Eggless vanilla pudding is a rich, creamy homemade dessert made from scratch with simple pantry staples — milk, sugar, cornstarch, butter, and vanilla — no eggs and no boxed mix. It has that classic vanilla flavor everyone loves, with a silky, spoonable texture that store-bought cups can’t touch. It’s the back-pocket dessert that solves the ‘I need something sweet and comforting, fast’ craving. Cozy, family-friendly, and completely egg-free.
Oriana’s Thoughts On The Recipe
Eggless Vanilla Pudding is one of those simple desserts that never goes out of style. It’s soft, creamy, comforting, and exactly the kind of treat that makes an ordinary day feel a little sweeter. My kids have always loved pudding, so this recipe quickly became a favorite in our home.
After more than a decade of cooking and baking without eggs, I can tell you this: homemade almost always wins when it comes to flavor and texture. Yes, many store-bought pudding mixes are egg-free, but making it from scratch gives you a fresher vanilla flavor and that silky texture that feels extra special. And the best part? You probably already have everything you need in your kitchen.
This is one of those recipes I love sharing because it proves allergy-friendly desserts do not have to feel complicated or second-best. It’s classic, reliable, and full of comfort. And the best part? It’s completely egg-free.
Why You’ll Want to Try My Recipe
Ways to Serve and Use Eggless Vanilla Pudding
This eggless vanilla pudding is delicious straight from the bowl with a spoon — but it’s also a back-pocket base for so many other treats. Serve it cold with fresh berries and a little whipped cream, spoon it into cups for an easy after-school dessert, or layer it into parfaits for something that looks fancy with almost no effort.
It’s also the creamy starting point for some of our other family favorites. Use it as the pudding layer in my Eggless Banana Pudding, fold it into an Eggless Berry Trifle, or serve it alongside crisp Eggless Vanilla Wafers for dipping. If you want something firmer to pipe or use as a tart or pie filling, my Eggless Pastry Cream holds its shape better — this pudding is meant to be soft and spoonable, so it’s perfect for layering rather than piping.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
Ingredients Notes & Substitutions
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
- Evaporated milk: You don’t have evaporated milk? No problem!! Check out my post about How to Make Evaporated Milk at home.
- Cornstarch: This is our thickening agent; it helps our egg-free vanilla pudding to set.
- Milk: I used whole milk. I haven’t tested this recipe with lower-fat milk or a milk substitute. So, I am not sure if the pudding will thicken properly if you use another type of milk.
- Heavy cream: Make sure it has at least 35% of fat content.
- Sugar: Regular white granulated sugar or caster sugar.
- Salt: I prefer kosher or sea salt. If you only have table salt handy, I recommend reducing the amount to half. In this recipe, I used black salt, which adds a subtle eggy flavor.
- Vanilla extract: For optimal flavor, reach for pure vanilla instead of imitation. Even better, try homemade vanilla extract!
- Butter: Added at the end for a creamy, smooth, and silky egg-free vanilla pudding mouthfeel.
- Sweetened condensed milk: This is my secret ingredient for an ultra-smooth pudding. It’s optional, but I recommend that you don’t skip it.
Food Allergy Swaps
This recipe is naturally egg, gluten, nut, peanut, soy, and sesame-free, making it suitable for most dietary needs. However, always check labels for hidden allergens.
- Dairy-Free: To make this recipe dairy-free, you can easily swap out the dairy ingredients for non-dairy alternatives.
- Butter: Substitute butter with dairy-free butter substitutes. Miyoko’s Creamery Organic Vegan Butter and Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks are my favorite butter substitutes for baking.
- Milk: You can use your favorite non-dairy milk, like soy or oat milk.
- Evaporated Milk: Use evaporated coconut milk or evaporated oat milk, or make your own dairy-free evaporated milk with your favorite plant-based milk. Evaporated milk is just milk that has been reduced to eliminate the water content, so it’s super easy to make at home with any milk of your choice. Check out my How to Make Evaporated Milk post. If evaporated milk is not an option, you can use any dairy-free milk, but keep in mind that the texture might change slightly.
- Sweetened condensed milk, my favorite dairy-free substitute is NATURES CHARM Sweetened Condensed Oatmilk.
- Heavy Cream: You can use a non-dairy cream, such as Silk, Country Crock Plant Cream, or Califia Farms.
- Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free, all-purpose flour blend. Look for a gluten-free flour blend specifically formulated for baking, as it will have the right combination of flours and starches to mimic the texture of wheat flour. My favorite is Better Batter Original Blend. I also like Doves Farm Freee Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour, but this blend does not contain xanthan gum, so you need to add 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup (140 g) of gluten-free flour blend.
Step-by-Step Recipe Photo Tutorial
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
Step 1
Mix evaporated milk and cornstarch until very smooth.
Step 2
Combine the milk, heavy cream, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until all the sugar has dissolved, then bring to a gentle simmer, whisking occasionally.
Step 3
Then, in a very slow stream, whisk the evaporated milk mixture into the pan. While continuously whisking, cook until the mixture is thick and big bubbles begin bursting at the surface, about 1 minute.
Step 4
Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract and butter. Keep in mind that the pudding thickens as it cools, so you don’t need it to be super thick before you remove it from the heat. Allow cooling for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming.
Step 5
Add the sweetened condensed milk to the pudding. The pudding will naturally thin out a little after you add the milk; it’s ok. Pour pudding through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium-sized heatproof bowl (pouring through the sieve is optional, but it will eliminate any lumps).
Step 6
Cover the surface of the pudding with plastic wrap; the plastic should be placed directly against the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Allow to cool to room temperature and then transfer to the refrigerator and allow to chill for several hours (preferably overnight) before serving.
Quick Recipe Tips
Once you add the cornstarch mixture, whisk constantly, but slowly to avoid scorching the milk.
This pudding needs time to cook and thicken. Do NOT increase the heat in an effort to speed up the thickening process. Be patient and keep stirring!
If you notice that your pudding has lumps, pour it through a wire mesh strainer while still warm.
To prevent a skin from forming on the pudding, place a piece of plastic wrap on top, so that it is directly touching the hot pudding.
Make sure the pudding is completely cool before serving.
Easy Flavor Variations
Once you have the vanilla base down, it’s easy to switch things up:
- Chocolate: Whisk 2–3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder into the sugar before you start. Or, if you want a deeper chocolate fix, try my Eggless Chocolate Brownie Pudding or Eggless Chocolate Pudding Cake.
- Banana: Layer the finished pudding with sliced bananas and vanilla wafers for a quick take on Eggless Banana Pudding.
- Butterscotch: Swap the granulated sugar for brown sugar and brown the butter before adding it, for a warm, toffee-like flavor.
- Coconut: Replace some of the whole milk with full-fat coconut milk for a subtle coconut flavor (this also nudges the pudding toward dairy-free).
- Extra vanilla: Add the scraped seeds of a vanilla bean, or a little more extract, for a rich, bakery-style vanilla flavor.
Storing Instructions
Store eggless vanilla pudding in an airtight container and cover it with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days. I don’t recommend freezing pudding. It won’t thaw well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Custard is pudding’s close cousin. Both are typically made of eggs, sugar, and milk. The main difference is that pudding uses starch for thickening, whereas custard’s thickening agent is egg yolk, in most instances. Pastry Cream’s texture also tends to be firmer than pudding.
In my opinion, this eggless vanilla pudding is a bit too thin to use as a filling. I would recommend using my eggless pastry cream recipe instead.
Yes, absolutely!
I haven’t tested this recipe with lower-fat milk or a milk substitute. So, I am not sure if the pudding will thicken properly if you use another type of milk.
You make eggless vanilla pudding by thickening milk with cornstarch instead of eggs. It creates a smooth, creamy texture without changing the classic flavor.
It tastes rich, sweet, buttery, and full of warm vanilla flavor. The texture is silky and comforting, just like traditional homemade pudding.
Usually, it needs a little more time on the stove, or the cornstarch is not fully dissolved. Make sure to cook it over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens.
Lumps usually happen when the heat is too high or the mixture is not stirred enough. Whisking continuously and cooking gently helps keep the pudding smooth.
More Creamy Eggless Puddings and Custards to Love!
Recipe Card
Easy Eggless Vanilla Pudding
Important
• For best results, I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to measure the ingredients.
Ingredients
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon (140 ml) evaporated milk
- 6 tablespoons (60 g) cornstarch
- 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (see notes)
- 3 teaspoons (15 ml) pure vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup (73 g) sweetened condensed milk (optional – see notes)
Instructions
- Mix evaporated milk and cornstarch until very smooth.
- Combine the milk, heavy cream, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until all the sugar has dissolved, then bring to a gentle simmer, whisking occasionally.
- Then, in a very slow stream, whisk the evaporated milk mixture into the pan. While continuously whisking, cook until the mixture is thick and big bubbles begin bursting at the surface, about 1 minute.
- Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract and butter. Keep in mind that the pudding thickens as it cools, so you don’t need it to be super thick before removing it from the heat.
- Allow cooling for 20 minutes, occasionally stirring to prevent a skin from forming.
- Add the sweetened condensed milk to the pudding (if using). The pudding will naturally thin out a little after adding the milk; it’s ok. Pour pudding through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium-sized heatproof bowl (pouring through the sieve is optional, but it will eliminate any lumps).
- Cover the surface of the pudding with plastic wrap; the plastic should be placed directly against the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Allow to cool to room temperature and then transfer to the refrigerator and allow to chill for several hours (preferably overnight) before serving.
- Dairy-Free: To make this recipe dairy-free, you can easily swap out the dairy ingredients for non-dairy alternatives.
- Butter: Substitute butter with dairy-free butter substitutes. Miyoko’s Creamery Organic Vegan Butter and Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks are my favorite butter substitutes for baking.
- Milk: You can use your favorite non-dairy milk, like soy or oat milk.
- Evaporated Milk: Use evaporated coconut milk or evaporated oat milk, or make your own dairy-free evaporated milk with your favorite plant-based milk. Evaporated milk is just milk that has been reduced to eliminate the water content, so it’s super easy to make at home with any milk of your choice. Check out my How to Make Evaporated Milk post. If evaporated milk is not an option, you can use any dairy-free milk, but keep in mind that the texture might change slightly.
- Sweetened condensed milk, my favorite dairy-free substitute is NATURES CHARM Sweetened Condensed Oatmilk.
- Heavy Cream: You can use a non-dairy cream, such as Silk, Country Crock Plant Cream, or Califia Farms.
- Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free, all-purpose flour blend. Look for a gluten-free flour blend specifically formulated for baking, as it will have the right combination of flours and starches to mimic the texture of wheat flour. My favorite is Better Batter Original Blend. I also like Doves Farm Freee Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour, but this blend does not contain xanthan gum, so you need to add 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup (140 g) of gluten-free flour blend.
- Once you add the cornstarch mixture, whisk constantly, but slowly to avoid scorching the milk.
- This pudding needs time to cook and thicken. Do NOT increase the heat in an effort to speed up the thickening process. Be patient and keep stirring!
- If you notice that your pudding has lumps, pour it through a wire mesh strainer while still warm.
- To prevent a skin from forming on the pudding, place a piece of plastic wrap on top, so that it is directly touching the hot pudding.
- Make sure the pudding is completely cool before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Eggless Baking Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve asked, and I’ve answered! Read on for a handful of answers to the most frequently asked questions about eggless baking.
Thanks for a lovely recipe. I pass because of high calories. I am your fan for your awesome recipe roll out.
Manu… Namaste. 🙏
Hello Manu! I am to know that you enjoy my recipes. Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and let me know.
Your recipe looks fantastic, but I’m allergic to both eggs AND corn. Is there another starch that would work with this recipe, such as tapioca or potato?
I would try Arrowroot
Hello Cheryl! My fave cornstarch substitute is potato starch. It has a neutral flavor and works great as a thickener, and the best part is that it can typically be substituted with a 1:1 ratio. This is the one I use: https://amzn.to/3tTCCJo (affiliate link) Hope this helps!