Vanilla pudding in its contemporary American form is a smooth, creamy dessert typically thickened with cornstarch or flour and flavored with vanilla extract. This style of pudding, often associated with comfort food, is a descendant of earlier European custards and blancmange, a classic French dessert originally thickened with ground almonds and later with starches like rice or cornstarch. Blancmange itself was historically flavored with almond milk, but vanilla became a popular flavoring in the 19th century.
Vanilla pudding also shares similarities with other global desserts where vanilla is combined with dairy or plant-based milks, such as in natillas (a Spanish custard) and tembleque (a Puerto Rican coconut milk pudding). Most custards, including crème brulée, pot de crème, and crème Catalan, include vanilla in their flavor base, but American vanilla pudding is usually made without eggs.
In the 20th century, instant puddings flavored with vanilla became widely available, and a variety of home desserts based on them were invented.