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Vanilla pudding in a glass mug with raspberries in front of another glass bowl of pudding with a vanilla bean.

Homemade Vanilla Pudding (No Eggs)

By Tammy Spencer
This homemade vanilla pudding is rich and creamy with pure vanilla flavor, using just 6 simple ingredients. Since there are no eggs to temper, it comes together easily with just a few minutes of cooking on the stove. Serve it with whipped cream and berries, or use it for banana pudding and trifles - no boxed pudding mix needed!
4.84 from 18 votes
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time6 minutes
Cooling Time3 hours
Total Time3 hours 11 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 297kcal

Special Equipment

Ingredients

  • ½ to ⅔ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar, or to taste, see Recipe Notes
  • 6 tablespoons (48 grams) cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) kosher salt
  • 4 cups (960 grams) half and half, see Recipe Notes
  • 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, see Recipe Notes
  • 2 teaspoons (2 teaspoons) pure vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, or a whole vanilla bean, see Recipe Notes

Instructions

  • In a large saucepan, whisk together ½ to ⅔ cup granulated sugar (or to taste), 6 tablespoons cornstarch, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Slowly whisk in the 4 cups half and half, stirring to minimize any lumps forming.
  • Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the pudding begins bubbling and has thickened enough that the whisk leaves visible trails that don't immediately disappear.
  • Remove the pudding from the heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract. If desired, you can strain the pudding through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl (preferably one with a pouring spout) to eliminate any lumps.
  • You can decide if you want to serve the pudding in individual servings or from a large bowl.
    For individual servings: Pour ½ cup (114 grams) of the warm pudding into 8 individual bowls.
    For serving from a bowl: Transfer the pudding to a large bowl. Put the bowl in an ice bath (half ice/half water). Stir the pudding occasionally until it's just warm to the touch, about 95°F on a digital thermometer. An ice bath cools the pudding quickly so there's no chance of potential bacteria for food-born illness contaminating it.
  • If desired, place plastic wrap directly onto pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until the pudding is completely chilled, about 2 to 3 hours.
  • Storage instructions: Homemade 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, and can be halved or doubled as desired.

Recipe Notes

The amount of sugar you use is a matter of taste - adjust it to your liking.
Use half and half for rich flavor, or you can substitute whole milk for a less rich vanilla pudding. I've also substituted equal parts heavy cream and low-fat milk for the half & half. Bottom line, the more fat your dairy has, the richer the pudding will be.
Pure vanilla extract gives this pudding its incredible flavor, and vanilla bean paste will deliver flavor along with the added bonus of vanilla bean seeds. For even more vanilla flavor, you can substitute one whole vanilla bean. Put the seeds and the scraped bean in the mixture while it’s heating, then strain out the spent bean after the pudding has thickened.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 196mg | Potassium: 160mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 516IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 128mg | Iron: 1mg