Gather all your ingredients and measure them out.

In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk together.

In a saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until it begins to steam but not boil.

Slowly whisk the dry mixture into the warm milk until smooth.

Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens, about 5-10 minutes.

Once thickened, remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

In serving dishes, layer the bottom with crushed cookies.

Pour the warm pudding over the cookie layer in each dish, then cool to room temperature before refrigerating.

For best results, let the pudding chill for at least an hour before serving.