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Easy homemade vanilla pudding recipe, the ultimate comfort food, using just a few whole food ingredients just like Grandma used to make on the stovetop. Includes how-to video!
Ah, homemade vanilla pudding …. truly, one of the ultimate comfort foods.
Kids especially love pudding and a homemade pudding cup makes a wonderful healthy addition to the lunchbox if you make it yourself with wholesome ingredients.
Whatever you do, skip those pudding boxes from the supermarket. They are nothing but white sugar, GMO corn starch, artificial colors, and flavors plus preservatives.
Even if boxed pudding is made with good quality whole milk, the end result is not be something that would be of overall benefit. Kind of like raw milk served with a bowl of Fruit Loops, wouldn’t you agree?
It’s time to ditch the pudding boxes and processed pudding snack cups and learn how to make homemade vanilla pudding the old-fashioned way.
The stovetop recipe for vanilla pudding below uses only six, whole food ingredients.
Even the organic pudding boxes, while a much better choice, don’t compare nutritionally! The vanilla is not real vanilla extract, for example. It’s cheap vanilla flavoring. 🤮
Worse, only milk is required to make the boxed organic version, omitting the very important eggs and butter! These are critical ingredients to make the pudding very filling, which prevents overeating! The traditional inclusion of plentiful healthy fats also greatly slows the insulin response from consuming a sweet pudding treat.
Preparation and Serving Tips
In this video, I show you how my Grandma used to make vanilla pudding on the stovetop. She called it blancmange although she never bothered to set it in a mould as is sometimes done.
It serves up wonderfully warm straight from the pot with no need to refrigerate first unless you prefer your pudding served cold.
You may substitute whole coconut milk (where to find) for a dairy free version.
Organic cornstarch may be substituted for the flour. I don’t recommend arrowroot powder as the cooking of the pudding tends to reduce its thickening properties.
Stovetop Vanilla Pudding
Easy homemade vanilla pudding recipe, the ultimate comfort food, using only whole ingredients just like Grandma used to make.
Ingredients
- 3 cups whole milk
- 2 eggs extra large, preferably free range
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1/3 cup flour preferably sprouted (wheat or gluten free)
- 1/2 cup evaporated cane sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 dash sea salt
Instructions
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Mix the flour and about a half cup of the milk in a small bowl and whisk until very smooth with no lumps.
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In a large saucepan, combine the flour/milk mixture, sugar and the rest of the milk. Cook and stir with a whisk over medium heat until the mixture starts to slightly bubble. Cook for 2 minutes more and remove saucepan from the heat.
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In a small glass bowl, beat eggs and then gradually stir in about 1-2 cups of the cooked mixture all the while whisking vigorously. Pour egg mixture into the saucepan and return to medium heat. Cook/stir until nearly bubbly but not a boil. Reduce heat and cook/stir for 2 more minutes.
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Remove pan of homemade vanilla pudding from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla.
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Let vanilla pudding cool for 5-10 minutes on the counter to continue to thicken. Serve warm.
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Refrigerate uneaten portion and use for homemade vanilla pudding cups for your children's lunches or for quick snacks. Pudding will thicken even more when cold.
Recipe Video
Love pudding? Try these other recipes!
Egg Custard Pudding
Bread and Butter Pudding
Jello Pudding
Macademia Nut Pudding
Thai Custard Pudding
Homemade Chocolate Pudding
Russian Custard
Coconut Milk Pudding
Love this, looking forward to giving it a try! Have you (or anyone here in comments) tried adding a scoop of collagen to get an extra serving in here? Curious if could substitute some of the flour for a scoop of collagen? TIA!
You can’t substitute collagen for some of the flour. It won’t thicken properly.
Thank you for sharing. Can babies enjoy this recipe?
I don’t think that’s a good idea! I didn’t give my children any sugar … even whole food versions until they were going to school and it was no longer avoidable because of birthday parties and the like.
Is this pudding thin? If not, how do I make it thin. I am making a slime cake and need a ooey gooey filling.
It’s a bit thin when you first make it, but it thickens up beautifully as it cools.
Hi, is it possible to sub the sugar for honey? Thank you!
Do not use honey, as cooking honey makes it toxic. https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/is-cooking-honey-unhealthy/
I would suggest date syrup instead. It is similar to honey but can be safely cooked. https://amzn.to/2FVN6zw
My daughter has an egg allergy. Is there any way to make this without eggs? Could I use an oil substitute or mashed banana?
I have only made this recipe using eggs. If you experiment and come up with an egg-free method that works for you, please let us know!
These look great! I will definitely make these the next time my kids are looking for some pudding treats!
I never EVER comment on recipes online, but after being asked to make this pudding again by a family member, I wanted to let you know how much I love it. I’m not much of a cook or baker, but I’ve been making this for years and it’s my go-to pudding recipe. Thank you so much for posting it!
So glad you love it! It is a very important recipe in our home, I can tell you 🙂
I always make my pudding with nonGMO cornstarch and have no problems at all.
How about using coconut flour instead?
Coconut flour will not work to thicken the pudding.