Whip up this silky-smooth, thick and intensely chocolate pudding recipe in just five minutes mixing and a few hours chilling in the refrigerator. A delightfully classic recipe, it’s as perfect for the regular weeknight dinner table as it is for a fancy event.
While our pudding isn’t super fancy like the newest puddings on the block, and it isn’t as healthy as our Instant Chia Chocolate Pudding Recipe, this recipe is easy to make, thick, and delicious.
Egg-free pudding that tastes amazing is not common, but we’ve done the hard work of figuring it all out for you to create this recipe so your family can enjoy the goodness of homemade chocolate pudding. You can make pudding from scratch.
By the way, you’re also going to love this perfect Chocolate Pudding Cake.
HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE PUDDING
This is a good old-fashioned, easy chocolate pudding recipe. It’s one that’s dense, thick, very chocolatey, and absolutely satisfying. This is certainly not a chocolate mousse such as the ones you’d find in a patisserie.
Since it’s an egg-free chocolate pudding recipe, you don’t have to worry about eating raw eggs. No egg yolks necessary. And even more, you don’t need to be focusing too hard on cooking the eggs perfectly while maintaining the pudding texture.
This is a really simple, very old-fashioned, and extremely easy chocolate pudding recipe. However for the record, if you’re expecting a fluffy light airy chocolate mousse, this isn’t it. Or an egg-based rich creme patisserie that reminds you of a French eclair, again this isn’t it.
This is rather a very dense, silky smooth, thick, chocolatey pudding that will remind you of your grandma’s pudding. It’s like those chocolate puddings you sometimes buy at the grocery stores when you’re craving a creamy smooth chocolate treat.
But we all know that soon after you open those store-bought plastic containers of pudding, all those chocolate dreams crumble right before your eyes. So rather than giving up, try this easy pudding, because chocolate dreams do come true!
INGREDIENTS FOR HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE PUDDING
- Milk. You can use 2%, whole milk, almond, soy or any vegan type of milk in this recipe and they will all work. Perfect if you need dairy-free pudding!
- Cream. You can use 18% cream, half and half, coconut cream to keep the recipe dairy-free and vegan. Yes. You can make a decadent vegan chocolate pudding.
- Granulated sugar. White sugar.
- Salt. The best desserts use at least a pinch of salt to enhance the amazing flavor.
- Cornstarch. Make sure you have fresh cornstarch to act as a thickening agent in your pudding.
- Cocoa Powder. You can use regular cocoa powder, not dutch-processed which has added ingredients. Do pick a high quality, organic cocoa powder to improve the flavor.
- Semi-Sweet, Milk, or Dark Chocolate Chips. Use your favorite chocolate flavor.
- Vanilla Essence. A concentrated form of vanilla extract, so you get a huge amount of flavor without increasing the liquid in the recipe.
- Raspberries. For garnish.
- Chocolate Shavings. For Garnish. You can take a chocolate candy bar and use a box grater or cheese slicer to create shavings of your favorite chocolate.
HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE PUDDING
The recipe starts by mixing the sugar, milk, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and a little bit of cream in a pot. Bring this mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat.
After it has cooked for a few minutes, the chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate are added in and then stir for a couple more minutes.
Stir constantly until the pudding starts to thicken and run from the whisk in thick ribbons. That’s it! Pour the pudding into glasses and chill, this egg-free chocolate pudding will be ready to enjoy in no time.
This homemade chocolate pudding recipe is proof that chocolate desserts don’t need to be excessively rich, nor hard to make to taste simply perfect!
CHOCOLATE PUDDING RECIPE TIPS
- For an easy vegan chocolate pudding, add any nut milk instead of cow milk and use coconut milk instead of cream.
- Choose high-quality chocolate and good organic cocoa powder for a more intense chocolate flavor!
- Try topping your pudding with some nuts, coconut shreds, seeds, granola, berries or anything you like!
- Do not let your pudding boil vigorously. It is easy to scorch pudding when cooked on too high of heat or allowed to reach a hard boil. The slightest amount of scorch will add a bitter burnt taste to your pudding.
- Use this pudding as a filling for any pie crust! Top it with whipped cream for a beautiful pudding pie.
- Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of each pudding to keep a skin from forming as it chills.
Can homemade chocolate pudding be frozen?
Yes. You can freeze it in an airtight container for up to three months. You can also freeze it in a baked pie shell for easy pudding pie when company shows up unannounced. This pudding can even be eaten partially frozen!
What to do with leftover chocolate pudding?
Keep your leftover pudding in an airtight container in your refrigerator for two or three days until it starts to separate or weep. You may also freeze it in the same kind of container.
What is the main ingredient in vegan chocolate pudding?
Almond, soy or any vegan type of milk.
MORE CHOCOLATE RECIPES
- Chocolate Banana Chocolate Chip Cake
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Superfood Matcha Green Tea Chocolate Bark
- Luscious Easy Chocolate Truffles
- Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe & Hot Chocolate Bar
- Loaded Chocolate Brownie Cookies
Chocolate Pudding
This rich Chocolate Pudding recipe requires no eggs and only a few staple ingredients! Within 5 minutes cooking time and a few hours of chilling you can whip up this silky-smooth and intensely chocolatey classic dessert.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups milk (whole or 2% fat) (use Almond, soy or any vegan type of milk)
- 1/2 cup cream (18% or half and half) (Use coconut cream for vegan)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 cup semisweet, milk, or dark chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- raspberries , chocolate shavings for serving
Instructions
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In a medium pot, place the milk, cream, cornstarch, sugar, salt and cocoa powder. Whisk them as best as you can to remove all lumps. The colder the milk/cream is, the easier it is for the cornstarch to dissolve. The cocoa powder will dissolve better as the milk/cream start to boil.
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Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, and then lower the heat to low. The mixture should still be gently simmering but not vigorously boiling. Whisk the mixture every half a minute or so for a few seconds to maintain a smooth pudding.
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Let the pudding cook for about 6 minutes (to cook any raw starch taste) and up to 10 minutes if your heat is very low and the pudding is very gently simmering.
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At that point, turn off the heat and drop all the chocolate chips into the pudding mixture while whisking to completely melt them in.
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Add the vanilla and mix the pudding well. You may strain the pudding for an extra silky feel to the pudding. Pour the pudding into serving cups and place a plastic wrap directly on the surface of each pudding.
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Chill the pudding for at least 3 hours until it’s really cold and firm. This pudding keeps in the fridge for about 5 days.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
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CHOCOLATE PUDDING RECIPE TIPS
- For an easy vegan chocolate pudding, add any nut milk instead of cow milk and use coconut milk instead of cream.
- Choose high-quality chocolate and good organic cocoa powder for a more intense chocolate flavor!
- Try topping your pudding with some nuts, coconut shreds, seeds, granola, berries or anything you like!
- Do not let your pudding boil vigorously. It is easy to scorch pudding when cooked on too high of heat or allowed to reach a hard boil. The slightest amount of scorch will add a bitter burnt taste to your pudding.
- Use this pudding as a filling for any pie crust! Top it with whipped cream for a beautiful pudding pie.
- Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of each pudding to keep a skin from forming as it chills.
Can homemade chocolate pudding be frozen?
Yes. You can freeze it in an airtight container for up to three months. You can also freeze it in a baked pie shell for easy pudding pie when company shows up unannounced. This pudding can even be eaten partially frozen!
What to do with leftover chocolate pudding?
Keep your leftover pudding in an airtight container in your refrigerator for two or three days until it starts to separate or weep. You may also freeze it in the same kind of container.
What is the main ingredient in vegan chocolate pudding?
Almond, soy or any vegan type of milk.
Ruchi
Addition of fresh tart raspberries makes this dessert complete. Looking great on a creamy chocolate pudding!
Deborah
These look like little cups of joy! Love the pictures and looks super easy to make. With a few substitutions, I can make it vegan, too, believe it or not.
Catalina
Oh my goodness! This pudding looks absolutely amazing! I wish I had one right now! Yum!
Marisa Franca
I can almost taste the smooth creaminess of the chocolate pudding. I have a sore throat and I think this might just fix it. Great tips on how to make a classic dessert!! I think I’ll make some for after dinner tonight.
Cheese Curd In Paradise
This looks lovely and I love the toppings! I haven’t made pudding from scratch and this looks delicious.
Jyothi (Jo)
Oh yummm! Who can say no to good old chocolate pudding! My family loooooves chocolate pudding and that is one dessert I make for family all the time.
Veena Azmanov
Now you talking. Love this simple homemade chocolate pudding just like mom or grandmom use to make. Love it.
Mirlene
This chocolate pudding look so good. I love it and can eat it almost every night after dinner. Looking forward to trying your recipe.
Karyl Henry
Sometimes the classic and traditional is best! This chocolate pudding looks so divine, and tons better than store-bought. I’m adding this to my must-make list for sure
debi at Life Currents
I love chocolate pudding. I used to make it all the time, but haven’t tried in a long time. I’ll give your recipe a go soon.
Dan Zehr
Thank you! So simple and incredibly delicious. I made this for my daughter and her friend. Both girls were squealing with delight. Thank you!
Claudia Lamascolo
this looks so mouthwatering I feel like running into the kitchen to make it, I am just afraid I won’t want to share it!