate individuals with a mango tree in my backyard so I’m looking forward to trying a few slices on top of this when they’re in season.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Kevin. It’s definitely hard to stop eating this especially when you have those toppings. 😉
Well done!! Feels like home when i make this.
Went to Jamaica recently and ate this practically every morning. This recipe is easy and so flavorful. I make a big batch and it’s my go-to breakfast now! I eat it with bread or crackers, but you can’t go wrong with Imma’s suggestions of fruit or nuts.
Hi Emily! Nice to know that you liked this recipe. 🙂
This was super easy to make and tastes sooooo good!
Thank you, ML! Glad you enjoyed this 🙂
Great instructions . Side bar jamaican never eat mongo with or before breakfast.
Thank you, Kc! 🙂
Mangoes can be eaten any time. Also as a college student this is good for me..thank you I will try it and let you know.
Thank you, Sher! Enjoy 🙂
Absolutely delicious!!!
Thank you! 🙂
This recipe is the best I‘be tried
Thanks so much!
Great tasting recipe, I didn’t have a whisk so I used a blender to smoothe out the cornmeal with other ingredients.
Thanks for the feedback.
Omg this was so delicious! I stumbled upon this recipe while looking up ways to reheat polenta in the air fryer and I’m so glad I clicked and tried it out! I used ground cinnamon instead of a cinnamon stick, so mine turned a kind of grey color but what it lacked in visual appeal it made up for in flavor this turned out so good, i didn’t even need any additional sweetener beyond the condensed milk. I also added bananas on top but towards the end I pushed them aside to just eat the porridge plain. It’s that good. Excited to try this with mangoes on top too and since I’m on this polenta in the air fryer kick I might try letting the leftovers set, cut them into little strips or cubes, drizzling with coconut oil and reheating them in the air fryer?? I could see these being almost like French toast sticks, dusted with some extra nutmeg and cinnamon and drizzled with some extra condensed milk as a tasty dessert. Thanks so much for the recipe!!!!
Hi Kelsey, thank you for the feedback and appreciation!
I’m so glad that you loved it!
I love this recipe , I was looking for a corn meal porridge recipe n I saw this one and this is what of looking for creamy and rich. Thanks very much
You are welcome!
How long can I keep this in the fridge?
Hello ! This is best served as soon as you take it out from the stove.
Very excited to try this!!
Hello Imma, I’m American and I love Cornmeal porridge but I’ve never made it myself; so tonight I gave it a try. I did not have fine cornmeal so I used what I had and even though it tasted great it was a little grainy;I think I needed to cook it a little longer. Is there something I can do to make it less grainy???
Hi Lori!
You are right you need to cook it longer, on low heat- add more liquid – a little at a time , to prevent it from burning. It will help make it less grainy. Enjoy!
Could you extrude this to pre-cook it. I love this, thank you for posting
Hi Imma,
Great recipe, thanks for sharing! I can’t wait to try making it 🙂
Just a quick question – when we are leaving the cornmeal to cook for 15 mins should we be stirring the pot to ensure there is no lumps or should we leave it?
Many thanks!
Hi Simran! Yes, stir the cornmeal from time to time to avoid lumps. Do let me know how it works out for you :)!
Do you recommend Vanilla or almond extract thank you for the support
Vanilla extract .Not everyone likes almond extract .
This is my go to recipe. I always mess up my porridge. But using this recipe, I achieved a smooth thick and flavorful porridge everytime!!! Thank you.
Awesome!! I am so glad this porridge turned out great for you Dee 🙂 !
My fiancée is from Grenada and he requests this porridge, at least 3 days a week. It’s the best recipe I’ve ever made. Thanks so much, Imma. All of your recipes are sooo good!
Can you reheat in the microwave if you make a big pot
Hi Natalie! Yes, you can reheat in the microwave.
It was good flavoring reminded me of when I went to Jamaica. My only problem I had was before the 15 min the porridge had thickened so consistency was creamy but it was smooth. I did double but it was all measured correctly.
Just add water (and milk if necessary) until you regain the consistency you desire. Do not add any more sweetner (sugar, condensed milk, etc) until you’re finished