BEST Homemade Butterscotch Pudding Recipe

November 17, 2025
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If you’ve never tried homemade butterscotch pudding, you’ve never really tried pudding. The artifiical snack packs are not really pudding, and the instant jello pudding doesn’t hold a candle to this butterscotch pudding recipe! Learn how to make home made butterscotch pudding from scratch for a truly delicious and satisfying dessert your whole family will love!

If you've never tried homemade butterscotch pudding, you've never really tried pudding. The artifiical snack packs are not really pudding, and the instant jello pudding doesn't hold a candle to this butterscotch pudding recipe! Learn how to make home made butterscotch pudding from scratch for a truly delicious and satisfying dessert your whole family will love!

home made butterscotch pudding

Pudding is not just for kids in snack packs! Delicious, homemade pudding recipes are rich, creamy, and chocked full of flavor that the whole family will enjoy! Until I moved to the south I didn’t realize how delicious pudding from scratch really was. It is AMAZING! You will love this butterscotch pudding that has a wonderful flavor, thick and creamy, and simple to make with real ingredients – no preservatives! I think once you try it you will agree this is the best butterscotch pudding recipe you’ve ever tried. Yum!

We have lots more yummy recipes to choose from including butterscotch coffee cake recipe, delicious butterscotch oatmeal, classic Robert Redford dessert,  easy 4 layer pudding dessert, and family favorite butterfinger dessert with vanilla pudding

All you need to whip up this wonderful dessert recipe are a few simple ingredients: whole milk heavy cream or heavy whipping cream  eggs cornstarch dark brown sugar water salt butter vanilla extract Optional topping: salted caramel, Heath Bar toffee bits, homemade whipped cream 

butterscotch pudding

All you need to whip up this wonderful dessert recipe are a few simple ingredients:

  • whole milk
  • heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
  • eggs
  • cornstarch
  • dark brown sugar
  • water
  • salt
  • butter
  • vanilla extract
  • Optional topping: salted caramel, Heath Bar toffee bits, homemade whipped cream
carmelize water brown sugar and salt

butterscotch pudding recipe

Whisk the 3/4 cup packed brown sugar, 3 Tablespoons water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a medium heavy duty saucepan over medium heat. Now, without stirring, allow the mixture to cook and lightly brown until it bubbles, about 5-6 minutes. It should begin to smell caramelized at that point.

HINT: If you prefer to be more exact and have a candy thermometer, you want it to be around 240°F (116°C).

whisk together whole milk and heavy cream

homemade butterscotch pudding

In a bowl combine 1 1/2 cups whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream. Then, slowly and carefully whisk milk mixture into the hot sugar mixture. It will sizzle and may splatter, so pour in slowly. Cook on medium heat until the mixture begins to boil once again.

pour tempered egg mixture back into pudding base

how to make butterscotch pudding

In another bowl combine 3 large egg yolks and 2 Tablespoons cornstarch. Once the mixture on the stovetop is boiling, remove about 1/2 cup of the mixture and, quickly and carefully whisk the 1/2 cup of the hot mixture into the egg yolks.

HINT: Keep those egg yolks moving so they don’t scramble.

remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla extract

cook and serve butterscotch pudding

Now pour the egg yolk mixture into the pot and whisk together. Turn the heat down to low as the pudding begins to bubble and thicken. Contine whisking and cooking for 1 minute or until it is the correct consistency. Remove from heat and stir in 3 Tablespoons softened butter and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Cool for 5 minutes, then pour into serving glasses or bowls.

pour into individual ramekins and cover with plastic wrap before refrigerating

butterscotch pudding recipes

Cover the bowl (s) tightly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.

Butterscotch Pudding

homemade butterscotch pudding recipe

Refrigerate for 4-6 hours or overnight until chilled and thickened.

Best butterscotch pudding

butterscotch pudding from scratch

Serve with optional toppings. Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Butterscotch Pudding from Scratch

butterscotch pudding from scratch

The pudding dessert is thick and creamy with a wonderfully rich flavor of butterscotch! Who knew pudding could be so decadent and delicious?!

Best butterscotch pudding

Homemade Butterscotch Pudding Recipe

Beth Gorden
If you've never tried homemadepudding recipes, you've never really tried pudding. Theartifiical snack packs are not really pudding, and the instant jello puddingdoesn't hold a candly to this butterscotch pudding recipe!Learn how to make homemade butterscotchpudding from scratch for a truly delicious and satisfyingdessert your whole family will love! 
5 from 5 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 3 large eggs yolk only
  • 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
  • 3 Tablespoons water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 Tablespoons butter softened
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Optional topping: salted caramel, Heath Bar toffee bits, homemade whipped cream

Instructions
 

  • I like to do a little prep on this recipe. Mix the whole milk and heavy cream in a bowl. In a second bowl, whisk together 3 large egg yolks and cornstarch.
  • Whisk the 3/4 cup packed brown sugar, 3 Tablespoons water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a mediumheavy duty saucepan over medium heat. Now, without stirring, allow the mixture to cook and lightly brown until it bubbles, about 5-6 minutes. Itshould begin to smell caramelized at that point.
    HINT: If you prefer to be more exact and have a candy thermometer, you wantit to be around 240°F (116°C). 
  • Slowly and carefully whisk milk mixture into the hot sugar mixture. It will sizzle and may splatter, so pour in slowly.
    Cook on medium heat until the mixture begins to boil once again. 
  • Once the mixture on the stovetop is boiling, remove about 1/2 cup of the mixture and, quickly and carefully whisk the 1/2 cup of the hot mixture intothe egg yolks.
    HINT: Keep those egg yolks moving so they don’t scramble. 
  • Now pour the egg yolk mixture into the pot and whisk together. Turn the heatdown to low as the pudding begins to bubble and thicken. Continue whisking andcooking for 1 minute or until it is the correct consistency. Remove from heat and stir in 3 Tablespoons softened butter and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Cool for 5 minutes, then pour into serving glasses or bowls.
  • Cover the bowl (s) tightly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.Refrigerate for 4-6 hours or overnight until chilled and thickened. 
    Serve with optional toppings. Cover and store leftovers inthe refrigerator for up to 4 days.
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Dessert Recipes

Learn how to make homemade butterscotch pudding from scratch with this yummy dessert recipe from scratch your whole family will love! 

Pudding Recipes

Learn how to make homemade butterscotch pudding from scratch with this yummy dessert recipe from scratch your whole family will love!t or potluck!

 

Beth Gorden is the creative multi-tasking creator of 123 Homeschool 4 Me. As a busy homeschooling mother of six, she strives to create hands-on learning activities and worksheets that kids will love to make learning FUN! With over 20 years educating children, she has created over 1 million pages of printables to help teach kids alphabet, math, science, English grammar, history, and so much more! Beth is also the creator of 2 additional sites with even more educational activities and FREE printables - www.kindergartenworksheetsandgames.com and www.preschoolplayandlearn.com. Beth studied at the University of Northwestern where she got a double major to make her effective at teaching children while making education FUN!

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5 from 5 votes (1 rating without comment)

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4 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Wow! That was so yummy! Thanks

    Reply

  2. 5 stars
    Fantastic! Great rich flavor

    Reply

  3. 5 stars
    That was super yummy and easy to follow. We will be making it again soon! Thanks!

    Reply