Homemade Vanilla Pudding

Creamy, homemade vanilla pudding, made with just a few simple ingredients including vanilla bean, this pudding is like the grown up version of your childhood pudding cups.

Is Vanilla Pudding the same as custard?

No, so custard means that there is egg, often just egg yolk mixed into the milk and sugar mixture whereas a basic pudding uses starch to thicken it and usually doesn’t contain egg. That being said I personally love the flavor and color that egg yolks add to pudding – so when I make vanilla pudding for cakes or fillings I often use this recipe but add in 2 egg yolks. So basically a vanilla pudding can also be a custard but isn’t always one.

What is the difference between vanilla pudding and instant pudding?

Technically there is instant vanilla pudding in which case the instant pudding is also vanilla pudding but most commonly, vanilla pudding is cooked on the stove where as instant pudding uses a chemical reaction to allow the mixture to thicken without the use of heat.

What if I don’t have a vanilla bean?

No problem! Simply replace the vanilla bean with two teaspoons of vanilla extract. Sometimes I like to add one teaspoon of vanilla extract along with the vanilla bean to really enhance the flavor.

Additional Recipes to try:

• The Best Chocolate Pudding
• Vanilla Bavarian Cream
• Cremeschnitte | Vanilla Slice

Tips for making the homemade Vanilla Bean Pudding

• If your vanilla bean has dried out, like mine did, grind it in a spice grinder or in a mortar and pestle and then add it in with the sugar.
• To prevent clumps in your pudding, make sure to whisk the cornstarch in with the sugar before adding the wet!
• While cooking the pudding, whisk constantly, if you walk away the cornstarch could start to clump leaving you with a clumpy pudding.
• Don’t forget to lay plastic wrap on the surface of the pudding while it chills to prevent it from forming a skin.

Ingredients

• Corn Starch: corn starch will help thicken the pudding, if needed arrow root starch can be used instead!
• Granulated Sugar: This is standard white sugar, it dissolves in the pudding to give it that classic sweet taste.
• Salt: A pinch of salt balances out the sweetness of the pudding and pairs perfectly with vanilla.
• Milk: I used cow’s milk in this recipe and haven’t tried it with any plant based milks. Anything from skim to whole milk will work!
• Heavy Cream: I like to add a little heavy cream for an extra creamy pudding but in a pinch you can substitute it with more milk.
• Vanilla Bean or Extract: I love to see the flecks of vanilla bean in the pudding but you can just as easily substitute the vanilla bean with 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.
• Butter: last but definitely not least, butter is added in at the end to really thicken and add to the creaminess of the pudding.

How to make Vanilla Bean Pudding

• *If your vanilla bean has dried out, grind it up in a mortar and pestle, then add in 20 grams of the total sugar and grind again. If it hasn’t dried out or you plan to use vanilla extract – continue reading.
• In a small sauce pot, whisk together the cornstarch, sugar, (vanilla sugar if made) and salt.
• Pour in 125 milliliters of milk and whisk to combine. Then pour in the remaining milk and heavy cream and whisk again. *If using a fresh vanilla bean, use a knife to cut it in half lengthwise. Then, use the top or dull side of the knife to scrape the vanilla out of the bean and into the pot.
• Place the pot over medium heat and whisk. Continue to whisk until the mixture starts to bubble and thicken. If it starts to bubble vigorously, turn the heat down. Whisk and cook for about 2-3 after the mixture has started bubbling and thickening.
• Remove the pot from the heat. *If using vanilla extract, add it in now.
• Cut the butter into 3 pieces. Then, add in the butter and whisk again until the butter has fully melted.

Straining and Serving

• Pour the pudding through a strainer into a large bowl to get any big vanilla bits out.
• Divide the pudding into 5-6 small bowls or glasses for serving.
• Lay a piece of plastic wrap over the surface of each pudding and place in the fridge to chill for a minimum of 2 hours but up to overnight. Chilling time will vary depending on the size of your serving dishes.

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