Let’s Make Strawberry Pudding
Hey pudding lovers, I have a special treat for you! If you are crazy over the creamy decadence of southern-style banana pudding layered with fresh bananas, vanilla wafers (or shortbread cookies) and whipped cream, you are going to absolutely love our strawberry southern pudding recipe today. That’s right, it’s like nostalgic banana pudding, but made with real strawberries and milk, instead of extracts or powdered pudding mix. Pudding from scratch… What could be better? Plus, this homemade strawberry pudding recipe is easy to assemble a day or two before an event, for an impressive and comforting treat.
Strawberry Pudding?
Why strawberry pudding? I have found most people either think of banana pudding as completely alluring, or totally gross. Yes, it’s true. Not everyone likes bananas. Yet almost everybody loves strawberries, for obvious reasons. They are tangy, sweet, and blushing with berry flavor. Using frozen strawberries packed in syrup makes it easy to cook perfect strawberry pudding year-round. And yes, you do need to cook it, but just for a few minutes.
Our Favorite Pudding Recipe (From Scratch)
Because instant pudding mixes are readily available, most people don’t realize how easy it is to make pudding from scratch. What is pudding, really? Milk, sugar, a thickening agent, and flavoring. That’s pretty much it. Our easy made-from-scratch strawberry pudding requires just a handful of ingredients, mostly found in your pantry. The secret ingredient in this recipe, used for flavor and additional thickening, is cream cheese. The cream cheese gives the pudding a lovely strawberry cheesecake flavor, and allows the pudding to set a little more firm than normal puddings, so it can be easily lifted out of the pan.
Southern Layered Pudding Dessert for Parties and Events
Do you have to stack homemade strawberry pudding with cookies and whipped cream? Of course not! You can make this bright berry pudding and enjoy it as-is. It tastes fresh and creamy, even without the whipped cream. However, the idea of a southern-style pudding is that it offers varied tastes and textures in the same treat. The cookies create a base for the pudding to rest on. They absorb some of the moisture from the pudding and whipped cream, so they soften and are easy to cut, almost like a thin cake layer. Layering the strawberry cheesecake pudding elevates the overall appeal, making it a dessert you will be proud to share with friends.
Strawberry Pudding Ingredients
For the Strawberry Pudding:
Frozen sliced strawberries in syrup – I like to keep these in the freezer so I can make this pudding on the fly. Make sure to thaw before using. Whole milk Cream cheese – For flavor and thickening. Granulated sugar Cornstarch – For additional thickening. Vanilla extract Salt – Just a little!
For the Whipped Cream:
Heavy cream Granulated sugar
For Assembly:
Pepperidge Farm Chessmen Cookies – Instead of vanilla wafers. Fresh strawberries – To garnish the top.
How To Make Old Fashioned Strawberry Pudding
Homemade strawberry pudding can be made in just a few simple steps! Here’s how to make it:
Tips & Tricks
Use your favorite cookies as the cookie layer! You can use vanilla wafers, shortbread cookies, or switch it up with chocolate wafers! If you just have frozen strawberries on hand that aren’t stored in syrup, add one cup of sugar to the mix. Taste the strawberry pudding before letting it cool to make sure it has the right amount of sweetness! If you want it sweeter, add more sugar.
How Do You Make Pudding From Scratch?
Homemade strawberry pudding can be made from scratch by combining the flavoring, milk, cornstarch, and sugar. Then simmer until thick. Learn more about it in the recipe below.
How Long Is Pudding Good For? (How Long Does It Last?)
Pudding usually lasts for up to a week. Make sure to cover and refrigerate it until ready to serve.
How Do You Thicken Homemade Pudding?
Cornstarch is a traditional thickening agent for pudding, and some recipes include flour. In this recipe, we are combining cornstarch and cream cheese for thickening.
Can I Use Different Berries?
Sure! You can use 1 pound of fresh raspberries, blueberries, of blackberries instead of frozen strawberries in syrup. Then increase the sugar to 1 cup.
Can You Freeze A Homemade Pudding Recipe?
Yes! Wrap it well with plastic. Then freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours.
Gluten-Free Strawberry Pudding?
Sure! Simply swap the Chessmen cookies for gluten-free shortbread cookies. The rest of the recipes in already gluten-free.
More Amazing Pudding Recipes & Creamy Desserts
Best Ever Tiramisu Chocolate Espresso Pots de Creme Layered Banana Pudding Cake Fluffy Banana Cream Pie Creamy Lavender Flan Swedish Cream Yogurt Panna Cotta with Berries
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