Caramel Pudding

This caramel pudding is rich and smooth! It has a perfect thick custard texture and a deep caramel flavor! Serve alone or adorned with crumbled cookies and unsweetened whipped cream.

This caramel pudding will change your perspective on nostalgic pudding cups. This easy caramel custard has a velvety texture and has a deep caramel flavor from the homemade caramel sauce. And unlike those lunchtime pudding cups, this pudding isn’t too sweet. It stays in the fridge for months so that you can make this pudding anytime! 

If you are on a caramel kick and have extra caramel sauce, try my caramel cupcakes, caramel apple tart, or caramel swiss meringue buttercream. You can also make a double batch of this pudding, substitute it in my banana cream pie, make a crème légère, and use it for a caramel apples trifle with maple pound cake and apple compote.

Professional Tips for Making Caramel Pudding

• Make sure your caramel sauce is a deep rich color. For the richest and deepest flavor that is not too sweet, you want to make sure your caramel sauce has a deep amber color. You are adding this sauce to more sugar and milk. It will dilute it slightly, so you want to give the caramel a fighting chance. 
• Slow and steady wins the race. When cooking a stirred custard, patience is the game. Heating on medium heat will help prevent your pudding from burning or your eggs from curdling. Keep whisking! It will take a little longer but will give you a better product. 
• Choose a heavy-bottom pot that is the right size for your batch. You don’t want your pot to be too tall, or you won’t be able to reach the edges and risk burning your pudding. Too short of a pot, and you risk spillage when whisking. A pot with a heavier bottom will allow you to control the heat and keep the milk from scorching.

Ingredients

• Granulated Sugar: Sugar has many functions in this recipe. It adds sweetness, protects the milk from scorching, and protects the eggs from curdling. It has similar responsibilities in a crème anglaise!
• Cornstarch: Cornstarch is a thickener like the eggs, and it helps bind all the ingredients together when cooked. It will also prevent the pudding from separating. 
• Kosher Salt 
• Whole Eggs: The egg in a stirred custard is integral to thickening the pudding. I use whole eggs rather than egg yolks to keep the pudding from tasting “eggy.”
• Whole Milk: The milk is the liquid in the pudding. The fat adds flavor but isn’t essential like in some recipes, so feel free to use your favorite alternative or lower-fat milk. 
• Caramel Sauce: Use homemade caramel sauce or substitute your favorite store-bought caramel. Choose one that is dark in color and higher quality like this one from Williams Sonoma or try King’s Cupboard Organic Caramel Sauce.    

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

• Make a layer budino dessert! Layer this caramel pudding with chocolate pudding or vanilla pudding. Pipe alternating layers or swirl the puddings together! Top with slightly sweetened whipped cream and a tiny drizzle of butterscotch sauce, and you have a perfect after dinner dessert. 
• Infuse the milk. You can be very creative with your infusions. Try infusing corn for a caramel corn pudding. You could also try bananas, spices, or coffee. Heat the milk to a boil with your desired ingredient and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to infuse for an hour or more, depending on how strong you want the flavor to be. 
• Add your favorite liquor. Add up to 1 ½ tablespoons of dark rum, bourbon, or Bailey’s! Whisk in after the butter. If using bourbon, why not add some cherries on top? I know it’s a magnificent combo from my bourbon cherry caramel ice cream!
• Make caramel banana pudding. Substitute this caramel pudding for the vanilla in my banana pudding recipe!

How to Make this Caramel Pudding Recipe

Use these instructions to make the perfect creamy caramel pudding every time! Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

Prepare the pudding:

Step 1: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and kosher salt. Be sure to whisk all the clumps out of the cornstarch. 

Step 2: Whisk in eggs until smooth and homogenous. There should be no streaks of eggs and no lumps of cornstarch. Once fully incorporated, slowly whisk the milk into the egg mixture. 

Step 3: Have your caramel sauce scaled and ready before turning the heat on. 

Cook and cool the pudding: 

Step 4: Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until bubbly and thickened. Once the pudding has started to bubble, you will need to whisk for at least 1 minute to thicken your pudding and cook away the cornstarch flavor. Improperly cooked cornstarch also has an unpleasant mouthfeel. 

Step 5: Remove the pan from the burner and stir in your caramel sauce. Whisk until completely combined.

Step 6: Pour the pudding into a bowl, plastic lined sheet tray, or individual cups. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap touching the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Then, poke a few holes to allow the steam to escape. Refrigerate until set. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Before You Go

I hope you enjoyed this professional chef created recipe. Next try your hand at butterscotch pudding or dive deeper in pastry with our custard recipes like this pastry cream recipe!