A traditional Puerto Rican dessert — Tembleque is a silky, quivering coconut pudding made from just coconut milk, cornstarch and sugar, its name meaning ‘it trembles’ for the way it jiggles on the plate. A snowfall of cinnamon crowns the cool, creamy custard. Simple enough for everyday, it is a pure expression of the island’s love affair with coconut.
Tembleque
A traditional Puerto Rican dessert — Tembleque is a silky, quivering coconut pudding made from just coconut milk, cornstarch and sugar, its name meaning ‘it trembles’ for the way it jiggles on the plate.

Step by stepInstructions
- In a small bowl, whisk 1/2 cup of the coconut milk with the cornstarch until smooth, with no lumps.
- In a saucepan, combine the remaining coconut milk, sugar and salt over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the warm coconut milk and cook, stirring constantly, until the pudding thickens and just begins to bubble, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla, and pour into a serving bowl or individual cups.
- Chill at least 4 hours until fully set. Dust generously with ground cinnamon before serving.
💡 Chef tips & storage
Stir without stopping once the cornstarch goes in; tembleque scorches easily. For a firmer set, add an extra tablespoon of cornstarch.

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