Homemade vanilla pudding recipe- a super easy homemade vegetarian vanilla flavored pudding served chilled with seasonal fruits.
This pudding is completely vegetarian meaning it is egg free & gelatin free. This pudding is also made without agar agar. The corn starch is used as setting agent.
You can serve this best vanilla pudding in many ways. We love it super chilled with loads of seasonal fresh fruits & slivered nuts. It is a easy dessert that you can whip up as a nice summer time treat in less than 30 minutes hands on time.
Puddings were never my favorite, until I tried a homemade vanilla pudding made by friend. I have tasted vanilla & chocolate puddings few times in a restaurant and they were totally meh.
It was nothing but a sweetened gooey mess without any flavor or that silky melt mouth texture akin to puddings. Then one day my I tasted a wonderful vanilla flavored pudding which was wonderful.
It was super silky, soft, melt in mouth and tasted so delicious. I promptly got the recipe from her and have been making best homemade pudding ever since.
If you are used to bland tasting store bought pudding cups or instant pudding mix, snack packs, give them a miss and try this recipe. It is super simple, no need to cook egg yolks. You just need cornstarch for this.
Here you go with more details about this vanilla pudding recipe along with detailed step by step instructions and some variations.
About Homemade Vanilla Pudding
A pudding is a type of dish that can be sweet or savory. There are many varieties of this dish based on the cooking methods. Some puddings are steamed, some are baked while some are cooked on stove top until thick and creamy.
Sweet puddings are often served as dessert. Vanilla pudding, chocolate pudding, butterscotch pudding are few milk based puddings that are thickened, flavored and served chilled.
I have shared some easy pudding recipes like tender coconut pudding, mango pudding, bread and butter pudding recipes.
Usually these puddings have egg yolks as thickening agent but for vegetarian variation we are using cornstarch just like custard.
Making homemade vanilla pudding recipe is super easy. It is as easy as boiling milk I would say 🙂 All you have to take care is not to over cook the mixture.
It all starts with milk for this recipe. Go for full fat milk, whole milk or full cream milk for rich & creamy pudding.
I have used organic raw sugar as sweetener but you can also use regular granulated sugar or castor sugar or dark brown sugar. Do not use icing sugar or confectioner’s sugar in this recipe though.
This is really a wonderful dessert to whip up for a crowd. Its gets ready in minutes, you can whip it up a day before and let it set and serve it in many ways.
This pudding has a wonderful melt in mouth silky texture, not overly sweet and has that rich vanilla flavor all through. Tastes so yum when served chilled.
I have listed some substitutions for ingredients and few serving ideas after the detailed recipe.
Do try this easy recipe vanilla pudding recipe and enjoy. It is
super simple to make
silky, smooth texture
super delicious
ready in less than 3o minutes (plus chilling time)
Vegetarian & gluten free
Homemade Vanilla Pudding Ingredients & Substitutes
Milk– Full fat milk or whole milk is best suited for this recipe. Milk with full cream yields very rich & creamy pudding. For a richer version you can even use some half and half or 1/4 cup heavy cream along with milk. You can use skim milk but the pudding will not be as rich.
Want to make vegan vanilla pudding? Just use almond milk or coconut milk instead of dairy milk, just remember not to boil the plant based milk. You will have just warm it gently, add cornstarch and cook.
Cornstarch-It is the thickening agent for this pudding just like vegetarian custards. No cornstarch? Use same quantity of corn flour or arrowroot powder.
Sugar– Add as per taste, you can use any type of sugar like raw organic sugar, coconut sugar, dark brown sugar or granulated while sugar.
If you want to add maple or honey, add after removing the cooked pudding off the flame.
Flavoring- I have used pure vanilla bean powder for flavoring. You can also use pure vanilla extract or even vanilla syrup for intense flavor. If you have vanilla beans, you can steep them in cooked pudding for a while or even use vanilla bean paste.
Toppings– My favorite topping for this vanilla pudding is fresh seasonal fruits like fresh berries and slivered nuts. You can top the pudding with whipped cream, toasted coconut flakes, chopped or shaved chocolate curls, colorful sprinkles, chocolate cigars.
How To Make Vanilla Pudding
Add 2 tablespoons corn flour in a small bowl.
To that add 1/4 cup cold milk and mix well without any lumps. Set aside the corn flour slurry until use.
Powder 1/4 cup sugar and set aside too. Add the remaining milk to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil in medium heat.
Simmer the milk.
Add vanilla bean powder or vanilla extract, powdered sugar. Mix well and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
Once the milk has reduced slightly add the prepared corn flour slurry to the milk mixture and slowly whisk. Keep whisking constantly after adding corn flour. Also add 1 tablespoon butter.
The hot milk mixture will immediately begin to thicken. Simmer until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Maintain medium low heat throughout the process.
Remove the pudding mixture from heat and pass through a fine mesh strainer
Let cool for 10 minutes. It will thicken as it cools, so do not make it very thick while cooking.
Slowly pour the pudding mixture among three dessert jars or bowls. Place plastic wrap and cover. I used dessert jars with lid to avoid plastic wrap.
Refrigerate for 3-4 hours. Top with fresh berries, chopped mangoes or any sweet fruits and some slivered nuts. Serve vanilla pudding chilled.
Variations
Add 2 tablespoons cocoa powder along with vanilla to make a delicious chocolate pudding.
You can add 1/4 cup caramel sauce and few drops of butterscotch essence to make instant butterscotch pudding.
To make vegan vanilla pudding, just use almond milk or soy milk or coconut milk.
Frequently Asked Questions
While both custard and pudding are made from same ingredients, they are two different dishes. Custard is more thick and firmer than pudding.
This pudding is made by simmering milk with corn starch, which is the setting agent.
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More Dessert Recipes
Recipe
Vanilla Pudding Recipe
1 CUP = 250 ml
Ingredients
- 3 cups whole milk
- 2 tablespoons corn flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder or pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter
To Serve
- Fresh fruits
- chopped nuts
- mint leaves
Instructions
- Add 2 tablespoons corn flour in a small bowl.
- To that add 1/4 cup cold milk and mix well without any lumps. Set aside the corn flour slurry until use.
- Powder 1/4 cup sugar and set aside too. Add the remaining milk to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil in medium heat.
- Simmer the milk.
- Add vanilla bean powder or vanilla extract, powdered sugar. Mix well and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
- Once the milk has reduced slightly add the prepared corn flour slurry to the milk mixture and slowly whisk. Keep whisking constantly after adding corn flour. Also add 1 tablespoon butter.
- The hot milk mixture will immediately begin to thicken. Simmer until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Maintain medium low heat throughout the process.
- Remove the pudding mixture from heat and pass through a fine mesh strainer. Let cool for 10 minutes. It will thicken as it cools, so do not make it very thick while cooking. Slowly pour the pudding mixture among three dessert jars or bowls. Place plastic wrap and cover. I used dessert jars with lid to avoid plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate for 3-4 hours. Top with fresh berries, chopped mangoes or any sweet fruits and some slivered nuts. Serve vanilla pudding chilled.
Notes
Variations
- Add 2 tablespoons cocoa powder along with vanilla to make a delicious chocolate pudding.
- You can add 1/4 cup caramel sauce and few drops of butterscotch essence to make instant butterscotch pudding.
- To make vegan vanilla pudding, just use almond milk or soy milk or coconut milk.
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