Skip the box and make your own vegan pudding mix at home! This simple, pantry-friendly recipe gives you two options: instant pudding mix or classic cook-and-serve. Both are vegan, work with any non-dairy milk, and serve as a flexible base for creating different pudding flavors!
This recipe is the result of necessity. For years I used and recommended the Whole Foods 365 instant vanilla pudding mix in my vegan banana pudding recipe. Unfortunately, they discontinued it, which is a shame because the flavor was great and the ingredients were better than others.
That led me to wonder what makes instant pudding mix different than regular pudding mix. Turns out the answer is simple and easy to replicate at home!
Instead of sharing just the recipe for instant pudding mix, I figured I'd give you two options:
- The instant version uses Clear Jel, a plant-based thickener made from modified starch that allows the pudding to set quickly without cooking.
- The classic pudding mix uses regular cornstarch (or arrowroot), and thickens on the stovetop.
If Instant Clear Jel is new to you, don't worry! The cook-and-serve version uses regular cornstarch and works beautifully.
Jump to:
Why This Pudding Mix Works
- Made with pantry-friendly, shelf-stable ingredients.
- No artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors like there are in Jell-O pudding.
- Ready in minutes. Even the classic stovetop version is quick!
- Flexible base recipe. Add cocoa, spices, extracts, or nut butters to create your favorite pudding flavors.
- Works with any non-dairy milk. Most box pudding mixes yield unpredictable results, but these even work with almond milk.
- BONUS: Add powdered non-dairy milk, such as soy, coconut, or oat, to the dry mix. Then just add water!
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Ingredients & Substitutions
Starch:
For the classic cook-and-serve pudding mix, regular cornstarch is all you need. Arrowroot starch is the best substitute.
For the instant pudding mix, I used King Arthur's instant clear jel; I wanted a smaller package since this was my first time using the product. Next time I'll buy this Hoosier Hill Farm Instant Clear Jel (more affordable). You might even find clear jel on the canning aisle of the grocery store since it's often used for thickening jams and pie filling.
Sugar:
For the most classic flavor, stick with regular sugar. I also tested coconut sugar in both versions. It lends a warm flavor similar to caramel or butterscotch. Coconut sugar worked well in the instant pudding. For some reason the cooked version didn't thicken as well, and I'm not sure why. More testing to come!
I also tested a sugar-free version with erythritol and unfortunately, can't recommend it. If you want to experiment with a sugar-free option, I would go with a 1:1 sugar substitute (these are usually a blend with stevia or monk fruit, not pure erythritol).
Vanilla:
I used this Nielsen-Massy vanilla powder because I had some on hand. There are many more brands available online. Another option is to skip the powdered vanilla, and simply add vanilla extract when you prepare the pudding.
Can I use this mix to make other flavors?
Absolutely! Obviously, what you can add to the shelf-stable mix is limited to dry ingredients, like cocoa powder or espresso powder. But when you're making pudding, have fun with different extracts, nut butters, citrus zest, creamers and milks.
Here's what I've tried so far:
- Chocolate Pudding Mix - For the mix, combine 1 cup cocoa powder, 1 cup cornstarch, 1 ¼ cups sugar, 4 teaspoons vanilla powder, and ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt. As mentioned in the Tips below, this one works best as a cooked pudding.
To make chocolate pudding, use 1 cup mix and 1 ½ cups milk. - Butterscotch Mix - In the cook-and-serve mix, replace the white sugar with brown sugar. When making pudding, add a pat of vegan butter at the end for extra richness.
For the instant version, use coconut sugar instead of regular sugar.
Tip: Since coconut sugar is coarse, I recommend blending it with the other ingredients until powdered. Also, note that coconut sugar is dried and absorbs liquid. So you need about 20-25% more milk. - Pistachio Pudding - Keep the base mix the same (reduce the vanilla if you like). To prepare the pudding, use a pistachio non-dairy creamer, such as Elmhurst's Oat Pistachio Creamer, or make your own extra rich pistachio milk:
- In a high-speed blender combine ½ cup unsalted shelled pistachios with 1 ¼ cups water or non-dairy milk. Blend until completely smooth. Adjust amounts as needed for the batch size.
Helpful Tips
After testing more pudding than any reasonable person should eat in a week, here's what I learned:
Use a handheld mixer or frother for instant pudding.
Instant clear jel is a strong thickener and, as the name implies, works pretty much instantly. To prevent lumps, I like to use a handheld mixer instead of whisking by hand.
Instant pudding is best the same day.
It thickens quickly but may loosen or separate slightly after sitting overnight in the fridge. If you're using it for a dessert like banana pudding, prepare the pudding the same day for the best texture.
Chocolate pudding tastes best cooked.
While you can make chocolate pudding with the instant mix, cocoa powder develops deeper flavor when heated. So for the best tasting chocolate pudding, use the cook-and-serve method.
Whisk constantly when cooking pudding.
For the cook-and-serve version, keep the mixture moving as it heats up to prevent lumps and ensure a silky texture.
How to substitute for boxed pudding mix.
Most boxed mixes contain about 3.4 ounces of dry mix. Depending on the version, the recipe makes 1 ⅓ to 1 ½ cups dry mix (roughly 7 ½ oz.). This is comparable to two standard boxes of pudding. Use ⅔ to ¾ cup of this homemade mix as a substitute in recipes that call for one (3.4 oz) box of pudding mix.
I hope you enjoy these two pudding mixes and have fun creating different flavors and desserts. I'd love for you to comment below and let us know what you make!
Recipe
Homemade Vegan Pudding Mix (Instant or Regular)
Equipment
Ingredients
For Instant Pudding Mix:
- ¾ cup Instant Clear Jel
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 teaspoons vanilla powder, optional - or add extract to prepared pudding
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
For Regular Pudding Mix (cook-and-serve):
- 1 cup cornstarch - or arrowroot
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 teaspoons vanilla powder, optional
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
For Prepared Pudding:
- 2-2¼ cups unsweetened non-dairy milk - such as soy, oat, coconut, almond
- optional: a source of fat such as cashews, nut or seed butter, coconut cream, etc - keeping in mind the affect on flavor and color
Instructions
To make the pudding mix:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the starch, sugar, vanilla powder, and salt. Transfer to an airtight jar or container, and store in the pantry. Whisk well before use.
- Note: The instant pudding recipe yields about 1⅓ cups dry mix. The cook version makes 1½ cups. Each is comparable to two standard (3.4 oz) boxes of pudding, or 6-8 servings. Feel free to double.
For prepared pudding (prep):
- First, decide whether you want to add a source of fat or any other flavors to the milk. For low-fat pudding, use non-dairy milk as-is (the result is light and sweet). For a richer pudding, blend the milk with your choice of added fat, such as cashews, pistachios, or a dollop of nut butter or coconut cream, for example. A combination of soy and oat milk blended with ⅓ cup cashews is a personal favorite.
To make instant pudding:
- Pour 2 cups non-dairy milk into a deep mixing bowl. If using vanilla extract, whisk it into the milk. With a hand mixer running on low speed (preferably with whisk attachment), slowly pour ⅔ cup dry mix into the milk. Moving the hand mixer around as you pour helps incorporate the mix and prevent clumps. The pudding will thicken quickly. You can adjust the consistency by adding more milk or mix. The flavor improves after 30-60 minutes in the fridge.
To make cook-and-serve pudding:
- In a heavy-bottom saucepan, whisk together 2¼ cups non-dairy milk and ¾ cup pudding mix.
- Place over medium-low heat and whisk frequently. As it gets hot, whisk constantly to avoid lumps. When just short of a simmer and slightly thickened, remove from heat. Whisk in vanilla extract if your mix didn't include vanilla powder. The pudding will thicken in the fridge.
- Immediately pour into a bowl or other dish, and refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 hour or until cold. Optional: to prevent a skin from forming on top, press a piece of plastic wrap on the surface before refrigerating.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used.
Johan says
Instant clear gel isn't something we have here in Sweden as far as I know. I can't work out what it is in order to substitute. Is it pectin powder or what is it? And do you have any recommends for substitution?
Lori Rasmussen says
Hi Johan. Do you think you might be able to order the Instant Clear Jel online? Basically it is modified cornstarch - modified meaning it has been altered to not require heat. I recently learned there is also modified tapioca starch, but I've never tried it. I think it's primarily used in gluten-free baking, so it may not be helpful here. So beyond seeing if you can order Clear Jel online (modified cornstarch), or making pudding the old fashioned way, unfortunately, I'm not sure.
Nina L Vecchi says
I love all your recipes! Do you have any other recipes that use the instant clear powder?
Lori Rasmussen says
Thank you, Nina! I don't have any others yet, but I've been thinking about all of the potential uses. Specifically, it could be a good substitute for agar agar, which I use quite a bit. It would be an easy way to firm up pie and tart fillings and some vegan cheeses, without any cooking.
Pam W says
Hi Lori,
Sounds like a great recipe. Thinking about other uses for clear gel. I've never used it (or even heard of it) before. Do you think it would work to thicken up homemade soy yogurt after the yogurt has fermented? If so, how much do you think one would need for a quart of yogurt? Or does clear gel need to be heated to work?
Thanks!
Lori Rasmussen says
Oooh, that's a really good question, Pam. It would need to be blended in somehow, and I'm not sure if it would tend to be lumpy. No, it doesn't need to be heated. A small test batch is definitely in order!