This Maple Cream of Wheat Porridge recipe inspired by James Marshall’s retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears makes one serving of sweet and creamy porridge that’s not too hot, not too cold, but just right for you.
Porridge does seem to come up a lot in children's books, doesn't it? As a kid, I couldn't quite picture what it was. I knew it was a warm bowl of wholesome...something? For breakfast? Eaten by humble peasants? I thought it sounded quite romantic and old-fashioned—especially compared to the colorful cereals and Pop-Tarts being marketed to me in the 1980s and 90s as the best way to start the day.
It turns out that I had been having porridge all along—oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, grits: all porridge! We just hadn't called it that. A delicious, warm bowl of any of the above is still a breakfast I love today. And it's one that a very particular protagonist loved, too—it was even worth a little light breaking and entering for her to enjoy.
About Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Like many fairy tales and nursery rhymes, the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears started as on oral tale, and was first committed to paper almost 200 years ago in the 1830s. The earliest written versions of the story feature an old woman who invades the home of a family of bears. Starting in the 1850s, the protagonist becomes a little girl called various names including Silver-Hair, Silver-Locks, Golden Hair, and, finally, by 1904, Goldilocks. For some fascinating glimpses into these early tellings of the story, check out this post by the Toronto Public Library.
The Goldilocks name and format for the story has remained pretty standard since the early 20th century. But many authors and illustrators have had fun reimagining the tale in new and different ways, as in The Ghanaian Goldilocks by Dr. Tamara Pizzoli, Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems, Goldilocks and Just One Bear by Leigh Hodgkins, and Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas by Natasha Yim.
But one of my favorite retellings of all is by author and illustrator James Marshall (1942-1992), who also wrote the beloved George and Martha series. His version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears (1988) is a traditional retelling of the story, but is decidedly irreverant in its tone. It's funny and tongue in cheek in all the best ways, and kids always love it. The detailed illustrations are drawn in his distinctive humorous style, for which he received a Caldecott Honor in 1989.
Recipe Inspiration
On the dining room table were three inviting bowls of porridge. 'I don't mind if I do,' said Goldilocks, helping herself to the biggest bowl.
James Marshall, Goldilocks and the Three Bears
In the classic telling of the story, Goldilocks comes across an empty house, which, unbeknownst to her, is inhabited by a family of bears. One of the first things she encounters is a breakfast table set with three bowls of porridge—a large one for Papa Bear, a medium one for Mama Bear, and a little one for Baby Bear. She proceeds to try all three. The first is too hot, the second is too cold, but the last one is just right, so she eats it all up. She then goes on to get into lots more trouble, but we'll stay focused on the food.
As I now know, porridge can be made from any grain cooked in liquid until soft, uniform, and spoonable. For this recipe, I decided to go with farina, most commonly known by its brand name, Cream of Wheat. This finely-ground wheat cereal cooks up to be smooth and creamy and feels old-fashioned in the right way for a story like Goldilocks with such a long legacy.
To make sure that this serving of porridge would be at the perfect temperature every time, I decided the recipe should make just one portion. It's easy for kids to make on their own for a solo breakfast, or can also be scaled up for more servings if you'd like to share.
When I imagined what flavors a family of bears might enjoy in their porridge, I thought about the woods where they lived and what ingredients they might find there. Here in Maine, the woods mean maple syrup and maple sugar (the granules left behind after the liquid in syrup is boiled away, pictured above), so I incorporated both into the recipe. I also imagined the family of bears foraging for berries (as evidenced in Blueberries for Sal, of course!), so I highly suggest including those as a topping.
But to make this the very best bowl of porridge ever, I took the rest of my inspiration from the Neighborhood Restaurant & Bakery in Somerville, MA, where people come from all over just to order their signature Cream of Wheat (I was one of those people for many years when I lived in the area). Though their family recipe is a closely guarded secret, I know it includes warm spices and a generous amount of butter, so I made sure to add them here, too.
Ingredients You'll Need
To make this Maple Cream of Wheat Porridge, you'll need:
- Water and milk: A combination of water and milk create the cooking liquid for the hot cereal, but you can use all milk to make it extra-creamy, if you like.
- Salted butter: Salted butter adds extra flavor here, but you can substitute unsalted butter plus a pinch of salt, if needed.
- Cream of Wheat: Also known as farina, Cream of Wheat is the brand name for a type of finely-ground wheat that's often made into a breakfast porridge. For this recipe, use Cream of Wheat 2 ½ Minute Hot Cereal (not instant Cream of Wheat which cooks differently) or Bob's Red Mill Creamy Wheat Hot Cereal.
- Maple sugar: Maple sugar is what's left behind after you boil away the liquid from pure maple syrup, and it's full of distinctive maple flavor. It's available online or in specialty baking stores and is worth seeking out, in my opinion, but you can substitute light brown sugar if you don't have it on hand.
- Pumpkin pie or apple pie spice: I love using a spice blend to add lots of flavor to a hot cereal or baked good with just one pinch, but you can substitute ground cinnamon if you like.
- Maple syrup: Use pure maple syrup (from Maine, if you can find it!) rather than maple-flavored pancake syrup for the best flavor.
As with every recipe, before you start cooking, make sure to measure out and prepare your ingredients ahead of time. Then, you'll have everything you need when you need it! For all of the ingredient measurements and details, see the recipe card below.
How To Make Maple Cream of Wheat Porridge
The full recipe with detailed timing and instructions for this porridge is below, but here are some key moments to look out for along the way:
- Toast the cereal: Melt some salted butter in a saucepan and toast the Cream of Wheat in it until nutty and fragrant (this gives it extra flavor!).
- Whisk in the liquid: While whisking constantly, slowly pour in a combination of milk and water. Then, add the maple sugar and spices.
- Cook until thickened: Simmer the porridge for a couple of minutes until creamy and thick.
- Finish with more butter: Off the heat, add more butter and let it melt, then whisk it in to the porridge.
Why This Recipe Is Great for Kids
I've spent years writing cookbooks and creating recipes that are safe, fun, and engaging for kids and home cooks of all ages. Here are some key features of this recipe that make it perfect for kids and families to make together at home:
- This recipe makes just one serving, so it's a great way for kids to practice independence as they make their own breakfast. Or, put those math skills to good use to double or quadruple the ingredient amounts to feed more people.
- There's nothing sharp in this recipe, so there's no need to worry about knife skills here—kids can focus on using a stovetop safely instead.
- This porridge is a perfect blank canvas for toppings, so kids can make their breakfast just the way they like it! Berries and fruit are great toppings, but so is a dollop of jam. Or, level it up and make your own homemade salted butter to use in the recipe!
Let's Cook!
Gather your equipment, measure your ingredients, and get cooking with this kid-friendly recipe! If you loved making it together, please leave five stars and share your stories in the comments.
Maple Cream of Wheat Porridge
Good To Know
- Maple sugar is the granules left behind after boiling off the water from maple syrup. It has a crumbly texture and lots of maple flavor. You can buy it online or find it in some specialty baking stores, or you can use light brown sugar in this recipe instead if you can’t find it.
- This recipe works with Cream of Wheat Original 2 ½ Minute style or Bob’s Red Mill Creamy Wheat Cereal. Don’t use instant Cream of Wheat in this recipe.
- This recipe makes one portion of porridge so it’s not too hot, not too cold, but just right to enjoy on your own. You can double the recipe to serve two or quadruple it to serve four—just use a large liquid measuring cup and a large saucepan in that case, add half of the butter at the beginning and half at the end, and extend the cooking time in step 5 to 5 to 10 minutes.
Equipment You'll Need
- Liquid measuring cup
- Small saucepan with lid
- Wooden spoon
- Whisk
- Small serving bowl
Measure Your Ingredients
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup milk (plus more as needed)
- 1 tablespoon salted butter, cut into 2 pieces
- 2 tablespoons Cream of Wheat hot cereal (see note)
- 2 teaspoons maple sugar or light brown sugar
- 1 pinch pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice (plus more for topping)
- Maple syrup (for serving)
- Toppings of your choice (like berries, fresh or dried fruit, or flaked coconut, optional)
Let's Cook!
- ½ cup water, ½ cup milkIn a liquid measuring cup, combine the water and milk and set it aside.
- 1 tablespoon salted butter, cut into 2 pieces, 2 tablespoons Cream of Wheat hot cerealIn a small saucepan, melt 1 piece of the butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the Cream of Wheat and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until toasted and nutty smelling, 1 to 2 minutes.
- While whisking constantly (which prevents lumps from forming), slowly pour in the water-milk mixture, being careful at first as the liquid may sputter and steam as it hits the hot pan. Make sure to scrape into the edges of the pan as you whisk to get all of the Cream of Wheat incorporated.
- 2 teaspoons maple sugar or light brown sugar, 1 pinch pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spiceWhisk in the maple sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Bring the mixture to a simmer (small bubbles will gently break all over the surface).
- Reduce the heat to low and cook, whisking often, until thickened to the texture of loose pudding, 2 to 3 minutes. (If it starts to bubble too vigorously, turn the heat down to low.)
- 1 tablespoon salted butter, cut into 2 piecesTurn off the stove and slide the saucepan to a cool burner. Drop in the remaining piece of butter and cover the pot with a lid. Let cool slightly, about 2 minutes (the porridge will continue to thicken as it cools).
- Maple syrup, Toppings of your choiceRemove the lid and whisk until the butter is fully melted and evenly incorporated. If the porridge is too thick, add a little more milk until loosened to your liking. Transfer to a small serving bowl, sprinkle with more pumpkin pie spice, and drizzle with maple syrup. Serve with your favorite toppings at just the right temperature for you.
Conversation Starters
As you sit down to enjoy your porridge, talk about what it was like to make the recipe and the themes in Goldilocks and the Three Bears. You can help young readers make connections to the book and share your own answers, ideas, and stories with them with the following prompts:
- What senses did you use while you were cooking this recipe? Were there moments when you could see, hear, or smell something that told you it was time to move to the next step?
- How many breakfasts can you think of that are served hot? How about cold? Do you like your breakfast to be hot, cold, or somewhere in the middle?
- Do you think it was right for Goldilocks to eat Baby Bear's porridge or to explore the bear family's house when they weren't there? Why or why not?
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