The Vintage Recipe That Was One of Martin Luther King Jr.'s Favorite Desserts

Martin Luther King Jr's Quilly

If you know anything about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., you know he's one of the most prolific figures out there. Though we've found many ways to celebrate his legacy over the years, it seems like there's always something new to discover about the icon. Among the treasures of his childhood, one dessert stood out like a culinary masterpiece: Quilly. Crafted with love and a sprinkle of maternal magic, Quilly was more than just a dessert—it was a comforting embrace for Dr. King in every velvety bite.

Pulled straight from Dr. King's mother's recipe box, Quilly is a light dessert with a name created by his mother and made up of ingredients that you may not necessarily think would go together. And while I was skeptical to give it a try, I gathered everything needed to see if this would be the tasty reset I needed to start the week.

Get the recipe: Martin Luther King Jr's Quilly Dessert

Ingredients for Martin Luther King Jr’s Quilly Dessert

For this recipe, you'll need plain gelatin, water, sugar, heavy whipping cream, almonds, stale macaroons, marshmallows, vanilla extract and fruit salad.

How to Make Martin Luther King Jr’s Quilly Dessert

Soak the gelatin in cold water for five minutes before dissolving in boiling water and adding the sugar. Once the mixture has cooled, add your heavy whipping cream, chopped almonds, stale crumbled macaroons, marshmallows, a can of fruit salad and a splash of vanilla or rum extract. Then, pour into a quart mold (I used a bundt pan because that's what I had), which is advised to be rinsed in cold water. Chill until set, then top with sugar wafers before serving, if you'd like.

Related: Who Are Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King's Kids? All About the Racial Justice Activists' Family

What I Thought of Martin Luther King Jr’s Quilly Dessert

To be totally honest, this recipe delivered exactly what I was expecting and I don't mean that in a good way. Though many of his favorite recipes—like fried chicken, pecan pie and macaroni and cheese—are many of mine too, this recipe for Quilly just doesn't stand out to me. I already had my guard up when it came to this recipe due to the ingredients listed, but I decided to give it a try anyway.

I truly wanted to like this recipe because I wanted to see in it what others have celebrated about it and not just due to it being one of MLK's favorites. But unfortunately, it just didn't do it for me. The texture was very creamy and it gave a slightly spoiled taste to me—even my niece said the same thing. Overall, I couldn't imagine myself making this again. But, if creamy, retro gelatin desserts are your sort of thing, then it might be worth giving it a try.

Tips for Making Martin Luther King Jr’s Quilly Dessert

Carve out some time so that the Quilly can set. If you're looking for a recipe to eat immediately, this one won't be for you. After leaving in the fridge for two hours, it still wasn't ready and needed to be placed back in for a longer time. So, be sure to consider the time needed for it to set if you're preparing this dish for a gathering.

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