Tapioca Pudding
22 Comments
Updated Aug 09, 2024
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Tapioca pudding made from scratch is a classic pudding recipe! Six simple ingredients are cooked and mixed to form the creamiest pudding with perfectly chewy tapioca balls. It’s an easy and budget-friendly dessert that can’t be beaten.
Tapioca pudding is one of my mom’s favorite desserts. And as a kid I thought the little tapioca balls were fun to chew on. Today, it remains one of my most frequently made pudding recipes – I just love the creamy vanilla flavor and it turns out perfectly every time!
So what are tapioca pearls? Tapioca is a starch extracted from the cassava root. The pulp is then squeezed to extract a starchy liquid and used to form delightfully chewy tapioca pearls. If you’ve ever drank boba tea, you’ve enjoyed larger tapioca pearls. And the tapioca pearls used in this recipe are small ones.
This homemade tapioca pudding is a dreamy combination of creamy custard and chewy tapioca goodness. The texture is somewhat similar to rice pudding or chia pudding, though I think tapioca pudding is a standout in it’s own right!
Tapioca Pudding Ingredients
- Whole Milk: This is the ideal choice for the creamiest base. But if you’re dairy-free, you can swap that for any dairy-free milk (such as oat milk, almond milk, or cashew milk) and a heavy cream such as coconut cream.
- Sweetener: Any liquid sweetener will work, such as honey or maple syrup.
- Small Tapioca Pearls: Make sure to buy small tapioca pearls, not instant tapioca (also known as “minute tapioca”). I’ve linked my favorite brand in the recipe card below.
- Eggs: Although this is a pudding, it’s more of a custard egg base thickened with tapioca pearls. So two eggs are needed.
- Vanilla Extract & Salt: A dash of both give the pudding extra flavor.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
How To Make Tapioca Pudding
Heat the milk and cream. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the milk, cream, and honey. Whisk together and bring to a simmer.
Cook the tapioca. Add the tapioca pearls to the saucepan, then reduce the heat to low. Stir intermittently, for about 10 to 20 minutes, until the mixture has slightly thickened and the pearls have softened. Note: The time can vary based on the brand of pearls, so make sure to read the back of your package.
Temper the eggs. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and salt. While continuously whisking, slowly pour half of the hot cream mixture into the bowl. Don’t pour too fast, or the eggs will curdle!
Stir Together. Return the tempered egg mixture to the saucepan and stir together over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the pudding has thickened. Keep in mind that the pudding will continue to thicken as it cools.
Serve. Serve warm immediately or chilled. If chilling, transfer the tapioca pudding to a bowl and cover the top with plastic wrap (directly touching the surface of the pudding) to prevent a skin from forming. Chill it in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight and serve cold. If the tapioca pudding thickens too much after chilling, simply thin it back down by stirring in a few tablespoons more milk.
Flavor Variations
- Spiced Cinnamon: Add dashes of cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom for a warm, spiced touch.
- Orange Vanilla: Stir in orange zest to add a hint of citrus to the sweet vanilla base.
- Creamy Chocolate: Stir in cacao powder in step 4 after you add the egg mixture.
- Fresh and Fruity: Add your favorite fresh fruit on top such as berries, sliced peaches, and more.
Common Questions
Yes! Make sure you use small tapioca pearls for this recipe. Larger pearls will require more time and a different ratio of ingredients.
No, you do not need to soak these tapioca pearls. Keep in mind that different recipes exist online and some may instruct you to soak the tapioca pearls, but you do not need to do so for this recipe, which I’ve tested and made numerous times. I simply add more milk to the recipe rather than soak the pearls, for a faster recipe.
Storage Tips
- To store for the week: This is a great dessert that can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can keep it in a bowl covered tightly with plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container.
- To freeze for later: Good news – you can freeze tapioca pudding! Store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just thaw it in the fridge the night before, and give it a stir before serving.
More Easy Desserts
- Panna Cotta: This Italian custard couldn’t be any easier.
- No Bake Cookies: The best no-bake cookie for the holidays.
- Homemade Nutella: This version is 10x better with no funky ingredients.
- Chocolate Chia Pudding: A delicious and healthy chocolate treat.
- Or take a peek at this category of dessert recipes!
I hope you love this homemade tapioca pudding! If you make it, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this recipe in the comment box below. Your review will help other readers tremendously.
Tapioca Pudding (Easy From Scratch!)
Description
Video
Ingredients
- 3 cups whole milk
- ⅓ cup honey or maple syrup
- ½ cup small pearl tapioca, and not instant "minute tapioca"
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Heat the milk. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the milk and honey. Whisk together and bring to a simmer.
- Add the tapioca. Add the tapioca pearls to the saucepan, then reduce the heat to low. Stir intermittently, for about 10 to 20 minutes, until the mixture has slightly thickened and the pearls have softened. The time can vary based on the brand of pearls, so make sure to read the back of your package.
- Temper the eggs. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and salt. While continuously whisking, very slowly pour half of the hot cream mixture into the bowl. Don't pour too fast or the eggs will curdle.
- Stir Together. Return the tempered egg mixture to the saucepan and stir together over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the pudding has thickened. Keep in mind that the pudding will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Serve. Serve warm immediately or chilled. If chilling, transfer the tapioca pudding to a bowl and cover the top with plastic wrap (directly touching the surface of the pudding) to prevent a skin from forming. Chill it in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight and serve cold. If the tapioca pudding thickens too much after chilling, simply thin it back down by stirring in a few tablespoons more milk.
Nutrition
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This recipe is AHH-mazing! Since I am DF/GF, I used coconut milk and it turned out beautifully.
Happy to hear your tapioca pudding turned out great, Kelli!
Hello just FYI the calories for this are very incorrect.
Thanks so much for the catch, Rachel! I’ve now fixed it. :)
Superb . I used the tuber tapioca and boiled and chopped. I added a dash of cardamom powder .
I suppose the Indian taste buds came alive!
Hi Mary – Happy to hear your tapioca pudding was a success!
So good! Love that it’s sweetened with maple syrup! I used Bob’s Red Mill small tapioca, fresh whole milk from a local dairy, two giant eggs from our henhouse and homemade double fold vanilla (two teaspoons because I have a vanilla fetish) and Colima unrefined sea salt. The recipe is easy to follow and it turned out astonishingly delicious! Which leads me to why there is no photo except…of the empty dish! 😋
Hi Shannon – Thrilled to hear you loved this tapioca pudding and found it easy to make!
Can you make tapioca pudding with dark or black tapioca pearls?
Hi Theresa – I haven’t tried this with black tapioca balls. But, I think it could be the same.
We love this pudding! The first time, I made it according to your directions. The second time, since I don’t like standing over the stove so long, I opted to soak the tapioca in 1 cup of the milk beforehand. That shortened the ‘stand over the stove stirring’ to about 5 minutes instead of the 20 minutes it took the first time I made it. But either way, it was delicious. Thank you for the recipe!
Hi Karen – I’m glad you love this tapioca pudding!
I have made minute tapioca since I was a teen and never knew any different until making this Wow! It’s fantastic! Thank you Lisa
Happy you loved it, Sharon!
Hi
Just made this, even if finding tapioca pearls is a hasle in Sweden. So good, so much better than the US bought
version. Made with homemade vanilla extract (strong alcohol %🫣), so the vanilla was very noticeable, which I like.
I’m happy you loved it, Tracey!
Just made this and added cacao chocolate. I was ver intimidated to temper the egg, but I trust Lisa’s directions. I tasted it warm and it’s fabulous!! It’s going to be that much better cold!!!!! Anxiously waiting the two hours until we can eat it! I’m a no sugar or chocolate person due to Crohns Disease so I may have found a dessert I can actually eat!!! Thank you Lisa!!
You’re more than welcome, Susan! It’s such a delicious recipe and tempering eggs is easier than you think. ;) Hope you love it chilled as well!
Absolutely perfect!! And so creamy. Loved it!
Wonderful! Happy to hear you loved it!
What milk alternative would work instead of whole milk?
Hi Stacy – I have some ideas mentioned in the post above. But I’d opt for something extra creamy, like a cashew milk or oat milk. :)