How to Make Oreo Caramel Pudding in Just 5 Simple Steps

What's the quickest path to making a routine day become a reason to take a pause and indulge? It's likely waiting for the dessert lying in the refrigerator, you've made with little fuss — rich but not weighty, cool but not chilled, sweet but balanced. That's where this Oreo Caramel Pudding comes right on in.

Most of us are juggling a dozen things, and the thought of spending hours over a complicated sweet can be off-putting. But this pudding? It’s put together in five easy steps. There’s no baking, no fancy equipment, and no running to specialty stores. It’s built on simple layers: crushed Oreos, smooth caramel, creamy milk base, and a topping that brings it all together.

If you have a package of Oreos, some milk, sugar, and a few pantry staples, you're half way there. This is not the type of dessert you prepare once and then never make again — it's the one folks begin asking for every weekend. Let's get right to how to prepare Oreo caramel pudding the correct way.

Step 1: Prepare a basic homemade caramel sauce

Begin with the heart of the pudding — the caramel. You don't need a thermometer or a package sauce. Use ½ cup sugar and put it in a thick pan on medium. Don't stir. Allow the sugar to melt slowly. When the sugar reaches golden brown and smells nutty, add 2 tablespoons of butter and swirl it around. Then pour in slowly ¼ cup room-temperature fresh cream, stirring constantly.

It will bubble, so be careful not to have your face over the pan. Stir till smooth. Add a tiny pinch of salt to balance it out. Let cool before serving. This sauce will add body to the pudding and wrap it all together without overpowering. Watch close — sugar burns quickly. Don't leave the room.

Step 2: Crush the Oreos — but leave a few chunky

Use 2 standard packs of Oreo biscuits (20-24 in total). Save a few to be crushed coarsely — these will provide some crunch. For the rest, blend or bash into a fine crumb. You may do this with a rolling pin within a zip-lock or utilize a food processor if you wish to hurry. Combine the crushed Oreo with 3 tablespoons of melted butter until it is damp soil-like. This forms the foundation of your pudding. Press this into the bottom of your serving dish or individual cups. The chunky Oreo pieces can be used in the middle layer or as garnish on top — they provide contrast and prevent the pudding from being too one-note.

Step 3: Prepare the milk pudding base

Heat 2 cups of full-cream milk in a pan. In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of cornflour with ¼ cup cold milk and stir to make a smooth slurry. Once the milk in the pan is hot, pour in the slurry, stirring constantly. Add ¼ cup sugar and cook on low till the mix thickens. You’re aiming for a custard-like consistency. Turn off heat and stir in ½ tsp vanilla extract and 2 tbsp of the caramel syrup you've already made. Allow this to cool to room temperature before layering. You don't want to melt the base.

This layer of pudding holds everything together — not too loose, not too firm. It should cling to the spoon without dripping.

Step 4: Layer everything — and chill

Begin with the Oreo-butter base. Pour half of the milk pudding mixture over it. Drizzle a few spoonfuls of the caramel sauce. Top with some of the chunky Oreos here, gently pressing them into the pudding. Repeat the layer again: pudding, caramel drizzle, chunky Oreo bits.

Tapper the tray or glass to let out air bubbles. Do not overfill -- leave room at the top for the last layer. Cling wrap or foil and put into the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Overnight works the best. All this sitting time allows the foundation to stay in place, pudding to set, and the caramel to be soaked into layers nicely. Do not hurry the chill.

Step 5: Whipped cream on top and then garnish

Just before serving, whip 1 cup chilled cream with 2 tablespoons of sugar until soft peaks form. Spread or pipe this over the pudding. Fancy enough, whirl some caramel sauce over the top. Or even crushed Oreos or a dash of grated dark chocolate. If serving for a special occasion, top each glass with one whole Oreo. It is neat and provides a hint of what is inside.

This last layer is more than presentation— it rounds out the richness of the pudding and mutes the caramel's strength. A spoon breaking through the cream, into the custard, then the crumb — that's the whole bite.