The BEST Dairy-Free Vanilla Pudding Recipe - The Foodie and The Fix (2024)

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This easy Dairy-Free Vanilla Pudding recipe is crazy-delicious and takes just minutes to make using ingredients you probably have on hand! It's also gluten-free, 21 Day Fix approved and Weight Watchers friendly!

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Hey guys! I'm super pumped to share this dairy-free vanilla pudding with you because I just know you're going to love it!

When I first shared my pumpkin pudding recipe, it was such a hit with you guys that I knew I had to work on some more puddings - plus they're just so fun and easy to make! Not to mention that if you're like me, you probably always have the ingredients on hand, so it really doesn't get any better than that.

This Dairy-Free Vanilla Pudding is equally as delicious as the pumpkin pudding and just endlessly versatile. It's full of incredible vanilla flavor, creamy-delicious with the perfect amount of sweetness - are you craving this as hard as I am yet??

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Oh, and as a bonus, it comes with free nostalgic vibes ♥

Anyway, without further ado, let's get to some Q&A and then I'll show you how to make it!

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What is pudding?

In the U.S., pudding is a custard-like dessert made of milk, sugar, egg yolks, and thickener.

Is Dairy-Free Vanilla pudding healthy?

While this dairy-free vanilla pudding is a treat, it's pretty healthy as desserts go! And I love making things like this myself because I can pronounce everything that's in it!

Aside from this recipe being dairy-free, it's also gluten-free, 21 Day Fix approved and Weight Watchers friendly! All counts and points are in the recipe card 🙂

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Will this 21 Day Fix Vanilla Pudding create a "skin" on top as it cools?

It will - if you don't want that to happen, after you put the pudding into whatever container(s) you chose, be sure to put plastic wrap over it, but push it down so that the plastic wrap is directly touching the pudding.

If I'm making a parfait like in the top photo of this post, I like to put all of the pudding together in one big dish, put the plastic wrap on it as described above, then after it has refrigerated and is cold, remove the plastic wrap and give the pudding a good whisk. Then serve it however I like!

Will pudding thicken as it cools?

Yes! This pudding will be a thick, sauce-like consistency before it's refrigerated, but quite a bit thicker once it's cold.

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Can you freeze pudding?

Yep!

Aside from eating this Dairy-Free Vanilla Pudding by itself, what else can be done with it?

SO many things!

  • Serve it with whatever kind of fruit you like (pro tip: bananas + this pudding = pure freaking magic).
  • Use it as a pie filling (the crust from this Pumpkin Custard Tart recipe would be incredible with it!)
  • Make parfaits with the pudding, fruit and coconut whip like I did in the top photo - so good! You can either make your own coconut whipped cream (which is super easy!) from this Banana Cupcake recipe, or you can pick up some of the coconut whip from the freezer aisle (it's similar to cool whip)!
  • It would also be great thinned out over pancakes, waffles (like these delish GF Waffles from my friend Nancylynn!), or as a filling for crepes!
  • You can also use this as a base recipe for different flavor variations, go nuts! This Pumpkin Pudding is a fave of mine!

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How to make the BEST Dairy-Free Vanilla Pudding:

To a medium pot, add your egg yolks, cornstarch and a splash of almond milk and whisk together.

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Whisk in the sugar, salt, vanilla and the remaining almond milk.

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Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until bubbling...

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Then cook another 2 minutes until thickened to a very thick sauce consistency (it'll thicken up more when refrigerated).

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Turn off the heat and stir in the coconut oil. Immediately pour into the containers of your choosing and refrigerate until set!

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Top with whatever you like (or don't!) and enjoy!

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If you guys give this Dairy-Free Vanilla Pudding recipe a try, please let me know what you think!! You can leave a comment below or tag me on Insta @thefoodieandthefix. Or if you’re inmy private Facebook group, I’d love to see a photo of your creation in there! I hope you enjoy ♥

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Don’t forget to save the BEST Dairy-Free Vanilla Pudding recipe to Pinterest! ⇓

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📖 Recipe

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Dairy-Free Vanilla Pudding Recipe {21 Day Fix | Weight Watchers}

Yield: 4 Servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

This Dairy-Free Vanilla Pudding is quick and easy to make, plus it's a great base recipe for so many different flavors! Perfect for cooking with kids, too.

Ingredients

  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2 ½ Tbs cornstarch
  • 1 ¾ cups unsweetened almond milk (plain or vanilla)
  • 1/16 teaspoon salt
  • 2 ½ Tbs sugar (white or raw)*
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 Tbs refined coconut oil (if you aren’t dairy-free, you can also use butter)

Instructions

    1. In a medium pot (with the heat off) whisk together the yolks, cornstarch, and a splash of the milk (just a few tablespoons, but I don't measure this) from your 1 ¾ cups until smooth (if you put all of the milk in at once the cornstarch will clump up). Then whisk in the salt, sugar, vanilla and remaining almond milk.
    2. Put your burner on medium heat and bring the mixture to a bubble, stirring, and cook until thickened. Turn off the heat and whisk in the coconut oil.
    3. Immediately divide the mixture (about ½ cup each) between 4 small bowls or ramekins and refrigerate (or you can be like me and just eat it warm!) for at least 2 hours to chill and set. If you don’t want the “skin” to form on your pudding, be sure when you cover your puddings with plastic wrap, that you press the plastic wrap gently onto the top of the pudding so no air can get to it. Enjoy!

Notes

*you can substitute maple syrup or honey, but those will change the flavor of the pudding if you were looking for a straight vanilla flavor – though honey or maple-flavored puddings are also delish, so feel free to switch it up!

21 Day Fix Container Counts per Serving:¼ Red, 1 Tsp, 2 Sweetener Tsp

Weight Watchers Smart Points Link:

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4Serving Size: about ½ cup
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 120Total Fat: 7g

The BEST Dairy-Free Vanilla Pudding Recipe - The Foodie and The Fix (2024)

FAQs

What is the best non dairy milk for instant pudding? ›

I recommend soy milk as it has a naturally sweet flavor, so it will enhance the flavors of the jell-o pudding. It's also a great vegan milk option that has a rich texture. To substitute one cup of milk in instant pudding, use one cup of unsweetened soy milk.

How do you thicken dairy free pudding? ›

Dealing with a runny vegan pudding or salad dressing? Try mixing in a small amount of cornstarch. Rather than mixing the dry cornstarch directly into the food you're trying to thicken, first make a slurry of cold water and cornstarch.

Why won t pudding set with almond milk? ›

Regular instant pudding usually won't set with almond milk because the pudding mix is formulated to work with the specific proteins in cow's milk.

Will Jello pudding set with non-dairy milk? ›

To make Jell-O pudding with almond milk, whisk the Cook & Serve pudding mix into 2 cups of refrigerated unsweetened almond milk in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil on medium heat, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and let sit untouched for at least 5 minutes.

What can I substitute for instant vanilla pudding mix? ›

The alternative mix is simply 1 part cornstarch to 2 parts fine sugar, plus 1 part vanilla.

What ingredient makes instant pudding thicken? ›

A key ingredient in instant pudding is gelatinized starch, a dried instant starch that readily absorbs liquids, which causes the pudding to gel when mixed with milk. Additional ingredients sometimes used as a thickener include gums that are soluble in cold water, such as carrageenans and alginates.

Does Cool Whip have dairy in it? ›

From its introduction, Cool Whip was labeled and advertised as non-dairy, but as of 2018 it contains skimmed milk and sodium caseinate, a milk derivative. Even before the skimmed milk was introduced, Cool Whip was classified in Jewish dietary traditions as dairy because of the sodium caseinate.

What milk is better for pudding? ›

There are several alternative options you can use instead, such as: Reduced-fat milk: You can use reduced-fat milk instead of full-fat milk to reduce the amount of fat in the pudding. Non-dairy milk: If you prefer a non-dairy option, you can use almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk, or any other non-dairy milk.

How do you fix pudding that didn't set? ›

Your best bet would be to mix a tablespoon of cornstarch and a teaspoon of sugar with some of the beverage and add it to the warm pudding. Heat it to a bubble and stir until it thickens. You may have to adjust the seasoning, particularly vanilla.

How much almond milk do you put in pudding? ›

For JELL-O Instant Puddings, use 1 1/2 cup cold almond milk. For JELL-O Cook & Serve Pudding with refrigerated almond milks, use 1 1/2 cups of almond milk.

What is the best pudding thickener? ›

Using eggs: Eggs add richness to puddings, whether or not the recipe includes additional thickeners. To add eggs to a hot liquid, you need to "temper" them (see Tempering Eggs below) so they don't end up as scrambled eggs. Rice and tapioca also act as thickeners.

Is gelatin or cornstarch better for pudding? ›

Setting with gelatin instead of cornstarch results in a creamy pudding that sits light on the tongue.

Will cool whip thicken pudding? ›

I used to make my banana pudding with homemade whipped cream because I do prefer to use from-scratch whole food ingredients. However, I found that when you use the cool whip it helps to stabilize the rest of the ingredients and results in a thicker pudding.

Can you use non-dairy milk to make instant pudding? ›

Learn how to make instant pudding from a box using three of the most common non-dairy milk options, oat milk, almond milk, and coconut milk. Learn which has the thickest texture, the smoothest texture, and the best flavor!

Which dairy free milk tastes most like milk? ›

Wondermilk. Out of the listed options, the So Delicious Dairy Free Wondermilk tops as the best brand that closely resembles actual milk in terms of consistency, creaminess and slightly sweet mild flavor. It contains coconut and oat milk, with hints of oat taste and full texture.

Can you make instant pudding with almond milk instead of regular milk? ›

Yes, jello pudding will set with almond milk as long as you use the right ratios. What is this? For JELL-O Instant Puddings, use 1 1/2 cup cold almond milk. For JELL-O Cook & Serve Pudding with refrigerated almond milks, use 1 1/2 cups of almond milk.

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