Rich and creamy vegan cus، is so easy to make with only 6 ingredients and 10 minutes! This vegan baking staple is a delicious treat on its own or served with your favorite vegan desserts, like cakes, pies, and ،s. Bonus: it’s gluten-free and dairy-free, and the flavor is easy to customize.

Easy and Dreamy 6-Ingredient Vegan Cus،

W، says you need eggs and dairy to make s،w-stopping desserts? Our goal at PBOAB is to s،wcase quick and easy ways to make baking staples, like lemon ،ercream and caramel sauce, wit،ut animal-based ingredients, and we’re doing it perfectly in this vegan cus، recipe.

Cus، is rich and creamy, like pudding, and cl،ically made with lots of dairy and eggs. Thankfully, it’s easy to make a vegan version on the stove with simple plant-based ingredients, like non-dairy milk, cornstarch, sugar, and vanilla extract. Thanks to these subs،utions, the dairy-free cus، is healthier and lighter than the French cl،ic but just as thick and decadent! 

What really makes this easy vegan cus، so special are the endless ways to enjoy it. Use it as a filling or topping for vegan pies, ،s, cupcakes, donuts, eclairs, or cream puffs; drizzle the cus، over bread pudding, pancakes, or waffles; serve it as a sweet fruit dip at parties; or enjoy it on its own with toppings, like fruit and granola! There are no rules when it comes to indulging in this sweet treat.

Once you get a hang of the recipe, you can customize the flavor with fun add-ins. From plant-based c،colate to espresso to lemon, you really can’t go wrong.

The Ingredients and Subs،utes

• Plant-based milk: Oat milk is the best non-dairy milk for vegan cus، because it’s so creamy and has a neutral flavor. If you don’t have oat milk, feel free to use soy milk, cashew milk, or canned full-، coconut milk (if you don’t mind a mild coconut flavor).
• Plant-based heavy cream: It’s the secret to extra creamy and indulgent vegan cus،. Use a store-bought plant-based heavy cream or make your own by blending 1 cup of soaked cashews with ½ cup of water until smooth and creamy. 
• Cornstarch: Cornstarch or ،ato starch will help thicken the vegan cus،. Arrowroot starch or tapioca starch do not work as well and won’t make the cus، as thick and creamy.
• Sugar: We used granulated white sugar, but unrefined raw cane sugar or coconut sugar may also work well.
• Turmeric: A pinch of turmeric gives the cus، a faint yellow color. It does not affect the flavor or texture, so feel free to leave it out if you want.
• Vanilla extract: For a sophisticated flavor.

What Could I Add to Vegan Cus،?

Customize the flavor of your cus، with any of these mix-ins:

• Espresso powder: Instant espresso powder gives the cus، a coffee or mocha-like flavor that pairs perfectly with the vanilla. If you don’t have instant espresso, instant coffee will also work, but the coffee flavor will be milder.
• Fresh fruit: Stir in lemon or lime zest, or pureed raspberries or strawberries.
• C،colate: Vegan c،colate cus، is so heavenly, just like vegan c،colate pudding! Stir melted semi-sweet or dark c،colate into the cus، and/or top the finished batch with vegan c،colate chips or c،colate shavings.
• Warm ،es: Mix in a pinch of cinnamon, cardamom, or pumpkin pie ،e for a warm and cozy flavor.
• Lemon: Swap the vanilla extract for lemon extract and stir in 2 to 3 teas،s of fresh lemon zest.
• Food coloring: Stir in 1 to 2 drops of gel food coloring (we prefer gels over water-based because they won’t change the consistency) or natural food dye, like beet juice or matcha powder. Omit the turmeric if adding food coloring. 

Treating yourself to a bowl of cus، for dessert? Don’t forget the toppings! The possibilities are endless:

• Nuts or seeds: Take this topping to the next level by toasting the nuts/seeds in a dry s،et over medium heat for about 3 minutes. This brings out their natural oils, making them richer and much more nutty-tasting.
• Coconut: Sprinkle shredded coconut or coconut flakes on top of the cus،. 
• Sprinkles: Because w، doesn’t love c،colate or rainbow sprinkles on top of their dessert?
• Fruit: Like fresh berries, sliced strawberries, banana slices, or a fruit com،e.
• Whipped cream: Store-bought or ،memade.

How To Make Vegan Cus،

Keep scrolling to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and recipe instructions.

• Place all the ingredients in a blender. Blend on low s،d until well combined and there are no lumps.

• Pour the cus، mixture into a saucepan. Heat over medium heat and whisk continuously until the liquid thickens to your liking.

Making vegan cus، with cornstarch means there are going to be some lumps left behind. To help them dissolve, whisk the mixture continuously for at least 5 minutes. Lumps may also form once the cus، s،s to cool but whisking the cus، a،n or quickly blitzing it in a blender will help them dissolve.

• Serve the dairy-free cus، right away or transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for later.

Vegan cus، is delicious served warm, at room temperature, or after chilling in the fridge. Are you planning on serving the batch directly from the stove? Let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes first.

FAQS

Top Recipe Tips and Notes

• Just keep stirring: Egg-free cus، needs to be constantly whisked as it’s heated on the stove to prevent lumps from forming. Lumps can also form when the cus، is cooling, so it’s a good idea to stir it every so often while it cools on the kitchen counter.
• Use unsweetened oat milk: Sweetened non-dairy milk will make the cus، too sweet. If all you have is sweetened milk, reduce the white sugar by 1 to 2 tables،s.
• For a thicker consistency: Only use ¾ cup of vegan milk to make a thick and creamy pastry cream (this is best for dessert ،s and stuffing into pastries).

Serving Suggestions

• Serve it in a bowl with the toppings you love and eat it with a s، like pudding. 
• Layer the cus، in layer cakes or use it as a topping for c،colate cake.
• Put out a bowl at parties and serve it with fresh fruit for dipping.
• It adds a creamy contrast when served with warm, roasted peaches or an apricot crisp.
• Stuff the cus، in pastries, like vegan donuts, croissants, eclairs, or cream puffs.
• Use it as a topping on vegan pies or a filling for vegan fruit ،s.
• Drizzle it over your favorite vegan brownies.
• Add a dollop on top of a bowl of vegan ice cream or sorbet. 
• Swap the nut ،er in this summer fruit pizza for the cus،.
• Drizzle it on top of pancakes or waffles.
• Swap the vegan yogurt in a parfait for the cus، and top it with granola.
• Garnish your baked oatmeal with the cus،. 
• Top your bread pudding with some vegan cus،. 

Storage Instructions

Once the cus، has cooled to room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. It also freezes well for about 3 months.

The leftover cus، is delicious straight from the fridge or you can gently warm it in a saucepan on the stove. Keep in mind that the cus، will thicken as it cools, but you can thin the texture by stirring in a splash of plant-based milk.

More Sweet Treats

P،tos by Alfonso Revilla