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Box mix has its place, but when you’ve got 15 minutes and a few simple ingredients, homemade vanilla pudding wins. It’s thick, creamy, and tastes like real vanilla, not artificial fluff. Just a stovetop, a whisk, and a little patience. Easy comfort, done right
This is your go-to when you want simple, homemade pudding that actually tastes like vanilla, not artificial nonsense. If you’re into classic stovetop desserts, don’t miss our creamy rice pudding or the ultra-decadent chocolate pots de crème.
Here’s Why This Vanilla Pudding Recipe Works
Basic ingredients: You don’t need a mix when you’ve got egg yolks, milk, and sugar. The cornstarch brings it all together for a thick-and-creamy texture.
Whole milk = full flavor: It gives you that rich, decadent mouthfeel. Go low-fat if you must, but don’t expect the same payoff.
Built-in versatility: Serve it plain, dress it up, or layer it in a trifle. If you’re looking for something richer and more structured, try our vanilla pastry cream, perfect for filling cakes, tarts, or profiteroles.
Make-ahead: This pudding needs to chill anyway, which makes it ideal for prepping ahead of time.
Recipe Tips
Use a heavy-bottomed pan: It helps distribute heat evenly and keeps the pudding from scorching.
Stir frequently: Frequent whisking is your insurance against lumps and burned bits on the bottom.
Don’t rush the cook time: Let it simmer slowly over medium heat until it thickens. It should coat the back of a spoon.
Strain if you must: If you see tiny lumps, a quick strain through a fine-mesh sieve will smooth things out.
Add the vanilla last: Stir it in after removing the pan from heat. High temps can dull its flavor.
Use this recipe to make old fashioned banana pudding.
Storing Leftovers
Refrigerate: Cover the pudding with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Does not freeze well: The texture tends to break down after freezing and thawing, turning watery or grainy.
Creamy Pudding From Scratch
This homemade vanilla pudding proves that from-scratch doesn’t have to mean fussy. It’s fast, flexible, and way better than the boxed stuff. Once you make it, you won’t go back.
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Vanilla Pudding From Scratch
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Ingredients
- ½ cup granulated sugar, 100 grams
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch, 24 grams
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks and milk together until well blended.
- Slowly whisk the egg and milk mixture into the saucepan until fully combined.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the pudding thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10–12 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Spoon the pudding into 4 individual dishes, transfer to the refrigerator until completely chilled, 2-4 hours.
Notes
- You can use reduced-fat milk, but whole milk gives you that rich, velvety finish.
- Stir constantly while cooking. It prevents lumps and keeps the pudding from scorching.
- Serve it plain or dress it up with whipped cream, fresh berries, caramel, or chocolate sauce.
- Whisk the eggs and milk well before adding to the saucepan. This helps prevent streaky or scrambled yolks.
- Use a fine-mesh strainer after cooking if the pudding isn’t perfectly smooth. It’s a great fix if the heat got away from you.
- Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap when chilling to prevent a skin from forming.
- Add the vanilla extract off heat to preserve its full flavor, it can fade if boiled.
- Using a vanilla bean? Split one lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Add both seeds and pod to the milk mixture before cooking, then remove the pod before chilling.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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