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Once you learn how to make vanilla pudding from scratch, you will never go back to those little instant boxes again!

Making your own pudding at home is surprisingly simple. With just 7 basic ingredients that you probably already have sitting in your pantry and fridge, you can whip up a rich, silky, and comforting treat anytime a sweet craving hits.

What is the Difference Between Pudding and Custard?

Pudding and custard are like dessert sisters—they look similar, but they have one major structural difference: the thickening agent.

Pudding: Relies primarily on a starch (like cornstarch) to thicken the milk, resulting in a softer, lighter, and creamier texture.
Custard: Relies almost entirely on eggs (specifically egg yolks) to thicken, resulting in a firmer, richer, and denser texture.

My recipe uses cornstarch as the primary thickener, but we add two egg yolks to give the pudding a gorgeous yellow tint and an incredibly luxurious mouthfeel!

The 4-Step Process for Silky Smooth Pudding

To get a perfectly smooth pudding without any scrambled eggs or flour lumps, you need to follow these four simple steps:

1. Warm the Milk

In a large saucepan, gently heat your milk and vanilla (extract or scraped seeds from one pod) on medium-high until it just starts to froth (about 130°F / 54°C). Do not let it boil! Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool for about 10 minutes.

2. Whisk the Dry Ingredients

While the milk cools, whisk your cornstarch, white sugar, and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Scoop out ¼ cup of your warmed milk and slowly whisk it into the dry ingredients to create a smooth paste.

3. Temper the Eggs (The Most Important Step!)

If you add raw egg yolks directly to hot milk, they will scramble. To prevent this, we “temper” them. Whisk your egg yolks into the warm cornstarch paste one at a time. Then, place a fine-mesh sieve over your saucepan of milk, and pour the egg/cornstarch mixture through the sieve and back into the pot.

4. Thicken and Chill

Return the pot to the stove over medium-high heat. Whisk continuously for 5 to 7 minutes until the mixture transforms into a thick, glossy pudding. Stir in 1 tablespoon softened, unsalted butter to finish the pudding. Butter adds a rich flavour but also gives the pudding a beautiful glossy finish. It also helps create a smooth texture and keeps a heavy skin from forming as it cools. Pour the finished pudding into a heat-proof bowl or serving glasses and let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes before transferring it to the fridge to chill for at least 1 hour.

💡Pro Tips for Pudding Perfection

Prevent the Dreaded “Pudding Skin”: As milk-based desserts cool, they form a rubbery skin on the surface. Adding butter reduces this skin from forming; however, to completely prevent this, take a piece of plastic wrap and press it directly onto the surface of the warm pudding before letting it cool.
The Sieve is Your Best Friend: Don’t skip pouring the egg mixture through the fine-mesh sieve in Step 3! This catches any tiny unmixed clumps of cornstarch or accidental bits of cooked egg, guaranteeing a 100% silky-smooth texture.
Serving Suggestions: This pudding is fantastic completely on its own, but it also makes the ultimate base for a classic banana pudding, layers beautifully in a fruit trifle or Strawberry cake, and can be used as a rich filling for cakes and cream puffs!

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