Homemade Chocolate Pudding Recipe

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 15

Servings: people

Calories: 248kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

This homemade chocolate pudding is silky, rich, and made in one pot with simple pantry ingredients. It’s an easy stovetop pudding recipe that’s eggless, smooth, and full of deep chocolate flavor.

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Equipment

Kitchen Scale (optional)

Ingredients

½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder *
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2¾ cup milk **
3 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Optional Toppings

Instructions

In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, salt, cornstarch, and milk.
½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 3 tablespoons cornstarch, ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt, 2¾ cup milk
Constantly stir the ingredients together until they begin to boil, about 5 minutes. The chocolate should look like a thick hot cocoa.
Once it begins to boil, the mixture will start to slowly begin to thicken. Allow it to lightly boil for about 30 seconds, then turn the heat off and stir in the butter and vanilla.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Continue stirring until the butter has melted into the chocolate.
Remove from heat and pour into individual bowls. Serve immediately, or cover each dish or bowl with plastic wrap gently touching the tops of the pudding, so a coating will not form on the top of the pudding.
Let the pudding set in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours before removing the plastic wrap and serving topped with whipped cream, sprinkles, and fresh fruit, if desired.
whipped cream, sprinkles, fresh fruit

Video

Notes

Yield: This recipe makes 2 ½ cups of cooked pudding. A serving is ½ cup.

*You can use any cocoa powder you prefer, as long as it is unsweetened. Use natural cocoa powder for a more natural taste, and use Dutch-process cocoa powder for a smoother taste.

**I recommend using whole milk for the creamiest pudding.

Tips:

Sift the cornstarch and cocoa powder to avoid lumps!
If your pudding ever tastes slightly grainy, it’s usually from undissolved sugar or overheated milk. To prevent this, whisk continuously before the milk gets hot so the sugar fully dissolves before thickening begins.
The pudding will thicken suddenly at around 200°F, so don’t walk away once it starts steaming. Keep whisking until it coats the back of a spoon. It will continue to set as it cools, so don’t overcook it.
Make sure you don't let the chocolate mixture boil for too long. If boiled past 30 seconds, you risk burning the mixture and losing the creamy texture of the pudding.
If your pudding ends up thicker than you like, whisk in a tablespoon of warm milk at a time until it loosens back up.
Let the pudding cool slightly at room temperature before refrigerating. Chilling it too fast can cause separation or a watery layer.
If your pudding hasn’t set, whisk 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of cold milk into the warm pudding, then gently simmer until thickened.
For picture-perfect pudding cups, press the plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin, but remove it before it’s completely cold so condensation doesn’t drip onto the pudding.
Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.

Variations to Try:

For a chocolate mint pudding, swap out half of the vanilla extract for peppermint extract.
For a coffee chocolate pudding, add 1-2 teaspoons of instant espresso powder with the dry ingredients.
For peanut butter chocolate pudding, stir 1-2 tablespoons of peanut butter into the pudding with the butter and vanilla.

Storage: Store chocolate pudding in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed into the surface to prevent a skin from forming for up to 5 days.

Freezing: You can freeze chocolate pudding in individual portions, but I highly recommend enjoying it in its frozen state like an ice cream or fudgsicle rather than thawing it, as the consistency will change dramatically.

Nutrition