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!
Nancy Pearson
How is 1/4 cup generous?
X’s 4. 1-1/2 cups is more like it twice.
Allison
What are you referring to?
Linda Varos
I was advised by my mother to add a bit of warm pudding mixture to eggs before adding egg yolks to pudding mixture.
What is Nancy Pearson referring to in the comment section: “1/4 cup”? I didn’t see any 1/4 cup listed in this pudding recipe.
Allison
Hi, Linda. What you’re referring to is tempering the eggs. And yes, many pudding recipes require that step. I have found that it can be eliminated by cooking the pudding with the method in this recipe (bringing the whole mixture slowly up to temperature).
Lisa
Sounds delicious! And easy, will be making this tomorrow! Just curious- what causes the lumps?
Allison
Hi, Lisa. The eggs cooking too quickly can cause lumps. Enjoy!
linda Tsibulsky
loved the easiness of it and enjoyed it even though I used a combination of 1.5 milk and coconut milk and brown sugar and coconut oil. Tasted great anyhow and not having to mix this, then that and add a little hot milk to that etc, etc and stirring constantly. it was just a nice little thing to put together with no muss, no fuss and very little whisking. thanks.
William
Made for a party and its was a great hit! Will be adding to my personal folder of recipes
Barbara D
I love this recipe but there are two things that don’t apply. One, it takes almost 25 minutes, not 7 to fully cook. There is no way it would ever be thickened in just 7,
Two, I stir constantly, When I followed the directions, there were so many lumps I had to use an immersion blender Other than that I love this recipe and make it almost every week.
Allison
Hi, Barbara. I’m glad you enjoyed it. I mentioned that it takes 7-8 minutes until it is bubbling throughout. Once it’s bubbling you continue cooking it. Sorry if that wasn’t clear.
Shelley
I love this vanilla pudding recipe. It is so easy and delicious, and makes a fabulous banana pudding! It comes out perfectly smooth if run through a fine mesh strainer, as suggested. Thanks for this ‘keeper’ recipe!
Allison
You’re welcome!
Debi
This recipe was easy quick and delish!!
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Sharron
So easy. So quick. So delicious. Thank you. You will NEVER have to strain lumps out of your pudding if you do this: Put the 3 tbsp cornstarch in a small cup. Mix about 1/4 C. of your milk into it and stir until smooth – use your finger. No lumps form in that small quantity. Then, add this back into the milk in your saucepan and continue with recipe. Voila!
Beckie J
Great Hint!! This is a trick my Nana wrote in a recipe over 60 years ago…I always make sure the milk (or any liquid) is cold when adding to the corn starch. I have made a raisin sauce, sweet and sour sauce, pineapple sauce- really take any cold fruit juice and add corn starch this way then add into your base sauce of juices and it thickens it up great.
JulieM
Great Recipe and very tasty! I did modify it for my diet. I substituted the Milk for Almond milk and the Sugar for monfruit sweetener. I tasted it as I poured it into the cups to be cooled. It’s so nice, nothing like the boxed fake stuff. I will have this tomorrow and will try the chocolate pudding next! Such an easy dessert with a great taste!
Beckie J
I am so anxious to try this recipe! I am not a baker so have never ventured into deserts but this sounds yummy!
I had a kind of strange question!! If you used a high quality chocolate milk in a pudding recipe would it work?
Allison
Hhhhmmm…good question. I would assume so. You’d probably need less added sugar and I’d probably add some cocoa powder and/or chocolate chips to enhance the chocolate flavor. I have a chocolate pudding recipe, if you’d prefer that. Enjoy!
not gana
it was very good
Sandi
Followed the directions as written. Zero lumps. This is a very easy and delicious pudding. Can the recipe be doubled?
Allison
I’m so glad! Yes, that should be fine.