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Caramel Apple Pudding is the coziest fall dessert in a cup, silky homemade caramel pudding topped with warm cinnamon apples. I whipped these up on a *rainy afternoon* when the girls wanted something sweet, and the way Maddie scraped her cup clean told me everything. If you love our caramel apple cake, these little pudding cups give you all that gooey caramel apple flavor with a fraction of the effort.
It is creamy, caramel rich, and topped with cinnamon apples for the perfect spoonful of fall.
Caramel Apple Pudding Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 10 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 4 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 553kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Silky brown sugar caramel with warm cinnamon apples
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, a cozy make ahead dessert like our easy pumpkin snack cake
Quick Answer
Whisk together milk, cream, egg yolks, and cornstarch. Cook brown sugar and water into a caramel, then slowly whisk in the cream mixture and cook until thick. Pour the Caramel Apple Pudding into cups, chill until set, and top each one with warm cinnamon applesauce before serving.
Jump to:
- Caramel Apple Pudding Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Caramel Apple Pudding
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Caramel Apple Pudding FAQs
- Other Recommended Fall Dessert Recipes
- Caramel Apple Pudding Cups
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- A real caramel base. Cooking the brown sugar into an actual caramel before adding the dairy gives the pudding a deep, buttery caramel flavor you cannot get from a box.
- Egg yolks and cornstarch. Together they make the pudding luxuriously thick and silky, with a custard like richness.
- Cinnamon apples on top. A spoonful of warm cinnamon applesauce turns a simple caramel pudding into a full caramel apple dessert.
- Make it ahead. These set up in the fridge, so you can make them hours before and just add the apple topping when you serve.
- Perfect single servings. Spooned into individual cups, they are easy to portion, easy to serve, and impossible to resist.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is caramel apple flavor in the easiest, spoonable form, with no baking required.
- The homemade caramel pudding tastes worlds better than anything from a box, a lot like our caramel apple pie egg rolls.
- They are made ahead and grab and go, which makes them perfect for fall parties and cozy nights in.
Key Ingredients
Here is a quick look at the simple ingredients that make this Caramel Apple Pudding so rich and cozy.
- Brown Sugar: Cooked into a real caramel, it gives the pudding its deep, buttery, caramel apple flavor.
- Egg Yolks and Cornstarch: The thickening duo that makes the pudding silky, rich, and perfectly spoonable.
- Whole Milk and Heavy Cream: Together they make the base ultra creamy without being heavy.
- Cinnamon Applesauce: The apple topping that makes this a caramel apple dessert. Use homemade or a good chunky store version, a lot like the filling in our apple fritters.
- Butter and Vanilla: Stirred in at the end for a glossy finish and warm, rounded flavor.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This Caramel Apple Pudding is easy to make your own. Here are a few ways to switch it up.
- Add a crunch: Top with crushed gingersnaps, granola, or chopped pecans for texture.
- Salted caramel: Add a pinch of flaky sea salt to the caramel for a salted caramel apple version.
- Layer it up: Alternate layers of pudding and cinnamon apples in a glass for a pretty parfait.
- Whipped cream: Finish each cup with a swirl of whipped cream and an extra dusting of cinnamon.
- More caramel apple treats: If you love this flavor, try our caramel apple cake next.
How to Make Caramel Apple Pudding
- In a bowl, whisk together the whole milk, heavy cream, egg yolks, and cornstarch until smooth. Set it aside.
- In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, whisk the brown sugar, water, and salt together and cook until it becomes a bubbling caramel.
- Slowly and carefully whisk the milk and cream mixture into the caramel. It will sizzle, so pour it in a little at a time.
- Turn the heat to low and keep whisking as the pudding bubbles and thickens. Cook until thick and glossy, then stir in the butter and vanilla.
- Pour the pudding into a serving bowl or individual cups. Press plastic wrap right onto the surface and chill until set.
- Just before serving, top each cup of caramel pudding with a spoonful of warm cinnamon applesauce.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Whisk the cornstarch in well. Make sure it is fully dissolved in the cold dairy so the pudding sets smooth instead of lumpy.
- Watch the caramel. Brown sugar caramel can go from golden to burnt quickly, so keep it moving and pull it as soon as it bubbles.
- Add the dairy slowly. Pouring the cool cream into hot caramel a little at a time keeps it from seizing or splattering.
- Cook until thick. Let the pudding bubble and thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon so it sets up firm in the fridge.
- Press plastic to the surface. Laying wrap right on the pudding stops a skin from forming as it chills.
- Top just before serving. Add the cinnamon apples right before you serve so they stay fresh and the pudding stays neat.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
These Caramel Apple Pudding cups are a cozy end to any fall meal, served cold from the fridge with the cinnamon apples spooned on top. A little whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon make them feel extra special.
They are perfect for a make ahead dessert at fall gatherings. Set them out alongside our pumpkin monkey bread and a pot of coffee for a cozy dessert table.
Love spoonable desserts? Serve them next to our easy pumpkin snack cake for a fun fall dessert spread.
Store the pudding covered in the refrigerator for up to three days. Add the cinnamon apple topping just before serving so everything stays fresh, a lot like the apples in our caramel swirl pumpkin bread.
Caramel Apple Pudding FAQs
Yes, and you should. This Caramel Apple Pudding needs a few hours to chill and set, so it is a perfect make ahead dessert. Just wait to add the cinnamon apple topping until right before serving.
Lumps usually mean the cornstarch was not fully dissolved or the pudding was not whisked constantly. Whisk the cornstarch smoothly into the cold dairy first, and keep whisking as the Caramel Apple Pudding thickens.
Store Caramel Apple Pudding covered in the refrigerator for up to three days. Keep the pudding and the cinnamon apple topping separate until serving for the best texture.
Absolutely. A good chunky cinnamon applesauce works great on this Caramel Apple Pudding. Warm it slightly before spooning it over the chilled pudding.
Freezing is not recommended. Cornstarch and egg based puddings like this Caramel Apple Pudding can turn grainy and watery after thawing, so it is best enjoyed fresh from the fridge.
The egg yolks give this Caramel Apple Pudding its rich, custard like texture. You can make a simpler version with just cornstarch, but it will be a little less silky and full.
Looking for your next cozy treat? Try our pumpkin sheet cake for another easy fall favorite.
Add this easy no bake pumpkin cheese ball to your fall dessert table.
Craving more apple desserts? This easy apple cider cake starts with a spice cake mix shortcut.
These stuffed apple pie cupcakes put warm skillet apple filling in every bite.
For another caramel apple treat, my apple cider float takes two minutes flat.
Caramel Apple Pudding Cups
Ingredients
- 1 & 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons Argo cornstarch
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1/2 recipe Cinnamon Applesauce
Instructions
- Whisk the whole milk and heavy cream together in a medium bowl. Set aside. Whisk the egg yolks and cornstarch together in a medium bowl. Set aside. Have both ready to go before starting.
- Whisk the brown sugar, water, and salt together in a medium-sized heavy-duty saucepan over medium heat. Without stirring, allow to cook and bubble until slightly darker brown, about 3-4 minutes. It should begin to smell caramelized at that point.
- Slowly and carefully whisk in the heavy cream and milk mixture. It will sizzle and it may splatter, so pour in very slowly whisking constantly. Cook on medium heat until mixture begins to boil. Keep an eye on this as it can bubble over! Once it's boiling, remove about 1/2 cup of the mixture and, in a slow and steady stream, whisk into the egg yolks. In a slow and steady stream, pour and whisk the egg yolk mixture into the pot with the remaining milk mixture.
- Turn the heat down to low. The pudding will immediately begin to bubble and thicken up. Whisk constantly and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in the butter until completely smooth, then add the vanilla. Let cool for 5 minutes off the heat. This is an optional step, but using a very mesh sieve, pour the pudding through the sieve into a large bowl to catch any potential lumps.
- Pour into a serving bowl or into individual containers. Cover with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic wrap is touching the top of the pudding all over. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. This will help to thicken further.
- Serve with homemade cinnamon applesauce on top.
Notes
Nutrition
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