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Vanilla Pudding

This homemade vanilla pudding is nothing like the kind that comes in plastic cups or boxes! Rich, creamy, and fragrant thanks to the addition of real vanilla, it’s perfect for dressing up with different toppings or enjoying as-is.

Cup of vanilla pudding topped with whipped cream and halved strawberry

Creamy Homemade Vanilla Pudding

It seems I have developed a bit of a pudding obsession. It started a while back with chocolate pudding. Then, that led to my recent addiction to butterscotch pudding. I’ve made both of those so very many times. Obsessed, I tell you.

Somewhere in between those two puddings was this classic vanilla pudding, quietly going about its business and not making even a tiny ruckus. It’s shown up time to time as part of other desserts, like my Coconut Cream Pie Bars.

But, I realized that I’d never just extolled this pudding’s virtues all on its own. And that, my friends, is a real shame because this cool, creamy, sweet, delicious pudding deserves to be the center of attention. 

This the kind of dessert that proves vanilla should never be under-estimated. While chocolate gets a lot more attention, vanilla—or, at least, real vanilla—has so much more depth to it. If there’s ever a recipe to use that fancy bottle of Tahitian vanilla extract, this is it. (Here’s more information about the different types of vanillas.)

Overhead view of ingredients for vanilla pudding

What You’ll Need

Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

  • Granulated sugar
  • Cornstarch
  • Salt
  • Milk – Whole milk is your best bet here; it will create the richest, creamiest texture.
  • Egg yolks – Use the egg whites to make brownie brittle, then crumble some brittle on top of the vanilla pudding before serving.
  • Unsalted butter – Learn more: Unsalted or Salted Butter: Which is Better for Baking?
  • Vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, or vanilla bean – I like to use vanilla bean paste or my homemade vanilla extract in this recipe.

What Ingredient Makes Pudding Thick?

The key ingredient in this pudding recipe that makes it thick and creamy is cornstarch. When combined with the milk, egg yolks, and butter, it forms a custard-like texture that you just can’t get any other way.

How to Make Vanilla Pudding

Like other homemade puddings, you need to plan ahead a bit to make it and have it chilled by the time you want to serve it. But, also like other puddings, you can have it mixed and chilling in short order. Just gather all your ingredients, get whisking, and you’ll have it ready for the refrigerator in about 15 minutes.

Mix the first 5 ingredients. Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Add about 1/4 cup milk and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Then, whisk in the egg yolks and the remaining milk.

Cook. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking frequently, until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Then, reduce the heat to medium-low and stir constantly for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the mixture noticeably thickens.

Add the remaining ingredients. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla until the mixture is smooth.

Chill. Pour the vanilla pudding into a small serving bowl or into individual bowls. Place plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Chill for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator before serving.

Overhead view of vanilla pudding in 3 custard cups and fresh berries

Tips for Success

These simple tips will help you make sure your homemade vanilla pudding turns out perfect:

  • Use real vanilla extract. Vanilla bean paste or scraping a fresh vanilla bean works too. What you don’t want is imitation vanilla, which doesn’t have nearly the same depth and nuances.
  • Refrigerate the pudding until it’s completely chilled. That’s at least 2 hours. This will help to firm up the pudding and ensure that it won’t be runny. 
  • Don’t forget the plastic wrap. It keeps skin from forming on the surface of the pudding. But if you do forget the plastic wrap, you can use a spoon to scrape the skin off before transferring the pudding into smaller bowls for serving.

Serving Suggestions

While this vanilla pudding is perfectly wonderful all on its own, you can easily dress it up with different toppings. I pretty much always top off pudding with a little dollop of sweetened whipped cream. They’re just such perfect companions!

During berry season, I can’t resist tossing some fresh berries on top. But, I also love it with toasted coconut or nuts or chocolate chips or some combination of all of that. That vanilla flavor is complemented by so many different things that the possibilities seem endless.

Cup of homemade vanilla pudding topped with whipped cream and blueberries

How to Store

If you have leftovers, store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Just make sure to cover the pudding with plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container.

Can This Recipe Be Frozen?

Vanilla pudding does not freeze well, as the texture and consistency is affected with freezing and thawing. 

Overhead view of 3 cups of vanilla pudding topped with whipped cream and berries

Vanilla Pudding

Yield 4 servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes

Homemade Vanilla Pudding is pure comfort food. Top with whipped cream, berries, chocolate, nuts, coconut, or just about anything!

Three cups of vanilla pudding topped with whipped cream and fresh berries

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups (473ml) milk
  • 2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, or seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean
  • sweetened whipped cream, berries, toasted coconut, chocolate, or any of your favorite toppings for garnish

Instructions

  1. Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Add about 1/4 cup milk and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the egg yolks and the remainder of the milk.
  2. Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture thickens and just starts to bubble.
  3. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir constantly while cooking until the mixture thickens (about 5-6 minutes).
  4. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the butter and vanilla. Stir until smooth.
  5. Transfer the pudding to a small bowl or to individual serving bowls. Place plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.
  6. Garnish if desired.

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    19 Comments on “Vanilla Pudding”

  1. Yum! I adore vanilla pudding…total comfort food. 🙂

  2. LOVE pudding. And it always cracks me up that people equate vanilla with bland when it is one of the more amazing flavors (not to mention exotic given it comes from orchids!) Can’t wait to try this one. I’ve always wanted to try pudding from scratch. I hear it is easy (other than that chill wait time!) Thanks!!

  3. Sometimes a classic, simple, recipe is the way to go. Vanilla pudding is severely underrated and I love how sophisticated yours is!

  4. A classic but wonderful dessert. You may have set off a pudding obsession for me! 😉

  5. I’m pretty sure the only vanilla pudding I’ve had comes pre-prepared in those little plastic cups. This seems like some sort of tragedy. Must have!

  6. How many cups does this make?

  7. Can this recipe be doubled? I made it for the coconut cream pie bars which was AWESOME! But my son loved just the pudding so wanted to make a bigger batch.

  8. I made this tonight for dessert and it was SO delicious and easy to make. I slice up fruit and put at the bottom of the dish, top with pudding and chill. The kids loved it. This will be my go-to pudding recioe from now on. Thanks!

  9. So very simple to make but a touch too sweet for my taste. Next time I’ll reduce the sugar a little. Thanks for the recipe!  

  10. Jennifer,
    This recipe is hands down the BEST vanilla pudding recipe I have ever made. The flavor is spot on and it is so rich and creamy. Super simple to make and it was a huge hit. Can’t wait to make it again and again and customize it so many different ways. Thanks for a fantastic keeper recipe. I can always count on your site for wonderful, classic and delicious recipes. Have a great day!

  11. This is absolutely the best vanilla pudding I have ever made. I’ve tried many others and was never completely satisfied. I am shocked at how easy this was and how amazing it tasted. I used  vanilla paste for the first time and all I can say is wow! Huge difference! Plus most other vanilla pudding only calls for corn starch and that’s how the pudding tasted. The addition of egg yolks is a game changer! I did add 3 instead of 2 because they were medium free range eggs. I use nothing but free range eggs and Kerry Gold butter now. Whole organic milk as well. Quality ingredients makes a huge difference in my opinion. Thank you for sharing this recipe. It’s quick easy and economical and delicious! Can’t ask for more than that!!

  12. Can you substitute almond milk for the milk in this recipe?

    • Hi, Brenda! I’ve not tried that, so I can’t say for sure how well it would work. I would expect the pudding to be a bit thinner and less creamy, but otherwise fine. If you try it, let me know how it works.

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