Eggless Pastry Cream Recipe (2024)

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By: Oriana Romero/Published: April 6, 2020/Updated: May 28, 2022/ 37 Comments

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This Eggless Pastry Cream is rich, creamy, and super easy to make! It’s beyond delicious and so versatile. Use it to fill tarts, cakes, donuts, or anything else your baker’s heart can dream up. The recipe includes step-by-step photos and lots of tips.

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Table of Contents hide

1.Eggless Pastry Cream Recipe Highlights

3.Step By Step Recipe Photo Tutorial

4.Frequently Asked Questions

5.Storing Instructions

6.More Recipes You’ll Love!

7.Easy Eggless Pastry Cream Recipe

Eggless Pastry Cream Recipe Highlights

Pastry cream is the iconic custard that is used to fill tarts, profiteroles, eclairs, and cakes. And in my opinion, every good baker should have a go-to recipe.

The classic pastry cream recipe is made with LOTS of eggs, so I decided we needed an egg-free version asap.

This Eggless Pastry Cream is rich, creamy and beyond delicious … Be aware, once you try this recipe you might become addicted!

Here’s how to make pastry cream without eggs.

Ingredients Notes & Substitutions

Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and instructions(scroll down).

You’ll need:

Sugar: Regular white granulated sugar o caster sugar.Cornstarch
Black salt: I only use it to add the “eggy” tasteto the custard. You can omit it or substitute it for regular salt.
Evaporated milk: You don’t have evaporated milk? No problem!! Check out my post aboutHow to Make Evaporated Milkat home.
Butter: I prefer to use unsalted butter, but if you only have salted butter handy, you can use it. In this case, skip the salt called in the recipe.
Vanilla extract: For optimal flavor, reach for pure vanilla instead of imitation. Even better, tryhomemade vanilla extract!

Step By Step Recipe Photo Tutorial

Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions(scroll down).

1 – Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan.

2 – Add evaporated milk; whisk to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, while whisking vigorously until it starts to thicken – this should take about 1 – 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and let it boil for 1 minute, still whisking; then remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.

3 – Strain the pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.

4 – Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the cream to prevent skin from forming. Let the mixture cool down to room temperature.

5 – Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. Just before using, whisk until smooth.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Pastry Cream Used For?

Pastry Cream (or Creme Patissiere) is used to fill profiteroles, eclairs, tarts, donuts, and cakes (such as Boston pie cake).

Can I freeze my egg-free pastry cream?

I don’t recommend freezing pastry cream because it separates as it thaws and ruins the consistency.

Does pastry cream need to be refrigerated?

Yes! It should always be kept chilled. I recommend covering the entire surface of the pastry cream with a piece of plastic wrap.

Can I use regular milk instead of evaporated milk?

For best results, I recommend following the recipe exactly.The evaporated milk helps improve texture and adds an incredible amount of flavor.

Can I skip the black salt?

Yes, you can! I only use it to add the “eggy” tasteto the pastry cream. You can omit it or substitute it for kosher or sea salt.

Storing Instructions

Place the pastry cream in an air-tight container and cover the entire surface of the pastry cream with a piece of plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Make-Ahead: Pastry cream can be made up to 3 days in advance. Store pastry cream in an air-tight container and cover the entire surface of the pastry cream with a piece of plastic wrap until ready to use.

More Recipes You’ll Love!

Perfect Eggless Tart Crust
How to Make Pie Crust from Scratch
Easy Eggless Lemon Curd
How to Make Sour Cream at Home
How to Make Evaporated Milk
Eggless Fruit Tart
More recipes…

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Easy Eggless Pastry Cream Recipe

Oriana Romero

This Eggless Pastry Cream is rich, creamy and super easy to make! It’s beyond delicious and so versatile. Use it to fill tarts, cakes, donuts, or anything else your baker's heart can dream up.

4.60 from 42 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Servings 3 cups

Equipment

▢
Kitchen Scale
▢
Saucepan

Ingredients

▢ 1/3 cup (80 g) granulated sugar
▢ 1/3 cup (40 g) cornstarch
▢ ¼ teaspoon black salt (see notes)
▢ 2 cups (480 ml) evaporated milk
▢ 2 tablespoon (30 g) butter
▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan.
Add evaporated milk; whisk to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, while whisking vigorously until it starts to thicken – this should take about 1 – 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and let it boil for 1 minute, still whisking; then remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.
Strain pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.
Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the cream to prevent skin from forming. Let the mixture cool down to room temperature.
Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. Just before using, whisk until smooth.

Oriana’s Notes

Store: Place the pastry cream in an air-tight container and cover the entire surface of the pastry cream with a piece of plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This means you can make vanilla pastry cream ahead of time for your recipes too.

Black salt: I only use it to add the “eggy” tasteto the custard. You can omit it or substitute it for regular salt.

Evaporated milk: You don’t have evaporated milk? No problem!! Check out my post aboutHow to Make Evaporated Milkat home.

If you’re making this recipe, please read the whole post content to get lots of tips, tricks, variations, frequently asked questions, and step-by-step photos.

★Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!

Please note that nutritional information is a rough estimate and it can vary depending on the products used.

Nutrition

Calories: 441kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 12gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 13gSugar: 39g

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Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Calories 441

Keyword dessert eggfree Eggless pastry cream

Eggless Baking Frequently Asked Questions

You’ve asked, and I’ve answered! Read on for a handful of answers to the most frequently asked questions abouteggless baking.

FAQs

Originally posted in Abril 2020, the post content was edited to add more helpful information, with no change to the recipe in May 2022.

Welcome to my eggless kitchen!

Thanks for stopping by! I’m Oriana, a wife, mom to three wonderful kids, and a passionate baker and cooker of all eggless things delicious. My goal is to give you the confidence and knowledge to cook and bake without eggs while providing quality recipes that your whole family will love. I’m really happy that you’re here, so take a seat and have fun exploring! Read More…

Reader Interactions

Comments

Kandie Konomos says
March 20, 2024 at 7:31 pm

Perfect for my eclairs!!!!! Everyone loved it.
Reply
Sandy says
January 25, 2024 at 3:23 pm

Exactly what i was looking for. I want to make a bundt cake and put this cream in the middle before baking. Can i use this cream this way?
Reply
- Oriana Romero says
  February 29, 2024 at 8:36 pm
  
  Hello Sandy! While I haven’t personally tried using the cream as a filling for a bundt cake, it sounds like a fun and tasty experiment! It could be a delicious addition, but it’s always good to test it out first to ensure the best results. Happy baking, and let me know how it turns out if you decide to try it!
  Reply
Alex says
August 2, 2023 at 6:13 pm

Delicious recipe!
Although I do have black salt, I used salted butter this time so I omitted the salt entirely as directed. Next time I will use the black salt with unsalted butter!
It is a wee bit thick for my intended purpose (trifle), but I was able to strain it through a fine sieve with little problem. I’ll just thin with a wee bit of evaporated milk when I’m ready to use it.
I’m very excited to find this recipe as I am preparing a dessert for some guests who have egg allergies and also require gluten free dishes. (Now to just find a great GF Swiss Roll or Poundcake recipe!)
Thank you, Oriana . . . I am happy to find your site!
Reply
See Also
The Best Healthy Apple Crisp Recipe | Ambitious Kitchen
- Oriana Romero says
  August 5, 2023 at 10:39 am
  
  Hello Alex! I am glad you are here =) It sounds like you nailed it! Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know. I hope my recipes inspire you to continue baking. Please make sure to reach out if you have any questions or special requests. I am happy to help!
  Reply
Ash says
August 8, 2022 at 8:33 am

Hi Oriana. I loved this recipe!! So easy to make & so delicious! But I have a recurring issue – the cream became lumpy even though I strained it. The first time I made it, I thought I cooked for too long. So the second time, I cooked it for less than 2 min. The cream wasn’t as thick as the first time & still had lumps. It’s also very difficult to strain – I used a fine strain like you stated but nothing came through as the cream was already getting thick! I had to use a different one. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. Please help…
Reply
- Oriana Romero says
  August 16, 2022 at 7:24 am
  
  Hello Ash! Sorry to hear that. It’s impossible to say exactly because there are a few things that can make that happen, but it sounds to me that it could be too much cornstarch. The cream should be thick but not so thick that you cannot strain it. I would suggest making sure you are using the right amount of cornstarch, or even adding 1/4 cup (30 g) instead of 1/3 cup (40 g). Also, make sure to whisk well the sugar, cornstarch, and salt before you add the liquids. Hope this helps!
  Reply
Ryan says
June 20, 2022 at 4:15 am

Made this along with the tart shell for a berry tart for my niece’s first birthday party. The cream was very thick after a night in the fridge so I thinned it with some milk before adding to the shell. Great flavor and held up very well. Easy to make and she really enjoyed it!
Reply
- Oriana Romero says
  June 22, 2022 at 11:03 am
  
  Hi Ryan! Great to hear that it was a hit! Thanks a lot for the review and good feedback.
  Reply
Avneet says
June 19, 2022 at 8:58 am

I make this recipe very often and people are super impressed every time It is the stand-out component of all pastries I add it to. ! I use fresh vanilla instead of vanilla extract, the speckled look adds so much to it.
Reply
- Oriana Romero says
  June 22, 2022 at 10:52 am
  
  Hello Avneet! It sounds like you nailed it! Thanks so much for trying my recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know.
  Reply
Jamie says
May 27, 2022 at 9:06 pm

Loved the taste of the pastry cream but I feel like it cane out more rubbery than I’d like I’m pretty positive I weighed everything correctly. But I whipped it up with some left over chantilly cream I had and made diplomat Creme Thank you for the recipe !
Reply
- Oriana Romero says
  June 9, 2022 at 9:35 am
  
  Hello Jamie! I am glad you liked the taste. Thanks a lot for the review and good feedback.
  Reply
Sarah Baker says
July 30, 2021 at 7:49 pm

If I wanted to make this a chocolate pastry cream, how much should I add?
Reply
- Oriana Romero says
  August 2, 2021 at 7:00 am
  
  Hello Sarah! You can add about a cup (100 g) of melted chocolate. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
  Reply
Harika says
July 19, 2021 at 2:19 am

Hello! Love the concept of eggless baking! I have made the custard, however it came out thick and kind of lumpy…? It has a gelatin-like structure and I’m not sure why this happened. I followed the recipe with all the right ingredients. Anyway to salvage this? Will slowly adding milk in help?
Reply
- Oriana Romero says
  July 21, 2021 at 10:10 am
  
  Hello Harika! I am sorry to hear that. It sounds like the proportion of the ingredients was a bit off. Next time, please make sure to measure the ingredients correctly; I highly recommend using a kitchen scale. Yes, you can add a little bit of milk to loosen it up.
  Reply
Jeaneth says
June 25, 2021 at 4:32 pm

Hello! Does this custard need to be kept refrigerated after making a fruit tart? As a home-based bakery, I’m not allowed to sell anything that requires refrigeration.
Reply
- Oriana Romero says
  July 1, 2021 at 7:09 am
  
  Hello Jeaneth! Yes, it needs to be refrigerated. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
  Reply
Sumitha says
February 26, 2021 at 2:15 pm

Hi there, I’m about to make this recipe, and I want to add strawberry puree to the cream, do you have any suggestions on how I should incorporate it?
Reply
- Oriana Romero says
  March 2, 2021 at 10:50 am
  
  Hello Sumitha! I am sorry but I haven’t tested this recipe with fruit purée. If you do try using this alternative ingredient, please let me know the outcome. Thanks for your interest in my recipe.🙂
  Reply
Shelly says
December 17, 2020 at 8:32 am

Hi there! Cant wait to try this. Quick question – I have access on dried out evaporated milk aka milk powder, marketed as “Everyday” by nestle. Any tips on how i can use that . I am thinking it should be a mixture of milk and milk powder – but in what proportions?
Reply
- Oriana Romero says
  December 19, 2020 at 2:22 pm
  
  Hello Shelly! I am sorry, but I have never used dried evaporated milk. I would suggest following the package instructions. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
  Reply
  - Shelly says
    January 6, 2021 at 3:40 pm
    
    Ok never mind! I’ll reduce the milk. Can this pastry cream be used in Fraisier Cake?
    Reply
    - Oriana Romero says
      January 7, 2021 at 8:50 am
      
      Hello Shelly! I haven’t used it to make Fraisier Cake yet, but I think it would work fine. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)
      Reply
Haiyoi Koko says
September 23, 2020 at 3:25 pm

Wonderful recipe, very good for someone who has egg allergies!
Just a small question, is this pastry cream able to be baked like most other pastry creams? I remember seeing that some tarts have the cream bake a little while in the crust.
Reply
- Oriana Romero says
  September 24, 2020 at 4:57 pm
  
  Hello Haiyoi! I am sorry but I haven’t try to bake this pastry cream yet but I will test it soon. If you do try, please let me know the outcome. Thanks for your interest in my recipe.🙂
  Reply
Sushmita Mishra says
August 16, 2020 at 2:20 pm

Hey I made the cream today but it seems to be little thik… Any suggestions how can I make it right without discarding this batch…
Reply
- Oriana Romero says
  August 18, 2020 at 2:20 am
  
  Hello Sushmita! You can stir in some milk, a tablespoon at the time, until it reaches the desired consistency. Hope that helps!
  Reply
Sushmita mishra says
August 13, 2020 at 4:10 pm

Can cornflour be used instead of cornstarch??
Reply
- Oriana Romero says
  August 14, 2020 at 2:17 am
  
  Hello Sushimita! Usually, cornstarch is also called corn flour. If your cornflour is a fine, white powder made from the starchy part of a corn kernel, yes you can use it. If your cornflour is a yellow powder made from finely ground, dried corn, you cant. Hope that helps!
  Reply
  - Sushmita Mishra says
    August 14, 2020 at 9:17 am
    
    Thanks a lot.. I have white one used for baking… But read somewhere that cornstarch and cornflour are although same but have different uses in baking.. so got confused.. thanks again ?
    Reply
    - Oriana Romero says
      August 18, 2020 at 1:34 am
      
      Happy to help!
      Reply
Kruti Jain says
July 10, 2020 at 8:09 pm

I’m finding it difficult understanding your measurements. It says 1/3rd cup Sugar and 1/3rd cup Cornstarch. But for Sugar it’s 80 grams and cornstarch is 40 grams?
Reply
- Oriana Romero says
  July 11, 2020 at 3:52 am
  
  Hello Kruti! Yes, that is correct. 1/3 cup of sugar does not weigh the same that 1/3 cup of cornstarch. They have different volumes. Hope that helps!
  Reply
Traci Fischer says
April 9, 2020 at 11:11 am

I just recently found you!! My daughter has food allergies (eggs, peanuts and tree nuts) – although her teen mind-set has her in denial – so I’m always looking for innovative, interesting recipes. I love quiche and would love for her to be able to experience a cheese/spinach type quiche dish. Is that possible without all the eggs? Every quiche recipe I’ve looked at has A LOT of eggs. Also, how can I know when I can use a non-egg based substitute and which substitute option works best with specific recipes?
Reply
- Oriana Romero says
  April 13, 2020 at 9:29 am
  
  Hello Traci! So sorry about your daughter’s allergies. Baking without eggs can be tricky and intimidating, unfortunately, what works for one recipe might not work for others. Please be sure to browse my recipe page (https://mommyshomecooking.com/recipe-index/) to get some eggless recipe ideas. I am working on an eggless quiche recipe but they need a few more tests. I hope I can share them soon. Stay tuned!
  Reply