Sugar Free Pudding

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5 from 158 votes
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This sugar free pudding is rich, thick, and creamy, and made with just 7 simple ingredients! Ready in minutes, this instant vanilla pudding has less than 100 calories per serving! 

sugar free pudding

Sugar Free Pudding

When it comes to puddings and mousses, my favorite recipes to make are an almond milk pudding, peanut butter mousse, and this sugar free pudding.

Growing up, I was a huge fan of Jelo instant puddings. I loved how they could easily be made at home and came with a plethora of flavors. If you had a peek in the refrigerator, you’d find a bowl or two of instant pudding ready to be enjoyed. 

When I first starting cleaning up my diet, I switched to enjoying the sugar free pudding options. Over time though, I realized I was not reacting well to all the artificial sweeteners and fillers used in them. In fact, I noticed they actually made me hungrier! To combat this, I stole my mom’s classic pudding recipe and gave it a sugar free makeover!

I’ve been meaning to share a sugar free pudding recipe for quite some time. It’s been my go-to dessert that I make often, especially when I want a sweet treat after dinner. Now, this pudding may look incredibly fancy, but I promise you it is so easy to make!

No sugar and no flour are needed, but you’d never tell. The texture is thick, creamy, and perfectly gooey. It’s sweet and full of vanilla flavor, with no artificial aftertaste! 

A friend has recently started a sugar free month so I shared this pudding with them and they could NOT believe it was sugar free and low calorie- They thought it was better than store bought!

How do you make a sugar free pudding?

The Ingredients

  • Granulated sweetener of choice– I used allulose, but monk fruit sweetener or erythritol can be used. 
  • Cornstarch– Thickens the pudding and holds it together. 
  • Salt– Just a pinch to balance the sweetness. 
  • Milk– Whole milk is preferred, but reduced fat, almond, or soy can also be used. 
  • Egg yolks– A must for any good pudding. Gives it a light golden color and gives it extra creaminess. 
  • Butter– Unsalted butter or margarine. 
  • Vanilla extract– Gives the pudding the lovely vanilla flavor. 

The Instructions

Start by adding the sweetener, cornstarch, and salt to a bowl and mixing them together. Add it to a small saucepan and slowly whisk in the milk until combined. Place the saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it begins to boil. Let it boil for 1-2 minutes, before reducing it to low heat. 

Now, add around half a cup of the mixture into a bowl with the egg yolks and whisk together, until smooth. Add it back into the remaining mixture in the saucepan and continue to let it simmer for another 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and gently whisk in the butter and vanilla extract, until smooth.

Finally, pour the vanilla pudding into serving dishes or glass jars, before refrigerating them for at least an hour, to firm up. 

sugar free vanilla pudding

Tips to make the best sugar vanilla pudding

  • Don’t whisk in the egg yolks into the entire pudding mixture. It will cook the yolks too intensely, and affect the overall recipe. Add the egg yolks to a small bowl and pour a small portion of the pudding mixture into it, and whisk it together, before adding it back to the saucepan.
  • For a more intense vanilla flavor, split a vanilla bean pod into it.
  • If you use erythritol or monk fruit sweetener, you may need to strain the pudding through a sieve before refrigerating it. These sugar free sweeteners can sometimes crystalize. 

Flavor variations

The beauty of this instant sugar free pudding is that while the vanilla tastes delicious, you can easily change up the flavors for some variety!

  • Chocolate– Fold through 1/2 cup of cocoa powder into the mixture BEFORE adding the butter/vanilla. 
  • Banana– Add 1 teaspoon of banana extract and serve with sliced banana and whipped cream. 
  • Cheesecake– Whisk in 1/4 cup of softened cream cheese add the end. Be sure to whisk very carefully, to ensure no clumps remain. 
  • Butterscotch– Add 1/2 teaspoon of butterscotch extract. 
  • Lemon– Add 1-2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice OR 1 teaspoon of lemon extract. 

Storing and freezing pudding

  • To store: Vanilla pudding should be stored in the refrigerator, covered. It will keep well for up to 2 weeks. 
  • To freeze: Place leftover pudding in single serving containers and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. 

sugar free pudding recipe

More sugar free recipes to try

sugar free pudding

Sugar Free Pudding

5 from 158 votes
This sugar free pudding is thick, creamy, rich, and uses simple ingredients! Ready in minutes, this instant vanilla pudding comes in 6 flavor options!
Servings: 8 servings
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 15 minutes

Ingredients  

Instructions 

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the sweetener, cornstarch, and salt. Add it to a small saucepan and gently whisk in the milk until combined.
  • Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring it to a boil. Continue to whisk and let it boil for 1-2 minutes, before reducing the heat to low. Gently scoop out half a cup of the mixure and add it to a bowl with the whisked egg yolks. Whisk very well, until combined. Add the egg yolk mixture into the hot mixture in the saucepan. Simmer for another 3 minutes, before removing from the heat.
  • Gently whisk in the butter and the vanilla extract until combined. Distribute the pudding mixture amongst 8 small ramekins or serving dishes. Refrigerate the pudding for at least an hour, to firm up.

Notes

TO STORE: Vanilla pudding should be stored in the refrigerator, covered. It will keep well for up to 2 weeks. 
TO FREEZE: Place leftover pudding in single serving containers and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 85kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 3gFat: 6gSodium: 126mgPotassium: 87mgFiber: 1gVitamin A: 248IUCalcium: 75mgIron: 1mgNET CARBS: 4g
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Arman Liew
Tried this recipe?Give us a shout at @thebigmansworld or tag #thebigmansworld!

Arman Liew

I’m a two time cookbook author, photographer, and writer, and passionate about creating easy and healthier recipes. I believe you don’t need to be experienced in the kitchen to make good food using simple ingredients that most importantly, taste delicious.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This turned out so good dude! I did the variation (chocolate) as you mentioned because it’s going to be my base for this protein chocolate ice cream recipe I found. But, I had a lil leftover and added FROZEN cool whip to the pudding and OMG it was so good. I never knew making pudding was this easy AND I know exactly what’s in it and I can control what’s in it!

    It’s kind of sad that ALL these companies who make PUDDING like Jell-o, Royal, etc all use either sugar or aspartame. What BS lol.

    Thanks for making this easy Arman!

    1. 5 stars
      Skim milk will work just fine. It’s the proteins in milk that cause it to thicken when mixed with cornstarch or arrowroot. The major difference between whole milk and skim milk is the elimination of the butterfat. Skim milk actually has added nonfat “milk solids” (which are proteins that increase the content to about 3.7% compared to whole milk which is about 3.5%) — 2% low fat and 1% reduced fat milks similar but slightly lower protein contents than whole milk. By comparison, almond milk has only about 1% protein content, which would make it harder to thicken in this recipe.

  2. 5 stars
    I love this recipe! It’s so easy. I made a slight adjustment. I use 2 tbsp of Stevia and 2 tbsp of erythritol (erythritol burns if you use too much). Thanks for posting this recipe!

  3. 5 stars
    I made this into a layered banana pudding & it was great!! I mashed a banana & added it to the pudding at the end of the cooking. Used gluten free/sugar free sugar cookies crushed & layered half the pudding, a sliced banana & 1/2 the crushed cookies twice to make a small trifle. We really enjoyed it.

  4. Yum, a low calorie custard im not into keto but really enjoy that you have some low calorie recipes keep them coming

    1. 5 stars
      Any sweetener that can replace allulose or monkfruit — which is a 1:1 replacement for common granulated sugar — will work just fine. You’ll have trouble, however, trying to use highly concentrated sweeteners such as stevia powder or aspartame only because you have to guess how much to add compared to exchanges by weight or volume. Liquid sweetener such as corn syrup could work, but might require additional cornstarch to overcome the added liquid.