Old Fashioned Butterscotch Pudding

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It contains classic, familiar flavors – Butterscotch evokes comforting childhood memories for many people.
• Easy to make! The instructions are easy to follow and there are no hard-to-find ingredients needed.
• Pretty presentation – serving the pudding in individual dessert cups makes for a lovely presentation when topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of crunchy turbinado sugar.

🍳 Tools You’ll Use

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• Medium saucepan.
• Wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula.
• Small bowl.
• Measuring cups and spoons.
• Dessert dishes or ramekins.
• Electric or hand mixer – optional if making homemade whipped cream.

🛒 Ingredient Notes

• Light brown sugar – Provides the rich, caramel-like flavor essential to butterscotch. I typically use Domino brand light brown sugar.
• Cornstarch – The thickening agent for the pudding. Argo always works for me.
• Evaporated milk – Used for its concentrated, creamy consistency which creates a rich pudding texture. Both Carnation and Pet brands are widely available and equally good.
• Butter – Make sure the butter is room temperature butter so that it incorporates easily into the pudding.
• Vanilla Extract – Enhances the buttery, sweet flavors of the pudding.
• Whipped cream – Adds a light, airy contrast to the pudding. Use either purchased whipped cream or homemade.
• Turbinado sugar – This is a coarse, unrefined sugar with a pleasant crunch and sparkle.

🥄 How to Make Old Fashioned Butterscotch Pudding

1. Start by combining the sugar and cornstarch in a heavy-bottomed, medium saucepan. Add the evaporated milk and water, stirring until everything is combined.
2. Place the mixture over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture just barely comes to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat.
3. In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg. To the egg, add a small amount of the hot milk mixture, stirring rapidly to combine it with the beaten egg.
4. Quickly add the egg and milk mixture back to the milk mixture in the saucepan.
5. Put the saucepan back on the heat and cook, stirring constantly and rapidly, for about 1 minute.

6. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter one piece at a time allowing each to melt completely before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla.
7. Pour into dessert dishes. Refrigerate for at least one hour or until firm (best if refrigerated 8 hours or overnight).
8. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.

🍚 Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

Butterscotch pudding may be made up to 3 days in advance. Pour into individual dessert dishes and cover each with plastic wrap making sure the wrap is in contact with the surface of the finished pudding to prevent a skin from forming.

Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Before serving, top each dish with the garnishes.

Store any leftovers covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

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