Bourbon-Butterscotch Pudding (2024)

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

3/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar

2 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

1 tablespoon bourbon or Scotch

1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

6 large egg yolks

1/4 cup cornstarch

3 tablespoons sugar

Crème fraîche and crushed gingersnap cookies (for serving; optional)

Special Equipment

Eight 6-ounce ramekins or bowls

Leave a Review

• This was excellent!! My husband absolutely loved it. I used 2 Tbs. bourbon, and it had a nice flavor. This is really a custard, and if you use the ¼ cup of cornstarch (as suggested), the consistency is more like flan. I suspect if you decrease the cornstarch to 3 Tbs as one reviewer suggested, the consistency will be more like pudding. I found that putting the mix in a blender after straining was completely unnecessary, and will skip that step next time. The crunchy cookies on top are a nice touch. This is a great recipe!

  • kiminhouston

  • Houston, TX

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  • 12/1/2015

• Spectacular - made for Easter dessert...guests RAVED! I have never made pudding from scratch before and this was a breeze... couple of comments: This moves quickly so mix the cream, milk and bourbon together and have that ready on the side. Brown the butter first, THEN add the vanilla bean seeds.Caramelizing the brown sugar is not intuitive but don't be afraid to keep stirring it as it becomes a liquid - then remove it from the heat and add the dairy and booze - don't freak out when the caramelized sugar quickly hardens like concrete in your pan as the cool dairy is added... it is back on the heat and will remelt as the dairy heats up - I kept a wire whisk handy and gently used that to help breakup the caramelized sugar.Important to whisk the mixture as you pour it into the egg-yolk-cornstarch-sugar mix. Lastly, for goodness sake don't fight with the sloppy blender to smooth it out at the end, use your immersion blender - no muss, no fuss, no need to transfer pans, etc... but don't skip this step - the smoothed pudding pours into ramekins more easily and firms up to a marvelous texture for serving.

  • RQP

  • Leverett, MA

  • 4/21/2014

• I agree with the reviewer who said to brown the butter without simultaneously cooking the vanilla beans. I did this the second time I made it and added the vanilla with the milk mixture. I think it's a fabulous pudding, quite rich though but that's what I was expecting!

  • lcarty21

  • 2/11/2014

• Fabulous recipe with no changes. My son-in-law, a great cook in his own right and one not prone to flattery, declared I must make this again and often. I used Anna's Ginger Thins for the cookie, which was a fabulous addition for texture and flavor, and also the creme fraiche. One of my favorite desserts.

  • dkanzler

  • Birmingham, AL

  • 11/23/2013

• I had high hopes for this recipe, but it isn't great. My main complaint is that it is too solid when it sets up. I tried it again with less cornstarch, more scotch and cooked the sugar longer, but it is still too solid and the flavor is just okay.

  • Anonymous

  • Seattle, WA

  • 6/4/2013

• I just made this tonight and it wasfabulous! Mine turned out a tancolour, not light as others hadmentioned. You have to let thebutter turn brown but also, makesure to caramelize the brown sugar.It's hard to tell when the sugar isbrown to start off, but should seewhisps of smoke and smell thecaramel, and when you add themilk/cream, you'll see lots ofbubbling, sputtering. Willdefinitely make again. A newfavorite!

  • Anonymous

  • Toronto

  • 3/10/2013

• This was easy and delicious. The only thing I did different was to cook the pudding in a double boiler after it was added to the egg yolk mixture. This eliminated the need for a blender. I've always cooked cornstarch puddings in the double boiler and they are always as a result smooth as silk. I'm looking forward to serving this to a women's group tomorrow night. Thanks for an easy and fast dessert that could be made ahead of time. I love the tiny vanilla seeds in it.

  • linda_tillm

  • Atlanta

  • 3/6/2013

• My second renditionof this puddingyielded spectacularresults. My tweaks:Instead of browningthe butter with thevanilla bean and itsseeds, it was fareasier for me to seethe progress of thebutter, by browningit alone. More thanlikely Iunderbrowned thebutter the firsttime out as Icouldn't distinguish*t from the vanillaseeds. I added thevanilla bean andscraped insides withthe milk mixture.My first renditionyielded a verysmooth pudding, butI found it toothick. This time Iused 3 tablespoonsof cornstarch (24grams), instead of1/4 cup. I used animmersion blenderfor the last step,and tapped my bowlgently onto on mycounter top toremove air bubbles. In a word?FABULOUS!Cheers all,Jeff

  • chefjeff1

  • Sherman Oaks, California

  • 3/1/2013

• I just finished making this and I agree with the other review that it is light colored and lacks a butterscotch taste. Should it be made with dark brown sugar? Also, add another Tbsp of bourbon.

  • Jill47

  • Carbondale

  • 2/23/2013

• Just finished making this recipe. I agree with the other review that the color is very light and it lacks a butterscotch flavor. Maybe this should be made with dark brown sugar. Also, increase the bourbon to 2T.

  • Jill47

  • Carbondale

  • 2/23/2013

• This was a very easyrecipe. I madeexactly asdescribed. I think Imay not have brownedthe butter enough asmine has a verylight color - notanything like closeto the picture. Iused my immersionblender and achieveda very smoothtexture. My spousesaid it tasted likeeggnog. I would liketo have had more ofa butterscotchflavor but is verytasty.

  • MaryJMartell

  • Austin

  • 2/21/2013

TagsPuddingDessertBourbonWhiskeyAlcoholBeveragesNut FreeSimmerBlenderBon Appétit