Creamy Vegan Vanilla Pudding

A simple and delicious plant-based twist on classic creamy thick vanilla pudding! This incredibly tasty time-honored favorite treat contains no eggs or dairy.

Several years ago, my parents were planning to visit me. During their visit, my father was turning another year older. When I asked him what he wanted me to make him for his birthday, he said pudding.

I know that my father adores pudding, but I was surprised to learn he didn’t want the traditional birthday cake and ice cream. Rather, he just wanted a bowl of pudding. And this is saying something. My dad also loves ice cream. But for his birthday, he wanted a bowl of homemade pudding.

Sometimes it’s the simple things in life.

This Creamy Vegan Vanilla Pudding is one of those simple things. It’s not just simple though, it’s easy and delicious. To start, this pudding contains six simple ingredients: cornstarch, raw unrefined sugar, non-dairy milk, turmeric, sea salt, and vanilla. But honestly, it can be made with four. The turmeric simply adds color, while the sea salt enhances flavor, but neither are required.

The primary ingredient in this Creamy Vegan Vanilla Pudding is non-dairy milk. This recipe uses four cups of milk, resulting in four cups of pudding. Math doesn’t get much simpler than that. The nice thing about this recipe is that you can use any kind of non-diary milk you have.

Oat + Nut Milk is a great option for this since the oats and nuts used in the milk contain healthy fats, though I’ve successfully used commercial unsweetened almond milk as well. Any non-dairy plant milk should work well.

It’s no surprise that the cornstarch thickens the milk when heated to form the pudding. I have successfully used both the arrowroot starch and cornstarch. Both work, though many believe that cornstarch produces a smoother (better) texture. (I happen to be one of said people.) While arrowroot starch can work as a good substitute when you can’t eat corn products or don’t have access to cornstarch, the texture is more gelatinous. For this reason, I recommend using cornstarch if you have it as an option. 

And while the sugar lends a touch of traditional sweetness, powdered turmeric is an optional ingredient used solely to provide the faintest hint of “vanilla pudding” coloring. Traditional vanilla pudding uses egg yolks which imbues a pale yellow hue. So, I recommend adding just a touch so that it looks more authentic. And of course, vanilla extract provides the vanilla flavor for this Creamy Vegan Vanilla Pudding. A touch of salt may be used to enhance the flavor, though it is completely optional.

The process is also very simple. You know that saying? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The process used to create Creamy Vegan Vanilla Pudding is a simple one. One that is certainly not broken. So I’m not going to even attempt to alter it.

This Creamy Vegan Vanilla Pudding is cooked on the stovetop. First, whisk the cornstarch and sugar together in a saucepan until combined. Whisk in a little non-dairy milk. Once the mixture is completely incorporated and smooth, the remaining milk is whisked in.

If you prefer the traditional look and color of vanilla pudding, I recommend adding in just a sprinkling of turmeric powder. As the pudding cooks, the color awakens. So try not to use very much.

Turn the stove on to medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture starts to thicken. Once the pudding is thick enough to coat the back of a large spoon, cook another one to two minutes. Then turn off the stove and stir in the vanilla. Then allow your Creamy Vegan Vanilla Pudding some time to cool. Once cool, you can either serve it warm or cover and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to enjoy it. 

I enjoy serving my Creamy Vegan Vanilla Pudding with fresh fruit or whipped non-dairy cream. But I’ve also used it to create delicious trifles comprised of vanilla cake and raspberries. Oh, and it makes an incredibly delicious and easy classic banana pudding. So many options!!

I’d love to hear how you have used this Creamy Vegan Vanilla Pudding. In fact, I would love to see your results! Please leave a comment and rate it down below, tag a picture @pebblesandtoast and #pebblesandtoast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!   Enjoy!!   

I hope you enjoy this Creamy Vegan Vanilla Pudding as much as I do.  

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Ingredients

• ⅓ cup cornstarch*
• ½ cup organic raw sugar, coconut sugar, or date sugar
• 4 cups non-dairy milk**
• pinch of turmeric for coloring (optional)
• ¼ tsp sea salt (optional)
• 1 Tbsp vanilla

Instructions

1. Combine the arrowroot starch (or cornstarch) and sugar in a sauce pan.
2. Whisk in half a cup of milk and stir until smooth and the arrowroot starch (or cornstarch) is fully absorbed.

1. Whisk in the remaining milk, turmeric, and salt, if using.
2. Turn heat to medium to medium-high until the mixture starts to thicken, while stirring occasionally, about 10-15 minutes.

1. Turn heat to low and continue stirring until it coats the back of the spoon, about 1-2 minutes more.
2. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
3. Cover and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to enjoy. 

Notes

* I recommend using cornstarch in this recipe.  While arrowroot starch is a good substitute, the texture is more gelatinous. 

** You can use any non-diary milk for this pudding.  Oat + Nut Milk is a great option for this since the oats and nuts used in the milk contain healthy fats.