Rich, chocolatey, and ultra creamy, this delicious healthy chocolate pudding recipe is surprisingly easy to make at home!
A classic chocolate pudding recipe with no tofu, no banana, and no avocado!
Not that there is anything wrong with avocado, but sometimes you just want traditional homemade chocolate pudding without any surprise ingredients.
As much as I love recipes where you can’t taste the hidden vegetable, such as in the famous Sweet Potato Brownies, my everyday meals are usually much more simple.
This thick and healthy chocolate pudding can be soy free, sugar free, egg free, gluten free, nut free, and dairy free.
Also be sure to try these Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Creamy vegan chocolate pudding
In sixth grade, I went through a chocolate pudding phase, where I’d make a package of Jell-O chocolate pudding, add an obscene amount of Cool Whip to the top, and savor it slowly with a small spoon as I watched the Dallas Stars games.
(Hockey was another of my sixth-grade obsessions. I am a girl of many obsessions!)
Today’s recipe is a homemade version of that packaged chocolate pudding. And like most homemade recipes, it is so much better than anything that comes in a box.
This healthy chocolate pudding is super creamy, chocolatey, and absolutely fantastic!
If you want to avoid the hydrogenated oils, artificial flavors, high fructose corn syrup, and hard-to-pronounce ingredients found in store bought Cool Whip, try topping the dairy free chocolate pudding with Coconut Whipped Cream or Coconut Ice Cream.
Healthy chocolate pudding ingredients
Here is what you need: milk, cocoa, sweetener, salt, cornstarch, and vanilla extract.
A few readers have substituted arrowroot for cornstarch and say it works if you use less arrowroot. I have not personally tried this substitution.
For healthy chocolate pudding with no cornstarch, try my Vegan Chocolate Mousse or this sugar free and paleo Keto Chocolate Mousse.
Feel free to test out different milks in this recipe to find your favorite taste and texture. If you use canned coconut milk, it is super thick and velvety like chocolate mousse.
I also love making the dairy free pudding with almond milk or cashew milk.
You can also change up the flavor if you wish, by adding a few drops of pure peppermint extract, maple extract, or even coconut extract along with the vanilla.
Still craving chocolate? Make your own Chocolate Truffles
How to make the healthy dessert
Start by heating two cups of milk in a small pot with the salt, cocoa powder, and sweetener of choice.
Meanwhile, whisk the cornstarch and the remaining half cup of milk in a small bowl until the cornstarch is completely dissolved.
When the mixture in the saucepan is warm, whisk in the milk with cornstarch and bring to a boil. Once boiling, stir constantly with a whisk or spoon for two minutes.
Lower the heat to a simmer for an additional minute, then turn off the heat and add the pure vanilla extract. If using the optional chocolate, stir it until completely melted.
Transfer the chocolate pudding to the refrigerator to thicken. It gets thicker and thicker the longer it sits and will be ready to eat after a few hours or overnight.
*If you do want a recipe with avocado, make this Avocado Chocolate Mousse.
Watch the healthy chocolate pudding video above
Healthy Chocolate Pudding
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk of choice OR canned coconut milk
- heaping 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup dutch cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup sweetener (sugar, pure maple syrup, erythritol, or honey)
- 1/2 cup milk of choice + 3 tbsp cornstarch
- optional 3 oz chocolate chips or broken-up bar
- 3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Healthy Chocolate Pudding Recipe: Heat the 2 cups milk of choice in a saucepan with the salt, cocoa powder, and sweetener. Meanwhile, whisk the cornstarch and 1/2 cup milk in a small bowl until dissolved. When the 2 cups milk are warm, add the cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil. Once boiling, stir constantly for 2 minutes. Lower to a simmer for an additional minute, then turn off the heat. Once the heat is off, stir in the vanilla and broken-up chocolate pieces until the chocolate melts. Transfer the pudding to the refrigerator to thicken. It gets thicker the longer it sits and will be ready to consume after a few hours or overnight. *Note: I’ve not tried arrowroot and have only tried this recipe with Dutch cocoa powder so can’t vouch for the taste if regular unsweetened cocoa powder is used in its place. But you are always free to experiment!View Nutrition Facts
Video
Notes
More Healthy Desserts
Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies
YES! You’ve done it again. It’s like you can read my mind! Bonus points that I can ACTUALLY eat this with all my foodintolerances!
Sounds delish! But yes, I think the nutritional information is a little off. Even with silk cashew milk and stevia it should be closer to 68-80 calories.
Sorry for the typo. Nutrition page is fixed now 🙂
Hi Katie- I was wondering if you would have a substitute for the cornstarch? I am allergic to corn. I use tapioca or arrowroot starch, but not sure if either of these would work, and how much to use?? Or any other suggestions? Thanks!
I’ve not tried it, but arrowroot *may* work. If you experiment, be sure to report back!
I was wondering the same thing. I googled and found something that says you can sub arrowroot, which is what I was going to try. Let us know if you try it first!
Thanks! I was wondering about this, too. I was going to try grass-fed gelatin but this sounds better!
I tried this with arrowroot powder because I was out of cornstarch and it turned out great! I’m not sure if it would be different or better with the cornstarch because I haven’t tried it, but the result that I got was lovely! Just be sure to stir it very well when cooking it, and also you might want to simmer it a little bit longer than Katie calls for in the recipe.
Thank you for the recipe Katie! It was just what I needed today! 🙂
I used Almond milk and arrow root and after sitting in the fridge overnight, it doesn’t appear to be setting up. =/ It seemed pretty thick when cooking it but has remained runny since. Any suggestions? Would cooking it longer help?
Hi Debra, et al…. I tried this with an equal amount of arrowroot and it gelled up TOO much. Made it like jello texture…not creamy. I will read thru the article you posted (thank you)…maybe you use less arrowroot vs cornstarch? It wasn’t a total loss..I added it to my smoothies. But I was disappointed bc/ I love chocolate pudding and the idea of it being nut and avocado free (for those times you don’t have a rope avocado) sounds amazing!
Yum! I know this post is old but thought I’d pass this info along in case it helps future readers: Tapioca starch would likely be a better substitute for anything that is cooked. If using arrowroot mix it with a tad bit of the cold milk first, set aside, and then stir it in well at the end after the remaining mixture has been boiled. Arrowroot breaks down with heat.
I used tapioca instead of cornstarch (double it, so 6 tbsp of tapioca). It turned into AMAZING chocolate tapioca pudding!
Tapioca small pearl or instant tapioca?
Also did you have to cook any longer using tapioca?
maybe I’m weird but I used coconut flour only cause I’ve been a little obsessed with it lately
Looks fab! I wonder if almond milk would work in this recipe?!
Silk cashewmilk works, so I would think almond would be fine too 🙂
I used almond milk and it worked well!
Awesome, thanks guys!!
Would this work with rice milk? My daughter was just diagnosed yesterday with allergies to dairy, gluten, tree nuts and egg whites. I don’t know what to eat! But I think this would go over really good. Rice milk is more affordable than coconut milk, we are on a very tight budget.
I think rice milk should work but it may not be as rich and creamy!
Rose, I totally understand!!! I have two boys with food allergies. Try “The Allergen Free Baker’s Handbook”. When my little guy was allergic to wheat, we had pretty good luck with several recipes from there that were actually edible. Luckily, he has outgrown that one but is still allergic to eggs, dairy, tree nuts, peanuts, and sunflower. I promise it gets easier!!!!!
Laura I am reading your comment many years later and had to stop to say my two year old is allergic to dairy wheat eggs tree nuts and sunflower!!!! Does it actually get easier?! I can’t imagine dining out when she’s older or eating with friends…
My son went through a food tolerance program for his allergies and it has been life changing. He is in remission now and we do not have to check any food labels. He eats freely without concern. The program is a big commitment, but it’s been worth it. If you are interested it’s called SoCal Food Allergy Institute in Long Beach, CA and it was created by Dr Randhawa. People travel from all over the world to be part of the program.
Hi Rose! 🙂
I’m probably really late to introduce this, but in terms of a pretty cheap, under-our-noses-the-whole-time, egg (or egg white?) replacement, see food 52!
Wish you the best!
While I think rice milk would work, if you are worried it wouldn’t be creamy enough you could use soy milk.
You can easily make coconut milk out of shredded coconut and water. I use one cup of any size water to two cups of that same size coconut. It’s best if it’s warm water. Just put it in a blender or food processor and blend for several minutes. Pour it in a clean cloth or cheese towel and squeeze the water out. Be careful if you use hot water, not to burn your hands. And voila, your own cheap coconut milk. You can store it in the fridge for about 3-5 days. You could even repeat the process for an other batch. It will not be as creamy as the first batch. But still good for use in recipes. Even if you dry the pulp of coconut you would have coconut flour they say. But I never tried that.
That texture! Holding together so well and yet looking SO fluffy 😀 Thanks for the recipe Katie! x
Omg I’ve been dying for some pudding, but I don’t do well with corn (or avocado!)! Is there any other way to thicken that you know of? I tried replacing cornstarch with tapioca starch once = epic fail, LOL.
Other commenters say they tried this recipe with arrowroot successfully.
I’m not sure what I did wrong but mine is liquidy with small white chunks 🙁 I followed the recipe exactly but clearly something went wrong! If anyone has any advice that’d be great. I used almond milk, cocoa (hot chocolate) powder, pure vanilla extract, and white granulated sugar. Thank you.
Hi, how old is your cornstarch? It sounds like it might be bad if it didn’t dissolve at all. Have you had success with that cornstarch in a different recipe?
Cocoa and hot chocolate mix are very different. Try using baking cocoa found in the baking aisle.
Katie, you are a wonder! I have so often put your recipes in my favorites file without saying “Thank you!” I really liked your picture with your dad.
Aw thank YOU!
Hi Katie! Thank you for creating a pudding without avocados! As far as the cocoa powder is concerned I use cocao powder. Will I need to add more sweetener to the pudding using this? I want to make it asap!!
Unfortunately I’ve not tried it, so I can’t say. But be sure to report back if you experiment 🙂
Would a cacao powder work instead of Dutch cocoa powder?
No as they are not the same. Texture wise it’s fine, but it won’t have the chocolate pudding taste you’d find with packaged chocolate pudding.
A couple years later, but I made it with cacao powder, almond milk instead of coconut milk, and honey for the sweetener and it turned out amazing! Just make sure the cornstarch melts completely so it’s smooth!
Hey Katie,
Would Kuzu work instead of cornstarch?
I just put in fridge and the Kuzu is definitely working- it has only been in fridge for 5 min and is already getting quite thick.