Easy Homemade Vanilla Pudding

This pudding is super quick, easy to make, and absolutely delicious! Once you've tried it, you'll never eat instant pudding again.

PREP TIME: 10 minutes
MAKES: 4 cups

3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
3 1/2 cups half-and-half
3 large egg yolks
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in the half-and-half and then the yolks.

Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, whisking gently but constantly and scraping the bottom and side of the pot. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, until the pudding is thick and coats the back of a spoon, 1-2 minutes.

Strain the pudding through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, scraping the inside of the strainer with a rubber spatula to pass the pudding through. Stir the butter and vanilla into the pudding until the butter is melted. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until set, about 3-hours.