This Homemade Maple Pudding is rich and creamy with plenty of pure maple flavor in every silky spoonful. Made on the stovetop, it's an easy, old-fashioned comfort dessert that's ready to chill in about 20 minutes.
Jump to:
- Quick Recipe Summary ✨
- Why this recipe works
- Is maple pudding the same as maple pudding cake?
- Recipe ingredients
- Choosing maple syrup for maple pudding
- How to make maple pudding
- Storage Instructions
- How to make maple pudding without eggs
- Troubleshooting tips
- Questions asked and answered
- More custard & sauce recipes to try
- Recipe
- Comments
Quick Recipe Summary ✨
Homemade Maple Pudding: A silky stovetop pudding sweetened entirely with pure maple syrup - no additional sugar or maple extract needed.
Easy to customize: Make it with the classic egg-yolk method, use the eggless variation, or substitute your preferred non-dairy milk and cream.
Active Time: About 20 minutes • Chill Time: 2 to 3 hours • Total Time: About 3 hours (mostly chilling!)
Difficulty Level: ⭐⭐ Easy. Tempering the egg yolks takes a little care, but the step-by-step instructions make it simple.
Yield: About 4 cups (6 to 8 servings) • Make-ahead: Refrigerate for 3 to 5 days • Gluten-free: Thickened with cornstarch instead of flour.
👉 Follow the detailed instructions and troubleshooting tips below for smooth, creamy maple pudding with plenty of pure maple flavor.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
Why this recipe works
- Maple that stands out: Dark, robust syrup keeps its flavor even with the rich dairy
- Silky, spoonable texture: Egg yolks add richness while cornstarch provides just enough structure
- Sweetness in balance: Salt and vanilla round out the maple without competing with it
There's something wonderfully cozy about homemade pudding, and maple syrup gives this version a flavor all its own. Like my chocolate pudding, vanilla pudding, and butterscotch pudding, it's made from scratch on the stovetop - but here pure maple syrup supplies the sweetness as well as that unmistakable maple flavor.
If you're a maple lover looking for more recipes featuring maple syrup, check out these Maple Walnut Bourbon Blondies and Maple Walnut Scones. These maple syrup treats will have you saying, "Mmmm"!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
It's rare to find anything with a strong maple flavour but this pudding is it! Smooth and sweet with a lovely maple flavour, 11/10!
- Ella
Is maple pudding the same as maple pudding cake?
Not in this context. This maple pudding is a creamy, stovetop custard-style dessert thickened with egg yolks and cornstarch. It's different from maple pudding cake (pouding chômeur), a traditional Quebec dessert in which cake batter bakes in a sweet maple sauce.
Recipe ingredients
To make this easy maple pudding recipe from scratch, you only need a few simple ingredients:
Ingredient Notes
Maple syrup: Maple syrup provides both the sweetness and flavor in this pudding. I prefer a dark, robust syrup so the maple flavor doesn't get lost in the dairy. See Choosing maple syrup for maple pudding below for more about maple syrup grades.
Milk and heavy cream: The richer the dairy, the richer the pudding. Whole milk and heavy cream work best, but you can use whatever milk and cream substitutes you prefer. Just know that any flavoring in the milk (like with coconut milk) will be noticeable.
Egg yolks: Provide richness, flavor, and structure. If you'd prefer not to use the egg yolks, see how to make eggless maple pudding below.
Thickener: Cornstarch works with the egg yolks to give the pudding enough body to hold its shape on a spoon. Unlike flour, it thickens without dulling the maple flavor and keeps the pudding gluten-free.
Butter: Adds a rich mouthfeel to the pudding recipe.
Flavorings: Vanilla extract and salt help to buoy and balance the sweetness and creaminess of the finished pudding.
See the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Choosing maple syrup for maple pudding
The best maple syrup for maple pudding depends on how intense you want the flavor to be.
Maple syrup is graded by its intensity of color and flavor. Here are the current grading systems used by the US and Canada:
| Color & flavor | U.S. designation | Canadian designation | Best uses |
| Golden, Delicate Taste | U.S. Grade A Golden | Canada Grade A Golden | Drizzling over pancakes, waffles, yogurt, or ice cream where a mild maple flavor is preferred |
| Amber, Rich Taste | U.S. Grade A Amber | Canada Grade A Amber | An all-purpose syrup for the table, sauces, and baking |
| Dark, Robust Taste | U.S. Grade A Dark | Canada Grade A Dark | Baking and cooking, where a stronger maple flavor needs to stand up to other ingredients |
| Very Dark, Strong Taste | U.S. Grade A Very Dark | Canada Grade A Very Dark | Baking and cooking when you want the most intense maple flavor |
For maple pudding, I recommend Dark Color, Robust Taste. Its stronger maple character holds its own against the milk, cream, and egg yolks, giving the finished pudding a noticeable maple flavor. Amber Color, Rich Taste will also work, but the maple flavor will be a little more delicate.
How to make maple pudding
Step 1: Warm the milk mixture
In a 3-quart saucepan, whisk together the milk and maple syrup (photo 1).
Heat on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until small bubbles form and it starts to steam. This takes about 6 to 7 minutes.
Step 2: Prepare the yolk mixture
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together the egg yolks and cornstarch. Add in the heavy cream and salt and whisk until the mixture is smooth (photo 2).
Step 3: Cook the pudding
Gently heat the egg mixture by slowly adding ½ cup of the warm milk to the egg mixture while continuously whisking. This process is called tempering the eggs.
Add another ½ cup of milk and temper the egg mixture again.
Pour the warmed egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture (photo 3).
What is egg tempering?
The idea is when you add eggs to a hot liquid, the eggs will immediately curdle, leaving streaks of egg whites in the liquid (which is most unwelcome). What tempering does is it raises the temperature of the eggs slowly by whisking in a little bit of the hot liquid, thereby avoiding the curdling conundrum.
When I first encountered the term "temper the eggs," I had no idea what it meant, but I have since learned it's an important step in making cooked custards and puddings that contain eggs.
Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the pudding has thickened and is bubbling, about 8 to 10 minutes. The whisk will start leaving a trail when the pudding has thickened (photo 4).
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract (photo 5).
Step 4: Strain and portion the pudding
Strain the pudding through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl. If the pudding boiled during cooking, straining it out will help remove any curdled bits of egg (photo 6).
For individual servings, pour about ½ cup (113 grams) of the warm pudding into eight 6-ounce ramekins (photo 7).
Refrigerate until the pudding is completely chilled, about 2 to 3 hours. If desired, place plastic wrap directly onto the pudding after it has cooled off - this will prevent a skin from forming.
To serve, top each pudding with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream. Serve and enjoy!
Storage Instructions
Maple pudding will keep in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, for 3 to 5 days.
Yield Notes
This maple pudding recipe makes about 4 cups of pudding, or about 6 to 8 individual servings.
How to make maple pudding without eggs
Just like with my vanilla pudding and chocolate pudding recipes, you can make maple pudding without eggs. Just omit the two egg yolks and increase the cornstarch to 6 tablespoons (48 grams). Follow these steps to make the pudding:
- Combine the cornstarch and kosher salt in the saucepan, then slowly whisk in the milk, heavy cream, and maple syrup, stirring to minimize any lumps forming.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, making sure the pudding doesn't boil.
- Cook until the pudding is thickened and bubbling, stirring constantly. Overall this will take about 4 to 6 minutes. Don't overcook the pudding or it could become firmer (less creamy) than it should be.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract.
Troubleshooting tips
Here are some issues you might encounter when making homemade maple pudding:
- Pudding isn't thickening: Keep cooking over medium heat while whisking - it needs to reach a gentle bubble for the cornstarch to fully thicken.
- Pudding is lumpy: The eggs may have heated too quickly or the cornstarch may have clumped. Press the warm pudding through a fine-mesh strainer before chilling.
- Pudding is too thick: It may have cooked too long. Remove it from the heat once it's bubbling and the whisk leaves trails.
- Pudding has a skin: Once it has cooled slightly, press plastic wrap directly against the surface before chilling. Of course if you like pudding skin, you've accidentally succeeded!
Questions asked and answered
Here are some questions you might have...
Pure maple syrup is recommended for maple pudding because it provides the maple flavor the recipe is designed around. Pancake syrup is a different product, usually made primarily from corn syrup with added flavoring, so I haven't tested it as a substitute here.
Not at all! This maple pudding gets its maple flavor entirely from pure maple syrup, so there's no need to add maple extract.
Didn't find the answer you're looking for?
Ask AI to answer for this specific recipe:
Disclaimer: I am not responsible for the quality of AI information
I hope you like this recipe! Let me know if you have any questions, and don't forget to leave a comment and rating. Thanks!
Slainté! L'chaim! Cheers!
- Tammy
Recipe
Homemade Maple Pudding with Pure Maple Syrup
Equipment
- 2-quart heavy saucepan
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk, see Recipe Notes
- 1 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature, see Recipe Notes
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ cup heavy cream, see Recipe Notes
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- whipped cream, lightly sweetened
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, whisk together 2 cups milk and 1 cup pure maple syrup. Heat on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until small bubbles form and it starts to steam. This takes about 6 to 7 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together 2 large egg yolks and ¼ cup cornstarch. Add in ½ cup heavy cream and ½ teaspoon kosher salt and whisk until the mixture is smooth.
- Gently heat the yolk mixture by slowly adding ½ cup of the warmed milk mixture to the egg mixture while continuously whisking. Add another ½ cup of the milk mixture and whisk again. This process is called tempering the eggs, and its purpose is to heat the yolks slowly, preventing them from curdling while the pudding cooks.
- Pour the warmed egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture. Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the pudding has thickened and is bubbling, about 8 to 10 minutes. The whisk will start leaving a trail when the pudding has thickened.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in ¼ cup unsalted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Strain the pudding through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl (preferably one with a pouring spout). If the pudding boiled during cooking, straining it out will help remove any curdled bits of egg.
- For individual servings, pour about ½ cup (120 grams) of the warm pudding into 8 6-ounce ramekins.
- Refrigerate until the pudding is completely chilled, about 2 to 3 hours. If desired, place plastic wrap directly onto the pudding after it has cooled off - this will prevent a skin from forming.
- To serve, top each pudding with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream. Serve and enjoy!
- Storage instructions: Maple pudding will keep in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, for 3 to 5 days.
- Yield notes: This recipe makes about 4 cups (about 975 grams) of maple pudding.
Notes
- Combine the cornstarch and kosher salt in the saucepan, then slowly whisk in the milk, heavy cream, and maple syrup, stirring to minimize any lumps forming.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, making sure the pudding doesn't boil.
- Cook until the pudding is thickened and bubbling, stirring constantly. Overall this will take about 4 to 6 minutes. Don't overcook the pudding or it could become firmer (less creamy) than it should be.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract.
Ella says
It's rare to find anything with a strong maple flavour but this pudding is it! Smooth and sweet with a lovely maple flavour, 11/10!
Tammy Spencer says
I’m so glad you like it! Thanks for sharing 🙂