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–+ servings
Two servings of maple pudding each with a dollop of whipped cream next to a spoon on a green checked cloth.

Homemade Maple Pudding

By Tammy Spencer
Maple pudding is indulgent comfort food that's simple, yet sophisticated, with pure maple flavor and a silky smooth texture. Only needing a few minutes of hands-on work, you can make this easy pudding recipe with no additional sweeteners needed. Rich, creamy, and sweet, this is a perfect pudding for sharing!
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Chilling Time3 hours
Total Time3 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 278kcal

Special Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (480 grams) milk, see Recipe Notes
  • 1 cup (312 grams) pure maple syrup
  • 2 (34 grams) large egg yolks, at room temperature, see Recipe Notes
  • ¼ cup (28 grams) cornstarch
  • ½ cup (120 grams) heavy cream, see Recipe Notes
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ cup (56 ¾ grams) unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon (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. If the pudding boiled during cooking, straining it out will help remove any curdled bits of egg.
  • For individual servings, pour about ½ cup (113 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 of pudding, or about 6 to 8 individual servings.

Recipe Notes

The richer the dairy, the richer the pudding. Whole milk and heavy cream works 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.
An egg separator can help separate the yolks from the whites, and you can use the whites to make other recipes, like macarons, granola, or marshmallow creme.
Eggless Maple Pudding: 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:
  1. 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.
  2. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, making sure the pudding doesn't boil.
  3. 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.
  4. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 278kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 88mg | Sodium: 180mg | Potassium: 204mg | Fiber: 0.04g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 560IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 136mg | Iron: 0.2mg