Creamy Dairy-Free Tapioca Pudding
Alright friends, put down the dairy and the eggs. Because you don’t need either one to make thick, rich, decadent, and nostalgic dairy free tapioca pudding! In fact, you only need 4 ingredients to make this rich and creamy tapioca.
This dairy-free tapioca pudding tastes just like I remember as a kid. Tapioca was one of my favorite desserts back then, and with this recipe, it’s moved back up the ranks. With a simple list of ingredients and just a few minutes to make, this dairy-free tapioca pudding is one for the keeper files!
If you’re looking for a ridiculously easy but still delicious tapioca pudding without eggs or dairy, you’ve come to the right place!
Table of Contents
- The Story Behind the Recipe
- Developing this Recipe
- Can You Make Tapioca Pudding without Eggs?
- Ingredients for Dairy-Free Tapioca
- Ways to Customize and Adapt this Recipe
- How to Make It
- How to Store Dairy-Free Tapioca
- Can You Freeze Coconut Milk Tapioca?
- More Dairy-Free Desserts
The Story Behind the Recipe
I was craving the tapioca pudding of my childhood, but unable to eat dairy. What’s a person to do? Create a new recipe, that’s what!
Developing this Recipe
For this coconut milk tapioca recipe, I started with the recipe right on the back of the Bob’s Red Mill package. Instead of soaking the tapioca in water, I soaked it in almond milk. Then, I cooked it with honey (but maple syrup is also delicious), vanilla, and coconut milk. I thought, how could that not turn out delicious? And I was right. Whew! The result was a rich and creamy coconut milk tapioca that instantly transported me back to my childhood. It’s a winner!
I decided to go with a combination of almond milk and coconut milk for max flavor and a good combo of creamy but a not-over-the-top ridiculously decadent affair that just using coconut milk might’ve created. And this thick, rich, and memory-invoking dairy-free tapioca pudding was born!
Can You Make Tapioca Pudding without Eggs?
I found that when testing this recipe for dairy-free tapioca, no egg was needed either! The pudding thickens up lusciously without it. Tapioca is a natural thickener, after all!
Ingredients for Dairy-Free Tapioca
- Almond milk – start with unsweetened almond milk. Oat milk would likely work wonderfully as well.
- Coconut milk – I find lite coconut is perfect, but you can use full fat for maximum creaminess.
- Honey – just a little. Swap in pure maple syrup if you like (or if you’re vegan). Start with the amount recommended in the recipe, then taste your pudding after it’s cooked and add more sweetener if you’d like.
- Tapioca pearls – Small pearls. You can find them in the baking aisle of most grocery stores.
- Fresh fruit (optional) – I like to top my coconut milk tapioca with strawberries and other fruit for some juicy-sweet added flavor.
Ways to Customize and Adapt this Recipe
- Fruity dairy-free tapioca – Stir in berries, diced peaches, citrus zest, or another favorite fruit before chilling for a delicious fruity spin.
- Chocolate dairy-free tapioca – Stir in 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder when adding the coconut milk and honey. When it’s time to serve, top it off with mini chocolate chips and maybe a dollop of dairy-free whipping cream. You may want to increase the amount of sweetener to offset the unsweetened chocolate flavor. That’s easy to adjust after the pudding is done cooking.
- Vegan tapioca – Omit the honey and use a different liquid sweetener such as agave syrup or pure maple syrup.
How to Make It
First, add the pearl tapioca and the almond milk to a pan and let it soak, off the burner, for 30 minutes to hydrate and soften the tapioca.
Next, add the coconut milk and the honey, along with a pinch of salt. Place the pan over medium heat and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
Stir in the vanilla extract and spoon the dairy-free tapioca into individual serving containers and refrigerate.
Pull it out after it’s chilled, top with fresh fruit, and enjoy!
How to Store Dairy-Free Tapioca
Store dairy-free tapioca pudding in one large container or individual airtight containers in the refrigerator. It will last up to 7 days.
Can You Freeze Coconut Milk Tapioca?
I wouldn’t recommend freezing this dairy-free tapioca pudding because it will affect the texture.
More Dairy-Free Desserts
- Frozen Mini Blueberry Key Lime Pies
- Vegan Peanut Butter Mug Cake
- Coconut Berry Popsicles
- PB&J Thumbprint Cookies
Creamy Dairy-Free Tapioca Pudding
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup small pearl tapioca (I use this brand)
- 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 15-ounce can lite coconut milk
- 2-3 tablespoons honey or pure maple syrup*
- 1/8 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract*
- Diced strawberries (pomegranate arils, and an extra drizzle of honey for serving (optional) (or whatever fruit you like, really!))
Instructions
- Add pearl tapioca to a medium saucepan. Add almond milk. Let soak, off burner, for 30 minutes.
- Add coconut milk, 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey, salt, and vanilla if using paste (if using extract, add after cooking).
- Place pan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Stir in vanilla extract if using. Taste and add additional honey if you desire a sweeter tapioca.
- Pour into heat-proof individual containers. Transfer to refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Serve topped with fresh fruit and an extra drizzle of honey, if desired.