How To Make Vegan Pastry Cream

Make an egg-free, dairy-free, vegan pastry cream with this super easy recipe! It makes a great filling for your tarts, pies and cakes.

Vegan pastry cream, or crème pâtissière as it is otherwise known, is astonishingly simple to create. With only 6 ingredients, you’ll be whipping up a silky smooth, vanilla-infused pastry cream in minutes. 

A staple of French pâtissière, this cream is used for an array of baked goods, so being able to create a superb vegan-friendly version is essential. 

This luscious treat is perfect for use in tarts, eclairs, donuts, cakes, cream puffs and pies. Or use a dollop in place of cream with your favourite desserts. I’ve used it in my vegan galette des Rois recipe with much success.

Ingredient Notes

• Soy milk – although other plant-based milks can be used.

• Cornstarch – to bind and thicken

• Granulated sugar

• Vanilla – key for obtaining that signature taste. Using vanilla extract or a vanilla pod is the most natural and best tasting option, although essence could also be used

• Vegan butter or margarine – for richness

• Turmeric – for the traditional yellow color. Just a small amount is needed which won’t affect the taste much.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients except the vegan butter in a saucepan and whisk to combine.

2. Place over medium heat and continually whisk until thick.

3. Cover and allow to cool for around 5 minutes.

4. Quickly whisk in the butter until it’s smooth, creamy and paler in color. 

It’s that easy!

Key tips to follow 

• Allow the pastry cream to cool before using so it can thicken fully. 

• Once cooled, the texture can become a tad strange. It may become thicker, jelly-like or rubbery. Don’t be alarmed, this is normal and happens to traditional pastry cream and custard too.
  
  To remedy, just blend until smooth again and use immediately.

• Cornstarch is a great thickening agent, but it can cause lumps if not mixed well. If you are having issues with lumps in the sauce, cool then add to blender, mixing until smooth.
  
  Alternatively, you could use a hand blender directly in the pot. Reheat the cream and continue whisking until thickened.
  
  If you’d rather remake the cream, whisk the sugar and cornstarch before adding the soy milk to reduce lumps.

Other Recipe Variations and Substitutions 

• While granulated sugar gives the best results, potential substitutions are maple syrup or coconut sugar, but these will affect the final color.

• I used soy milk for a nut-free milk option that would least affect the taste, but you could use other plant-based milk such as cashew, almond or coconut milk.
  
  You could use a combination of soy and coconut for added thickness.

• Turmeric is used to provide the yellow color, but it is not essential, so feel free to omit, or to use yellow food coloring instead.

• Cornstarch is the best thickener I have tried for the best consistency. Arrowroot could also be used. The texture may be impacted if you use tapioca starch.

• It is possible to omit the vegan butter if unavailable, but its use provides a lovely richness. 

Storage Suggestion

Pour into a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap to keep in the moisture and to stop it from developing a skin. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Pastry cream is not suitable for freezing. 

Common FAQs

Can I flavor this pastry cream with anything else? 

Certainly! You could make a chocolate version by adding cocoa powder and melted chocolate. Espresso powder could be used to create a coffee flavored pastry cream.

Flavoured liquors are another great way of achieving different tastes. Flavoured extracts and essences, rosewater, nut pastes and fruit purees can also be used to obtain an array of other flavors.

Can I use this recipe to make vegan custard?

Custard and pastry cream are very similar, the main difference being the thickness. This recipe can be used for either, although pastry cream is typically thicker than custard.

If you would like to create a thinner version for a more authentic custard, use less cornstarch.