Frugal Feeds | 8 Pudding Ideas and How to Make Multitudes of Puddings from Scratch

These puddings are the type of milk based puddings that most Americans think of when they think of pudding. Pudding can be a healthy option for desserts and snacks when made with 2% milk or low fat non-dairy alternatives. It can be your basic vanilla or chocolate but it can also be so much more than that. We'll start with the basics and then get on to some more creative ideas.

Plain Pudding

4 1/2 Tablespoons starch
up to 3/4 cup sweetener (I use 1/2 a cup of most sweeteners)

3 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon flavoring


Starches:          Best For:
Corn Starch      Low Shine
Arrowroot        High Shine, Fruit Puddings, Freezing
Tapioca Starch High Shine, Fruit Puddings, Freezing
Tapioca Pearls High Shine, Tapioca Pudding, Freezing
Kudzu                Expensive, so only use it if you have to
Rice                   Rice Puddings

Starch                Sweetener            Milk                    Flavoring

Corn Starch       Raw Sugar           Cow's milk           Flavor Extract

Arrowroot         Brown Sugar        Coconut Milk     Chocolate

Tapioca Starch Agave Syrup       Almond Milk      Cocoa

Tapioca Pearls Maple Syrup        Rice Milk             Nuts

Kudzu                  Honey                    Oat Milk               Coconut         

Rice                      Stevia (Tiny bit) Hemp Milk           Fruit

Choose one starch, one sweetener, one milk and one flavoring the first time you use this chart. Once you get accustomed to their properties you can blend them into custom puddings that suit your tastes. Because each type of milk, each type of sweetener and each type of starch work differently you will want to start with what you are familiar with and then the next time change only one of the ingredients. Do that each time until you have worked out how each of those ingredients delivers taste, texture, structure and how it cooks.

Basic Pudding Instructions:
Mix together the starch and sweetener and then whisk in the cold milk. Using a large cook pot, fill it half way with water. Place a large glass or metal bowl onto the pot so that it does not touch the water and has enough height that you can easily hold the bowl steady with a pot holder on your hand. Turn on the stove top burner to high heat. Pour pudding mixture into bowl. Once the water starts to boil be sure to whisk the pudding regularly. When smooth, carefully transfer to a skillet over very low heat. Continue to whisk until the pudding takes on a thick and creamy consistency. When it does, remove from heat. Add the salt and flavoring to the pudding. Cool. When cool pour into a bowl, place a sheet of plastic wrap on the surface of the pudding and chill. Remove the plastic film when fully chilled and you shouldn't have a film of pudding on the surface. Serve with stewed fruit, berries, sweetened apples, braised bananas or broiled pineapple slices. Top with toasted nuts or sweetened coconut. Using different starches results in different look, feel, taste, texture and thickness. Use cornstarch the first time you make it. Using different sweeteners results in different tastes, textures and thickness. Use raw sugar the first time you make it. Using different milks results in different tastes and thickness. Use cow's milk the first time you make it. Use vanilla flavoring the first time.

Variations on Plain Pudding


When using Cocoa add 1/2 cup cocoa to the starch/sugar mix.
When using Chocolate add 1 ounce of chocolate to the bowl over the pan of boiling water and let it melt before adding the milk/starch/sugar mixture.
When using Nuts, toast them first.
When using Fruit add 1/2 cup to the milk/starch/sugar mixture but don't use acid fruit like lemons, pineapple..
When using Tapioca pearls simmer the tapioca and milk for 20 minutes and slowly add in two well beaten egg yolks, then the salt and sugar. Cook 15 minutes more. Beat the 2 egg whites fluffy and fold in to the tapioca pudding mixture.
When using Rice use 1 cup rice and 3/4 cup raisins or currants. I like to add cinnamon too. Try it with Maple Syrup as the sweetener. Adding two beaten eggs makes it hearty.
To make Butterscotch use brown sugar and add a Tablespoon of butter.
To make Caramel place sugar in a dry saute pan over medium-high heat. Using a wooden spoon, stir constantly until the sugar melts and turns dark brown--do not let it go too brown or it will burn. Add a teaspoon of water and stir well. Mix the carmelized sugar with the milk and allow to cool completely. Then add the starch and proceed as usual.
When using Stevia only use a small amount. Stevia is a powerful sweetener so you must decide by taste how much is enough. Generally two small drops is equal to one teaspoon of sugar.

Some Popular Pudding Types:
   Almond
   Banana Cream
   Berry
   Boston cream
   Butterscotch
   Chocolate
   Coconut Cream
   Caramel
   Dulce De Leche
   Lemon
   Orange
   Peanut Butter
   Pistachio
   Pumpkin
   Rice Pudding
   Strawberry
   Tangerine
   Tapioca

Again, once you get the basics down you will be able to create many recipes on your own and adjust the ingredients to suit your taste.