Out of Cornstarch, one case

Cornstarch substitute for pudding

4 options, ranked, with the exact amount

Use thisBest of 4 options

Use All-purpose flour

2 tbsp for every 1 tbsp of cornstarch

In pudding, use 2 tbsp all-purpose flour for each 1 tbsp cornstarch. Whisk it with the sugar before the milk goes in, and keep the pudding at a gentle boil for 2 minutes after it thickens so it does not taste of raw flour. It sets firmly enough to slice in a cream pie, though it is a little less glossy and silky. Arrowroot, tapioca starch and potato starch are the wrong choice here: arrowroot turns slimy in milk and none of them sets.

Verdict —: Tweak it
The tweak —: Whisk the flour with the sugar, add the cold milk gradually, then cook, stirring constantly, and hold at a gentle boil for 2 minutes after it thickens.
Best for —: vanilla, chocolate and butterscotch pudding
Pantry —: Likely in your cupboard

One casethe full cornstarch card

Every option, one card

Ranked

Cornstarch substitutes compared
#	Substitute	Instead of 1 tbsp cornstarch	Verdict
1	All-purpose flourvanilla, chocolate and butterscotch pudding	2 tbspTweak it	Tweak it
2	Rice flourgluten-free stovetop pudding served in bowls	2 tbspYou'll taste it	You'll taste it
3	Unflavored gelatinchilled set desserts and no-bake pie fillings	1 envelope per 2 cups liquidYou'll taste it	You'll taste it
4	Xanthan gumlow-carb puddings eaten with a spoon	¼ tsp per cup liquidYou'll taste it	You'll taste it
Not a swap	Arrowroot, tapioca or potato starch	not a swapNot for this	Not for this

What changesWhat changes, option by option4 options

All-purpose flour

neutral once cooked; slightly heavier and less silky than a cornstarch pudding

The traditional thickener in old-fashioned cooked puddings, banana pudding included. Flour is only about three-quarters starch, so it takes twice as much, and it gives a firm, opaque set.

Best for: vanilla, chocolate and butterscotch pudding, banana pudding and cream pie fillings, pastry cream
Prep: Whisk the flour with the sugar, add the cold milk gradually, then cook, stirring constantly, and hold at a gentle boil for 2 minutes after it thickens.
Contains: gluten
Where it fails: A pudding taken off the heat as soon as it thickens tastes pasty. It is not gluten-free.

Rice flour

neutral; faintly grainy if undercooked

The gluten-free route. White rice flour thickens milk to a soft, spoonable pudding, as it does in many traditional rice-flour milk puddings.

Best for: gluten-free stovetop pudding served in bowls, puddings flavored with vanilla, rose water or cardamom
Prep: Whisk it into the cold milk, then simmer 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, so the grains soften.
Suits: gluten-free
Where it fails: Cream pies and anything that has to hold a slice: the set is soft.

Unflavored gelatin

none; the texture is a gel that wobbles, not a creamy pudding

A different way to set milk: no cooking to thicken, a clean gel once chilled. One envelope sets 2 cups of liquid firmly, which gives something closer to panna cotta than to pudding.

Best for: chilled set desserts and no-bake pie fillings, low-carb puddings
Prep: Sprinkle it over ¼ cup of the cold milk, let it stand 5 minutes, stir it into the rest of the milk while that is hot until dissolved, then chill at least 4 hours.
Suits: gluten-free
Where it fails: It will not thicken a warm pudding at all, and it melts if the dessert sits out in a hot room. It is not vegetarian.

For a softer set, start with half an envelope per 2 cups and chill overnight.

Xanthan gum

none; slightly slippery on the tongue

Thickens milk with no cooking and adds almost no carbohydrate, but it only thickens. It does not gel.

Best for: low-carb puddings eaten with a spoon, blended chocolate or avocado puddings
Prep: Blend it in, or sprinkle it over the surface while whisking hard, and wait a full minute before adding more.
Suits: gluten-free
Where it fails: Cream pies and layered desserts that need a firm set. A heavy hand makes the pudding slimy.

Arrowroot, tapioca or potato starch

neutral taste

The usual cornstarch substitutes for sauces, and the wrong ones for a milk pudding.

Best for: clear sauces and fruit fillings, not dairy puddings
Where it fails: Arrowroot goes slimy and stringy with milk. None of the three sets firm, so a pudding or cream pie made with them stays soupy and will not firm up in the refrigerator.

How it behaves in this recipe

In this recipeCornstarch

In pudding, cornstarch thickens the milk as it boils and then firms further as it chills, which is what lets a cream pie hold a slice. A substitute has to do both, in dairy. That rules out the root starches and leaves flour as the dependable swap, with gelatin as a separate method for a chilled, set dessert.

Tips for substituting cornstarch

5 tips

The conversion is double: 2 tbsp flour per 1 tbsp cornstarch, so ½ cup flour for a recipe with ¼ cup cornstarch.
Whisk the flour into the sugar before adding any milk. Sugar separates the flour so it cannot lump.
Stir constantly and hold the pudding at a gentle boil for 2 full minutes after it thickens. Flour needs that time; a pasty taste means it came off too soon.
If the recipe has egg yolks, temper them: whisk about 1 cup of the hot pudding into the yolks, then return it all to the pan and bring it back to a boil.
Press plastic wrap onto the surface and chill at least 4 hours. A flour pudding keeps firming as it cools.

Questions

5 questions

Can I use flour instead of cornstarch in banana pudding?

Yes. Many old-fashioned banana pudding recipes are made with flour. Use 2 tbsp flour per 1 tbsp cornstarch, whisked with the sugar, and cook the custard at a gentle boil for 2 minutes after it thickens before layering it with the wafers and bananas.

How much flour replaces 3 tablespoons of cornstarch in pudding?

6 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, which is ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons. The conversion is always double, whatever the size of the batch.

Can I use arrowroot or tapioca starch in pudding?

Not in a milk pudding. Arrowroot turns slimy with dairy, and neither arrowroot nor tapioca starch sets firmly, so the pudding stays loose even after chilling. Tapioca pudding made with pearls is a different recipe and works because the pearls themselves are the texture.

Why did my pudding not set after I swapped the cornstarch?

Either it never reached a full boil, which flour and cornstarch both need, or a root starch was used. Scrape it back into the pan, whisk in 2 tbsp flour stirred into ¼ cup cold milk, bring it back to a gentle boil and hold it there for 2 minutes while whisking, then chill again for at least 4 hours.

Can I use instant pudding mix instead?

For a pudding or a pie filling, yes: instant mix is made with a modified starch that thickens cold milk, so follow the box and skip the recipe's sugar and cornstarch. It is not a general substitute for cornstarch in other cooking, because it is sweetened and flavored.