Dairy-free vanilla custard (vegan)
Silky dairy-free vanilla custard made with oat milk and cornflour — quick, vegan and perfect for trifles, tarts or spooning over puddings.
This dairy-free vanilla custard is the quick, reliable answer when you want all the comfort of a proper custard but no dairy. It uses oat milk and cornflour to create a silky, spoonable texture that works brilliantly in trifles, tarts or simply with a warm pudding.
Totally vegan and easy to make on the hob, it sets in the fridge so you can make it ahead for dinner parties or puddings. A split vanilla pod gives the best flavour, but swaps are suggested if you need speed or pantry substitutions.
Ingredients
- 600 ml unsweetened oat milk
- 40 g cornflour
- 60 g caster sugar
- 1 vanilla pod — split and seeds scraped
- fine sea salt — pinch
- 15 g dairy-free margarine — optional, for extra shine
Equipment
- whisk
- fine-mesh sieve
- measuring jug
- small saucepan
Instructions
Split the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape out the seeds with the back of a knife. Put seeds and the pod into a small saucepan with 500 ml of the oat milk.
In a mixing bowl whisk the cornflour and caster sugar together until well blended. Add the remaining 100 ml oat milk and whisk to a smooth, lump-free slurry.
Place the saucepan on a low-to-medium hob and heat the milk and vanilla, stirring occasionally, until it is just below boiling and small bubbles appear around the edge.
Remove the pan from the heat and discard the empty vanilla pod. Slowly whisk one large ladle of the hot milk into the cornflour slurry to temper it, then pour the tempered slurry back into the saucepan while whisking vigorously.
Return the pan to a low hob and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens to a custard consistency and becomes glossy — about 2–3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the dairy-free margarine, if using, until melted.
Pour the custard into a clean bowl. Press a piece of cling film directly onto the surface to stop a skin forming, then leave to cool slightly at room temperature.
Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours to set fully.
Before serving, remove cling film and give the custard a quick whisk to loosen. Serve cold or gently rewarm on a low hob while stirring for 2–3 minutes if you prefer it warm.
Tips
- Whisk the cornflour into a small amount of cold milk first — this slurry step is the best way to avoid lumps.
- Use a vanilla pod for the cleanest flavour; if using extract, add it after cooking to retain the aroma.
- Press cling film directly onto the surface as it cools to prevent an unpleasant skin from forming.
- To serve warm, reheat gently over a low hob while stirring — do not let it boil or it may split.
- Make up to 24 hours ahead and keep chilled; give a quick whisk before serving if it firms up too much.
Substitutions
unsweetened oat milk → unsweetened soy milk, same quantity (600 ml)
Stays closedairy-free margarine → 2 tsp neutral oil (rapeseed) or omit
Stays closevanilla pod → 1 tsp vanilla extract added after cooking
Stays closecornflour → arrowroot starch, same weight (40 g) — cook briefly and do not overheat
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 207
- Calories
- 2 g
- Protein
- 35 g
- Carbs
- 7 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 16 g
- Sugar
- 120 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this custard without cornflour?
Cornflour is the primary thickener in this recipe. You can use arrowroot (same weight) but the texture and stability on reheating will be slightly different.
Why did my custard become lumpy?
Lumps come from adding hot milk to the thickener too quickly or not dissolving the cornflour first. Temper the slurry with a little hot milk and whisk constantly when combining.
How long will the custard keep?
Stored in an airtight container in the fridge it will keep for up to 3 days. Stir or whisk before serving to restore texture.
Can I freeze this custard?
Freezing is not recommended — the texture will degrade on thawing and become watery or grainy.
Community Photos
No photos yet
Be the first to share your creation!