Chocolate Pudding
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Why settle for store-bought or instant chocolate pudding when homemade is so easy to make? This chocolate pudding recipe is the answer to your chocolate cravings—rich, creamy, and oh-so-chocolatey!
If you’ve never had homemade chocolate pudding, you’re in for a real treat. It’s silky-smooth, intensely chocolatey, and miles better than the instant kind. Making it from scratch is surprisingly simple—the hardest part is waiting for it to set in the fridge. Unlike most chocolate pudding recipes that rely on just cocoa powder, mine includes both cocoa powder and real chocolate, making it extra rich and decadent.While kids always love this pudding, its nostalgic appeal makes it perfect for grown-ups, too. Bonus: It’s naturally gluten-free!
If you’re a chocolate lover and love the rich creaminess of chocolate pudding, you can take it up a notch with my chocolate cream pie. Or for more more chocolatey indulgence, try my chocolate mousse or homemade chocolate ice cream—both are just as creamy and satisfying!
“Something this chocolatey and decadent shouldn’t be so easy to make. This recipe is so easy and so delicious!”
What You’ll Need To Make Homemade Chocolate Pudding
- Sugar: Sweetens the pudding, balancing the cocoa’s bitterness and enhancing its flavor.
- Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder: Provides the deep, rich chocolate flavor that defines the pudding.
- Cornstarch: Acts as a thickening agent, giving the pudding its smooth and creamy consistency.
- Whole Milk: Forms the base of the pudding, contributing to its velvety texture and richness.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate: Intensifies the chocolate flavor and adds depth—use good quality chocolate, such as Ghirardelli.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor profile with warm, aromatic notes.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Combine the sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in a heavy medium saucepan and whisk to combine.
Add half the milk and whisk until smooth, then whisk in the remaining milk.
Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the pudding thickens and comes to a boil, about 8 minutes. Boil for 1 more minute, while continuing to whisk.
Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate and vanilla. Whisk until smooth, then pour into a medium bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
Refrigerate until set, about 5 to 6 hours. Before serving, whisk until smooth.
Spoon into four dessert bowls. Top with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired, and serve. For an extra touch, you can line the bottom of the glasses with crushed cookies like biscotti, Oreos, or graham crackers—or simply sprinkle them on top.
Chocolate pudding can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. I don’t advise freezing it as the texture won’t be the same when thawed (but if you have leftovers and popsicle molds, they’d make great pudding pops)!
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Ingredients
- ⅔ cup sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder, such as Hershey's
- 2½ tablespoons cornstarch
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2½ cups whole milk
- 1½ ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped (best quality, such as Ghirardelli)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Homemade whipped cream, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Whisk the sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt in a heavy medium saucepan. Add half of the milk and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Whisk in the remaining milk. Continue whisking over medium heat until the pudding thickens and comes to boil, about 8 minutes. Continue to boil 1 minute longer, whisking constantly.
- Remove the pudding from the heat. Add the chopped chocolate and vanilla; whisk until the chocolate melts and the pudding is smooth. Pour the pudding into a medium bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap directly over the pudding to prevent a film from forming at the top. Cool in the refrigerator until set, 5 to 6 hours. Whisk the chilled pudding until smooth, and then spoon it evenly into 4 dessert bowls. Top each pudding with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired, and serve.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 310
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Sugar: 47 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Sodium: 142 mg
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Can you use this recipe for chocolate cream pie?
Hi Mel, It’s not firm enough for chocolate cream pie. I’d use this recipe instead.
This recipe is absolutely delicious and so easy! The only substitutions I must make for my family is to use gf ingredients and full-fat oat milk. I use Dutch cocoa powder or natural cocoa powder, whichever I have on hand, and it always tastes scrumptious either way. I add 1/4 tsp. espresso powder, if I have it. A non-dairy whipped topping is fun, but I also sprinkle each cup with Andes Creme de Menthe Baking Chips, or Andes Crushed Peppermint Baking Chips, both of which are gluten free, no cross-contamination. (Amazon) I have also made it many times now using an entire chopped Ghirardelli (4 oz.) white chocolate baking bar instead of the cocoa powder and the dark chocolate baking bar, and, of course, no espresso powder either. (White chocolate dreamy!) Thank you, Jenn for another family favorite recipe that is in constant rotation at our house, and even the adults at family gathering just love!
Quick and easy dessert, delicious. A big hit with small kids
Was looking for a quick and simple dessert and this hit the spot! I never would have thought about adding whipped cream and sprinkles to pudding and the kids thought it was great. The recipe and instructions were spot on.
When I made this, the pudding did not thicken up enough. It was very runny. Still delicious though! I only had 1% milk. Is that the reason why it stayed thin? I am going to make it again with whole milk, but was wondering if I should add more cornstarch?
Hi Anna, It should thicken up using whole milk; I wouldn’t add any more cornstarch. You may also need to let it set up in the fridge a bit longer. Hope that helps!
In answer to another comment I believe any milk will do. I used coconut milk (in a carton, not the canned type-that might be too rich) and I would not hesitate to use almond milk also. I used half black cocoa (the ultra-Dutched kind) just because I’m trying to use it up and it was perfect. The only problem was I ate too much pudding!
My pantry is getting a much needed workout. That being said, conventional wisdom out the door! In other words you gotta take chances on subbing when you can no longer just run out to the store. Good quality chocolate chips for high cocoa % chocolate bar was the substitute and it worked with mixed results. Constant stirring to break down the chips was needed but eventually the pudding smoothed out beautifully. Also the texture was much looser but was perfectly delicious served over fruit or ice cream.
I made half the recipe in a small saucepan, with turbinado sugar and semi-sweet mini morsels (what I had on hand). The pudding still was smooth and delicious, both warm and cold.
Jenn,
Would I be able to substitute semi sweet chocolate chips for the chocolate in this recipe?
Lynda
I’d recommend sticking with the solid chocolate here – chocolate chips are made with stabilizers to help them retain their shape when heated, so they’re not the best option for this. Sorry!
I made this with erythritol which is a sugar substitute and Lily’s extra dark chocolate which is sweetened with Stevia. The recipe was so simple to make, came out with a creamy perfect texture, thickness, and wonderful chocolate flavor. Without question I would make this recipe again. I like that it does not use eggs and there is no chance of scrambling the eggs while trying to incorporate them. I thought it wouldn’t be creamy enough without the egg yolks but I did not miss them at all. In fact you wouldn’t know it did not contain the egg yolks. Thanks for another great recipe.