Publised on 19/10/2023. Last Updated on 06/12/2024 by Richard
My perfect vegan custard is smooth, glossy and packed with vanilla flavour. It's ideal hot or cold and is ready in minutes with only 5 ingredients.
I've been meaning to develop a classic vanilla vegan custard recipe for a while now, and I'm happy to say it's finally here. It's super easy to make, takes only minutes to whip up and requires only 5 ingredients.
What's more, this vanilla custard recipe is gluten free, dairy free and egg free, so it's perfect for all occasions and all people! Come one come all - vegan custard for everyone! I love to make this custard and pour it over my vegan crumble or even my vegan apple pie - controversial, I know!
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🧈 Vegan Custard Ingredients
Here's everything you'll need to make my vegan custard. Remember, this custard is the pourable kind, but it can be served hot or cold. Either way, you'll only need a handful of ingredients! Full recipe at the bottom of the page!
- Cornflour (aka cornstarch)
- Plant milk (unsweetened and unflavoured)
- Vanilla extract (or ideally, vanilla bean paste)
- Caster sugar (aka superfine sugar)
- Vegan butter
🔀 Ingredient Substitutions
There are only five ingredients in this vegan custard recipe, but if you need to swap some out, don't worry! Here's what I'd recommend!
Plant Milk - Soy milk works best for this recipe, but feel free to sub this for any plant milk. Your vegan custard will taste like almonds if you use almond milk, so avoid this one.
Cornstarch - The cornstarch in this recipe makes the custard thicken. If you'd like a thicker, scoopable custard that will set in the fridge, add an extra 2 tablespoon of cornstarch to this recipe.
Vegan Butter - This ingredient adds fat to the recipe and improves the mouthfeel of the finished dish. This can be replaced with vegan double cream or with deodorised coconut oil.
🍰 Making Vanilla Vegan Custard
Here's how to make my recipe. There are only really two steps - like I said, this is the easiest vegan custard recipe out there! Again, full recipe at the bottom of the page!
1. Combine the ingredients. For this one, it's important to whisk together the cornstarch with a little plant milk first, before adding the rest of the ingredients. Otherwise the cornstarch may be lumpy! If you forget and notice your ingredients are still lumpy, use an immersion blender to smooth things out!
2. Secondly and finally, heat over a medium low heat. This will cook the custard and cause it to thicken. Do not whisk too vigorously while cooking or you'll end up with a foamy custard. Once cooked, stir in the vegan butter until smooth and combined fully, then you're ready to serve!
🤷♀️ Vegan Custard FAQs
A: Most custard is made with milk, cream and eggs, so no. It is not traditionally vegan. However, this recipe is a great vegan alternative!
A: Vanilla extract is a natural product extracted from real vanilla beans. Vanilla essence is not natural, it is a synthetic version of vanilla flavour. Vanilla extract or vanilla beans are superior products.
Vegan Custard
Ingredients
- 2 ½ tablespoon cornflour aka cornstarch
- 450 ml plant milk unsweetened and unflavoured
- 3 teaspoon vanilla extract or ideally, vanilla bean paste
- 50 g caster sugar aka superfine sugar
- 50 g vegan butter
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the cornflour and 50ml of the plant milk. Once smooth, add the remaining plant milk, vanilla extract and caster sugar.2 ½ tablespoon cornflour, 450 ml plant milk, 3 teaspoon vanilla extract, 50 g caster sugar
- Place over medium low heat and stir constantly until the custard thickens.
- Remove the pan from the heat then immediately add the vegan butter. Stir vigorously until fully melted and incorporated into the custard.50 g vegan butter
- If serving warm, serve immediately. Alternatively, cover the surface of the custard with plastic wrap and leave to cool to room temperature then store in the fridge.
daniela
Hello,
i need cornstarch substitute - what would be my best option?
dani
this recipe has WAYYYYY too much butter + sugar in it in my opinion. i made it the first time with a bit less sugar than the recipe and it was still so sickly sweet, and unbearably rich from all the butter. the second time i used half the butter and sugar and it came out so much better and still delicious + thick. i also added a dash of turmeric for colour 🙂
jordy gastmeier
Epic emails full of the best ideas and recipes 😁 thanks heaps for taking the time to create such great beautiful content 💓 Vegan for life!!
Jess
Too runny
Dello
I wouldn’t use coconut oil as a substitute for vegan butter in this recipe. I don’t even think it needs any oil or fat in this recipe. My first attempt was a major flop because of adding refined deodorised coconut oil as instructed… But I'm very happy with my second attempt and the changes and additions I made!
Jd
Can it be frozen, can it be kept into the fridge overnight?
Michael
Loved it. Very good, I used Bourbon vanilla paste.
Dello
I wouldn’t use coconut oil as a substitute for vegan butter this recipe. I don’t even think it needs any oil or fat in this recipe. My first attempt was a major flop because of adding refined deodorised coconut oil. But I'm very happy with my second attempt and the coated and additions I made!
Mildred
I just made it and think it's lovely as is! Not too sweet for me, just right. Thanks!
Leita Tallman
I made a 1/2 batch.
I wanted a dessert to use up cherries that looked sad.
But something not super sweet.
I did this custard, & stewed the cherries with a bit of sugar, lemon juice & tapioca.
I modded the recipe a bit, what I had on hand presweetened vanilla flavored soymilk.
Which worked out just fine, omit the vanilla, & maybe taste before adding more sugar...
& I used coconut sugar. It added a nice caramel color.
Not sure if vegan butter adds much but mouthfeel...
CATRIONA MACAUSLAN
This could become a problem. Loved it.