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.
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!
Amazing recipe! I’ve made this many times before (successfully) but tonight I was so eager to get my chocolate fix that I cooked it on high, and I burned the bottom of my pan :( so unfortunately I had to throw it out. LOVE This recipe though, just don’t make my dumb mistake be patient lol
Excellent recipe! it is almost the same as my recipe for a darker, richer variation. Mine is with smaller portions served. I think I am going to use your version that uses more milk. Mine is more like a ganache. Could you make this into a mousse? Love it! Made it and topped it with halved mini chips ahoy, and a whole one in the middle with crushed ones surrounding. Big hit! Thanks for a recipe my whole family will enjoy. ☺️
I have never made this recipe in a chocolate mousse but I have this recipe for chocolate mousse that you might enjoy!
Always can trust this food blogger for amazing recipes. This did not disappoint, very easy and foolproof pudding. Would definitely make this again.
Amazing recipe and taste. So much better then store bought!
Can’t believe I’ve been paying for chocolate pudding powder at almost $6 a box when I could have been using this recipe. It’s awesome! Thankyou for the recipe!
Great recipe. Made it for a party, everyone loved it! Thank you!
Yummy! Excellent way to use milk that is close to expiration.
Way too much cocoa!
I will make it again, but 1/2 the cocoa. Very creamy. Never really set up.
Thank you for trying our recipe, Mary. Sorry it didn’t turn out as expected.
First time on your site and I’ll definitely be back. Pudding was great. I didn’t have enough milk so I made it with half and half – probably should have cut the amount of corn starch but just took it off the stove fast. Added in a little expresso powder and vanilla. It was easy and awesome.
This pudding is so smooth and creamy. definitely a keeper!!
I personally really hate vanilla and love chocolate, so I chose to simply leave out the vanilla extract, and I’ve got to say it was soooo delicious I couldn’t wait for it to cool all the way, I had a couple spoonfuls warm and it was the best, I will definitely be making this again
taste amazing!
Could I make vanilla pudding by just leaving the cocoa out, or is the reduced dry ingredient volume going to affect the final texture at all? I generally trust the recipes from this website, so I’d like to use yours instead of finding another, but need vanilla for a trifle. Any help is appreciated! Thanks!! :)
I haven’t tried this recipe without cocoa but I am not sure it would work. I have a vanilla custard in this trifle recipe you can use.
It won’t have the same thickening power. Typically vanilla pudding requires egg yolks or eggs to thicken it. But it’s still quite simple.
I wanted to make “dirt cups” with my kids, but we avoid artificial food dye. So I turned to this recipe instead of instant pudding, all of which had dyes in them. I’m glad I did! It was easy and thickened very quickly. I followed to the letter and set it with a layer of wax paper on top to avoid skin. Afterward we mixed in crushed chocolate wafers and dye-free gummy worms. It was a huge hit! Thank you!
This recipe totally hit the spot! I followed it pretty much to the tea, and I made sure to use very good quality cocoa, Giardelli’s. I think very important to use best quality choc. Turned out great I would definitely make again. My chocolate puddings usually have egg yolk to thicken and this doesn’t use Don’t miss at all. Very very good!
Hello,
I have not made this recipe yet, but I just wanted to share with you that this “Chocolate Pudding recipe reminds me of my dear Mama’s. Mama passed away in 2021, Thank you for the memories. I will certainly make this as soon as i buy some fresh milk.
Thank you so very much,
Betty Jo
So glad this recipe brings back such nice memories. I hope you enjoy our verson!
Chocolate pudding reminds me of my Mom too! Sorry for your loss! Happy memories for the future
We prefer less sweet treats and are vegetarian friendly so I did 1 cup of sugar, swapped out for oat milk, and vegan butter. Still tasted heavenly. Thanks for the recipe!
I used this as a starter base, then adjusted for my personal preferences. I like it less sweet, so 1 cup sugar. I dislike the heavy chocolate, so used a generous 1/3 cup cocoa powder. I like my pudding less gummy, so less cornstarch and a bit more milk. I add a few drops of maple flavoring and some espresso powder in addition to the vanilla, as I think that it adds a bit of complexity w/o being noticeable. My family has been enjoying this all Winter.
You are one of my go-to sites for trusted recipes…thank you!
Thank you for sharing your alterations, Susan!
I made this pudding this evening and it brought back so many memories of the snack pack pudding from the 70’s! Great recipe! Love every spoon full.
My pudding turned out to be thin syrup. I have no idea what went wrong, but it just never thickened. Told my daughter to fill up some popsickle molds and eat them as a frozen treat. I did follow the recipe exactly. Won’t try this again. :(
I am so sorry that happened, Mary Beth! I am glad you were still able to enjoy it as a frozen treat.
Too much chocolate and mine was also a “thin syrup”, could have drunk it. Won’t be making this recipe again.