Author: Let me show you how to create the perfect vegan pudding! Bursting with the most amazing flavor, Easy Vegan Chocolate Pudding requires just 6 ingredients and takes less than 10 minutes to make! This vegan pudding recipe is super creamy chocolatey goodness and it's 20 thousand times better than those store-bought cups. The perfect addition to your school or work lunchbox, or for an easy dessert or snack! Easy Vegan Chocolate Pudding for the win!
Whether you're staying at home, or back to school time is right around the corner. Every kid (or kid at heart) deserves a special lunchtime treat. So to celebrate, I wanted to make a kid-friendly recipe, and nothing says lunchbox more to me than these little chocolate pudding cups.
This chocolate pudding recipe is also waste-free (no disposable packaging), naturally gluten-free, vegan (meaning it's dairy-free and egg-free), and it's so incredibly lush and chocolatey rich. Win win win!!!
I used these cute little reusable pudding cups which will also be perfect for vegan yogurts, dressings, small snacks, and sauces. The individual servings are so fun and are prefect for snacking, but you can also store it in any sized container you like.
Chocolate pudding is lovely served still warm, but you can stash it in the fridge for up to a week. Prep the chocolate pudding on the weekend and enjoy this little pick me up all week long. 🙂
To Make Easy Vegan Chocolate Pudding:
In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cocoa, and cornstarch. Add the plant-based milk and whisk to combine.
Put the pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer while whisking often.
Continue to simmer for about 3 minutes until the pudding is slightly thickened and glossy looking. It will thicken more as it cools. Remove from heat and whisk in the vegan butter and vanilla extract. Divide into ramekins, jars, pudding cups, or pour all of it into a large heat proof bowl. Enjoy still warm or cover with plastic wrap and let chill in the fridge for a few hours or overnight until chilled. Store in the fridge for up to one week.
This vegan chocolate pudding has the smoothest, most amazing texture and flavor and would be perfect paired with my vegan egg salad sandwich, a vegan baloney sandwich, tofu caesar wrap, or vegan alphagetti.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
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Easy Vegan Chocolate Pudding
Servings: (makes about
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Ingredients
- ⅔ cup white sugar
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch, (sub arrowroot powder if preferred)
- 2 ½ cups plant-based milk, (such as soy or oat)
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium sauce pan, whisk together the sugar, cocoa, and cornstarch until there are no lumps. Add the plant-based milk and whisk to combine.
- Put the pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer while whisking often. Continue to simmer for about 3 minutes until the pudding is slightly thickened and glossy looking. It will thicken more as it cools. Remove from heat and whisk in the vegan butter and vanilla extract. Divide into ramekins, jars, pudding cups, or pour all of it into a large heat proof bowl. Enjoy still warm or cover and let cool in the fridge for a few hours or overnight until chilled. Store in the fridge for up to one week.
Nutrition
⭐ Did You Make This Recipe?
I’d love if you left a rating and comment, it helps others find the recipe and makes my day! 💕
Sioban says
This is the most delicious pudding recipe ever! Non vegans don't even know!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay!! So happy you loved it, Sioban! 🙂
Lisa Evans says
Simply delicious. My 9 year old Grandson made this this evening, we both enjoyed it warm.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
That’s wonderful to hear, Lisa! I love that your grandson made it too, so sweet 💛
Yvonne Van der Giessen says
It tasted very nice and was easy to prepare
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Thank you, Yvonne! 🍫😊
Danielle Siedlecki says
Could I use this recipe for a chocolate pudding pie? Is it thick enough?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Danille, I would recommend instead following my recipe for my Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie 🙂
Jasmine says
I made mine with flax milk and the consistency is thicker because of the consistency of flax milk. I will only use flax milk for this from now on.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Thanks for sharing that, Jasmine! Flax milk is a great option if you like a thicker pudding.
Karen says
I just made this tonight and it was so stinking easy. It’s delicious. I was craving pudding and chose to make my own. This recipe is a keeper.
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay! Pudding craving satisfied!
Lucie says
Second time making this recipe so I went ahead and made a double batch...gotta share 😉
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Haha perfect!!! So happy you love it Lucie 🙂
Andrea says
I put the mixture into heat proof silicone popsicle molds for pudding pops. OMG, sooooo good!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Oh wow!!! Fantastic idea!!! Yum!
Donna S says
Great recipe!! I used guar gum because I have corn allergies. It set quick. I added 2 T extra of plant milk. It’s perfect.
How can I do another flavor?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Donna! So happy you loved the pudding! I don't have other pudding flavors recipes yet, but I plan to post a new one soon so make sure you are subscribed to my mailing list so you don't miss the next recipe 🙂
Terri says
This pudding is fabulous! I added a T of extra cornstarch based on other comments and completely omitted the vegan butter. I used Hershey's Special Dark cocoa, and the pudding tasted incredibly smooth and fudgy. I will be making this frequently. It's wonderful warm and cold.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Wonderful! I am so happy you loved it Terri! Thank you for the review 🙂
Louise says
can you freeze it?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Louise, yes it should freeze well. Let the pudding cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container or individual portions in freezer-safe containers. When you're ready to enjoy it, let the pudding thaw in the fridge overnight and give it a good stir before serving. Freezing may slightly change the texture, making it a bit grainier, but it should still be delicious.
Loire Taylor says
Hello, Could I add a couple scoops of protein powder to this? If so do I need to adjust the amount of milk? Thanks
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Loire, I haven't tested it, but adding a couple of scoops of protein powder should work. You may need to gradually add more plant-based milk to reach the right consistency, as the protein powder can thicken the pudding. Start with a small amount and adjust as needed until you get the texture you like. I hope that helps!
jr says
This did not setup as expected, I even added more cornstarch and still sloppy/soupy 🙁
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi jr. I'm sorry to hear the pudding didn't set up as expected! A couple of things might have caused this. Be sure to simmer the mixture for the full 3 minutes, until it thickens and becomes glossy. The cornstarch needs enough heat to properly activate and thicken the pudding. It will get thick while cooking it. Also, it will continue to thicken as it cools, so refrigerating it for a few hours (or overnight) can really help it set. If it was still soupy, it’s possible that it didn't cook long enough at a high enough temperature. I hope this helps, and feel free to try again—it's worth it!
Jeanie says
This happened to me too. I expected it to thicken more than it did so I kept cooking, then the starch broke down and became thin. I make a new slurry (but didn’t measure how much cornstarch I used) and thickened it up that way. So for me, I think it needed more from the start to thicken as much as I would like.I had the same issue with the Lemon Curd recipe (one of my absolute favorites), I just add more cornstarch.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
If you like a thicker pudding you can definitely add more starch, however, note that the pudding will get much thicker as it cools and sets in the fridge. It will always be runnier when hot. You can get an idea of what the finished texture looks like in the photos. I hope that helps!
Ellen W says
Could you use vanilla extract instead of cocoa powder to make vanilla pudding? That’s one flavor I really miss…vanilla ice cream, puddings, etc.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Ellen, Since the cocoa powder makes up a significant part of the recipe, simply omitting it and substituting with vanilla might affect the overall texture and consistency. That said, I’ll definitely keep a vanilla pudding version in mind for the future! Thanks for the suggestion, and I hope you find other treats to enjoy in the meantime.
Shannon says
Hi Sam!!!! Have you thought about doing a butterscotch pudding? That was always my favorite flavor! although I do love your chocolate version. I'm making it later tonight for a snack for my granddaughter!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Shannon, ooooh that's a great idea! I have added it to my idea list! Enjoy the chocolate pudding in the meantime 🙂
Dawn says
I try not to use white sugar, was wondering if you could use maple syrup or another type of sweetener? Thank you!
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yes that should work! You may want to reduce your sugar to 1/3 cup and taste test first.
L says
Super easy to make with ingredients most of us already have at home! I made it twice already while recovering from a wisdom tooth surgery and the pudding really brightened my days 🙂
Anber says
I quite like the creamy not too thick texture (I cooked mine closer to 5 minutes). I will do half the sugar next time
Thank you for the recipe. ☺️
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Fantastic! Thanks for sharing your experience!
Kay says
Hi there! I love this recipe and have made it a few times already. As I'm a novice at making anything sweet, I have a question. Could I add a bunch of dark chocolate to the hot mixture to thicken it even more so that I may make a chocolate pie? Do you think this method would work?
Susanne says
Thank you for this recipe. This is the best tasting pudding I've had in a long time and I'm so happy I can make it from scratch (with ease).
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
We're so happy too, that's great!
ED says
VERY tasty, but I found it was far too runny for my taste so I added an extra tablespoon and a half of cornstarch. It was my ideal thick pudding texture like that! And my plant milk of choice was Silk oat milk.
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
We're glad you enjoyed it and found the consistency that worked best for your preference.
Anna says
This is way too sweet. Inedible for my taste buds. Less than half of the sugar would be more than enough. Also quite runny