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GET IT NOWMy Sugar-Free Pudding Is Smooth, Creamy, And Totally Customizable
I originally made this vanilla sugar free pudding as a twist on my sugar free chocolate pudding, but this time I wanted it to be a base to make any flavor. I used my zero sugar vanilla syrup to sweeten it (the same one I use in my coffee every morning!) which meant I had to adjust the gelatin to get the right texture, but now it sets up perfectly. And the best part? You can turn it into chocolate, fruit, maple, or whatever flavor you’re craving. Here’s why this one is even better than the boxed sugar free pudding mix:
- Tastes like the real deal – The sweetener is what makes this pudding taste authentic — and feel like it, too. It’s often called a coffee syrup, but it’s for so much more than that. Since liquid sweetener needs more gelatin than powdered, I adjusted the ratio until it came out silky, smooth, and just like classic pudding.
- Made with clean ingredients – Unlike boxed mixes that rely on artificial sweeteners and preservatives (and end up with around 5g carbs before you even add milk), this snack keeps it simple. Just a handful of real ingredients and less than 3 grams net carbs per serving.
- Totally Customizable – You can make it your own. I’ve swapped the vanilla syrup for plain with different extracts, turned it into berry pudding with fruit purée, and even made a chocolate version. See my variations below for ideas.
Once you try it, you’ll never go back to the boxed kind. Pick your flavor and make it with me!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my sugar free pudding recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Heavy Cream – This is what makes the pudding rich and creamy. You can use full-fat coconut milk for a dairy-free option, but skip almond milk or other low carb milks because they don’t have enough fat to set without extra gelatin.
- Wholesome Yum Keto Vanilla Syrup – My go-to sweetener here! It makes the pudding silky smooth with real vanilla flavor and no sugar. Want a neutral base or other flavors? See my ideas below. You can also use Besti powdered sweetener, but just reduce the cream by 1/3 cup so it sets properly. Other brands don’t dissolve well and can turn out gritty.
- Egg Yolks – These help thicken the pudding naturally, the way cornstarch would in a traditional recipe.
- Unflavored Gelatin Powder – The key to getting that authentic pudding set. I use this instead of xanthan gum because it tastes and feels closer to the real thing.
- Sea Salt – Just a pinch balances the sweetness and makes the vanilla flavor pop.
How To Make Sugar Free Pudding
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Bloom gelatin. Sprinkle the gelatin over some of the cream in a small bowl and whisk right away. Set it aside for a few minutes to thicken.
- Heat cream. Warm the rest of the cream in a saucepan with the vanilla syrup and salt, whisking until smooth and just starting to bubble.
- Temper eggs. Slowly whisk the hot cream into the yolks a little at a time so they don’t scramble. (I always take my time here!)
- Add gelatin. Whisk the bloomed gelatin into the warm mixture until completely dissolved.
- Cool and cover. Let it cool, whisk again, then press plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin, and refrigerate until the pudding is firm.
- Whip. Once the sugar free pudding sets, stir or whip it with a mixer for a light, silky finish.
My Recipe Tips
- Always sprinkle the gelatin over the cream. It dissolves evenly this way and avoids the clumps you get if you just dump it in.
- Don’t let the cream boil. Heat it just until it barely bubbles, then pull it off the stove. Boiling can mess with the texture.
- Take your time tempering. Add the hot cream to the yolks slowly so you don’t end up with scrambled eggs.
- Don’t forge to whip it at the end. I like using a hand mixer for the creamiest texture, but honestly, a spoon works fine if that’s all you’ve got.
- What if my sugar free pudding doesn’t set? Warm it gently, bloom an extra teaspoon of gelatin, whisk it in, and let it chill again.
- Too firm? Bring it to room temp and whisk really well. If that’s not enough, reheat gently, add a splash of cream, and let it reset.
Sugar Free Pudding (4 Ingredients)
This sugar-free pudding tastes like the real deal—creamy, sweet, and rich, with no sugar, just 5 ingredients, and super easy to make!
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Pour 1/3 cup heavy cream into a small bowl. Sprinkle (don't dump) the gelatin powder on top, and whisk together immediately. Set aside.
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In a medium saucepan over medium-low, stir together the remaining heavy cream, vanilla syrup and sea salt. Heat, whisking constantly, for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and bubbling near the edges.
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Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the egg yolks into the mixture while whisking constantly to temper.
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Add the bloomed gelatin to the mixture and whisk until smooth and dissolved.
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Let the pudding cool for about 10 minutes, until cooled enough not to melt plastic wrap to be placed over it. Whisk again to get rid of any film on top.
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Cover with plastic wrap flush against the top to prevent a film from forming. Refrigerate for at minimum 4 hours, until firm.
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After pudding has set, stir or whip with a hand mixer before serving, until pudding is light and airy.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/2 cup
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you nail the texture, fix any issues, and make the creamiest sugar free pudding every time.
- Variations: Don’t miss my recipe variations for easy swaps that turn this pudding into a whole new dessert.
- Store: I keep mine in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed on top so it doesn’t form a skin. It stays fresh in the fridge for 5–7 days.
- Freeze: This pudding freezes nicely for 1–2 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight, then give it a quick whip with a mixer to bring back that silky, creamy texture.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Sugar Free Pudding
Flavor Variations
One of my favorite things about this sugar free vanilla pudding is how easy it is to switch up the flavors. Here are a few simple ways I’ve done it:
- Neutral base with extracts – If you don’t want vanilla, swap the vanilla syrup for my zero sugar simple syrup. That gives you a clean base, and then you can add any extract you like. I’ve tried butterscotch, banana, and lemon (all taste just like the pudding cups I grew up with). If you want more options, Olive Nation has a ton of natural flavor extracts you can play with.
- Fruit pudding – For a fruity twist, replace 1/3 cup of the heavy cream (not the part for blooming gelatin) with fruit purée. I’ve done strawberry and raspberry with great results. You can also add 1–2 teaspoons of fruit extract if you want to boost the flavor even more.
- Chocolate pudding – Sometimes I skip the vanilla altogether and go full-on chocolate. For that version, I follow my chocolate pudding recipe here. It’s rich, decadent, and just as creamy.
More Vanilla Dessert Recipes
If you love this sugar free pudding, you’ll definitely want to try a few more of my favorite vanilla desserts. Here are some reader favorites:
33 Comments
Sarah H
0I made this with your simple syrup (added 1 tsp of vanilla extract) recipe; it turned out thick and yummy! My kids love it and are begging me to make more before the current batch is gone even! Thank you for the recipe!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you for sharing, Sarah! It’s good to know it works with my sugar-free simple syrup. I’m glad your kids liked it!
Van
0Are the egg yolks going to cook when added to pudding mix or do they need to be pasteurized?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Van, Yes, tempering gently cooks the yolks, but it doesn’t fully cook them. I’d recommend using pasteurized eggs.
Da
0The recipe says “sea salt” but I have both coarse and fine, which measure differently. Which one should I use when not specified?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Da, Unless specified otherwise for a particular recipe, I always use fine sea salt.
Ben
0Can not find Wholesome Yum sugar free vanilla syrup in Ontario Canada. What can I sub for it?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Ben, I mentioned this a few times in the post, you can get my sugar-free vanilla syrup here and we do ship to Canada.
Donna
0Made this for hubby and me for dessert the other night and it is so good I will have to make double next time as the kids kept stealing ours!
Alea
0This pudding is so creamy and smooth and it comes together easily!
Kristyn
0Best sugar free vanilla pudding!! You can’t even tell it’s better for you! It’s creamy & delicious!
Linda Smith
0This pudding is delicious! I put it in 4 serving dishes instead of one bowl and didn’t have issue with skin forming. It was set in 2 hours.
Sylvie
0Can you use coconut cream from a can instead of regular whipping cream??
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Sylvie, Full-fat coconut milk from a can should work.
Yamila Aguiar
0Is the bloomed gelatin…the gelatin that was sprinkled on the whipped heavy cream?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Yamila, Yes, the bloomed gelatin is the part mixed with the heavy cream from step 1.
Daphne Sandoz
0I do not like when i bake with Swerve and other sweeteners that when the baked goods cool off the sweetener goes back to a crunchy granular form . Do any of your sweeteners not do that?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Daphne, Besti sweeteners don’t do that! Use crystallized Besti for the regular sweetener, powdered Besti for powdered, and Besti Brown for brown sugar replacement. None of them will get crunchy afterward. 🙂 Enjoy!
Dina
0I was curious where you get heavy cream without carrageenan in it??
Thank you
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Dina, Health food stores most often carry this, or if you just look for cream labeled organic, that should have a clean label. Hope this helps!
Glenda Mitchell
0Are your products going to be available in Australia?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Glenda, You can sign up here to be notified when it’s available in your country.
Lisa
0How much cacao powder to add to make this into chocolate pudding?
Thanks
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lisa, Here’s a keto chocolate pudding recipe.
Addison
0I tried this recipe and my family loved it. Thank you!
Vicki McDougall
0Why don’t you put in vanilla bean powder or vanilla extract? My husband really likes vanilla & I don’t think there is enough vanilla that comes thru with the coffee syrup.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Vicki, Feel free to add some if you like. We’re actually updating our syrups to add more vanilla flavor though. 🙂
Priscilla
0Thanks for your recipes! WholesomeYumFoods.com is my very favorite foodie site and I depend on it for staying well-fed on keto.
Regarding this recipe, not everyone can tolerate allulose. Wondering if there are alternative sweetener suggestions? I love vanilla pudding and want to make some soon! Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Priscilla, Sorry, we only tested this recipe with our syrup and don’t have alternate recommendations at the moment.
Ailie
0Hi Maya. Clicking the vanilla syrup link in the ingredients list takes me to your coffee syrup. Where’s can I find details of the vanilla one? Also, I live in the uk. Do you plan to make your products available here? Love your recipes x
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Ailie, Yes, this recipe uses the sugar-free vanilla coffee syrup – it can be used for many things, not only coffee. You can sign up here to be notified when our products are available in your country.
Lucy Bakker
0Heavy cream usually is not available in the stores but they have heavy whipping cream, where do you get the heavy cream?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lucy, Yes, use heavy whipping cream, the names vary by brand.