Tapioca Pudding Recipe: How to Make Tapioca Pudding

Tapioca pudding is a velvety vanilla custard that has plump, chewy tapioca pearls inside of it to create a toothsome texture. Tapioca is a gluten-free starch sourced from the roots of the cassava plant that is commonly used as a thickening agent in both sweet and savory dishes. Tapioca is also used to make the pearls in boba tea.

You can buy an instant version of this pudding from the grocery store, but making it at home allows you to customize the flavor and make a creamier pudding. This starts with soaking the tapioca pearls in water until they are plump and cooking them in a mixture of milk, sugar, eggs, and vanilla for a nostalgic comfort food reminiscent of rice pudding.

Once you’ve mastered the basics of this homemade tapioca pudding, feel free to play around with these unique versions of this timeless dessert.

1. 1. Instant tapioca pudding: If you’re short on time, instant or ‘minute’ tapioca pudding mix can do the trick. However, keep in mind that instant tapioca pudding will lack the creamy, luscious texture of slow-cooked, homemade pudding.
2. 2. Slow cooker tapioca pudding: You can make tapioca pudding in your slow cooker for a fuss-free, hands-off dessert. Add your soaked tapioca pearls and pudding ingredients to a slow cooker and warm on low heat for four hours, stirring occasionally.
3. 3. Dairy-free tapioca pudding: Make a dairy-free tapioca pudding by swapping the whole milk with a non-dairy option like oat milk, soy milk, or almond milk. A higher-fat alternative milk, like coconut milk, will produce the best pudding texture.
4. 4. Chocolate tapioca pudding: For a chocolatey spin on classic tapioca pudding, simply incorporate ¼ cup of cocoa powder into the milk mixture at the beginning of the cooking process.
5. 5. Brown sugar tapioca pudding: Swap out the granulated sugar in this recipe for light or dark brown sugar for a rich, molasses-forward flavor.
6. 6. Fruit-filled tapioca pudding: When your tapioca pudding is almost done cooking, you can mix in a variety of chopped fruits to switch up the flavor. Add mango to a coconut tapioca pudding for a tropical taste. Incorporate sliced stone fruits, like peaches, nectarines, and apricots for a summery dessert. Fold in berries like strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries for a balance of sweet and tart flavors.
7. 7. Pumpkin spice tapioca pudding: To create a fall-friendly pudding, sprinkle some pumpkin puree into the pudding mixture, along with warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin pie spice.

Whether you’re a first-time tapioca maker or have experience with this unique starch, follow these simple tips to create the best tapioca pudding.

1. 1. Stick to whole milk. Although many different kinds of milk—both dairy and non-dairy—can work in this recipe, whole milk gives this pudding the high milkfat content it needs to create the desired creamy, velvety texture.
2. 2. Cook the tapioca low and slow. You may be tempted to increase the heat of your pudding as you cook it on the stovetop, but maintaining a low temperature throughout the cooking process will prevent burning the tapioca.
3. 3. Temper the eggs. Tempering the eggs, or introducing a small amount of hot milk to them before you incorporate them into the rest of the pudding, prevents the eggs from curdling from in the pot.
4. 4. Play around with additions. This simple pudding makes an excellent canvas for a variety of additions and toppings. Add warm spices like nutmeg, clove, and allspice for a fall-friendly dessert, or incorporate cocoa powder and chocolate chips to make a double chocolate pudding. Add nuts, like walnuts or pecans, to create some textural variation. Top the pudding with whichever fresh fruits you have on hand. Garnish this dessert with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
5. 5. Store your pudding properly. Cover the top of the pudding with a piece of plastic wrap and press it down gently into the surface of the pudding to store it in the fridge. This tapioca pudding will keep well in the refrigerator for 5–7 days. You can also freeze this pudding in individual airtight containers for up to 3 months.