I have the best vanilla pudding recipe for you. Its flavor is incredible because it's made from scratch with whole foods and real vanilla beans. Not only is it gluten-free, but it's also dairy-free, oil-free, and doesn't contain any refined white sugar.
Trust me, it's possible, in less than 20 minutes and you will be amazed at how fabulous this gluten-free vanilla pudding it is without any milk, eggs, or cream.
Like our Decadent Dark Chocolate Mousse, the healthy ingredients in this luscious, plant-based dessert leave packaged vanilla pudding mixes in the dust.
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Top Tip
Whisk vanilla bean paste, cornstarch, agave syrup, and pink salt thoroughly into macadamia nut milk before heating the mixture to cook your pudding.
What makes pudding best?
Have you ever thought about what makes homemade pudding different from creme brulee, panna cotta, flan, or mousse? I think it's that soft and smooth, delicate texture unique to well-crafted pudding.
You know, how it's just stable enough to form a nice round mouthful on a spoon. Then it's enjoyable whether it's warm or thoroughly chilled.
Key Ingredient
So perhaps you're wondering how this gluten-free vanilla pudding gets its smooth, creamy consistency? The key ingredient that brings the magic is fresh, raw macadamia nuts.
Macadamias are one of the nuts highest in heart-healthy fats. They make luxurious dairy-free milk and their mild flavor and white color lend themselves to this creamy made-from-scratch pudding.
Ingredients
- Raw macadamia nuts - Pure fresh flavor that doesn't compete with vanilla. Rich in healthy fat for a creamy mouthfeel.
- Real vanilla bean - Seeds and pulp from vanilla bean pods flavor desserts like extract never can.
- Organic blue agave syrup - Light golden agave syrup is low on the glycemic index with a subtle vanilla-like taste.
- Non-GMO cornstarch - Naturally gluten-free. Non-GMO for healthy people and planet.
- Himalayan pink salt - A touch of salt brings out the sweetness in recipes.
Equipment
- Blender - A high-powered blender makes macadamia milk without soaking nuts.
- White cotton tea towel - Strain your nut milk through a sturdy, thin cotton towel and it will be silky smooth. Cotton handkerchiefs also work well.
- Saucepan - Any heavy bottom saucepan will do.
- Whisk - No kitchen is complete without a good whisk!
- Spatula - Helpful to cook and scrape all the finished pudding from the saucepan.
- Small sharp knife - To remove vanilla paste from the pod.
Steps
Even though this luxurious vanilla pudding tastes gourmet, the recipe is easy to prepare. You can prepare and cook this amazing dessert in no time.
- Make macadamia nut milk.
- Scrape paste from vanilla bean.
- Whisk cornstarch, agave, paste, and salt into homemade nut milk.
- Cook pudding while stirring constantly.
See how easy it is to have gorgeous, naturally gluten-free, and dairy-free pudding that's better than any mix you can buy?
It's rich, creamy, smooth, and marvelous warm or cold. You can enjoy it on its own, sprinkled with berries, topped with whipped cream, over squares of cake, or dunked with cookies.
I can't think of a more fitting home for two or three precious Jamaica cherries. Any way you serve it, your friends and sweethearts will thank you.
Expert tips
- Strain freshly made macadamia nut milk through tightly woven cloth and squeeze well to extract all the milk.
- Scrape the paste from half of a long vanilla bean pod. Measure out 1/16th of a teaspoon.
- Measure cornstarch before agave syrup if using the same tablespoon. That way cornstarch won't stick to the tablespoon and will be measured accurately.
- Use precisely three tablespoons plus one teaspoon of cornstarch in the recipe.
- Whisk cornstarch, agave, salt, and vanilla into macadamia milk before placing over heat.
- It's important to stir pudding constantly while it cooks to prevent lumps.
- A stiff heat-proof spatula works well to scrape the bottom of pan while cooking.
- Cover pudding while it cools. That way the top will stay soft and not create a film.
FAQ
Many flavors of Jello brand pudding are considered gluten-free by Celiac.com. However, if you want to avoid additives like dextrose, modified cornstarch, carrageenan, and polysorbate or artificial colors and flavors, homemade pudding made from scratch is the safest way to go.
No. The pudding won't be creamy enough and may have off-flavors. This recipe relies on fresh, homemade macadamia nut milk for its richness and incredible real vanilla taste.
Yes. Rich, homemade almond milk made with skinned almonds will make smooth, creamy pudding. Almond milk from the store won't be consistently rich enough to give good results. The recipe card below includes instructions on adjusting cornstarch when substituting homemade almond milk for homemade macadamia nut milk.
Pudding made with cornstarch thickens when it is chilled in the refrigerator. This homemade gluten-free vanilla pudding is thick enough before chilling to enjoy and thickens slightly after refrigeration. Both consistencies with this recipe are smooth, soft, and creamy.
More gluten-free dessert recipes
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📖 Recipe
Gluten-Free Vanilla Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw macadamia nuts
- 2 cups water
- ½ whole vanilla bean, scraped seeds and pulp only
- 3 TB plus 1 tsp. cornstarch
- 5 TB agave syrup
- ⅛ tsp. himalayan pink salt
Instructions
Make macadamia milk
- Place water and macadamia nuts in a high-powered blender. Blend for 2 full minutes until the mixture is very smooth.
Strain macadamia milk
- Drape a thin, tight-weave cotton tea towel over a saucepan and pour macadamia milk into cloth.
- Gather sides of cloth securely. Then knead and squeeze over the sauce pan until all the nut milk is extracted and only pulp remains in the towel.
- Discard the pulp or save it to add to wholesome baked goods.
Scrape vanilla bean
- First cut the vanilla bean pod in half crosswise. Then take a small sharp knife and make a long slit lengthwise down the center of the pod. Cut through the top layer of skin but keep the bottom of the pod intact.
- Pry the skin open and use the flat side of your knife to scrape all the pulp and seeds from the pod. Scrape several times down the length of the pod and you'll get a surprising amount of vanilla bean paste.
Whisk ingredients
- Whisk agave syrup, cornstarch, and vanilla bean paste vigorously into macadamia milk before turning on the burner.
Cook pudding
- Cook pudding over medium heat while whisking gently and continually. Once the mixture boils, cook for another full minute. By this time the pudding should be thickened.
Serve
- Pour hot pudding immediately into 4 serving dishes. Allow to cool at room temperature 30 minutes for warm pudding or refrigerate for cold pudding.
Store
- Store pudding in covered dishes in the refrigerator. Macadamia vanilla bean pudding keeps refrigerated for 5 days. Do not freeze.
Notes
- First cut the vanilla bean pod in half crosswise. Then take a small sharp knife and make a long slit lengthwise down the center of the pod. Pry the skin open and use the flat side of your knife to scrape all the pulp and seeds from the pod.
- Use the paste inside only for pudding. You can place the remaining vanilla bean pod in a small jar and cover it with spirits like rum or vodka. In 2 months you'll have your own homemade vanilla extract!
- Just start a jar with ½ cup of 80-proof alcohol like vodka, rum, or brandy. Add 3 sliced vanilla bean pods with their paste. In 2 months, your extract is ready and can be kept indefinitely.
- You can substitute almond milk for macadamia milk if desired. Just follow these guidelines and keep in mind the pudding will have a slight almond flavor.
- Make sure it is homemade and made with skinned almonds.
- Use 1 cup of skinned almonds and 2 cups of water to make rich milk.
- Reduce cornstarch to two tablespoons.
- Strain freshly made macadamia nut milk through tightly woven cloth and squeeze well to extract all the milk.
- Use precisely one tablespoon plus one teaspoon of cornstarch.
- Measure cornstarch before agave syrup if using the same tablespoon. That way cornstarch won't stick to the tablespoon and will be measured accurately.
- Whisk cornstarch, agave, salt, and vanilla paste into macadamia milk while it's cold.
- It's important to stir pudding constantly while it cooks to prevent lumps.
- Cover pudding while it cools. That way the top will stay soft and not create a film.
- Store pudding for up to 5 days in covered containers in the refrigerator. Do not freeze.
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