It is a simple, 5-ingredient vegan custard recipe. Add it to a pre-baked crust, let it set, and enjoy a light and creamy vegan custard tart. Perfect for any occasion like Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or Mother’s Day Brunch.
Cream, pudding, or custard? Who knows? I love them all. Why? Because they are quick and easy, and you only need a handful of ingredients. Also, try our vegan tapioca pudding, vegan rice pudding, vegan panna cotta, or our sweet potato chocolate pudding. They are the best with fresh seasonal fruits or fruit purée. My all-time favorites are berries, like this delicious strawberry purée you can make in 10 minutes.
What is a vegan custard?
The original custard recipe uses a combination of milk, heavy or double cream, and eggs as the main ingredients. It is a luscious, creamy vanilla sauce to pour on your pie, crumble, crisp, or bread pudding. Endless possibilities!
It is always hard to make a recipe vegan or dairy-free when it heavily depends on dairy and eggs. Not because it is hard to make a tasty vegan custard but because of the expectations to get it exactly like the original recipe. It is better to take any vegan recipe for what it is. Take this vegan custard tart filled with a delicious, light, dairy-free, egg-free vanilla cream.
Ingredients
You don’t need a lot of ingredients, only FIVE. It is a really simple recipe where you don’t need special equipment either like a blender.
- Dairy-free milk → cashew milk, almond milk, soy milk, or for an extra luscious texture use full-fat canned coconut milk.
- Maple syrup
- Starch → cornstarch has a better thickener power than tapioca starch
- Turmeric → to get a nice yellow color without the eggs
- Vanilla extract
TOP TIP: Depending on the fat content of your milk, you may get different textures. The higher the fat content, your vegan custard will be luscious! If you use almond or oat milk, your vegan custard will resemble a light pudding. If you use shaken, full-fat, canned coconut milk, your vegan custard will be rich and creamy.
Instructions
Making vegan custard
- Take a small bowl and mix cornstarch and ¼ cup of milk.
- Stir until combined with a whisk. I do this to ensure no lumps and the corn starch properly dissolves.
- Take a saucepan and add milk, maple syrup, and dissolved cornstarch.
- Cook on medium heat until it thickens.
- Add vanilla extract when it is thick enough.
- Add turmeric if you want your custard to be vibrant yellow, like an egg custard (optional).
Making a custard tart
I used our gingerbread pie crust with a slight change in this recipe. Instead of cinnamon and nutmeg, I added vanilla extract. We also have a gluten-free vegan pie crust if you need that.
- You either use a pre-baked tart shell or bake a store-bought puff pastry, or blind-bake a homemade crust in the oven.
- Pour vegan custard in it while it is still warm but not piping hot. Shake it a bit to release the air bubbles, or smooth it with the back of a spoon. As the vegan custard is ready, you don’t need to bake it after filling. Just chill it in the fridge to set it. You can serve and slice it only after that.
Top tips
- Higher fat content makes luscious custard – If you use almond or oat milk, your vegan custard will be similar to a light pudding. If you use shaken, full-fat, canned coconut milk, your vegan custard will be rich and creamy.
- Stir while cooling – The custard may form a skin on the top. Make sure you stir a couple of times while cooling if you want to use it later. When it is cooled, you can cover it with a cling foil so that it touches the custard.
- Cut when chilled – If you try to cut it while it is still warm, you may not be able to make nice and clean slices as the custard sets.
- Add toppings when served– If you add whipped cream, fruits, caramel sauce, or any other topping too long in advance, they may lose their shape and texture.
Topping ideas
It depends on what the occasion is. Is it Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or Mother’s Day? My favorite toppings are the ones below.
- Dairy-free whipped cream – Make chocolate coconut whipped cream or use store-bought one.
- Fresh fruits – The red color looks stunning (like red currant, raspberry, blackberry, blueberry, strawberry, or pomegranate seeds).
- Fruit purée – I have a super easy strawberry purée recipe which makes it even more delicious.
Let us know in the comments what is your favorite topping!
FAQs and substitutions
What kind of dairy-free milk can you use?
Higher fat content makes a luscious custard. If you use almond or oat milk, your vegan custard will resemble a light pudding. If you use shaken, full-fat, canned coconut milk, your vegan custard tart will be rich and creamy.
How to store it?
Keep it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days.
Allergen info
This Vegan Custard Tart recipe is dairy-free and egg-free.
- Vegan – All suggested ingredients are supposed to be vegan.
- Nut-free – Use soy milk or oat milk. All other ingredients are supposed to be nut-free, but always check the packaging before using any ingredient.
- WFPB-friendly (whole foods plant-based) – Light dairy-free milk is compliant as opposed to full-fat coconut milk, which should only be used sparingly. Maple syrup is a compliant sweetener in this diet.
- Gluten-free – All proposed ingredients are supposed to be gluten-free, but always check the packaging for cross-contamination info, especially for cornstarch. Use a gluten-free pie crust.
- Soy-free – Use any other milk than soy milk. All other ingredients are supposed to be soy-free.
More vegan pudding-like recipes
More vegan dessert recipes
You can browse through our vegan dessert recipes or check out
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Light Vegan Custard Tart
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cup Dairy-free milk (homemade cashew milk)
- ½ cup Maple syrup
- 3 Tbsp Corn starch
- ¼ tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 9-inch Pie Crust (homemade or store-bought) I used our gingerbread pie crust recipe but instead of cinnamon and nutmeg, I added vanilla extract.
Instructions
- First, take a small bowl and mix cornstarch and ¼ cup of milk. Stir until combined. (I do this to make sure there are no lumps and the cornstarch properly dissolves.)
- Take a saucepan. Add the remaining milk, the maple syrup, and the dissolved cornstarch and cook on medium heat until it starts to thicken.
- When it is thick enough, add vanilla extract.
- Finally, add the turmeric (optional) to get the yellowish color you would get if you add eggs.
- Take a pre-baked tart or pie crust, or use a homemade recipe.
- Pour the vegan custard into the tart shell, while the custard is still warm, but not piping hot. You don't need to bake it after filling it. Just chill it in the fridge until it is set. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Higher fat content makes luscious custard – If you use almond or oat milk, your vegan custard will be similar to a light pudding. If you use shaken, full-fat, canned coconut milk, your vegan custard will be rich and creamy.
- Stir while cooling – The custard may form a skin on the top. Make sure you stir a couple of times while cooling if you want to use it later. When it is cooled, you can cover it with a cling foil so that it touches the custard.
- Cut when chilled – If you try to cut it while it is still warm, you may not be able to make nice and clean slices as the custard sets.
- Add toppings when served– If you add whipped cream or fruits or caramel sauce, or any other topping too long in advance, they may lose their shape and texture.
Video
Nutrition
UPDATED: This recipe was originally posted in Dec 2019. More info, tips, and details were added, and it was republished in Nov 2022.
Tiffany
Wow. After specifically asking if there is a coconut taste if using coconut milk and you responding with “I don’t feel there is any coconut flavor left…” I opted to use one cup of coconut milk and one cup of another milk and boy was I disappointed/irritated. Coconut is the dominant flavor, I could literally smell the coconut as soon as I opened the refrigerator and that is all I can taste, even after adding 3 TABLESPOONS of vanilla. Again, this is not a subtle hint of coconut, it is bold and overpowering.
My Pure Plants
Hi Tiffany, I am sorry you didn’t like the recipe. I replied genuinely that I cannot taste the coconut. I also tested the recipe with 1 cup full fat shaken coconut milk (not just the cream part) and 1 cup almond milk and I didn’t think the coconut was dominating. I have other coconut milk recipes (like this panna cotta) and usually 1-2 tsp vanilla extract will do that for me.
Tiffany
Hi, I’m wondering if it has any sort of a coconut hint when made with canned coconut milk?
My Pure Plants
I don’t feel there is any coconut flavor left after you add the vanilla extract.
Tiffany
Great, thank you.
Annathea
Thank you! My husband is vegan and has celiac disease, so I am always looking for recipes during the holidays. I made this with almond egg nog and it set perfectly! I used gluten free gingersnaps to create a pie crust. I really appreciate you sharing this recipe!
My Pure Plants
Hi Annathea,
Almond egg nog is a fantastic take on this custard tart recipe. We are so happy you liked it.
Jessica Turner
This looks great! I’m looking to veganize a peach pie that calls for combining the custard ingredients and pouring over the peaches and then baking without pre-cooking. How far do you think I should cook the custard before baking the pie? Will this recipe work that way? I like the idea of baking the pie, unless you think the hot custard will cook the peaches enough to distribute the flavors? Thank you!!!
My Pure Plants
Hi Jessica, can you link the recipe? For this custard recipe to work I would use canned peaches. I would combine all ingredients (and double the cornstarch amount in case the peaches will release a lot of extra liquid). I would not pre-cook it just pour it over the peaches like that. I would pre-bake the pie crust so that you only need to bake the custard for 15 minutes or so. I am sure it will need to be completely cold for you to slice it nicely. The corn starch will still be activated in the oven (at a high temperature) but it needs to cool down to set it properly. Let me know if you try it and how it turns out.
Shruti
If almond milk is used, will my custard still set thick enough?
My Pure Plants
Yes, the amount of corn starch in the recipe should set the almond milk thick enough as well.
Jo
The custard got a big thumbs up from my kids who are gluten, corn, dairy and egg free. Glad they can still enjoy their custard with a rhubarb and apple crumble. We used almond milk. Thank you for this recipe!
My Pure Plants
Aw. We are so happy the kids loved it. Thanks for letting us know.
Dannii
That looks amazing.Even better that it’s vegan.
My Pure Plants
Agreed.
Tawnie K Kroll
It’s beautiful and so delicious. Love that you made it vegan!
My Pure Plants
Thank you for your kind words.
Heidy L. McCallum
This recipe for a Vegan Tart looks beautiful and I would love to make it for the upcoming holidays.
My Pure Plants
I hope you’ll like it as much as we do.
Annie @ Annie's Noms
This tart is so beautiful!! Oh my gosh, what a show stopping dessert this would be on your Christmas table!
My Pure Plants
Thanks for your kind words. I am hoping to amaze my dinner guest this time.
Julia
Love this recipe! And what a great idea using turmeric to color the custard! 🙂
My Pure Plants
Turmeric is awesome as it is a natural food colouring and you can taste it at all.