Homemade Vanilla Sauce

ShareTweetPinYou may think that vanilla custard sauce is tricky, but this recipe is easier than most, and I’ll walk you through it! Vanilla sauce is wonderful over fresh fruit, waffles, bread pudding, cake, and so much more. HOMEMADE VANILLA SAUCE After I posted my recipe for buttermilk pancakes with vanilla pudding sauce, I had several requests for the recipe for the sauce.  I don’t like to disappoint, so here it is. It is basically a recipe for vanilla pudding that I tweaked so it is thinner, and not quite as sweet. I make it all the time to put on pancakes and waffles of all types. If you’ve never tried waffles with vanilla cream sauce and berries, you are in for a treat! Strawberries and blueberries are some of our favorites, but bananas and raspberries are really good too.  When we’re really being fancy smancy, I add some whipped cream to the sauce. So delicious!!   A VERSATILE RECIPE! Of course this creamy pudding sauce isn’t just for breakfast. Vanilla custard sauce, also known as creme anglaise, is commonly used to make spectacular desserts. Drizzle it over a bowl of fresh berries for a fresh and light dessert. It also pairs well with cinnamon desserts. Pour it over bread pudding, pumpkin pie,  or a slice of gingerbread cake. The creamy sauce is a perfect balance for the flavor of fall spices. The possibilities are endless! Use it as a topping for ice cream, use it in place of whipped cream on top of pies and fruit crisps, or even drizzle it over your favorite cake. It’s so tasty, you could even eat it on its own. 🙂 To skip my tips and tricks and just see the printable recipe card, just scroll to the bottom of the post. HOW TO MAKE VANILLA SAUCE Ingredients needed: cornstarch granulated sugar (white sugar) salt milk (I use 2%, but any kind should work.) egg yolks butter (I used salted butter.) vanilla extract (Use good quality pure vanilla extract for best flavor.)   Whisk together the cornstarch, sugar, and salt in a heavy saucepan. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and milk till smooth. Slowly stir into the saucepan. Turn heat to low or medium low. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Cook and stir for at about a minute, till thick and creamy. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. If desired, pour through a fine meshed strainer to remove any lumps. PRO TIPS:  Make sure you cook over lower heat, or the eggs will cook and you will have to toss the whole thing out. I have made it enough times that I can cook it at medium low heat, but if you are making it for the first time, lower is better. After you take it off the heat, the pan is still hot, so either place the pan in a bowl of ice water or pour the sauce into another dish so that it doesn’t continue cooking. If you won’t be serving it right away, press plastic wrap over the surface of the sauce so it doesn’t form a skin.   BREAKFAST RECIPES TO SERVE WITH VANILLA SAUCE: German Pancakes Diner Style Pancakes Oatmeal Waffles Best Waffles Swedish Pancakes Banana Pancakes Oatmeal Pancakes DESSERT RECIPES TO TOP WITH VANILLA CREAM SAUCE: Pumpkin Pie German Chocolate Pie Cinnamon Cake Buttermilk Pie CREAMY VANILLA SAUCE RECIPE (originally published 3/28/2011, updated November 2020) Whether you are looking to spruce up breakfast or dessert, this simple vanilla sauce recipe is a winner!