Vanilla Pudding Recipe (No eggs)

5 from 1 vote

A rich, creamy vanilla pudding recipe made from scratch with no eggs. Naturally gluten-free, easy to customize, and ready in just 15 minutes plus chilling time.

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Chill time2

Total Time2 15

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings (change as needed): (or 6 small cups)

Author: Cheryl Avrich

US Measures - Metric

Ingredients

3 tbsp cornstarch, Note 1
¼ cup granulated sugar (or use part or all brown sugar)
½ teaspoon kosher salt (or less if using salted butter)
2 cups whole milk, Note 2

Add at the end:

1 tablespoon butter salted or unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)

US Measures - Metric

Instructions

WHISK DRY INGREDIENTS: Whisk cornstarch, sugar and salt in a medium pot to eliminate as many lumps as possible. The mixture should be almost powdery. WHISK IN COLD MILK.
COOK PUDDING: Turn heat on stove top to medium low (~4/10). Continue whisking every minute or two. The pudding will gradually thicken as it comes to a boil. Don't crank up the heat or it will burn. You will see large bubbles coming to the surface. Once it boils, whisk constantly for another minute.
The total time will take about 9-11 minutes, depending on your stove. The pudding should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and leave a clear trail when you run a spoon through it.
REMOVE FROM HEAT and whisk in butter and vanilla extract.
STRAIN & CHILL: Pour the pudding through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl or shallow dish to strain it and remove any tiny residual lumps. Skip this step if you see no lumps or if you don't mind a few tiny clumps. Place plastic wrap directly on the pudding to prevent a skin from forming on the top. Chill for 2 hours or more. To serve: Whisk or stir vigorously until smooth and creamy - and spoon into serving dishes. See Note 4 for toppings.

Notes

Yield: ~ 2 cups/473 ml pudding, enough for 4 generous servings or 6 small dessert cups.

Cornstarch alternatives:
- arrowroot powder (1:1 swap) - glossy texture
- tapioca powder (you need double i.e. 6 Tbsp) - for a shiny, bouncy texture - don't boil it too long or it can become stringy.
Milk options:
- For a richer taste, it's best to use at least whole milk (3.25% fat), but any milk will do. I replace part of the milk with half-and-half cream.
- If using oat milk or almond milk, use the full-fat kind and add an extra teaspoon of cornstarch. Expect a slightly softer set and less creamy texture than dairy milk.
- Lower-calorie version: You can use 1% or 2% milk, but note that the pudding will not taste as rich (but still good if adding toppings or folding in fresh berries).
Variations:
- Make chocolate pudding: Add 3-4 tablespoons of cocoa powder to the dry cornstarch mixture and increase sugar to 1/3 cup/66 grams.
- Add flavors: When the pudding is finished cooking, stir in 2 tsp lemon or orange zest, along with the vanilla, or add almond extract - start with 1/4 tsp and add up to 1/2 tsp if needed.
- Make a 2-layered pudding: one chocolate, one vanilla. Add the second layer to the chilled first layer.
Topping & drizzle ideas:
- fresh berries
- whipped cream or Greek yogourt
- toasted coconut
- cookie crumbs
- toasted crushed nuts
- granola
- caramel sauce
- chocolate sauce
Ideas to transform pudding into new desserts (details in post):
- Banana pudding
- Strawberry shortcake
- Trifle
- Tart filling
- Puff pastry cups
- Warm sauce for cake or bread pudding
Make ahead:
- How long: The pudding will last 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container - without any toppings (these can make the pudding watery after a day)
- Storing: To prevent a skin from forming at the top, lay plastic wrap directly on the pudding before covering with the top of the sealed container.
- Freezing: not recommended as the texture can become watery or grainy. If you do, whip it up again to smooth it out.

Nutrition values are estimated for approximately 1/2 cup (120 ml) servings using whole milk.