Chocolate Pudding is a classic favorite dessert! This easy, kid friendly treat is a cinch to prepare and a great make-ahead option!
My family loves fruit desserts like Rhubarb Crisp and Strawberry Pie but sometimes I just need my chocolate fix! Light, creamy, rich, and chocolatey, this easy chocolate pudding recipe goes perfectly with fruit or on its own!
How to Make Chocolate Pudding
This chocolate pudding recipe takes no time at all on the stovetop, and then a quick chill while you’re eating dinner and voila! Homemade chocolate pudding can be made in advance and stored in the fridge until you’re ready to enjoy it.
To make homemade chocolate pudding:
- Combine dry ingredients (sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch). Whisk in milk.
- Bring to a low boil and remove from the heat as soon as the pudding has thickened.
- Cool the chocolate pudding completely.
Tips for Making Pudding
- Use medium heat and sugar and milk can scorch or burn at a higher temperature.
- Whisk constantly while it comes to a boil.
- To keep the pudding from having a skin, place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding while it cools.
How Long Does Homemade Chocolate Pudding Last
Homemade chocolate pudding has to be stored in the fridge. I like to store it in serving-sized plastic containers for ease. It will last 5-7 days.
This recipe makes a pretty good amount so it’s perfect for packing in lunches. Grab some single-serving plastic containers and you have delicious chocolate pudding to send with your kids (or yourself) for the whole week.
Chocolate pudding can change texture when frozen because of the corn starch so it’s not great to defrost but it does make great drip-free pudding pops!
More Chocolate Love
- Caramel Chocolate Trifle – always impresses
- Best Ever Chocolate Cake – decadent!
- Chocolate Macaroons (No Bake) – so easy
- Easy Triple Chocolate Cookies – kid approved
- Easy Chocolate Truffles – a holiday favorite!
- Oreo Dirt Cups – fun snack or dessert
Did you enjoy this Chocolate Pudding? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Homemade Chocolate Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup cocoa
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- pinch salt
- 4 ½ cups milk
- 3-4 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and cornstarch. Mix well. Add in cold milk, whisk until combined.
- Increase heat to medium, stirring constantly until mixture reaches a boil*.
- As soon as the pudding has thickened, remove from the heat and stir in butter and vanilla.
- Allow mixture to cool completely, stirring occasionally to avoid a skin forming on the pudding.
- Serve chilled or warm.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dessert
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Even More Chocolate Desserts You’ll Love
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Chocolate Ganache Frosting – Just 2 ingredients.
- Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies – Popular recipe!
This pudding is delicious. I had some frozen Fairlife milk from a recent hurricane and was trying to decide what to do with it since despite its ultra-filtration, it’s not the same mouth feel after being frozen. The recipe seemed an easy to make choice and it was.
I used a combination of stevia and erythritol instead of sugar which I added after the butter and vanilla and it still worked out fine, just less overall volume. It started to thicken just before it started bubbling then I immediately removed it from the heat as per instructions. I had no problem with it thickening to a sumptuous pudding. I can also see how freezing it as someone else did would make excellent popsicles.
I now have a delicious chocolate dessert with a nice amount of protein. Thanks!
Too little cornstarch and too much sugar! I did a half recipe (increasing the cornstarch) and still it was too sweet. Never gain.
It tasted just like Mom made when I was young. Thank You
That makes me so happy to hear! Thanks for trying our recipe, Kathy.
The taste is good but it does not seem to thicken
Hi Ella, it is important to remove the pudding from the heat as soon as it begins to boil and thicken. If left to continue boiling the starch will start to break down and it will not properly thicken, resulting in watery pudding.
it took 45 minutes for the mixture to start thickening but overall pretty good
I made the recipe as-is. It thickened up but not as thick as store bought pudding after chilling . Found it a touch too sweet as a pudding but perfect for popsicles. Hubby and I really liked it as popsicles so I’m going to make another batch. A healthier version of Fudgsicles in that there’s no weird chemicals and preservatives. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
That’s a great idea, Kim! Making these into popsicles would be great.
REALLY delicious and easy!
Such an easy recipe! Never buying jello again!!
Sift dry ingredients before adding milk. Even though we used a whisk, we had some small lumps of cornstarch.
Great, easy recipe. A bit too sweet for me. I’ll reduce the sugar 1/3 cup next time. Thank you.