“I lost my mother’s recipe years back and had been searching for a good replacement without any luck.”

This Homemade Tapioca Pudding recipe delivers a truly comforting and classic dessert. Featuring tender tapioca pearls suspended in a rich, creamy custard, it’s a nostalgic treat that’s surprisingly easy to make from scratch.

Homemade Tapioca Pudding:

Ingredients:

Instructions

1. Soak Tapioca: Rinse the tapioca pearls under cold water. Then, pour them into a small bowl and cover them with fresh water. Let them soak for 45-60 minutes. This softens the pearls and reduces cooking time.
2. Simmer Milk and Sugar: In a large saucepan, add the milk and the first ¾ cup of white sugar. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until small bubbles form around the edges.
3. Add Tapioca and Cook: Once the milk mixture is simmering, drain the soaked tapioca pearls and add them to the saucepan. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Stir frequently and cook for 15-20 more minutes, or until the tapioca pearls become translucent.
4. Temper Eggs: While the tapioca pearls are cooking, in a medium-sized bowl, beat together the eggs and the remaining ¾ cup of white sugar until well combined.
5. Temper Egg Mixture (Part 1): Slowly pour a thin stream of the hot milk-tapioca mixture into the egg mixture, adding about ⅓ cup at a time, while continuously stirring with a whisk. Continue this tempering process until about half of the hot mixture has been gradually beaten into the eggs. This slowly raises the temperature of the eggs, preventing them from scrambling.
6. Combine All: Slowly pour the entire contents of the egg bowl back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk-tapioca mixture, continuously stirring with a whisk to ensure smooth incorporation.
7. Thicken Pudding: Continue to cook for an additional 3-5 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly, until the pudding starts to thicken. (Keep in mind that the pudding will continue to thicken significantly as it cools.)
8. Finish and Chill: Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Transfer the hot pudding to individual serving dishes or a larger bowl. Chill until thoroughly cold before serving.