This Homemade Vanilla Pudding Pie with Biscoff Crust recipe yields a homemade vanilla bean pudding in a speculoos (biscoff) crust topped with sour cream whipped cream. You could also swap for a graham cracker crust for a more traditional cream pie crust. This vanilla pudding pie recipe is great for special occasions during the holiday season and keeps well ahead of time for less fuss!
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When I discovered homemade pudding, I never went back to store bought. Homemade pudding is also called pastry cream, or crème pâtissière. I adapted my base recipe for this pie (which is also technically a tart) from Chef Iso. I add kosher salt, because it really rounds out the overall flavor profile. I also add unflavored gelatin for this specific recipe, because I wanted to make sure you could get a nice clean slice that holds up. The crust is a speculoos biscuit crust, better known as biscoff cookies, or lotus biscuits. They have warming spices that make this pie feel elevated. There's sour cream in the whipped cream on top to help stabilize it and add additional flavor.
The homemade vanilla bean pudding is the same base recipe from my vanilla buns, which are milk bread-style soft bread buns filled with vanilla bean pudding and whipped cream. It's also the filling in my rainbow fruit tart, which is great easy dessert when summer fruits are at peak ripeness.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- The biscoff crust stays crunchy for a nice textural variation!
- The vanilla bean flecks are so beautiful in the pudding layer. You can use a real vanilla bean or vanilla bean paste to achieve this.
- Other than the vanilla bean, you really only need a few pantry staples to achieve this dessert!
- Sour cream in the whipped cream adds a nice tang and stabilizes it for easier piping.
Ingredients
- Lotus biscoff cookies are the base of the crust. They are also called speculoos cookies or biscuits. You could also swap for graham crackers here.
- Unflavored gelatin stabilizes the vanilla pudding so you can get a nice clean slice.
- Whole milk is the base of the pudding. You can use room temperature or cold milk.
- Vanilla bean flavors the pudding and it's seeds make the beautiful flecks, denoting the flavor.
- Egg yolks provide richness and structure to the pudding.
- Granulated sugar sweetens the pudding.
- Cornstarch and all-purpose flour help thicken the pudding.
- Kosher salt balances the overall flavor profile.
- Vanilla extract boosts the overall vanilla flavor. It is optional. I used both regular and clear vanilla for lots of flavor.
- Unsalted butter adds richness and moisture to the cookie crust.
- Heavy whipping cream is whipped for the topping. For best results, be sure to use very cold heavy cream.
- Sour cream adds tang and stability to the whipped cream.
- Light brown sugar sweetens the whipped cream, but you can swap for granulated or powdered sugar.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and variations
Here's how to customize this homemade vanilla pudding pie with biscoff crust to your liking:
- Different sugar — swap for granulated or powdered sugar in the whipped cream instead of brown sugar. Likewise, you can also swap for brown sugar in the pudding instead of granulated.
- Another cookie — instead of biscoff cookies, swap for graham crackers, golden oreos with the cream removed or gingersnaps.
- Another dish — I used a tart pan with a removable bottom, but you can absolutely use a traditional round pie dish or an 8x8 square dish. Cream pies are typically baked in a round pie plate, but I went with a rectangle tart pan for prettier presentation.
- Cool whip — top with cool whip, or whipped topping, for even easier garnishing.
- More garnish ideas — I used crunchy white chocolate pearls, but you could top with white chocolate shavings, toasted coconut or crushed biscoff cookies.
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This recipe has not been tested with any substitutions or variations. If you try any, please let me know how it turned out by commenting below!
How to make This Homemade Vanilla Pudding Pie with Biscoff Crust
Step 1: In the bowl of a food processor, add the biscoff cookies. Process until fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and kosher salt. Pulse a few times to combine. Pour into pie or tart pan. Press into the edges and bottoms with your fingers. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Step 2: In a small bowl stir together the unflavored gelatin and water. Let sit for 5 minutes to bloom. Slice the vanilla bean pod down the center. Scrape out the seeds with the back of the knife. Add the seeds and empty vanilla pod to the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from heat and set aside.
Step 3: Combine the granulated sugar and egg yolks in a medium bowl. Whisk by hand until light yellow and fluffy. Add flour and cornstarch and whisk until thoroughly combined and lightened in color even further.
Step 4: Very slowly stream in the warmed vanilla milk with a ladle while whisking vigorously to prevent cooking the eggs. Continue slowly adding in the milk mixture until it is all combined, discarding the vanilla pod when you get to it. Add the bloomed gelatin mixture and whisk until dissolved. Return the entire mixture to the medium saucepan and place over low heat. Whisk constantly until the pastry cream has thickened to a pudding consistency (coats the back of a spoon). This can take 5+ minutes. Do not let it reach boiling (212°F) because gelatin degrades at that temperature. Remove from the heat promptly and transfer to the cooled crust. Cover the top with plastic wrap or place in an airtight container. Place in the refrigerator to cool and set for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Step 5: In a large bowl with beaters or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the heavy cream, sour cream, light brown sugar and vanilla extract. Beat until soft peaks.
Step 6: Pipe or spoon over the cooled and set pudding. Garnish as desired.
Top tips
- To get your pudding as thick as possible without risking boiling, use an instant-read thermometer to be sure you’re in the safe zone.
- I used a large basketweave piping tip to pipe the whipped cream on my pie.
- To get a firmer pat on your crust, use the bottom of a glass, a measuring cup or a wooden tamper.
Recipe FAQs
Store the pie in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing the pie as gelatin degrades at freezing.
Yes, just skip baking the crust. The crust won't stay as crisp, but it will still be good.
The assembly is fairly quick, but you can't rush the cooling process. The pie really needs an overnight chill to set up properly.
More recipes you'll love
Lastly, if you make this Homemade Vanilla Pudding Pie with Biscoff Crust recipe be sure to leave a comment or give it a rating. I love to see when people make my recipes, so please tag me @youthsweets on Instagram if you post!
📖 Recipe
Homemade Vanilla Pudding Pie with Biscoff Crust
Equipment
Ingredients
Cookie crust
- 250 g lotus biscoff cookies (1- 8.8 oz package or 32 cookies)
- 71 g unsalted butter melted (5 tbsp)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Vanilla bean pastry cream
- 1 ½ teaspoon unflavored gelatin granulated
- 1 ½ tablespoon cold water
- 1 whole vanilla bean or 2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 ¾ cup whole milk (430g)
- 4 egg yolks (60g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour (16g)
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch (24g)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract optional
- ½ teaspoon clear vanilla extract optional
Sour cream whipped cream
- 1 cup heavy cream chilled (229g)
- ¼ cup sour cream chilled (60g)
- 2 tablespoon light brown sugar (30g)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Do ahead
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- This pie is best made a day ahead because the pudding needs to set for 4 hours or overnight.
Make the cookie crust
- In the bowl of a food processor, add the biscoff cookies. Process until fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and kosher salt. Pulse a few times to combine.
- Pour into pie or tart pan. Press into the edges and bottoms with your fingers.
- Bake for 11-14 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Make the pastry cream
- In a small bowl stir together the unflavored gelatin and water. Let sit for 5 minutes to bloom.
- Slice the vanilla bean pod down the center. Scrape out the seeds with the back of the knife.
- Add the seeds and empty vanilla pod to the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Combine the granulated sugar and egg yolks in a medium bowl. Whisk by hand until light yellow and fluffy. Add flour and cornstarch and whisk until thoroughly combined and lightened in color even further.
- Very slowly stream in the warmed vanilla milk with a ladle while whisking vigorously to prevent cooking the eggs. Continue slowly adding in the milk mixture until it is all combined, discarding the vanilla pod when you get to it. Add the bloomed gelatin mixture and whisk until dissolved.
- Return the entire mixture to the medium saucepan and place over low heat. Whisk constantly until the pastry cream has thickened to a pudding consistency (coats the back of a spoon). This can take 5+ minutes. Do not let it reach boiling (212°F) because gelatin degrades at that temperature. Remove from the heat promptly and transfer to the cooled crust.
- Place in the refrigerator to cool and set for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Make the whipped cream
- In a large bowl with beaters or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the heavy cream, sour cream, light brown sugar and vanilla extract. Beat until soft peaks.
- Pipe or spoon over the cooled and set pudding. Garnish as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published 11/06/2025.
