Homemade Strawberry Pudding
This strawberry pudding is smooth, creamy, and made from scratch with real strawberries. Cooked gently on the stovetop and chilled until set, it has a soft, spoonable texture and a fresh strawberry flavor. It’s a simple homemade dessert that feels classic, comforting, and just a little special.
Strawberry pudding feels a little nostalgic to me — familiar, gentle, and quietly comforting. It’s one of those desserts that doesn’t need much to be good, especially when the strawberry flavor comes from real fruit.
This version is the one I prefer because it stays true to what pudding should be: smooth, creamy, and spoonable. It’s not a cake, not a mousse, and not a layered dessert — just a simple strawberry pudding made properly, the same way I make my vanilla and chocolate versions.
Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Pudding
- Real strawberry flavor – Made with strawberries, not artificial flavoring.
- Smooth and spoonable – A true pudding texture, not mousse or a layered dessert.
- Simple stovetop method – No complicated steps or special equipment.
- Make-ahead friendly – Sets beautifully and keeps well in the fridge.
- Versatile – Serve it on its own or dress it up with cream, fruit, or cookies.
- Naturally eggless, gluten-free, and nut-free – This pudding is thickened with cornstarch rather than eggs, which also makes it naturally gluten-free. Dairy-free milk can be used if needed, though the texture may be slightly lighter.
Ingredients and Substitutes
- Strawberries – Fresh or frozen strawberries both work well. If using frozen, thaw them first.
- Milk – Whole milk gives the creamiest texture, but low-fat milk also works.
- Sugar – Adjust slightly depending on how sweet your strawberries are.
- Cornstarch – Thickens the pudding and gives it a smooth, classic texture.
- Salt – A small pinch balances the sweetness.
- Butter – Adds richness and a silky finish.
- Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste rounds out the strawberry flavor.
Step-by-step: Easiest Strawberry Pudding with Strawberries
- Prepare the strawberries
Blend the strawberries into a smooth purée. Transfer to a saucepan and cook over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring, until slightly reduced and fragrant. - Combine and dissolve
Add the milk, sugar, cornstarch, and salt to the saucepan with the strawberry purée. Stir well until everything is fully dissolved. - Cook until thick
Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. - Finish with butter and vanilla
Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla until smooth and glossy. - Strain
Strain the pudding through a fine-mesh sieve for a smooth texture. - Chill
Divide into serving cups and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until fully set. - Serve
Serve plain, with whipped cream, or garnished with fresh strawberries.
Tips for the Best Strawberry Pudding
- Cooking the strawberry purée briefly concentrates flavor and improves texture.
- Stir constantly once heating begins to prevent lumps.
- Straining is optional but recommended for the smoothest result.
- Taste the strawberries first — sweeter berries may need less sugar.
Troubleshooting Table
| Issue | Likely Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Pudding too thin | Not cooked long enough | Continue cooking until it coats the back of a spoon |
| Grainy texture | Strawberry seeds or pulp | Strain through a fine-mesh sieve |
| Flavor too mild | Strawberries not concentrated | Reduce purée slightly longer |
| Skin on top | Exposed to air while chilling | Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap |
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Frequently asked questions
This strawberry pudding will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Absolutely! In fact, making strawberry pudding ahead of time can be quite convenient.
Yes. Thaw them first and drain excess liquid before blending.
Making your strawberry pudding vegan-friendly is easier than you might think. Instead of using dairy milk, you can substitute it with almond milk, soy milk, or any other plant-based milk alternative. Additionally, opt for a vegan whipped cream or coconut cream as a topping. With these simple swaps, you can enjoy a delectable vegan strawberry pudding.
No. Strawberry pudding is cooked and thickened, while mousse is typically whipped and lighter in texture.
You can, but it will thicken more as it cools and sets fully once chilled.
Easy Strawberry Pudding in 10 Minutes
This homemade strawberry pudding is smooth, creamy, and made from scratch with real strawberries. Cooked gently on the stovetop and chilled until set, it’s a simple classic dessert with fresh strawberry flavor and a silky texture.
Video
Ingredients
- 200 grams (1½ cup) Strawberries (fresh or frozen, thawed)
- 350 ml (1½ cup) Whole milk
- 65 grams (⅓ cup) Granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Method
- Prepare the strawberries – Blend the strawberries into a smooth purée. Transfer to a saucepan and cook over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring, until slightly reduced and fragrant.
- Combine and dissolve – Add the milk, sugar, cornstarch, and salt to the saucepan with the strawberry purée. Stir well until everything is fully dissolved.
- Cook until thick – Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Finish with butter and vanilla – Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla until smooth and glossy.
- Strain – Strain the pudding through a fine-mesh sieve for a smooth texture.
- Chill – Divide into serving cups and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until fully set.
- Serve – Serve plain, with whipped cream, or garnished with fresh strawberries.
Notes
- Cooking the strawberry purée briefly concentrates flavor and improves texture.
- Stir constantly once heating begins to prevent lumps.
- Straining is optional but recommended for the smoothest result.
- Taste the strawberries first — sweeter berries may need less sugar.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
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This was so tasty. Thank you – made it twice.
Thank you, Greg. So happy you had success with this recipe and enjoyed it too. Thanks for coming back to write this comment. Appreciate feedback. Have a great day.
You put milk and cream for the ingredients of the Eggleston pudding but in the instructions you said to put milk and cream in the classic egg based pudding. I didn’t notice this until I started to make it and hadn’t bought cream. Also I wish you could give an approximate time to cook the milk and egg mixture. The pudding I just made is not setting so I don’t know if I cooked it long enough. Could be that it just hasn’t had time to set but knowing an idea of timing would really help. Thank you for reading my comment.
Teresa. Sorry to hear that. The ingredients and method were correct but I think many got confussed with the method as there was quite a lot of similarity. Anyway, I have removed the classic Egg version out completely and only left the eggs to prevent any further confusions. The egg version however the classic vanilla pastry cream and you can see that full recipe here in detail. just add the extra ingredient like strawberry to the finished pastry.