This easy vegan custard recipe is silky smooth, perfectly creamy with vanilla flavor, and ready in just 15 minutes. No eggs, no dairy, and no one will believe it's plant based!
This Vegan vanilla Custard Recipe is quick, and easy to make. With its velvety and creamy texture, you'll want to put this pastry cream on everything.
Traditional custard is made with cow's milk, heavy cream, and egg yolks. But we aren't going to use any of those today!
Similar to my vegan vanilla pudding, this recipe uses soy milk as the base and cornstarch as a thickening agent. But there is one secret ingredient that makes all the difference; and that is vegan butter.
Use it to fill vegan cinnamon rolls, top your favorite cake, or eat it straight from the bowl (I won't judge!).
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Vegan Pastry Cream vs. Custard
You might be wondering if vegan pastry cream and vegan custard are the same thing. They're very similar, but there's one key difference.
Pastry cream (crème pâtissière) is a thicker version of custard that holds its shape when piped or sliced. It's the filling you'll find inside éclairs, cream puffs, and fruit tarts.
This recipe works as both. When warm, it has a pourable custard consistency that's perfect for drizzling over almond ricotta cake or dairy-free blueberry muffins. After chilling for an hour or more, it firms up into a pipeable pastry cream that's ideal for filling doughnuts and croissants.
What You Need for Vegan Vanilla Custard
Get all the details on these simple ingredients in the recipe card at the post's bottom.
- Soy milk: This is my top choice for the creamiest results. I don't recommend substituting with oat milk or almond milk here.
- Coconut milk: Use full-fat coconut milk from a can. You can also use soy cream or coconut cream as a substitute.
- Cornstarch: The key thickening agent that gives this custard its silky texture.
- Granulated sugar: I prefer granulated because it keeps the color bright, but brown sugar or maple syrup work too.
- Vegan butter: This is essential. It makes the custard rich and gives it that smooth, luxurious mouthfeel.
- Vanilla extract: A little goes a long way. For even more flavor, use a vanilla pod.
- Salt and turmeric: A pinch of turmeric gives the custard a beautiful yellow tint. You won't taste it at all.
How to Make This Vegan Custard Recipe
- Add the soy milk, coconut milk, cornstarch, sugar, vanilla, salt, and turmeric to a saucepan. Mix until the cornstarch has dissolved and no clumps remain.
- Place the saucepan on the stovetop and heat over medium heat, until it starts to simmer.
3. Once it's bubbling, reduce the heat to low and start wishing constantly until it thickens (2-3 minutes).
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the vegan butter. Transfer the custard into a large bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Let it cool completely before serving.
Top Tips
- Stick with soy milk. I've tested this recipe many times, and soy milk consistently gives the creamiest, most stable results.
- Whisk constantly. The mixture can burn quickly, so keep whisking and use low heat once it starts to simmer. Walk away for even 30 seconds and you might end up with a scorched bottom.
- Chill for at least 1 hour. Chilling helps the custard thicken and makes it easier to handle if you're filling pastries.
- Press plastic wrap directly on the surface. This prevents a skin from forming on top.
- Thin it out if needed. If your custard is too thick after chilling, whisk in a few tablespoons of soy milk until you reach your desired consistency.
- Smooth out lumps. If your custard looks lumpy, just whisk vigorously or blend with an immersion blender. It'll smooth right out.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can freeze it, but I don't recommend it because it thickens and the texture changes quite a bit. I always prefer to make it fresh since it takes just 10 minutes, but if you really have to, it will last for 1 month in the freezer.
Both vegan custard and traditional custard thicken after cooling and become rubbery. Don't worry, all you have to do is mix it really well with a whisk or blend it with an immersion blender.
Yes! All you'll need to do is stir 2-3 tablespoons of cocoa powder when you add everything in the beginning. Then, stir 6 ounces of dark chocolate alongside the vegan butter at the end.
Because we're using full-fat coconut milk you'd think that this custard tastes like coconut, but it doesn't. We're using a small amount and there are other ingredients that overpower the taste of it. However, if you don't like coconut, you can use soy cream instead.
Serving
There are so many ways to use this vegan custard. My favorite is drizzling it warm over apple cake or apple pie. It's also incredible over vegan ice cream.
Once chilled, use it to fill vegan fruit tarts, doughnuts, croissants, or cream puffs. It also pairs beautifully with vegan lemon poppy seed scones or as a topping for dairy-free pancakes.
Storage
Let cool to room temperature and whisk until smooth and creamy. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
I don't recommend freezing this custard. While it's technically possible (it will last up to 1 month frozen), the texture changes quite a bit upon thawing. Since this recipe only takes 15 minutes, I prefer making it fresh.
More Vegan Desserts
Equipment
- Saucepan
Ingredients
- ¾ cup soy milk
- ⅓ cup full-fat coconut milk (or plant-based cream of choice)
- 3 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (or more if desired)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon vegan butter
- A small pinch of salt
- A pinch of turmeric (for color; optional
Instructions
- Add the soy milk, coconut milk, cornstarch, sugar, vanilla, salt, and turmeric to a saucepan. Mix until the cornstarch has dissolved and no clumps remain.
- Place the saucepan on the stovetop and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it starts to simmer.
- Once it's bubbling, reduce the heat to low and start wishing constantly until it thickens (2-3 minutes).
- Remove from the heat and stir in the vegan butter. Transfer the custard into a large bowl and cover it with plastic wrap (make sure the plastic touches the surface of the pudding).
- Let it cool completely. Then, using a whisk or an immersion blender, mix until the custard is smooth and creamy and no clumps remain. Use right away or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Use soy milk for best results. This is the best plant milk for making custard because it's rich and creamy. Alternatively, you can use cashew milk.
- Constant stirring is key. The mixture tends to burn quickly, so try to whisk non-stop and cook it over low heat. Too high temperature and the bottom will burn within minutes.
- Chill for at least 1 hour. Chilling the custard helps it thicken further. It's also easier to handle when it's cool, especially if you want to fill pastries with it.
- Adjust the consistency as needed. After chilling, if your vegan vanilla custard is too thick, you can thin it out by mixing a few tablespoons of soy milk.
Nutrition
Post photography by: Petranka Atanasova.
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Boris
Sweet, light and the absolutely perfect filling for doughnuts! I definitely ate more than i should have.
Sherri Hall
Thank you so much, Boris! So glad you enjoyed the custard! 🙂