This post will show you how to make custard powder from scratch. With this easy custard recipe, you’ll have a warm, creamy vanilla sauce ready to top all your pies and desserts, in no time.
Ok, I know, I know. Homemade Custard Powder is a super cheat but it also happens to be a brilliant kitchen hack for creamy, vanilla flavoured sauce, at the ready in your pantry, at all times.
I have a couple of recipes on the blog that use custard powder in some way and I grew up with it always in the pantry Mum would whip up a batch of warm custard and we’d pour over desserts like apple crumble and apple pie.
It’s my go-to dessert sauce, long before ice cream and cream. and works perfectly over pies and tarts like this Warm Apple Crostata or this Apple Plum Cobbler.
When I made my Homemade Custard Creams and these Vanilla Cupcakes with Custard Buttercream I had a number of readers ask “What is custard powder” and it was the first time I realised that not everyone grew up with it.
What is custard powder?
Custard powder is a fine powder made up of thickeners, milk powder and flavouring that turns into a rich, sweet vanilla sauce once heated with milk and sugar.
It’s readily available in many parts of the world including Australia but, alas, not everywhere.
One way to get your hands on custard powder is via this link but, I tested it and, making it yourself is even quicker and uses everyday ingredients.
Why use custard powder?
Custard powder is just a quick and simple way to make a warm custard when you don’t feel like making the real deal. So if heating milk and tempering eggs is not your thing, this is the kitchen hack you need.
Yes, real custard is better but custard powder comes close. It’s the easy custard recipe you need when you have a hankering for sauce to smother your apple tart with, and you want it quick.
It also works well in some desserts like the cookies and cupcakes I mentioned earlier, where you need it in powdered form.
Ingredients in custard powder
- Milk powder
- Corn flour (cornstarch)
- Vanilla sugar
- Powdered yellow food colouring (optional)
Vanilla sugar is a vanilla infused sugar and I find it in the spice aisle of my local grocery store. If you’re unable to find vanilla sugar you can make your own or you can use vanilla extract. Just be aware that using vanilla extract will result in lumps. This isn’t a problem but just make sure any lumps are as small as possible and distribute them throughout the powder so when you scoop it you don’t miss out.
How to make custard powder
- Place the milk powder, corn flour, vanilla and food colouring into a food processor or blender and blitz to combine for about 10 seconds.
- Tip it into an airtight container and it will store for as long as the expiration date on your powdered milk.
How to turn custard powder into custard
- Add 1/2 cup of custard powder to a saucepan with 2 cups of milk and 1 tablespoon of sugar.
- Whisk it until there are no lumps, then heat and stir with a spatula until it thickens and just starts to bubble. Make sure to stir it constantly so you don’t get lumps.
Substitutions / Options
- Powdererd milk – you can use skim or full cream powdered milk. I use skim.
- Vanilla Sugar – you could use vanilla extract or real vanilla beans (the mixture will have lumps but as long as they’re evenly dispersed, it’s still fine to use)
- Milk – when cooking the custard you can use light or full cream milk or even water if you want to keep it lighter.
- Sugar – when cooking the custard, add sugar to your own taste. The amount in the recipe for me is perfect sweetness but you may like it sweeter.
How to Make Custard Powder
Ingredients
FOR THE HOMEMADE CUSTARD POWDER
- 1 cup milk powder
- 1/2 cup corn flour (cornstarch)
- 1/4 teaspoon powdered yellow food colouring
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (6 teaspoons) vanilla sugar
TO TURN IT INTO CUSTARD
- 1/2 cup homemade custard powder
- 2 cups milk
- 1-2 tablespoons sugar (to taste)
Instructions
FOR THE HOMEMADE CUSTARD POWDER
- Add the milk powder, corn flour, food colouring and vanilla to a food processor or blender, then blend for about 10 seconds.
- Transfer to an airtight container and store in the pantry.
TO TURN IT INTO CUSTARD
- Add 1/2 cup of custard powder to a small saucepan with the sugar and milk. Whisk to combine, then heat over low heat stirring constantly until thick and beginning to bubble. Add more milk if you want a thinner consistency.
Notes
- I use a standard 20ml Australian tablespoon (= 4 teaspoons worldwide)
- Milk powder: You can use skim or full cream versions
- Vanilla: I like to use vanilla sugar as it blends in easier. You can use vanilla extract but you will get a few lumps. This isn't a problem - just try not to blend it too long as the warmer the mixture gets, the bigger the lumps get and just make sure any lumps are well dispersed in the mix. This way, when you scoop out the powder to use it, each batch will still have vanilla in it. You can also use vanilla beans straight from the pod.
- Milk in the custard: Whole / full cream milk will give a creamier sauce, however you can use light or skim milk or even water if you'd like a lighter version
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the pantry. Dry mix will last as long as the expiration on your milk powder. If you use vanilla extract or beans, you should try to use the custard powder within a month.
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…and I’m the recipe developer, cook, photographer, and author behind Sugar Salt Magic. I’m also mum to 3 amazing fur babies and wife to the most amazing man in the world. Life is good. I love food and creating easy (mainly sweet) recipes that I can share with you. I’d love you to join along in my journey so sit back, relax and have a look around for some yum that you can feed your friends and family with. 
OH this is so fun! I’ve never used custard powder before but I’ve used things like instant pudding from the box which I would imagine is quite similar. I’m all about homemade but not above anything that gives you a quicky treat. I love the post!
It’s different to pudding. It’s more like if you could buy creme anglais in a box 🙂 Sometimes nostalgia beats making the real thing
Interesting! I’ve never had creme anglais either, too many things to try haha!
Marie, this is brilliant! Sometimes I love a vanilla sauce on sweets instead of whipped cream or ice cream. This is perfect!
Thanks so much Kelly 🙂
This is awesome! I live in the USA in a small community. I’m making German Custard Snails, similar to a cinnamon roll but with a custard filling. They call for custard powder and no place in my area even knew what it was. I thought it was probably similar to cornstarch but then I found your blog post. Brilliant! Using your recipe for custard powder will be so much better than stirring in plain cornstarch! Thank you for posting.
Excellent. I’m so happy you’ll find it useful 🙂
Don’t know where to buy powdered yellow food coloring? I will cook up a serving and add a drop of liquid yellow food coloring to make it yellow. Birds Custard is hard to find in the States and is expensive to ship. Thanks for posting this recipe for everyone to use. 🥰
Hi there, that will work perfectly. It’s obviously just for the classic colour that you get with box custard so not at all necessary. So glad this recipe is helpful for you 🙂
Shere do you find vanilla sugar?
It’s normally where the spices are in the stores