Not quite sure what to do with milk that’s about to expire? The answer is to turn it into milk puddings! Creamy, milky and satisfyingly jiggly, this easy milk pudding recipe is a lovely little dessert to keep chilled in the fridge. It is delicately sweet rather than overly rich, with a smooth, softly set texture that practically melts in your mouth.
This Japanese-inspired milk pudding requires only five simple ingredients and around five minutes of cooking. There are no eggs and no baking involved – simply heat the mixture, pour it into individual dessert glasses and leave it to set in the fridge. I have been making these mini milk puddings since I was a teenager, and it’s a family favourite recipe. I would store them in little jars and grab one from the fridge as an after-school treat.
Why You’ll Love This Mini Milk Pudding Recipe
- Quick & easy – the pudding mixture takes only around five minutes to prepare.
- Only 5 ingredients – everything is made with straightforward ingredients and no specialist equipment.
- No eggs or baking – this is an eggless, no-bake dessert that sets in the fridge.
- Creamy and jiggly – gelatin creates a delicate wobble, while a little cornflour gives the pudding a creamier mouthfeel.
- Perfect for preparing ahead – make the puddings earlier in the day and keep them chilled until dessert.
How to Make Japanese-inspired Milk Pudding at Home
Ingredients You Need for Making Milk Pudding
- Milk – full-fat milk is preferred as it gives richer flavours. Read more in the recipe notes section below.
- White Sugar
- Cornflour (cornstarch)
- Gelatin Powder – I use this Halal Beef Gelatin Powder
- Water – for dissolving the gelatin powder
Recipe Tips for the Best Milk Pudding
- You are going to need a Milk Pan / Small Pot for this recipe, and some Mini Pudding Jars / Dessert Glasses (the ones used in the pictures)
- Mix the cornflour/cornstarch into cold milk. Cornflour is much easier to dissolve in cold liquid. Whisk it into the milk before heating to prevent small floury lumps from forming.
- Use gentle heat. Milk can catch and scorch surprisingly quickly. Cook the mixture over low to medium-low heat and stir continuously, scraping across the bottom and into the corners of the saucepan.
- Don’t vigorously boil the milk. The milk only needs to become hot enough for the cornflour to activate and the sugar to dissolve. A vigorous boil can cause the milk to burn, develop a skin or spill over the saucepan.
- Use whole milk for the creamiest result. Semi-skimmed milk will still set, but whole milk creates a fuller flavour and silkier consistency. The higher the fat content, the richer the flavours and the creamier the texture. That’s why it’s very popular in Asia to use Japanese 3.5% Hokkaido Milk to make milk puddings of this kind due to its rich and fatty nature.
- Technically, you can use any type of milk you like for this recipe. For a plant-based alternative, I’ve only tried using oat milk, which turned out reasonably well, but I had to slightly adjust the sugar amount. If you plan to make it with an alternative milk, you may need to make some tweaks.
- Allow sufficient chilling time. The pudding may begin to set within an hour, particularly in very small jars, but larger servings may need two to three hours. For the most reliable result, prepare it several hours before serving.
- Cover the puddings once cooled. Cover the jars or glasses before refrigerating to stop the pudding from absorbing other flavours and prevent a dry skin from forming on top. If your pudding jar/cup doesn’t come with a cover, simply use cling film
- This recipe yields roughly 4-6 mini puddings, depending on the size of jars/cups you use.
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Easy Creamy Japanese-inspired Milk Pudding Recipe
This easy milk pudding recipe makes a creamy, delicately sweet and softly jiggly dessert using only five ingredients. It is eggless, no-bake and takes around five minutes to prepare before chilling.
Equipment
- 1 Milk Pan / Small Pot
- 4-6 Mini pudding jars / dessert glasses
Ingredients
- 2 cups Milk
- 5 tbsp White Sugar
- 1 tbsp Cornflour / Cornstarch
- 2½ tsp Halal Gelatin Powder
- 2 tbsp Warm Water
Instructions
- Stir gelatin powder with the water until dissolved.
- Heat the milk, sugar, cornflour and gelatin mixture in a pot. Stir continuously and remove from heat once the mixture comes to a gentle boil.
- Divide the milk mixture evenly into 6 mini pudding jars/glasses.
- Set aside and allow to cool down. Cover and refrigerate them for an hour for the mixture to set. Serve cold.
Video
Notes
- This recipe yields roughly 4-6 mini puddings depending on the size of jars/cups you use.
- Mix the cornflour into cold milk. Cornflour is much easier to dissolve in cold liquid. Whisk it into the milk before heating to prevent small floury lumps from forming.
- Use gentle heat. Milk can catch and scorch surprisingly quickly. Cook the mixture over low to medium-low heat and stir continuously, scraping across the bottom and into the corners of the saucepan.
- Don’t vigorously boil the milk. The milk only needs to become hot enough for the cornflour to activate and the sugar to dissolve. A vigorous boil can cause the milk to burn, develop a skin or spill over the saucepan.
- Use whole milk for the creamiest result. Semi-skimmed milk will still set, but whole milk creates a fuller flavour and silkier consistency.
- Allow sufficient chilling time. The pudding may begin to set within an hour, particularly in very small jars, but larger servings may need two to three hours. For the most reliable result, prepare it several hours before serving.
- Cover the puddings once cooled. Cover the jars or glasses before refrigerating to stop the pudding from absorbing other flavours and prevent a dry skin from forming on top.
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Is it possible to replace the white sugar for maple syrup? And is cornstarch the same as cornflour? I’m writing from the USA.
Thanks
You’re welcome!
It is very cute and jiggly !! But it is kind of burnt !!
Hi Claire, thank you for your feedback! I have not had any issues with the milk burning . This may be because of overheating the mixture. I’ll recommend to aim for a very gentle boil – not a full bubbling/vigorous boil – and immediately remove it from heat. Hope this helps!