Microwave Pastry Cream: How To Make it Lump-Free

Sneak Preview: Yes. You can make a microwave pastry cream for your next pie or pudding in minutes. No worries about scorching. Lump-free texture!

Learn how to make a silky smooth microwave pastry cream or cream-pie filling in a microwave as good or better than making it on top of the stove. No worries about scorching, tempering eggs, lumps, etc.

Try it out for yourself with a tasty banana cream pie or a coconut cream pie.

Why use a microwave?

In only 7 minutes (or less), you can make the smoothest, tastiest cream-pie filling your taste buds have ever encountered.  Here’s why:

• It’s faster. Cook one batch of pie filling in 7 minutes. Add 5 more to put the ingredients together.
• No need for a double boiler
• Constant stirring and babysitting are unnecessary. But you will have to stir a few times when using a microwave to even out the cooking.
• No worries about scorching
• No need to temper the eggs
• No need to strain pudding if you started using a blender or food processor to mix everything.

Admittedly, microwave ovens aren’t efficient for large quantities. So it’s completely understandable why restaurants and bakeries might not use them. But for home cooks making one or two pies, it’s the best and easiest way.

One thing is for sure. It’s no longer tempting to use a mix (questionable taste and ingredients) or a grocery-store pie (where’s the love and homemade flavor in that?) when I can make a cream-pie filling in a microwave. It’s just too quick and effortless.

What is the difference between pudding and custard and cream-pie filling and pastry cream?

They all begin with milk and sugar. From there, it depends on how you choose to thicken the mixture. It also matters where you live as to how these terms are understood.

Some people describe pudding as having no eggs, as you see in the definition below.

Subscribe to Salad in a Jar!

Get updates and the latest kitchen tips and tricks from Salad in a Jar direct to your inbox.

First Name Email

By subscribing, I consent to receiving emails.

“Pudding is made by cooking the milk and sugar base and adding cornstarch to thicken the mixture. This leads to a semisolid consistency and creamy texture. It is usually served chilled, but it can be served warm or at room temperature.”

The Delicious Differences Between Custard, Pudding, and Mousse Jessica Levinson, MS, RDN, CDN

Others define custard as milk, sugar, and eggs with no other thickener.

“Custard is made by cooking the milk and sugar base and adding whole eggs to thicken the mixture. When cooled, the mixture solidifies, leaving you with the jiggly consistency and silky texture.“

The Delicious Differences Between Custard, Pudding, and Mousse Jessica Levinson, MS, RDN, CDN

We’re not talking about that kind of custard today. Never mind that some people use the term interchangeably with pudding or pie filling.

According to Leaf.TV,  Custard refers to any dish thickened with eggs. Often called Creme Patissiere, pastry cream is a rich and creamy custard filling in eclairs and cream puffs.

I would add cream pie filling to that last sentence.

The recipe I’m giving you uses cornstarch and eggs (yolks, specifically) to thicken the filling. I have another recipe for pudding/pie filling that calls for flour. The end result is a little more sturdy and not quite as delicate but still irresistibly tasty (and easy to make in a microwave.)

How do you freeze egg whites?

Here’s a nifty hack if you already own silicone tart molds or muffin cups.

How to make Microwave Pastry Cream:

I made a banana cream pie with this vanilla pastry cream by simply layering in a couple of bananas. See notes in the recipe for more details.

Posts Related to Microwave Pastry Cream:

Flaky All-Butter Pie Crust with Yogurt

All-butter pie crust with unflavored Greek yogurt produces an incredibly tasty, flaky and tender crust that bakes up beautifully, even without a filling.

Get the Recipe

Zebra Cream Pie

A layered chocolate and vanilla cream pie nestled in a chocolate crumb crust. Directions for cooking the cream filling in the microwave.

Get the Recipe

Chocolate Cream Tart (Made in a Microwave)

Chocolate cream pie with a filling made in the microwave, then nestled into a graham cracker pie crust.

Get the Recipe

Fresh Fruit and Cream Mini-Tarts

These shortbread-crusted tarts are filled with a light, creamy custard and topped with fresh fruit of your choice.

Get the Recipe

Microwave Pastry Cream for a Cream Pie Filling

Use a microwave to make this super quick, super easy cream pie filling from scratch.

Paula Rhodes

4.6 from 10 votes

Print Recipe Save Saved! Share by Email

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 7 mins

Total Time 17 mins

Course Desserts

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ cups milk
• 4 egg yolks
• ⅔ cup sugar
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons butter

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

 

• Dump milk, egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and salt into blender or food processor. (See notes if you need to do this by hand.)
• Blend for about 10 seconds. There may be a lot of foam. That’s OK–it will disappear when cooked.
• Pour into a 2-quart glass batter bowl. (DO NOT USE A SMALLER CONTAINER–it could boil over and make a mess.)
• Cook in a microwave on HIGH for 5-7 minutes. Whisk well after 3 minutes and every minute thereafter. Microwaves vary wildly. If the pudding mixture is not thick after 7 minutes, keep cooking and stirring until the custard looks like pudding. It should heavily coat a spoon.
• Stir vanilla and butter into the thickened custard.
• Press plastic wrap over the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool on the counter (or in an ice bath if you are short on time) until lukewarm, then pour filling into prepared crust. Again press plastic wrap against the surface and refrigerate until filling is cold and firm.

Notes

Variation:

Banana Cream Pie:

Whisk cream filling and pour a thin layer into the pie shell. Slice and add a single layer of bananas, then cover with another layer of cream. Repeat. In the end, you should have three layers of cream with two layers of bananas, ending with the cream on top. Cover with plastic wrap pressed down to the surface of the filling.

No blender or food processor?

Use a whisk and some arm power instead of a blender. If you end up with any lumps, force the pudding through a strainer. It will be as smooth as silk

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 167kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 4gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 97mgPotassium: 104mgFiber: 1gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 285IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 92mgIron: 1mg

Essentials

• 2 Quart Batter Bowl
• KitchenAid KSB1575ER 5-Speed Diamond Blender with 60-Ounce BPA-Free Pitcher – Empire Red
• OXO Good Grips 11-Inch Better Balloon Whisk
• Immersion Blender
• Food Processor

Keyword banana cream pie, desserts, desserts microwave, making banana cream pie, making cream filling, microwave recipes, pie recipes, Sweets

Cuisine American

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!