Incredibly rich and velvety smooth homemade butterscotch pudding made with simple ingredients and easy to make. The perfect amount for one person to enjoy!
You can't beat the flavor of homemade butterscotch pudding. It's extra rich and buttery and when butterscotch pudding is made from scratch it is absolutely heavenly!
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What Is Butterscotch Pudding?
Homemade butterscotch pudding is basically caramelized brown sugar and butter cooked together along with milk, cream, an egg yolk, a splash of vanilla, and a few pantry staples. It's luxuriously creamy and incredibly rich.
Why This Recipe Works
- Quick and easy to make: Butterscotch pudding may seem like a complicated dessert to make, but it's not. The mixture cooks on the stove and then we like to refrigerate the pudding for an hour or so before we enjoy it.
- Tastes 100% better than instant box pudding: If you've tried butterscotch pudding from a box, you haven't really tasted butterscotch. Butterscotch made from scratch is much creamier and smoother - and you can't beat its incredible flavor!
- Recipe doubles well: This single serving butterscotch pudding recipe yields one good-sized bowl of pudding. If you'd like to make a second dessert, just double the ingredient amounts.
- Made with pure ingredients: With this homemade pudding recipe, you won't find any artificial thickeners or flavorings - just real ingredients, many of which you likely already have in your fridge and pantry.
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Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
See below for ways to use leftover ingredients.
- Cornstarch: This ingredient helps to thicken the pudding.
- Brown sugar: You can use either light or dark brown sugar but if you use dark brown sugar you will find that the color of the butterscotch pudding will be darker and the butterscotch flavor will be much more intense. If you don't have brown sugar, use our small batch brown sugar recipe to make your own.
- Salt: A small amount of salt enhances the flavors in desserts.
- Vanilla extract: This ingredient contributes to the rich taste of the pudding.
- Milk: I recommend using whole milk.
- Heavy cream: Use heavy whipping cream or heavy cream. Both of these ingredients are essentially the same - they both have over 36% milk fat, and the name often depends on the brand. You can use 1 cup of half and half instead of milk and cream if you prefer.
- An egg yolk: The egg yolk works with the cornstarch to thicken the pudding. See below for ways to use the leftover egg white.
- Butter: Since you are using a small amount of butter, use salted or unsalted.
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How To Make Butterscotch Pudding For One
See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Make a cornstarch slurry: Stir together cornstarch and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Slowly add the milk and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Make sure there are no lumps.
Pro Tip: Cornstarch helps the pudding to thicken but we don't pour the cornstarch directly into the simmering butterscotch mixture. Instead, we create a "slurry" of cornstarch and milk and pour it into the pot. Making a slurry is a way to add cornstarch so that it doesn't clump. Cornstarch needs to be heated to a boil before it can gelatinize the pudding.
- Whisk in the egg yolk and set the bowl aside.
- Melt the butter and brown sugar: To make the butterscotch, melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan set over medium-high heat. When the butter has melted, stir in the brown sugar.
- Cook the butter and brown sugar: The sugar will look grainy at first, but stir constantly until the brown sugar completely melts and becomes a liquid.
- Stir in the cream: Remove the pan from the heat. Slowly stir in the cream. Be careful when you do this, the cream and sugar will steam but continue to stir. The sugar will clump together. It is normal for sugar to seize into hard bits when cream is added.
- Return the pan to the stove, reduce the heat to low, and continue to stir until the sugar has melted and is smooth. If you've ever wanted to make caramel, this is how it's made. If you stop here, you've just made caramel!
- Add butterscotch to the cornstarch slurry: Remove the pan from the heat and very slowly add the hot butterscotch to the bowl with the cornstarch, milk, and egg yolk and whisk.
Pro Tip: This is called tempering the egg yolk. Tempering means adding a hot liquid to eggs. If you simply pour the hot ingredients into the egg mixture, you will end up with a cooked egg. The goal is to slowly bring up the temperature of the egg gradually. To temper the egg yolk, start by adding approximately 1 teaspoon of the hot butterscotch mixture to the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Then, very slowly add another teaspoon to the bowl with the egg yolk while continuously whisking. Continue until all of the butterscotch is in the bowl with the cornstarch. Be sure to keep the egg moving so that it doesn't scramble.
- Return to the pan and cook: Pour the tempered cornstarch slurry into the pan. Raise the heat to medium-high and stir constantly until the mixture comes to a steady boil.
- Continue to cook the butterscotch: Once the butterscotch comes to a full rolling boil, continue to stir and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add vanilla extract: Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Carefully pour the butterscotch into a bowl or glass container and chill for at least an hour.
Pro Tip: Cover the surface of the pudding with plastic wrap, this will prevent a "skin" from forming on the pudding.
Expert Tips
- Read through the entire recipe before starting. This recipe goes quickly so have all of your ingredients close by before starting. Also, read through the entire recipe and review the ingredient notes. Look through the photos in the recipe post that show the process of making homemade butterscotch pudding. The photos will help you to see how the pudding comes together.
- Be careful when heating sugar and butter. This is a very simple recipe. You just have to be comfortable with cooking sugar on a stove because melted sugar gets very hot. Use a deep saucepan and go slowly.
- Don't skip the slurry: Making a cornstarch slurry by mixing cornstarch with milk and the egg yolk before adding it to the pot practically guarantees that you will not have any lumps in your pudding. Just mix well until the mixture is smooth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Butterscotch is a simple mixture of butter and brown sugar. It has a buttery, almost caramel-like flavor.
After you make the pudding, be sure to refrigerate it for at least 1 hour. It will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Yes! If you'd like to make a second batch of butterscotch pudding, just double the ingredient amounts.
I use a 2-quart saucepan when I make a single serving of butterscotch pudding. For best results use a pot of similar size.
If you would like additional information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.
Yes! Butterscotch pudding made from scratch is gluten free.
Serving Suggestions
Although I love homemade butterscotch pudding just as it is, you might like to enjoy it with a dollop of whipped cream.
You may also like to make a small butterscotch pie by spooning the cooked butterscotch pudding over a graham cracker crust in a 10-ounce ramekin or in a dessert bowl.
What To Do With Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this butterscotch pudding recipe, you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
- Egg white: Meringues, Coconut Macaroons, 2 Vanilla Cupcakes, Mini Texas Sheet Cake, Mini Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Cornstarch: Caramelized Banana Pudding, Mini Lemon Meringue Pie, Mini Cherry Pie, Mini Coconut Cream Pie, Mini Pecan Pie
- Milk: Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Pralines, Hot Chocolate, Strawberry Milkshake, Biscuit With Sausage Gravy
- Brown sugar: Mini Spice Cake, Apple Crisp, Oatmeal Cookies, Bananas Foster, Ham Steak
- Cream: Cauliflower Casserole, Alfredo Sauce, Mini French Silk Pie, Mini Boston Cream Pie, Strawberry Icebox Cake
- Vanilla: Crustless Pecan Pie, Peanut Butter Fudge, Vanilla Ice Cream, Banana Bread, Peach Scones
If you’ve tried this butterscotch pudding or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see!
Recipe
Butterscotch Pudding For One
See the post above for expert tips,
FAQs and ways to use leftover ingredients.
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
- whipped cream , optional for topping
Instructions
- Stir together cornstarch and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Slowly add the milk and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Make sure there are no lumps.
- Whisk in the egg yolk and set the bowl aside.
- Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan set over medium-high heat. When the butter has melted, stir in the brown sugar.
- The sugar will look grainy at first, but stir constantly until the brown sugar completely melts and becomes a liquid.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Slowly stir in the cream. Be careful when you do this, the cream and sugar will steam but continue to stir. The sugar will clump together. It is normal for sugar to seize into hard bits when cream is added.
- Return the pan to the stove, reduce the heat to low, and continue to stir until the sugar has melted and is smooth.
- Remove the pan from the heat and very slowly add the hot butterscotch to the bowl with the cornstarch, milk, and egg yolk and whisk.Pro Tip: This is called tempering the egg yolk. Tempering means adding a hot liquid to eggs. If you simply pour the hot ingredients into the egg mixture, you will end up with a cooked egg. The goal is to slowly bring up the temperature of the egg gradually. To temper the egg yolk, start by adding approximately 1 teaspoon of the hot butterscotch mixture to the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Then, very slowly add another teaspoon to the bowl with the egg yolk while continuously whisking. Continue until all of the butterscotch is in the cornstarch mixture. Be sure to keep the egg moving so that it doesn't scramble.
- Pour the tempered cornstarch slurry into the pan. Raise the heat to medium-high and stir constantly until the mixture comes to a steady boil.
- Once the butterscotch comes to a full rolling boil, continue to stir and cook for 2 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Carefully pour the butterscotch into a bowl or glass container and chill for at least an hour.
Notes
- Read through the entire recipe before starting. This recipe goes quickly so have all of your ingredients close by before starting. Also, read through the entire recipe and review the ingredient notes. Look through the photos in the recipe post that show the process of making homemade butterscotch pudding. The photos will help you to see how the pudding comes together.
- Be careful when heating sugar and butter. This is a very simple recipe. You just have to be comfortable with cooking sugar on a stove because melted sugar gets very hot. Use a deep saucepan and go slowly.
- Don't skip the slurry: Making a cornstarch slurry by mixing cornstarch with milk and the egg yolk before adding it to the pot practically guarantees that you will not have any lumps in your pudding. Just mix well until the mixture is smooth.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Marie says
I doubled the recipe and it turned out great! I found myself wishing for more sweetness, can I add in some white sugar with the brown?
Joanie Zisk says
Hi Marie, I haven't tested this pudding recipe with more sugar but I suggest you try it.
Heather says
I made this for my husband, but it turned rubbery and was almost completely solid after I stuck it in the fridge. Did I overcook it?
Joanie Zisk says
Hi Heather,
That's frustrating, I'm sorry your pudding didn't turn out as planned. It is possible that it was overcooked. If you try this recipe again, keep a close eye on the time. Also, make sure that the cornstarch "slurry" is well mixed and that no lumps remain. This should also help. Please keep me posted.
Joanie
Abeer says
I usually just make a classic chocolate pudding but this looks so wonderful and would be a wonderful change!