Put down the instant pudding mix. This creamy and flavorful Homemade Vanilla Pudding couldn’t be easier or more delicious! Serve this pudding on its own or with cookies, berries or whipped cream. VIDEO below.
It’s time homemade pudding gets the attention it deserves. Pudding has to be the most underrated dessert ever. It’s not as fancy or decadent as a pot de crème, mousse, or crème brûlée. It’s comforting, nostalgic, and uncomplicated, and that’s what I love about it!
If you have only ever had boxed/store-bought pudding, you are missing out. Yes, this takes a little more effort than peeling back the foil on a plastic cup, but once you taste this, you will never go back to that stuff again. You probably have most (or all?) of these ingredients in your kitchen right now. Check out how easy it is.
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Homemade Vanilla Pudding
- Milk: Whole milk is the base of the pudding. Feel free to swap up to ½ cup milk for half-and-half for a richer pudding.
- Sugar: Regular granulated sugar sweetens the pudding. Nothing fancy here!
- Thickener: Egg yolks and cornstarch thicken up the pudding. It will thicken as it cooks on the stovetop, and it will continue to thicken as it cools in the fridge.
- Vanilla extract: This is what makes our pudding taste like vanilla. Use the best extract you can get – its flavor is coming through in every bite.
- Butter: Just a touch of butter is whisked into the hot pudding. This adds a touch of richness that takes this pudding over the top. Don’t skip it!
The pudding ingredients get whisked together and cooked on the stovetop for about 10 minutes. Then strain it and place it in the fridge to chill. Easy peasy!
One of the fabulous things about homemade pudding is its versatility. You can serve it on its own, or you can pair it with berries, whipped cream, cookies, or sliced bananas. It’s great layered in a trifle, or topped with fruit sauce. Note: you can also just place a huge bowl of pudding in your fridge and steal a bite (or two) every time you open the fridge door. ← Not a bad idea.
This is a classic, comforting dessert that I come back to time and time again – and I hope you will too!
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Recipe
Easy Homemade Vanilla Pudding
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2-¼ cups whole milk
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1-½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan whisk together sugar, cornstarch, salt, milk, and egg yolks. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking occasionally (every minute or two), until the mixture is bubbling all throughout (this took 7-8 minutes for mine). Once bubbling, continue cooking for one to two additional minutes, whisking once or twice, but not too vigorously (this can break down the binding properties). At this point the pudding should be thickened but still pourable, it will thicken more as it cools.
- Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla extract. OPTIONAL, to remove lumps: Place a fine mesh strainer over a large heatproof bowl. Pour the mixture through the strainer and into the bowl. Skip this step if you don't notice any lumps in your pudding.
- Transfer the pudding into a large bowl or into individual serving bowls. Cool until it is lukewarm, then cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for several hours or until chilled.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
Mollie
Finally found a recipe that sounds easy and delicious!!! Thank you very much!!! Using to make old fashioned Banana Pudding with vanilla wafers and bananas! Just like my grandmother made!! I am a 79 year old great grandmother. Hope one of my children will keep this recipe. My 17 year old grandson has asked me to will him my recipe collection!!
Allison
Enjoy, Mollie. I hope it brings back happy memories. 🙂
Rita Stephens
Yes same here my Grandma always made banna pudding when we went to visit. Taste like hers.
Gemini
Hello
The recipe was great and easy but unfortunately it didn’t solidify . Didn’t know what happened – all I know we double the recipe … can I still recover it or so something about it ? Just so excited to do this for my daughter who loves pudding .
Thanks
Allison
I would suggest making the recipe as written. If your saucepan was too full (because the recipe was doubled) you might not have gotten the mixture hot enough or you might have stirred too frequently which may have broken down the binding properties.
Allison A.
The people I made this for loved it, I adapted the recipe a little bit I melted some butterscotch chips and added them to the pudding when I added the vanilla and butter. Taste great!
Allison
Fantastic! I’m glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Sheila
Delicious and fast
Loved it
Shared it with my daughter and she said her husband was licking the pot?
Allison
Haha! I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Fort Collins
I cannot believe I just made fabulous pudding that tastes like custard! I’m making a last minute trifle for husband’s bday gathering tomorrow… I didn’t have milk on hand so I used the ratio of 75% half and half with 25% water (which I think equals whole milk). Also did half monkfruit sweetener and half regular sugar. I know, lots of substitutions haha, but WOW! I made custard! This tastes amazing, like the inside of custard filled donuts which I pretty much only ever eat just for the filling. 🙂 THANK YOU for this very simple recipe and the helpful video.
Allison
You’re welcome! Thanks for taking the time to share your experience. 🙂
AF
Yes! Easy recipe, fast, and worked with no yolk tempering! I also made a chocolate version by adding in some high-quality cocoa powder and it was great. I will use this recipe (and riff on it again and again).
Thank you!
Allison
You’re welcome! I highly recommend stirring in some chocolate chips with the butter (if you’re going with the chocolate version). I have a chocolate pudding recipe you can also play around with.
Thanks for stopping by!
Kathy
Delicious and thanks for a simple easy vanilla pudding recipe. This one goes into my files. I did add one more teaspoon of vanilla but everything else was as recipe read.
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for stopping by!
Kay Lee
Easy and so much better than a mix.
Allison
I love hearing that! I’m glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Chelsea
Delicious! I made an anise seed pudding and it came out beautifully. I’m def coming back for this recipe
Allison
Perfect! I’m glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
ayah
I have made this pudding and the chocolate version before and they were absolutely delicious! Out of this world! I was just wondering if I could use the whole egg in the vanilla pudding or if there was a reason only yolks had to be used. Please let me know!
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed them! The egg yolks help to bind the pudding and make it smooth and rich. The egg whites don’t have the fat content so they’re not needed for this recipe.
Tyler Powell
If you dissolve your cornstarch in just a little bit of the milk it wont leave a bunch of lumps.