The Ingredient Swap To Make Pudding From A Boxed Mix Creamier

Puddings originally came out of Britain — and they certainly weren't sweet. The very first recipes were made up of more meat than sugar. In fact, the word "pudding" itself is derived from the Latin word "botellus," which means sausage (via British Food History). As the 18th century rolled around, grains, bread, nuts, and fruit were added to the list of ingredients, and homemakers sought to use puddings as a way to feed larger families (per Morton Williams). 

Sweet, custardy like puddings can be credited to Alfred Bird, a chemist whose wife's egg allergy led him to concoct an eggless custard powder (via Morton Williams). The first packaged pudding marketed in the United States was produced by My-T-Fine in 1918, but it still required stove cooking before it was ready to eat. Then, in the 1940s, instant pudding mix reached American consumers. 

Since then, pudding packets have remained on grocery store shelves and have been incorporated into cakes, pies, cinnamon rolls, and cookie recipes (per All Recipes). But if you're looking to turn up the volume of that instant pudding package, we have a culinary hack for you.

To add texture and substance to your boxed mix of instant pudding, try replacing the suggested addition of milk with a creamier ingredient like canned coconut milk or evaporated milk, suggests Taste of Home. These kinds of richer, denser substitutions can help you whip up a thicker, creamier pudding to set on to the dinner table for dessert. If you're looking for a lighter option without sacrificing the creamy texture, Thrifty Fun recommends using fat-free evaporated milk, which has fewer calories than the full-fat kind. 

If a thicker texture is what you are after, Club Gluten Free suggests adding cornstarch or powdered sugar — or simply adding more pudding mix than the amount recommended on the label.

Try experimenting with textures with our easy dirt pudding recipe. Or, if you're feeling ambitious and want to make your own pudding from scratch, we have a classic banana pudding recipe you can make at home.