Easy Vegan Custard Recipe | Homemade Vegan Vanilla Custard

This vegan custard recipe is super easy to make and totally delicious. Hot, creamy, sweet custardy perfection – this is a must try for all your comforting dessert needs.

Vegan Vanilla Custard
Vanilla and sugar are the most common additions to flavouring custard – and some of the most delicious in my opinion!
Although this recipe uses vanilla extract – I can imagine it would be taken to the next level with vanilla pods.
Vegan vanilla custard is just the tastiest thing – it tastes amazing lathered over a vegan apple crumble or these tasty Vegan Gingerbread Muffins, not to mention as filling for these vegan donuts. These are some of my favourite vegan dessert recipes indeed.
This dairy free custard sauce recipe is gluten free also, depending on what milk you use. Corn starch is naturally gluten free which helps a lot!

Where Does Custard Come From?
Traditionally, custard comes from Britain – but has since been popularised around the world. The famous “Birds” custard, interestingly was formulated by Alfred Bird in 1837 as his wife was allergic to eggs – the ingredient traditionally used to thicken custard!

Simple Ingredients
With a very few simple, basic ingredients that you probably have at home in your pantry, this homemade vegan custard sauce recipe is easily achievable.
Often, freshly shop bought custard contains eggs – which of course as a vegan custard we want to avoid.
I was so surprised to figure out how easy it is to make custard from scratch when I realised we had run out of some one Sunday lunch.
When you actually look at the ingredients of store bought powdered custard – it is mostly just “maize starch” also known as corn flour or corn starch!
- Corn Flour
- Caster Sugar
- Vanilla Essence
- Non-Dairy milk
- Tumeric powder (optional)
Milk and starch are generally the two key ingredients to make custard. This recipe uses oat milk which is fortified with calcium and B12 and a good source of protein. However some out great plant based milk options would be full fat coconut milk, almond milk or soya milk.
The tumeric or haldi as it is traditionally called, isn’t used for flavour in this recipe. However it brings that traditional yellow colour, which is totally optional. But I really love the yellow tint it brings. You only need a pinch of turmeric however, otherwise you will start to taste it.

Can you eat custard on its own?
Of course! This hot, creamy, yellow, silky deliciousness is perfect in a bowl on its own. Of course it makes those winter vegan puddings even more delightful too!
Custard can be eaten hot or cold – it just depends on your preference. I even enjoy a mix of textures in my dessert bowl – so imagine this hot silky custard, warm chocolate brownie or cake AND a dollop of vegan ice cream. So dreamy! Custard is delicious smothered over hot apple pastry desserts too. The list is endless!
You could even attempt to make a delicious custard tart once it has cooled and thickened.

How to make vegan custard
So with a few simple steps – you can recreate this liquid gold too in no time at all.
- Measure out a pint of plant based milk.
2. Take 1/3 cup corn starch and scoop out 1/3 cup of the dairy free milk from the pint. Whisk the corn starch and milk together to form a paste.
3. Then stir in 1/3 cup caster sugar. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence and a pinch of turmeric to this mix.
4. Then, add the remaining milk to a saucepan and turn the heat on. Whisk through the cornstarch paste we have just made.
5. Heat this on a medium heat, whisking or stirring constantly. On this medium heat, it will begin to bubble. The delicious vegan custard will soon begin to thicken and will be ready to serve!
Do a taste test to ensure it is to your liking. I find this recipe quite sweet – but follows the usual proportion of starch to sugar.

Can I use maple syrup?
Sure, if you prefer to use maple syrup instead of sugar thats fine. Simply add a smidgen more cornstarch to the mix to balance out the extra liquids. You won’t need much more though as its already a beautiful thick, creamy custard so a little maple won’t liquidise it too much.
Try this easy vegan custard recipe today – don’t forget about it the next time you are baking a vegan cake that it might pair well with. Make sure to add it to your vegan recipe book of classic vegan desserts too!
Vegan Custard Recipe

This vegan custard recipe is super easy to make and totally delicious. Hot, creamy, sweet custardy perfection – this is a must try for all your comforting dessert needs.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup corn starch
- 1/3 cup caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 1 pint of non-dairy milk
- Pinch of turmeric
Instructions
1. Measure out a pint of plant based milk.
2. Take 1/3 cup corn starch and scoop out 1/3 cup of the dairy free milk from the pint. Whisk the corn starch and milk together to form a paste.
3. Then stir in 1/3 cup caster sugar. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence and a pinch of turmeric to this mix.
4. Then, add the remaining milk to a saucepan and turn the heat on. Whisk through the cornstarch paste we have just made.
5. Heat this on a medium heat, whisking or stirring constantly. On this medium heat, it will begin to bubble. The delicious vegan custard will soon begin to thicken and will be ready to serve!
Notes
Do a taste test to ensure it is to your liking. I find this recipe quite sweet – but follows the usual proportion of starch to sugar.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 112Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 39mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 0gSugar: 15gProtein: 3g
this depends on serving size - this nutritional estimate is based on 6 smaller servings
Delicious! But I made more than I need. Can I keep it in the fridge and reheat?
Hello Cait, I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. It is definitely best eaten fresh. However if you are reheating you will need to ensure to whisk the remaining with a bit more plan tmilk – as the cornflour is a starch it can appear quite lumpy when removed from the fridge. Whisking it thoroughly as you heat it should return it to a creamy consistency.