How to Make Fluffy Tapioca Pudding from Scratch

If you don’t like tapioca, I would still give this a try.  Trust me, it is so much better when it is homemade.  Sometimes people can’t get past the texture, but this fluffy tapioca pudding recipe from scratch won’t disappoint.  At least you can say you gave this creamy vanilla goodness a fair chance. 

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Where did this recipe on how to make fluffy tapioca pudding from scratch come from? 

This fluffy tapioca pudding recipe goes all the way back to my grandma.  I can remember waiting for what seemed like hours for it to be done. It really only took about 30 minutes from start to finish, but smelling that sweet vanilla milk smell while it was cooking, didn’t make the process go by any faster.  Tapioca pudding and lemon pie made from scratch were my top two favorite desserts.  I can honestly say that they are still at the top of my list.  My mom makes it, I make it, and now, my oldest son makes it. I am gonna tell you right now, there is nothing better than your kiddo learning how to make YOUR favorite dessert! The pictures from this post are of him making this delicious tapioca pudding from scratch.

What ingredients do I need for this fluffy tapioca pudding recipe?

For this particular recipe, I use minute tapioca. You can find this at just about any grocery store. We love the larger tapioca, but the recipe for that is slightly different.  Minute tapioca is made of tapioca pearls that have been chopped up into smaller pieces. You don’t have to soak them as long as you would need to soak the larger pearls.  You will need eggs, sugar, milk, and vanilla.  

What steps do I take to make fluffy tapioca pudding? 

• Beat two egg whites in a medium sized bowl with a mixer using the highest speed until the whites are foamy. Put the egg yolks in a separate bowl for later.
• Slowly add in 3 tablespoons of sugar until peaks form.  I like to use the beaters to check the peaks.  If you touch the beater on the top of the egg whites and pull up quickly, the egg white and sugar mixture should make a pointy peak that goes up higher than the rest of the egg white and sugar mixture.  
• Mix four tablespoons of tapioca, 2 cups milk, 1 egg yolk, and the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar in a medium saucepan.  Let it sit for 5 minutes.  
• Bring the tapioca, milk, sugar, and egg yolk mixture to a full boil over medium heat.  Stir this constantly.  You will want to rush this process if you are like me. Don’t do it!  If you turn up the heat, you could burn the milk. It also doesn’t have a chance to thicken properly if you don’t take the time you need to here.  
• Remove it from the heat when it comes to a full boil that doesn’t stop boiling when stirred. 
• Fold in the egg white and sugar mixture.  Try not to over mix on this step.  
• Stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla. 

What tips would you give a beginner?

I like using milk that is either 2% or higher.  Make sure you SLOWLY add in the sugar to the foamy egg whites.  They will peak better that way.  Don’t rush the heating process.  This will take around 20 minutes.  If you turn up the heat, you could burn the milk. It also doesn’t have a chance to thicken properly if you don’t take the time you need to here. 

What happens if I burn the milk?

You will only do this if you don’t stir in continually or turn up the heat.  Unfortunately, you can’t recover from this.  You need to start over.  That taste of burnt milk finds its way into every bite.  Clearly, I have not only learned this from personal experience, but I have watched others do this same thing.

Why didn’t it thicken up?

You may not have let it sit long enough in the very beginning.  Another possibility is that you maybe didn’t heat it long enough over medium heat.  It will continue to thicken as it sits and cools.  

How do you know if your egg whites are peaked/stiff enough?

When you are mixing the egg white and sugar mixture, make sure you are mixing it on a high speed.  GRADUALLY add in the sugar and beat well after every tablespoon or so.  When you take the end of the beater and gently tap and pull up against the egg white and sugar mixture, it will stick up like a tiny mountain peak.  

Should I eat this warm or cold?

You can eat this when it is warm or cold.  Cold is my favorite way! I usually eat a small bowl when it is warm, and then dig in later that day or the next day when it is fully chilled.  Either way, you need to refrigerate it.  It stores well in the fridge for a couple of days.  We have found that after the second day, it starts to get a little runny.   

How should I store it? 

You can leave it out to cool for about 20-30 minutes.  You can eat it warm at that time.  It will be good sitting out for about an hour, but then you will want to keep it refrigerated after that.