Homemade Butterscotch Pudding
Made on the stovetop with brown sugar, egg yolks, butter, and a little patience, this pudding recipe has real butterscotch flavor and is one of the easiest things to make. I insist that you serve it in a little glass dish with whipped cream on top.
Homemade pudding is not hard, but it does ask one thing of you: stand there and whisk. That’s really the whole deal. You don’t get to walk away and fold laundry or check your phone or “just quickly” wipe down the counter. You whisk. And in return, you get a smooth, rich, brown sugar pudding that tastes cozy and buttery and delicious, all from ingredients you have on hand.
what You’ll Need
A fine-mesh sieve is very helpful if you want the smoothest pudding possible.
Scaling up: If you’re doubling the recipe, use a larger saucepan, at least 3 to 4 quarts, because the pudding needs room to bubble and thicken without sloshing over the sides. You’ll also need either 12 small ramekins or one larger serving dish that holds about 3 quarts.
- 6 large egg yolks (Save the whites for scrambled eggs, meringue, or just whatever responsible egg-white thing you usually mean to do and maybe don’t 😉.)
- 1 ½ cups firmly packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt:
- 3 cups whole milk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Step One: Whisk the base
In a medium saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt until everything is smooth and well combined.
It will look thick and a little pasty at first. That’s fine. You’re just getting the yolks, sugar, and starch evenly mixed before adding the milk.
Step Two: Add the milk slowly
Gradually whisk in the milk, a little at a time. Don’t dump it all in at once, or you’ll be chasing lumps around the pan!
Once the first bit of milk is fully mixed in and the mixture loosens up, you can add the rest more quickly.
Step Three: Cook until thick
Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the pudding thickens and starts to bubble. This usually takes about 8 to 10 minutes.
You’ll feel it change. At first it’s thin and splashy, then suddenly it starts to resist the whisk and leave tracks. That’s what you want.
Once it bubbles, reduce the heat to low and keep cooking for another 1 to 2 minutes. This helps cook out the raw cornstarch flavor so the pudding tastes creamy, not chalky.
Step Four: Finish with butter and vanilla
Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the cubed butter and vanilla until the pudding is smooth and glossy.
This is when it really starts to smell like butterscotch. Very promising. Very dangerous if you are impatient.
Step Five: Strain and chill
Pour the pudding through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. This catches any tiny bits of cooked egg or cornstarch lumps and gives you that silky texture.
Divide it into 6 dishes or ramekins. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of each pudding to prevent a skin from forming, then chill for at least 2 hours.
Serve cold with whipped cream, flaky salt, chopped nuts, caramel sauce, or nothing at all.
Storage Instructions
Keep the pudding covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface is the best way to prevent a skin from forming. If you like pudding skin, you may ignore this completely and live your truth.
I don’t recommend freezing homemade pudding. The texture can turn watery and grainy after thawing.
More Classic Homemade Sweets
- If you want another simple homemade pudding, try this vanilla pudding recipe. Same cozy idea, softer flavor.
- For the chocolate people, there’s also homemade chocolate pudding. Because sometimes butterscotch is not going to be enough.
- If you want a warm, baked old-fashioned dessert, bread pudding is always a good idea.
- For more butterscotch flavor in cookie form, try these old-fashioned butterscotch cookies.
- And if you’re in a caramel mood, these soft caramels are worth making at least once.
Printable Recipe
Butterscotch Pudding
Equipment
- Medium saucepan
- Whisk
- Fine mesh sieve
- large bowl
- 6 serving dishes or ramekins
- Plastic Wrap
Ingredients
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1 ½ cups firmly packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups whole milk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cubed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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Instructions
- Mix yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, light brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt until smooth and well combined.
- Slowly add milk. Gradually whisk in the whole milk, a little at a time, to keep the mixture smooth and lump-free.
- Cook, whisking constantly, until thick. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Cook 1-2 more minutes. Once the pudding has thickened, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes, whisking constantly, to cook out the raw cornstarch flavor.
- Add butter and vanilla. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the cubed butter and vanilla extract until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Strain. Strain the pudding through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl to remove any lumps and ensure a silky texture.
- Divide and cover. Divide the pudding evenly among 6 serving dishes or ramekins. Cover each dish with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming.
- Chill and serve. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until fully chilled and set. Serve cold, optionally topped with whipped cream or a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Notes
Nutrition
