Cookies and Cream Pudding

I firmly believe that pudding is incredibly underrated. Not the boxed stuff, although that has it’s place, but homemade pudding is truly amazing and so easy to make! Combine rich, homemade vanilla pudding with some oreos and you’ve got an amazing dessert on your hands.

THE RECIPE

• the milk – I used 2% milk for most of my testing, but any animal milk would definitely work. A higher fat percentage would create a thicker, creamier, richer pudding. I haven’t tried it with a nut milk or anything else, but please let me know if you do!
• the vanilla – this is one recipe where the quality of your vanilla matters! any vanilla extract will do, but if you happen to have some vanilla paste or even a vanilla bean, that flavor will come through beautifully here
• the thickener – I used a combination of egg yolks as well as cornstarch to thicken this pudding. I really like using egg yolks because of the texture they bring, but if you wanted to leave them out and double the amount of cornstarch you can!
• the butter – usually I’d say that the butter is optional, but especially for a vanilla pudding I think it makes a huge difference
• the oreos – use a store brand or the real deal, but the contrast of the crunchy cookie and the smooth pudding is amazing. plus, who doesn’t love an oreo?
• the whipped cream – not strictly necessary, but so great here 🙂

VARIATIONS

This recipe itself is a variation on my original Decadent Chocolate Pudding recipe, which is incredible even on its own. However, adding some extra flavorings takes it to a whole new level. Some other ideas I’ve had:

• Bailey’s Chocolate Pudding – it’s so good and I love it
• Chocolate Orange Pudding – I’m thinking you could add orange liquor, similar to adding baileys above, for a fun orange variation! I would start with just a couple of tablespoons and taste and add more as needed so you don’t get an overwhelming flavor
• Dirt Pudding – the classic dessert I loved when I was a kid! Just add in some gummy worms to this recipe for a fun, tasty treat. Switch up the candy and type of cookie for alllll kinds of fun

It’s such a good recipe, and everyone I shared it with absolutely loved it! I’ll almost definitely be making more soon.

Yield: 4-6 serivngs

Cookies and Creme Pudding

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Additional Time: 1 minute

Total Time: 1 minute

Cookies and Creme Pudding is low effort and high reward, making it one of my favorite things! Homemade pudding is really a game changer and is beautifully highlighted in this recipe.

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Ingredients

for the pudding

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• 2 egg yolks
• 2 Tbsp (16 g) cornstarch
• 2 cups (454 g) milk, divided
• 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup (85 g) chocolate chips
• 1 Tbsp (14 g) butter
• 2 tsp vanilla
• crushed oreos

for the whipped cream

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• 1 cup (8 oz) whipping cream
• 2 Tbsp (14 g) powdered sugar

Instructions

1. prep the egg mixture: in a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until slightly paler in color. add the cornstarch and 1/4 cup (57 g) of milk and whisk to combine. set aside
2. scald the milk: in a medium pot, heat the remaining milk (397 g), sugar, and salt over medium high heat until there are small bubbles around the edges and the mixture is between 180*-190*. stir this mixture frequently to ensure the bottom doesn't burn
3. temper the eggs: once the milk mixture is bubbling, remove from heat and very slowly stream the milk mixture into the egg mixture. at first, you should do just a few drops at a time. as the temperature of the egg mixture increases you can add more of the milk mixture. the goal here is to slowly increase the temperature of the egg mixture so that the eggs don't scramble, so be sure to take your time!
4. add the chocolate: return the egg and milk mixture to the pan. heat over medium high heat and stir constantly until the mixture thickens to a pudding consistency and then add the chocolate chips. It will seem like it won't all come together and the chocolate won't fully incorporate but it will, just keep going!
5. finish the pudding: remove from the heat and add the vanilla and butter. mix and store with plastic wrap up against the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. let chill for a couple of hours or until cold
6. layer, serve, and enjoy: just before serving, combine the whipped cream ingredients and, either by hand or with a mixer, whip to soft peaks. place a layer of pudding in the bottom of your serving dish, top with some crushed oreos, add some more pudding, and top with additional oreos and the whipped cream. enjoy!

Notes

See variation ideas in the post above!