Best. Pudding. Ever.

Dorcas Raber in the Flat Rock, Illinois Amish settlement said this dessert originated when a woman in her church used chocolate chip cookies instead of the graham crackers in the recipe she had gotten. “It really became a hit in our church,” she said. “Everyone just loves it. Locals call it “Flat Rock Pudding”, I call it “The Best Pudding Ever.”  Really.  It is amazing and this is a photo of it. I ‘d drive 5 hours to Flat Rock just to eat this again (then, again, we could just make it ourselves and save us the drive!)

BEST. PUDDING. EVER.

Serves 8 to 12

Dorcas Raber said this dessert originated when a woman in her church used chocolate chip cookies instead of the graham crackers in the recipe she had gotten. “It really became a hit in our church,” she said. “Everyone just loves it.”

• 6 cups milk
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 large egg yolks
• 3 cups whipped topping
• 4 dozen chocolate chip cookies (See page 60 of the book for a recipe or use your own favorite homemade or store bought cookies )
• Peanut butter, for sandwiching the cookies

Heat 4½ cups of the milk in a large saucepan over medium heat until the milk is scalded (180°F). Whisk in the flour, sugar, salt, vanilla, egg yolks, and the remaining 1½ cups cold milk. Heat the milk mixture until thick, stirring continuously. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Fold in the whipped topping. Spread some peanut butter between two chocolate chip cookies to form a cookie sandwich. Repeat until all four dozen cookies have been used. Cut or crumble the cookie sandwiches into the pudding mixture, and stir until well combined.