I love this custard recipe for its delicate texture and light vanilla flavor.
Rich, velvety, and delicate, this custard recipe comes together quickly on the stovetop. It’s made with ingredients you likely have on hand like egg yolks, milk and cream.
Serve it on its own, or use it as a cake filling, sauce, or topper!
What is Custard?
Vanilla custard is a pudding-like dish that contains egg yolk. Thickened with cornstarch, it’s also known as pastry cream and can be enjoyed on its own, layered in cakes, or dolloped onto fruit desserts or pastries.
- This recipe uses simple ingredients that are probably already in the pantry and fridge!
- Easy to make, custard up-levels everything from waffles to gingerbread to fruit desserts like this cranberry trifle recipe.
Ingredients Needed
- Dairy – The best custard is made from a mixture of fresh milk and cream.
- Eggs – You will need only the yolks in this recipe, use large eggs for the best results.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar lightly sweetens this custard recipe.
- Flavor – Vanilla extract adds flavor. It can be replaced with other baking extracts like rum, maple, coconut, lemon, or banana extracts will add more flavor to pies, tarts, and other desserts.
How to Make Vanilla Custard
A thick and creamy custard is easy to make:
- Whisk cornstarch & sugar in a pan before heating (per recipe below).
- Add egg yolks, milk, & cream. Bring to medium heat, whisking slowly until thickened. Stir in butter & vanilla.
- Cover the surface of the custard with a piece of plastic wrap & place in the refrigerator to cool.
Tips for a Creamy Custard
- Whisk the cold ingredients before heating.
- Heat the milk mixture over a low, gentle heat; this keeps the custard smooth without “scrambling” the eggs. Whisk while it cooks to avoid lumps or burning the milk.
- Once cooked, ensure the plastic wrap rests on the surface of the custard as it cools. This keeps a skin from forming.
- The custard will thicken slightly as it cools.
Storing Custard
Keep vanilla custard in the refrigerator for up to 5 days with a piece of plastic wrap directly spread across the top to avoid skin from forming.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this homemade custard recipe with fresh berries, over ice cream, or use it in pies or as a cake filling.
What do you serve with Vanilla Custard? Leave us a comment below!
Vanilla Custard
Ingredients
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 ¾ cups whole milk
- ¾ cup light cream
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, whisk granulated sugar, cornstarch, and a tiny pinch of salt (before putting it on the stove). Add egg yolks, milk, and cream. Whisk to combine.
- Heat the egg mixture over medium-low heat while whisking, until it begins to boil. This will take about 15 minutes. Once boiling, let bubble for 1 minute while continuing to whisk.
- Remove from the heat and stir in butter and vanilla.
- Pour into a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap allowing the wrap to rest on the surface of the warm custard.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until chilled.
Notes
- Mix the ingredients before heating.
- Heat over a low gentle heat, this keeps the custard smooth without “scrambling” the eggs.
- Whisk while it cooks or the milk can burn and the mixture won’t be smooth.
- Once cooked, ensure the plastic wrap rests on the surface of the custard as it cools. This keeps skin form forming.
- Custard will thicken slightly as it cools.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dessert, Dip, Sauce
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This was delicious! Question though – this was nice a thick and creamy the day I made it. We ate it the next day though, and by then it had a runny texture, like that of melted ice cream.
Is this best served day of?
Oh no, I haven’t had this problem even after storing it overnight. I’ve done a little bit of research into the science of custard, and it appears that it may have needed to cook just a little bit longer, did you let it boil for the full minute? I hope that helps!
Very tasty but it curdled…maybe over cooked?
Hmm, it could have been cooking on too high of heat, Jo. Glad you liked the taste though!
So easy to make! No fuss at all! And it works beautifully! Just remember to use UNsalted butter, otherwise with the added pinch of salt, it is slightly too salty! But it was still very yummy!
I put a bit more cream because I ran out of milk. I also used heavy cream because I had it on hand. still came out great. Good easy recipe.Thanks!
This was absolutely perfect and delicious. Easy to follow directions.
Why do you call it custard? It’s pudding, custard is not made with cornstarch, the eggs provide the thickening agent. I love a lot of your recipes and enjoy your posts and recipes.
So happy you enjoyed it, Molly!
This turned out great
Cindy- You have a last name that I know very well!! Jessica has been my friend for almost 30 years. Art and Lorraine as well! Such a SMALL world!
What if my ingredients at the moment are very limited and I have no vanilla extract, maple syrup, any various extracts, or rum, brandy or any other alcohol that are used as flavourings? What can I use to replace that? I think we have honey and corn syrup. I was hoping to make custard as a cupcake filling for a family bbq this weekend, planning to make it tomorrow/today (it’s currently almost 3am).
Hi Lina, for flavor I would add the zest from any citrus fruit. Lemon, lime, orange, or grapefruit would all be delicious!
The recipe was well written and easy to follow. I made it for a filling for my husbands birthday cake and everyone like it. The flavor was perfect because the custard was not too sweet and a good vanilla flavor. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
This was a wonderfully simple yet delicious custard! I injected some alongside a delicious raspberry preserve into fresh croissants!
Absolute heaven!
Unsalted or salted butter?
Doesn’t specify.
Either will work, I prefer unsalted in this recipe.
Amazing is all I have to say
I am so glad you enjoyed this custard recipe Maria!
cool it down before putting in the fridge?
I did not cool it before putting it in the refrigerator. Enjoy Kim!
Will this be enough to make an 8 or 9 inch Boston Cream Pie?
While there will be enough custard for a Boston Cream Pie recipe, it may not be thick enough Bill. You can thicken it further with cornstarch or use this Boston Cream Pie recipe.
Loved this custard. Mine took closer to 30 minutes to come to bubbling on a med-low heat but could be my stovetop. The wait was worth it.
So glad you loved it Karen!
Very very smooth creamy and tasty….warm or cold. Used whole milk and half n half for liquid part. Thanks for sharing recipe!
I am so happy to hear you loved this custard recipe Maria!
My mom used to add less milk because she wanted it super thick to use the custard and make butter cream icing. I also remember her to use a butter stick and lightly rub the stick over the surface of the hot custard to prevent a skin forming. Icing has one stick butter and about 2 cups of confection sugar and beat till smooth, then she would add small amounts of custard at a time, about a 1/4 of the custard recipe. She also added different extract flavors to the icing, but my favorite was mocha.
Such a sweet memory, thanks for sharing Clasina! Your mom’s tips sound great.
Can the Vanilla Custard recipe be used to make banana cream pie exactly as the listed instructions? I’m interested because most all recipes for custard to be used in pies require tempering the eggs. This recipe seems so much easier. Thank you
Hi Nancy, we have not tried using this recipe in a pie but I think it should hold up well. You will have to let us know how it turns out!
I’m from South Africa and back here we like to serve custard with winter desserts especially Malva pudding or Tipsy tart, totally divine.
I haven’t heard of Tipsy Tart before but just looked it up and it sure sounds delicious, thank you for sharing!
I’m having company for Sunday breakfast. I’m adding a fruit bowl. I was thinking of making your custard to put on top of the fruit. I think that would be yummy.
That would be delicious! It’s perfect for guests since it’s best made ahead of time so it can cool.
Do you think this custard would be firm enough to use for filling for cream puffs?
I’m thinking of making for Sunday’s dessert.
Hi Sara, I don’t think it will be firm enough hold up in a cream puff but I would love to hear how it turned out for you!