Cream Cheese Noodle Kugel With Crunchy Cornflake Topping

Cream Cheese Noodle Kugel with Corn Flake Topping

The Spruce / Miri Rotkovitz

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 75 mins
Total: 90 mins
Servings: 10 to 12 servings

Old-fashioned Jewish noodle kugel is a dish that is packed with flavor and, for some, memories of bubbe's (grandmother's) kitchen. This version is kissed with a delicious cinnamon-sugar cornflake topping. It can be baked immediately or prepared in advance, refrigerated, and baked the next day. Serve with baked salmon and Israeli salad for an easy-to-prepare and satisfying meal that the whole family will enjoy.

Ingredients

For the Kugel:

  • 1 (8-ounce) package medium-wide egg noodles

  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

  • 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese

  • 3/4 cup sugar

  • 4 large eggs

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

  • 2 cups milk

  • 1/2 cup raisins, optional

For the Topping:

  • 1 1/2 cups cornflakes cereal, crushed

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Steps to Make It

Make the Kugel

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Heat the oven to 350 F. Butter a 9 x 13 x 2-inch (3-quart) baking dish.

  3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside. 

  4. In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer or rotary beaters to beat together the butter, cream cheese, and sugar until smooth.

  5. Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat until well mixed.

  6. Pour in the milk and beat just until smooth.

  7. Stir the drained noodles into the egg mixture. Add the raisins, if using, and stir to combine.

  8. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. 

Make the Topping and Bake

  1. In a small bowl, combine the cereal, melted butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Stir to combine. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the kugel.

  2. Bake in a heated oven for 1 1/4 hours or until the kugel is puffed, set in the center, and golden on the bottom.

  3. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a rack for 15 to 20 minutes before cutting into squares to serve. 

Variations

Noodle kugel recipes present a blank canvas that lends them to a multitude of tweaks and interpretations.

  • Instead of using the optional 1/2 cup of raisins called for in this recipe, try using 1/4 cup golden raisins and 1/4 cup dried tart cherries.
  • For a savory version of this kugel, skip the sugar, raisins, and vanilla, replace the 1/2 cup butter with 1/4 cup canola oil, and add 5 chopped onions that have been cooked until translucent in 1/4 cup canola oil. Let the onions cool before adding them to the rest of the ingredients.

Tip

  • This sweet kugel can be prepared up to one day in advance and baked before the meal. Simply make the recipe and pour it into the prepared pan, cover, and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. About 2 hours before serving, heat the oven, remove the kugel from the refrigerator to allow it to come to room temperature, and add the cornflake topping. Bake, uncovered for 1 1/4 hours, then allow to rest for 20 minutes before serving. 
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
288 Calories
19g Fat
25g Carbs
6g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10 to 12
Amount per serving
Calories 288
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g 24%
Saturated Fat 11g 55%
Cholesterol 115mg 38%
Sodium 190mg 8%
Total Carbohydrate 25g 9%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 17g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 1mg 4%
Calcium 86mg 7%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 123mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)