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Creamy Homemade Vanilla Pudding Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.6 from 51 reviews
  • Author: Lily
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes (including chilling time)
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This homemade vanilla pudding recipe is a creamy, rich dessert made from scratch using simple ingredients like whole milk, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla extract. It’s a comforting classic that can be enjoyed on its own or used as a filling for various desserts.

Ingredients

Scale

Liquid Ingredients

  • 3 cups whole milk, divided
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • Pinch of salt

Other Ingredients

  • 3 egg yolks

Instructions

  1. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the cornstarch, sugar, and a pinch of salt evenly to ensure the pudding sets smoothly.
  2. Mix Egg Yolks and Milk: In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 1 cup of the milk until fully incorporated and smooth.
  3. Heat Remaining Milk: Pour the remaining 2 cups of milk into the saucepan with the dry ingredients and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until just about to simmer.
  4. Temper Egg Mixture: Slowly add a small amount of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks while whisking vigorously to temper the eggs and prevent curdling.
  5. Cook Pudding: Pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan and continue cooking over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and comes to a gentle boil; this should take about 3–5 minutes.
  6. Add Butter and Vanilla: Remove the saucepan from heat, then stir in the butter and vanilla extract until the butter melts completely and the mixture is smooth.
  7. Cool and Serve: Pour the pudding into individual serving dishes or a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Notes

  • Whisk constantly during cooking to avoid lumps and prevent the pudding from sticking to the pan.
  • Using plastic wrap on the pudding surface while cooling prevents a thick skin from forming.
  • For a lighter pudding, you can substitute whole milk with 2% milk, but the texture will be slightly less creamy.
  • This pudding base is perfect for layering in trifles or filling for cakes and pastries.

Find it online: https://justworthi.com/creamy-homemade-vanilla-pudding-recipe/