Puerto Rican Harina De Maiz: Cornmeal Porridge

A close up shot of crema de maiz inside of a bowl with a spoon, topped with fresh berries.

Puerto Rican Harina De Maiz: Cornmeal Porridge

Crema de maiz is a Puerto Rican cornmeal porridge recipe made with harina de maiz, a fine cornmeal flour. This hot breakfast cereal recipe resembles a sweet creamy polenta with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg.

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Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: Cuban, Latin, Puerto Rican

Keyword: avena de maiz, cornmeal porridge, crema de maiz, harina de maiz, hot breakfast cereal

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 25

Servings: people

Calories: 186kcal

Author: Neyssa

Cost: 4

Equipment

1 stove
1 pot use non-stick for easy cleanup

Ingredients

1 cup cornmeal flour fine texture
½ cup water
4 cups milk
2 tablespoon butter salted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
1 teaspoon cinnamon ground
¼ teaspoon nutmeg ground
½ cup sugar or to taste
2 tablespoon condensed milk optional, use if you like it extra sweet

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Instructions

Whisk water and cornmeal flour in a bowl to make it lump free.
Add all of the ingredients, except for the condensed milk, to a medium pot. Mix it well.
Note: You need to mix the cornmeal the whole cooking time, to make sure it does not form lumps -at least until it thickens, then you can switch to a wooden spoon and gently stir every few minutes. Turn the stove on over medium-high heat and cook the harina de maiz mixture to a gentle simmer. Lower the heat to medium and continue mixing for 6-10 minutes until the harina de maiz thickens.
Once the harina de maiz has thickened to your desired consistency, you can adjust it by leaving it on the stove longer to make it thicker or adding more milk to make it thinner. Taste it to check the sweetness and make any necessary adjustments by adding condensed milk, more sugar or nutmeg.
Note: The longer you allow your crema de maiz to cook, the stronger the corn flavor will be. Be sure to lower the heat to low if you let it cook longer.
Serve in small bowls and garnish with a light dusting of ground cinnamon.

Notes

Ingredient Notes

Cinnamon Sticks: To give a stronger cinnamon taste, you can use 1 or 2 cinnamon sticks during cooking. I usually do this, but I was out of cinnamon sticks then.

Sweetener: You can use the sweetener of your choice. Brown sugar is used in Jamaican cornmeal porridge, and condensed milk is a favorite in Cuban crema de harina. I personally love adding a little condensed milk to my serving.

Salt: If you're using unsalted butter, add about ¼ teaspoon of salt, if desired.

Storage & Reheating

Storage: Store crema de maiz in individual airtight containers in the refrigerator. Consume it within 24 hours.
Reheating: Reheat crema de maiz in the microwave for 1-2 minutes with a splash of milk (stirring halfway through) or reheat the cornmeal porridge on the stove over medium-low heat with a few splashes of milk for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until it warms through.

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