How To Make Instant Pudding Thicker

Last Updated on January 18, 2022

Today, we’re going to be looking at how to make instant pudding thicker. Is there anything more unappetizing than thin instant pudding? (Sorry if you’re one of those people that do enjoy it!). For more, the thicker the better! But what if you’ve added too much milk and you don’t know how to salvage it? Or you simply want it thicker than it already is? Never fear – we’ve got you covered! And they’re all gluten-free ways, of course. Let’s take a look.

What Is Instant Pudding?

We all know what instant pudding mix is, right? It’s a food product that contains powder. You put in a bowl with milk, give it a good whisk and your instant pudding is ready! It works perfectly as a pudding on it’s own, or as a pie filling. If you’re from the UK, you may know instant pudding better as Angel Delight. The main ingredients in instant pudding are modified cornstarch and sugar. Meaning most are gluten-free!

The most famous instant pudding brand in the US, is, of course, Jello. It comes in a variety of flavors and is delicious!

Learn more about: Is Jello Vanilla Pudding Gluten-Free?

How To Thicken Instant Pudding

But what do you do when the finished product is too watery? Hey, it happens! And it’s even more frustrating when you’re following a gluten-free lifestyle, as the options you have to save it are far more limited. But there’s plenty of ways to salvage your instant pudding. Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can try to achieve perfect consistency.

Thickening Instant Pudding With Cornstarch

Cornstarch is probably something you already have in your pantry – especially when you’re gluten-free. It’s best known for it’s thickening capabilities, and it’s flavorless too. However, you do not want to be putting powder cornstarch into your instant pudding mix! Cornstarch needs heat to thicken, so you need to make a slurry first. It helps to avoid any clumping too.

Thickening Instant Pudding With Cornstarch

Here’s a step-by-step guide.

  1. Mix equal parts cornstarch with water to make a slurry
  2. Heat the instant pudding and whisk in the slurry mixture gradually on a low heat, until you get the consistency you require (the pudding mix will need to be almost boiling for this to work)

It’s important to note that the mixture will thicken once it cools, so make it to a consistency slightly thinner than you’d like to give it time to thicken up upon cooling.

Thickening Instant Pudding With Sugar

Another way to thicken instant pudding is with powdered sugar. This is one of the quickest, easiest ways. However, you’ll need a sweet tooth for this one as adding sugar will make your instant pudding even sweeter. Add a very small amount of powdered sugar and taste. Keep doing this until you’ve reached the consistency you require – or you can’t handle any more sweetness!

Thickening Instant Pudding With More Instant Pudding

This may seem like an obvious one, but it really is the simplest way to thicken instant pudding. It’s what this instant pudding mix was made for, after all. You’ll usually have a spare pudding mix in your pantry, so why not use it? All you have to do is:

  1. Open the extra instant pudding mix
  2. Add the powdered mix gradually – you may not need much at all! Be sure to whisk until smooth before adding more of the mix
  3. Once you’ve reached the consistency you require, reseal the packet in an airtight container and you can use that packet if you need to thicken your instant pudding again

Check out this article from Recipe Recon to find out why it’s inadvisable to add any kind of flour or tapioca to your instant pudding mix…and why it may end up worse than when you started!

Thickening Instant Pudding With More Instant Pudding

Tips To Make Your Instant Pudding Thicker

There’s some easy tips you may want to follow to ensure your pudding is at the right consistency.

  • Use whole milk. Substituting the milk for part-skim or another alternative will not give the same result as whole milk. So be prepared to use one of our thickening techniques if you do not use whole milk
  • Mix. Mixing is your friend with instant pudding! The longer and harder you mix it, the thicker the consistency will be. It may hurt your arm, but at least you’ll have yummy pudding
  • Use slightly less milk than the instructions tell you to. It’s easy to add more milk if you need to, but much harder to salvage the mix once you’ve added too much!
  • Shaking. Another way to thicken the mixture is to place in a mason jar and shake (it will be better if you a few ice cubes in there too!). Shake for around 2 minutes and place in the fridge for a few hours. It may not look quite the same, but it will be thick and yummy!
  • Blending. Blending the pudding mix is probably the best way to make your instant pudding. Place in the blender for around 30-45 seconds and then place in the fridge in a bowl. It really is that easy!

Conclusion

I hope this article has helped you to see how to thicken pudding, quickly and effectively. There’s a range of ways to try if your pudding mix isn’t looking it’s best. But the most effective way is definitely adding more dry instant pudding mix to your mixture. I can manage to ruin almost everything I make, so I have certainly used a few of these suggestions in the past to salvage my own baking!

Do you have any other tips or tricks for thicker pudding mix? Gluten-free, of course. Or are you going to try one of the ways we’ve suggested? I would love to know how you get on! Please feel free to let me know how your instant pudding mix turns out in the comments below. Sharing is caring!

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