How Do I Make Creamy Vanilla Pudding From Scratch

Garnish your homemade vanilla pudding with fresh mint leaves.

Homemade vanilla pudding has a richer texture and more flavor than pudding made from a mix. Making pudding from scratch requires careful attention to temperature, especially if you have never made this dessert. If you set your stove too high, your eggs will curdle, leaving you with bits of scrambled egg in your pudding. If you like, top your chilled pudding with whipped cream, crushed vanilla wafers and fruit.

Things You'll Need

• Pot
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tbsp. cornstarch
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• Pinch of salt
• Small bowl
• 4 eggs yolks
• 2 tbsp. butter, melted
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1-quart dish
• Plastic wrap

Instructions

1. Combine the sugar, cornstarch, milk and salt in your pot. Heat on medium-low, stirring occasionally, until it thickens. Reduce the heat to low.

2. Beat the egg yolks in a small bowl.

3. Pour 1/2 of the warm milk mixture over the egg yolks and stir.

4. Pour the eggs into the pot and stir constantly until the pudding thickens. Once it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, stir in the butter and vanilla extract.

5. Transfer the pudding to 1-quart dish and cover the dish with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the pudding until it's chilled.

Tips & Warnings

• To make a healthier pudding, use 2 tbsp. of sugar and 1/3 cup of honey. Substitute low-fat milk for the whole milk.

• You can make vegan pudding by omitting the eggs and the butter and by substituting non-dairy milk for the whole milk.

• To make serving easier, chill the pudding in small bowls or ramekins.

References

• "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian"; Mark Bittman; 2007
• "The Substitute Yourself Skinny Cookbook: Cut the Calories, Keep the Flavor with Hundreds of Simple Substitutions"; Susan Irby; 2010
• Food Network; Vanilla Bean Pudding; Emeril Lagasse