Microwave Pastry Cream for Pies and Tarts
Sneak Preview: Make smooth vanilla pastry cream in the microwave for cream pies, fruit tarts, or cake filling. Blend the ingredients, microwave, and whisk between heating intervals—about 17 minutes total, plus cooling.
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If you’ve ever scorched pastry cream or ended up with eggy lumps, this microwave method is a welcome relief. Blend everything except the butter and vanilla before cooking, then microwave in intervals, whisking between each, for a smooth custard—no tempering eggs or double boiler required.
Use it to fill a banana cream pie, coconut cream pie, or fruit tart.
Ingredients & Substitutions
• EGG YOLKS: Use large eggs. Freeze the whites for meringue, waffles, or angel food cake.
•CORNSTARCH: Thickens the filling. For a version made with flour, try my Banana Pudding or Creamy Microwave Chocolate Pie.
• MILK: Whole milk gives the richest flavor; lower-fat dairy milk also works.
• VANILLA: Use vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. Paste adds little vanilla specks to the finished cream.
• BUTTER: Adds richness and a smooth finish. Unsalted butter lets you control the salt..
Kitchen Tip? How to freeze extra egg whites:
Pour each egg white into silicone tart molds or muffin cups, and freeze until solid. Pop them out and store in a zip-top bag. Label the bag with the date and number of whites. Grab however many you need for meringue, waffles, or angel food cake.
Step-by-Step: How To Make Microwave Pastry Cream
⬇️ See the recipe card for exact amounts and complete instructions.
Variations
- Banana Cream Pie: Layer with sliced bananas in a pre-baked crust. To prevent browning, brush banana slices with a bit of lemon juice.
- Coconut Cream Pie: Stir in ½ cup flaked coconut (sweetened or unsweetened) after cooking. Top with whipped cream and toasted coconut.
Microwave Pastry Cream
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups (511 g) milk
- 4 (72 g) egg yolks
- ⅔ cup (131 g) sugar
- ¼ cup (28 g) cornstarch
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Blend ingredients: Combine 2 1/4 cups (511 g) milk, 4 (72 g) egg yolks, 2/3 cup (131 g) sugar, 1/4 cup (28 g) cornstarch, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a blender or whisk until completely smooth.It may look foamy—don’t worry, the bubbles disappear when heated.
- Microwave to start cooking: Pour the mixture into a large microwave-safe bowl (at least 2-quart capacity). Microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes.
- Whisk and continue heating: Remove and whisk well. Then microwave in 1-minute intervals, whisking after each, until the mixture thickens and heavily coats the back of a spoon (usually around 6–7 minutes total, depending on your microwave).
- Finish with flavor: Stir in 2 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract until melted and fully incorporated. If any lumps remain, press the warm pastry cream through a strainer.
- Cool and cover: Press plastic wrap directly against the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool briefly, then refrigerate until chilled.
Notes
Equipment
Nutrition
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for SaladinaJar.com
Final Thoughts
This is the method I reach for when a cream pie is on the menu. And if there’s a little pastry cream left after filling the crust, a spoonful with fresh strawberries makes a lovely cook’s treat.
— Paula, Home Economist
Homemade Food Worth Sharing
Need help troubleshooting?
Email me: Paula at saladinajar.com — photos help!
Paula, I made the pastry cream and it was so easy. I’m over the moon delighted with the results. It’s opened up more dessert options for my family. So far, everything I’ve tried has worked out well. I hope you will develop more recipes. I don’t like packaged foods so making it from scratch is better.
I agree with you that good homemade recipes usually taste so much better than packaged foods! Thanks for the 5-star review.
Can’t believe I never thought of using a blender. It’s an utterly perfect method, foolproof, and easy as pie (joke intended) to customize. I wanted coffee custard and simply added 3 teaspoons of espresso powder to the mixture at the beginning. Thank you, Paula!
Oooh–Coffee custard sounds delicious!! Thanks so much for the 5-star rating and for taking the time to leave a comment.
Bingo! First try perfect! No offense to Julia Child, but this recipe solved a huge problem.
Hi Stephen,
I’m so glad it worked for you. I have done this for many years and can’t remember a single fail. Thanks for writing.
This worked great for me. I’d like to use it next time as a cake filling and make and freeze between cake layers ahead of time. Have you had good results with freezing this?
thanks in advance.
Hi Melissa, Thank you for the 5-star review. Using it as a cake filling is a great idea. Unfortunately, pastry cream tends to separate when it’s frozen. I don’t recommend it. You might google it for more information.
Awesome Instructions. I just learned recently how to do gravy in the microwave. Just heat the fat from a pan with tasty bits, with equal amount of flour….till it becomes a slightly cooked mixture …. sort of a roux. Add microwaved warm broth or milk for cream gravy stir till smooth. maybe heat in microwave a bit more…stir or whisk. Season (season with the fat might give better flavor). Cornstarch can be used instead, just add it AFTER heating the broth or milk….
Hi Mike,
I love my microwave as you can probably tell. Did you know you can make roux in the microwave? The instructions are in my gumbo recipe.
Mike, thank you for sharing. Now I know how to make gravy!
How would I make this into a coconut cream pie filling? and would i eliminate adding the butter at the end? thank you
Add a half-cup (or more) of coconut to the finished pastry cream. In addition, I like to sprinkle some toasted coconut on top of the pie.
I would not eliminate the butter. Butter contributes three things:
1. Flavor
2. Smoother Texture
3. Makes the filling set up firmer.
Love this recipe, and I discovered that you can made an amazing chocolate version by adding 1/2 c of cocoa to the blended mixture. So good! I’ll never by boxed pudding again.
Hi Marianne,
You’re my kind of cook. Thumbs up!
This is THE BEST recipe for cream pie. I have made this several times and it turns out perfectly every time. I’m making it again this weekend as my niece requested it for her birthday party. I’ll be using a graham cracker crust and putting it in individual cups – a little crust in the bottom, tamped down, then the filling and whipped cream on top. I’ll actually be making it 3 times – one just plain vanilla, one with bananas and one with coconut. I love that I can use one recipe for all three versions. Hubby loves banana cream pie and until I found this recipe I rarely made it because no matter how low I cooked it, or how much I stirred it, it always stuck to the pan. Now it’s super easy and super good!
Marianne,
I’m so excited to hear this. Thank you and a big hug for coming back to report your experience!!
I clicked the link to find out how to make the flaky pie crust, can you tell me how to find the recipe please.
Here it is Barbra. https://saladinajar.com/family-recipes/flaky-all-butter-pie-crust-with-yogurt
How do you keep the eggs from scrambling, as the pudding cooks in microwave, as all ingrediants are combined in the blender ? this is the thing that makes me a bit wary of this super fast & easy recipe, also using this microwave cooking method does the microwave get hot enough to kill salmonella in the raw eggs? is their any way to temper the eggs, and still use
this method? thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.
You definitely do not have to worry about salmonella. The mixture will simmer, almost boil. The eggs will not curdle or break because the whole mixture has been thoroughly blended before it is cooked. I have been making this fabulous cream filling for nearly 30 years and it works every time. All I can say is to try it. The secret is to blend well and then stir the mixture frequently as it cooks in the microwave. Microwaves can vary wildly so yours may take more or less time than specified. Cook it until it gets thick no matter how long it takes.
I am doing a cooking demo in December “This is not your Mom’s Christmas Dinner”. This will fit very well in this theam and it’s in the filling is made in the microwave. I will not be using the traditional crust, using a cram-cracker bottom, doesn’t need to turn on the over. I will be using the signal serving size for party. Nice change from the traditional, no cutting needed. Wish me luck, will let you know how it turns out.
RaeMarie,
I love the title of your demo. Hope it goes well. Perhaps Food Network will hear about it and give you a call. 🙂
Hi Paula, I’m making this pie tonight and I can’t wait. You gave me the courage to try my chocolate silk pie in the microwave and its wonderful and so much easier. I’ll be posting it sometime soon! Have a great holiday weekend!
I Stumbled! on your site and I am SO glad I did. This looks so unbelievably delicious! You’ve convinced me. I’ve been holding off on getting a microwave but I think I have to get one. if only to make this – and if it is as good as it looks, make it over and over again! Thank you for sharing!
This looks terrific and I love how quick and easy it is. I’m adding it to my “to-try” list. And I remember taking those microwave cooking classes with my parents. Yes, they brought along my sister and I to the classes…we were one of the first to have a microwave! Yahoo! 🙂
Custards are my favorite kind of pie. This is a perfect way to make during those hot days of Summer. Love it!
Who knew!? Looks amazing.
Good morning, Paula!
This looks and sounds amazing. I look forward to trying it! I will let you know when I do.
Guess what is in my oven right now… your Pizza Potatoes! I like this recipe for using leftover mashed potatoes.
The microwave, huh? Who knew! That’s awesome! And that’s my biggest beef with banana cream pie–who can eat a pie in a day?
Thank you so much for this idea on the cream pie. Our very favorite is coconut so I can’t wait to try this. You have taught me so much while I have been following your blog and I am almost 73 yrs old. I love to cook and you are making it more fun. Can’t wait to see the pie crust. Blessing to you today!
Peggy
Hmmmmm……Now I want the crust recipe. NOW!!!!! 🙂
What a gorgeous pie!! I will definitely be trying this filling in the microwave. I have made chocolate pudding in the micro; it sounds similar. My guess for the secret ingredient in the pie crust is…vinegar?
That is a very good guess but no. The secret ingredient is slightly acid however, like the vinega,r and does contribute tenderness in much the same way.
That looks really good! Banana cream pie was one of my dad’s favorites. 🙂 I only have a very small microwave, but I’m pretty sure it would do this. I hope so anyway!
Betty, it you can get a 2-qt Pyrex batter bowl in there (or something similar), you can do it. Your times might be different but it won’t be hard to figure out. pr
Thanks Paula!
That looks so easy, compared to stirring constantly over a hot stove! And quick to make, great idea.
So easy, so delicious, and so one of the few kinds of pie that I am willing to eat.