Homemade Vanilla Pudding

4.71 from 17 votes

Homemade vanilla pudding is easy to make with simple ingredients and tastes so much better than pudding mixes or pre-made pudding.

Prep Time5

Cook Time12

Total Time17

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings:

In medium-sized saucepan, whisk together sugar, flour, salt, and egg until blended and smooth.
½ cup granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, pinch salt, 1 large egg
Place over medium heat and gradually whisk in milk. Continue to heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to boil and thicken, about 10 minutes (see note). Cook and stir 1 additional minute.
2 cups milk
Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla.
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Serve warm or cold. If refrigerating, place a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Pudding will thicken more if chilled overnight.

Cook time: How long it takes for the pudding to come to a boil depends on the size of pan you use, and cooking temperature. I recommend using medium heat; higher heat can scorch the bottom. Stirring the pudding constantly prevents lumps from forming.
Optional garnishes: Mini chocolate chips, fresh or canned fruit, sliced bananas, toasted coconut, pie filling, granola, graham cracker crumbs, Oreo cookie crumbs.
Make ahead/storage: Pudding can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. Cover it with plastic wrap, and add garnishes right before serving.
Brown butter variation: In a saucepan or frying pan, melt butter over medium heat, simmer until browned, about two minutes. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl. Stir into cooked pudding with vanilla.

Recipe retested and revised 5/19/2022.

Scan this QR code with your phone's camera to view this recipe on your mobile device.

*If you're viewing this on your phone, press and hold the QR code to open in your browser.