Rich and creamy homemade Pumpkin Pudding is made from scratch without any pudding mixes, and is cooked on the stovetop in under 20 minutes. Serve it warm or chilled anytime this fall, topped with fresh whipped cream.
Pudding from Scratch is so easy!
I always enjoy the fall season and with it, the seemingly never-ending flow of pumpkin desserts, pumpkin spiced drinks, and pumpkin main dishes. Give me all the pumpkin, all autumn long!
This creamy, dreamy, old-fashioned pumpkin pudding is the perfect pumpkin treat to make when you’re wanting to embrace pumpkin spice season, but you don’t want to go through the trouble of making a whole pumpkin pie or a pumpkin roll cake. It’s made on the stovetop, so there’s no need to turn on the oven, and it only involves about 20 minutes of hands-on time.
Just like my crustless pumpkin pie, this easy pumpkin dessert is naturally gluten-free and can be made up to 3 days ahead of time!
Ingredient Notes
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Pumpkin Puree: The easiest thing to do here is to use canned pumpkin, but be sure you are using plain pumpkin and not canned pumpkin pie filling. If you’d like to use homemade pumpkin puree, just be sure that you’ve strained most of the liquid out so that it’s thick and not watery.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: A blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, pumpkin spice perfectly complements the slight sweetness of pumpkin. To save a bit of money, you can even mix up your own pumpkin pie spice!
- Milk: Whole milk will create a luscious, smooth pudding. I don’t suggest using low-fat milk for this recipe.
- Cornstarch thickens the pudding and gives a better texture and mouthfeel than other thickeners like tapioca starch or gums would.
- Egg Yolks: 2 large egg yolks add richness and structure to the recipe.
- Butter: Unsalted butter makes this pudding extra rich and a bit decadent!
- Sugar: I am using granulated sugar to provide sweetness. Brown sugar could also be used, and would give the pudding a deeper molasses flavor and a darker color.
- Salt and Vanilla Extract: Both of these help to enhance the other flavors in the pudding; don’t skimp on the vanilla extract here.
Recipe Tips
- Making a custard on the stove is not difficult, but if it’s a new process for you, read through the instructions to get familiar with it before you get started.
- Maybe the trickiest part is tempering the egg yolks. All this means is that we will have the yolks whisked in a separate bowl while the milk and pumpkin mixture for the pudding is heating up. Add a little bit of the hot milk to the eggs at first, bringing the temperature of the two things closer together before you add the eggs to the pot of milk. This will help you avoid scrambling the eggs.
- If you do accidentally have some small pieces of cooked egg yolk, use a fine mesh strainer to remove them once the pudding has finished cooking.
- Serve warm or cold. This pudding can be served warm, but if you’d like to serve it chilled, give it at least two hours in the fridge. Place plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding to avoid a skin from forming. Before serving, add a dollop of fresh whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Toasted pecans would also be delicious.
- I prefer to chill the pudding in individual dishes or jars, but you can also chill it in one large bowl and scoop out servings when you’re ready.
- Storage: This dessert can be made up to 3 days ahead of time. Likewise, leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
This homemade pumpkin pudding recipe will make the perfect light finish to your big holiday meal. Pin it to save it for later, or make it right now!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Pumpkin Pudding
Equipment
- Medium saucepan
- Fine mesh sieve
- Serving bowls
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (30 g) cornstarch
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
- 14 ounces (1 can) (400 g) pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the cornstarch and sugar.
- Gradually pour in the milk while whisking to avoid clumps.
- Add the pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice.
- Whisk and cook over medium-high heat until the mixture starts to bubble, then continue cooking for 1 minute, until slightly thickened and it coats the back of a spoon.
- Remove from heat. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Slowly add the hot pumpkin mixture one tablespoon at a time into the yolks, whisking constantly, until the yolks are very warm.
- Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan. Whisk well and return to the heat. Cook for 1 more minute, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, salt, and butter. Mix until the butter is completely melted.
- If needed, strain the pudding through a fine mesh sieve to remove any clumps.
- Transfer the pudding to a large bowl or individual serving bowls. Serve warm, or cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface of the pudding and chill until cooled and set.
- Garnish with whipped cream and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon before serving, if desired.
Notes:
- It’s important to use plain canned pumpkin puree for this recipe, not pumpkin pie filling.
- To store: Keep the pudding in the refrigerator with plastic wrap directly on top of it for up to 3 days.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
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