SEARCH

Make Ahead

Grandma's Vanilla Pudding without Cornstarch

by:
February 24, 2011
3.6
12 Ratings
Photo by Julia Gartland
  • Cook time 3 hours
  • Serves 4 or fills 1 pie
Author Notes

My grandmother made this pudding for my Mom and my Mom made it for my brothers and I. It's a very versatile pudding. Slice ripe bananas into a graham cracker crust and pour cooled pudding over the top and you have the best banana cream pie! Add 3-6 Tablespoons of cocoa powder to the sugar and you have chocolate pudding for pudding in a cloud or chocolate pie! I use it to fill eclair shells and when my husband took these to class on Fridays he always got an A in the course. —michelle_kuhlman

Continue After Advertisement
Ingredients
  • 1 cup Sugar
  • 1/3 cup Flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 2 cups Milk
  • 3 Egg yolks, beaten
  • 2-4 tablespoons Butter
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Directions
  1. In a heavy sauce pan mix sugar, flour, and salt. Whisk till combined.
  2. Whisk in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring till mixture boils and begins to thicken. Cook 3 more minutes.
  3. Temper eggs with 1/2 cup mixture and slowly add eggs to the pudding. Stir for a 1-2 minutes. Add butter and vanilla.
  4. Serve warm or cold.
Tags:
Contest Entries

See what other Food52ers are saying.

More Great Recipes

Caramel Rice Pudding with Brown Butter and Crème Fraîche

Vanilla Cake

Cardamom-Spiced Chocolate Pudding or Pudding Pops

Homemade Vanilla Pudding

Popular on Food52

The Best Vanilla Extract Substitute Is Probably Hiding in Your Kitchen

11 Easy Dinner Recipes for When It's Been a Loooong Week

The 15 Best Pasta Salad Recipes to Make All Summer Long
Continue After Advertisement

29 Reviews

Write a Review
Christie L. December 16, 2023
Thank you Food52 for that Grandma's Vanilla Pudding recipe.
I just made a double batch of it, and it was fantastic! I am glad I found your recipe; so I made the pudding without cornstarch.
I have not had cornstarch in my cupboard for years now, so I can personally thank you for this perfect recipe that I and my family could make cream puffs and pies with, after eating some of it we are now today savoring this beautiful homemade Vanilla Pudding from your Food 52 website right now to taste; and for later on in the future. Happy cooking, Christie L. U.S.A. :)
VIC March 3, 2023
Great recipe, Try the Vic method. Throw it all in and microwave it. Stirring every minute. It's so easy and fast.
B H. February 1, 2023
Change Sugar to half!
Bea December 14, 2022
I didn't personally make this recipe, I was teaching a young woman how to make as mom always called it cornstarch pudding. It thickened really well and quicker than I thought it would. Eggs tempered well. I cut the sugar to 1/2 a cup and added an extra teaspoon of vanilla. It turned out real good for a beginner.
Gil L. July 12, 2022
WAY too much sugar!
Urmom April 1, 2022
This recipe sucks! Wayyyyyyy too sweet!
reddy123 February 15, 2021
Wayyyyyy too sweet...ruined the pudding...had to throw it out...use half the recommended amount...was easy to make...thickened nicely....but very disappointed!!! Wasted all those ingredients...
Sandduck February 9, 2021
This was the best pudding ever! Smooth, velvety, delicious! I did use 3/4 cup of sugar since some reviewers said it was too sweet. I feel like I would have been fine with 1/2 cup. Definitely making this again.
Sleepy F. August 15, 2020
I am very disappointed in this recipe. I cooked my milk base until it was extremely thick, much longer than the recipe called for -and it still didn't set up. It did however have a very nice taste. But even after letting it set in the fridge for over 12 hours it didn't set up. It was just almost there. Don't waste your time.
Terry F. August 15, 2020
I found the milk mixture didn't really thicken a whole lot or very quickly - which is good because you need to boil it for the full 3 minutes to cook out the floury taste. Mine did thickened immediately when I removed it from the heat and added the tempered eggs. (I don't think the recipe tells you to remove from the burner before adding the tempered eggs. If you add the eggs while still on the heat, they will cook too much and the pudding will be grainy.)
Sleepy F. August 15, 2020
I am very disappointed in this recipe. I cooked my milk base until it was extremely thick, much longer than the recipe called for and it still didn't set up. It did however have a very nice taste. But even after letting it set in the fridge for over 12 hours it didn't set up. It was just almost there. Don't waste your time.
ds July 31, 2020
Questions: By “stirring ‘til mixture boils” does this mean stir constantly? Also there is no indication of what you are looking for when you decide whether to add 2 or 4 tablespoons of butter. My pudding had a floury taste when finished. Is there a trick to prevent that from happening?
Caro C. May 19, 2020
just tasted before popping in the fridge - so good and velvety! I halved the sugar FYI, 1 cup seemed like a bit much for my palate. Will definitely make again!
Darian May 18, 2020
Delicious and so easy! This was a perfect treat for my daughter after her recent trip to the orthodontist, when her mouth hurt and she needed soft foods.
Terry F. April 22, 2020
Easy to make and very good! I needed a custard that didn't use cornstarch (all out) to make Boston Cream Pie. I reduced the sugar to a scant ¾ cup and found it still a bit too sweet - but then sweetness is always a personal preference! Next time I will reduce the sugar a bit more. But this is still a lovely custard! Thanks for the recipe!
Vicki T. April 16, 2020
First time ever making homemade pudding.I doubled the recipe for some rice pudding.The pudding is so much better than store bought.
Taylor G. April 4, 2020
This was my first time making homemade pudding and this recipe was EASY and DELICIOUS! I had to google how to temper eggs, but that was easy enough to find! I had no trouble with the recipe thickening after heading the advice of another reviewer and really letting the milk mixture thicken before adding the eggs. It is a little sweet but that's easy enough to adjust for next time!
Alison November 25, 2019
Very good but too sweet.
Trista P. November 21, 2019
Perfect recipe! Always make a double batch. I’ve tried others that add the egg in with sugar and flour first- comes out terribly grainy in texture. So glad to find this recipe again. Smooth, velvety goodness!
Josiesayshi! November 16, 2019
I meant best
Josiesayshi! November 16, 2019
Bust ove ever tasted!!!