Yapple Pudding

Three ingredients, zero cooking, five minutes. Mash a baked yam with applesauce and cinnamon and you’ve got a naturally sweet pudding that tastes like fall in a bowl.

The yam provides the creamy, thick base. It has enough natural sugar that you don’t need to add any. Applesauce loosens the mashed yam into a pudding-like consistency and adds fruity brightness. Cinnamon ties the two together with familiar warmth.

This is the kind of recipe that’s almost too simple to call a recipe, but the flavor combination genuinely works. Bake the yam ahead of time and let it cool completely so it mashes smoothly without any lumps.

Kitchen Tips

• Bake the yam until it’s very soft all the way through. A firm yam won’t mash smoothly and leaves chunks in the pudding.
• Use unsweetened applesauce if you want to keep this as a whole-food, no-added-sugar snack. Sweetened applesauce makes it taste more like dessert.
• Mash with a fork for a rustic, chunky texture, or use a potato masher for something smoother. A food processor gives you the silkiest result.

Variations

• Top with a dollop of yogurt or whipped coconut cream and a sprinkle of granola for a breakfast bowl.
• Add a pinch of nutmeg or ginger alongside the cinnamon for a more complex spice profile.
• Stir in a tablespoon of peanut butter or almond butter for protein and a nutty richness.