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!
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- pinch salt
- 4 ½ cups milk
- 3 tablespoons unsalted 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.
- Turn 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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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 was fantastic and easy. I was worried and almost gave up because I did not watch the video and it felt like it was just going to be watery. I waited a bit longer and it began to bubble and thicken. I have one question before I try it myself… Can I omit the cocoa powder and maybe just add a vanilla bean to make vanilla pudding? Still adding the vanilla extract in the end? I liked the ease of this pudding and most vanilla recipes are with yolk. Just thought I’d ask. Great recipe. Will use again and again.
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure but I worry that it will not thicken properly. I have a vanilla custard in this trifle recipe you can use.
Yum! I had a cup of whipping cream I needed to use so substituted some of the milk with that, and took a reader’s advice and mixed it in a blender instead of whisking. Perfect! Would make a great pie filling, too.
I’m so glad to hear that you are loving this chocolate pudding Lea!
Really good chocolate pudding. Cut sugar in half (used 2/3 c) and still turned out great.
absolutely love this recipe! I have a question about the nutritional information. I assume that 184 is per serving. but how big is a serving?
Hi Tami, this recipe makes about 4 cups of prepared pudding so a serving is approximately ½ cup of pudding.
This recipe is super simple but it tastes like chocolate chalk. If I made it again, I would use less cocoa powder, a pinch less cornstarch, and more sugar. I used whole fat milk too.
So good
this didn’t work at all. I followed the recipe and additional authors notes. it’s just chocolate milk with a bunch of wasted ingredients. maybe it’s because I am at a higher 5200 feet but this didn’t work for me.
Oh no! Did you watch the video? That might help with making sure its set up properly.
Yikes, way too sweet, very unbalanced flavor profile. I should have paid attention — 1 to 4 ratio of sugar to milk in this recipe, compared to 1 (up) to 8 ratio in non-american recipes. I should have known better.
Love the simplicity of this recipe. Allergic to everything. The only thing I had to cut was the vanilla and it still came out great
Very easy and delicious! I added a half of packet of instant espresso and changed 2 of the cups to half and half. Silky and delicious. Great recipe that you can still make your own!
Can this be frozen to make like an ice cream
I overcooked my first batch and was NOT wasting it so I busted out popsicle molds and made the best fudgsicles I’ve ever eaten!! Very nostalgic of the store bought ones that were always in my grandpa’s freezer as a kid! Now my kids beg me to make this recipe just for the fudge pops!! I’ve even added fresh berries to the molds with the pudding and you get a chocolate covered strawberry popsicle!!
My husband has been nicely complaining about instant pudding. Many years ago his mom made cooked pudding. So, I searched and found this one and it definitely did not disappoint. His only complaint was that when he licked the pan he didn’t taste aluminum. My pans are stainless steel and I guess his mom used aluminum. I didn’t think that was much of a complaint. This is a super good pudding and I will definitely keep it in my best recipes. For ease I put milk and dry ingredients in blender just so I didn’t have to whisk so much. It worked out beautifully and no lumps. Then I returned it to the saucepan and cooked as directed until thick. I want to use this recipe for a chocolate pie in the fall.
This is my first time trying to make homemade chocolate pudding and this recipe tastes better than the box stuff and I’m no longer going to buy it in the box Thank you for the recipe
Could I use soy milk in the recipe? Instant pudding doesnt allow. Thanks!
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure S. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
excellent made a double batch, super easy and i had everything in my pantry already. will be making this from now on before buying the packages with preservatives in it. it was gone before it was cold, the grandkids love it. they were saying I never have treats and I whipped up this in 15 minutes.
You’ll never go back to boxed My-T-Fine !!
Fantastic pudding recipe!!!
I added a half cup of corn starch because my family thinks pudding needs the same thickness as instant pudding lol.
However you use this recipe, it’s great!!!
This pudding is the best thing we’ve ever eaten! It’s so creamy, smooth and full of flavor! I’m so glad I found this recipe!
I loved the taste, I added a dash of cinnamon and powdered espresso. But the end result was too liquidity. I followed the recipe and even reduced the milk to 4 cups but maybe 1/3 cup of cornstarch is not enough??
Same for me. Liquidy or thin and did not thicken but taste is spot on. :(
I made this 4 times and I had no success. it comes out watery. I’m not sure but maybe the measurements are incorrect?
Have you watched the video Carol? I just retested this recipe and made a video from it which may help with making sure your boiling correctly. The measurements are correct as written.
This is an excellent recipe! For something so easy to make and using basic ingredients, the final product is absolutely delicious. Thank you for sharing it with us (and for the tip on not overboiling the mixture to avoid a watery mess).
Excellent recipe bye bye jello