Classic chocolate pudding made in 20 minutes on the stovetop. This silky, creamy, dark chocolate pudding gets its luscious flavor and texture from an unlikely ingredient: sweetened condensed milk or coconut milk.
I'm usually one to shy from superlatives, but this chocolate pudding is simply THE BEST imaginable. It's silky smooth, dense and fluffy at the same time, not overly sweet, and extra dark from both chocolate and cocoa powder. A hit of vanilla and salt give it deep flavor, and the clever step of beating the pudding in a stand mixer as it cools ensures a delicate, luscious set.
The recipe uses a special ingredient – sweetened condensed milk or coconut milk – that adds sweetness, subtle caramel notes, and an ultra-silky smooth texture. It's well worth seeking out a can to make this. Or better yet, buy a few to stash in your cupboard for when a pudding craving strikes!
Like my reader-favorite pumpkin pie pudding, this chocolate pudding is easy to make on the stovetop.
Extra Helping: Recipes for Caring, Connecting, & Building Community One Dish at a Time
This chocolate pudding recipe comes from Janet's beautiful debut cookbook Extra Helping. If you've ever wondered how you could aid a friend who was grieving, ill, just had a baby, moved, or was otherwise going through a tough time, this is the book you need. It's the book our world needs.
During life's transitions, cooking for oneself can turn from a joy to impossible, and food is a relatively simple way to show up for loved ones. Everyone needs to eat, and a homemade pot of soup or batch of cookies can make one feel cared for and connected in a profoundly healing way.
When I visited Janet at her home in the Berkshires, she put us on the train with jars of this rich chocolate pudding topped with thick whipped cream. It was so exceptionally delicious, I knew I needed to share the recipe.
Eggless Chocolate Pudding
Wonder what's the difference between pudding and custard? It's the eggs, or lack thereof.
Pudding is egg-free and thickened by starch, whereas custard contains eggs by themselves or in addition to starch to help it set. While I love a nice custardy baked dairy-free chocolate pot de creme, puddings have a cleaner, more straightforward taste without the egg dampening the flavors. This classic chocolate pudding recipe is egg-free and therefore pudding!
Dairy-Free Option
Make this pudding dairy-free by swapping carton-style coconut milk in for the dairy milk – it works beautifully! Or if you prefer a no-cook recipe, give this raw, vegan blender chocolate pudding a go instead.
*Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my gluten-free cookbook Alternative Baker, orsubscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this chocolate pudding, I’d love to see. Tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.*
20-Minute Silky Stovetop Chocolate Pudding
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- ½ cup (45 g) cocoa powder (I use dutch-process but natural works well too)
- ⅓ cup (40 g) cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 4 cups (950 ml) whole milk (or carton-style coconut milk for DF)
- 1 can (11.25 ounces) sweetened condensed milk or coconut milk (I use Nature's Charm sweetened condensed coconut milk)
- 6 ounces (170 g) chopped bittersweet chocolate
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
- unsweetened or lightly sweetened whipped cream or coconut cream, for serving
Instructions
- Have 8-10 small cups, jars, or ramekins ready.
- In a medium, heavy saucepan, combine the cocoa, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk in the milk, then the sweetened condensed coconut milk.
- Place the pot over medium heat and, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, bring to a low boil. Be sure to scrape the corners of the pan with the spoon so that no pudding is left behind. You'll know it's boiling by the large bubbles popping lazily when you stop stirring for several seconds. Continue to cook the pudding for 7 minutes or until quite thick and beginning to hold a shape.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chocolate and vanilla to combine. Transfer the pudding to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on low until cooled to room temperature; this will give the pudding a silky texture and soft set. Alternatively, stir the pudding by hand until cool. Or just pour the hot pudding into cups, let cool to room temperature, then cover and chill; it will be firmer and less silky this way but still delicious.
- Cover the puddings and chill until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 1 week. Serve with whipped cream and chocolate shavings if you like.
Katherine says
Three beautiful things:
1. Chocolate deliciousness.
2. Reminder of your Haupia recipe.
3. A cookbook to help me be a Mensch instead of a Klutz
Alanna says
I would like that for myself as well, hahaha!
Maxene says
What are the chocolate pretzel things? Those look divine.
Alanna says
They are! It's a sublime chocolate bark recipe from Janet's book. ;)
Erica says
Will this pudding develop a "skin" as it cools?
Alanna says
Not if you agitate it as it cools, but probably if you pour it in hot.
Michael Simmons says
Thank you for the wonderful recipe, Alanna! You described the cooking process in such a detailed and fascinating manner, which encouraged me to make it myself. I'm sure my wife and kids will be happy!
Happy New Year and Merry Christmas, Alanna! I wish you the best!
Alanna says
That's wonderful! How did it turn out??
Jessica says
Do you have a brand of chocolate or % cacao content that you like to use? Thanks!!
Alanna says
I usually use Tcho, Guittard, or Valrhona around 70% cacao mass. :)
Yogesh says
Yummy😋😋😋😋
Jenna says
This pudding looks dreamy! Do you think subbing arrowroot for the cornstarch would work okay? My husband can't eat corn, unfortunately. I've subbed it in recipes that only call for 1-2 tbsp but 1/3 seems like a more significant amount.
Alanna says
That's a good question. I've never had much success with arrowroot as a thickener, but you could certainly give it a try. Maybe start with a half or quarter batch to test it out? You might also like this really old chocolate tapioca pudding recipe from TBG archives. :)
Jenna says
Ooh, thank you- I'll have to give both of them a try!
Traci | Vanilla And Bean says
What a thoughtful and beautiful book, Alanna. Thank you for sharing it with us. What I appreciate about coconut milk with chocolate is that the chocolate flavor shines, when you want it to, instead of coconut. I've made ganache with coconut milk time and time again, and it just works. This pudding looks sublime. Beautiful and SO deliciously creamy!
Emily R says
Thanks for sharing this recipe! I made the vegan version and it's definitely a very rich chocolate pudding. Easy to make, delicious, and good to keep in your back pocket for people with dairy and egg sensitivities. I also made the chocolate buckwheat cookies (yum!) and put myself on the waiting list for the Extra Helping cookbook from my library. :)
The Bojon Gourmet says
It's amazing to be able to include dietary restrictions while enjoying the cooking process, and having a delicious outcome! Yummy :D
Olivia Christianson says
This was fabulous! I made the vegan version with soy milk (but used the sweetened condensed coconut milk) and it was so great. I fed it to several people who don’t eat vegan and they loved it. I usually think most vegan sweets have too much of a soy or coconut flavor but this was just like the decadent gourmet desserts with eggs and dairy. Also your friend Janet sounds amazing. I will definitely check out her cookbooks! Thanks tons.
Alanna says
Aw I'm so glad you liked it! Janet is amazing - you'll absolutely love her book. :)
Jac says
It was a perfect dessert. Many couldn't believe that it was vegan! Didn't have vegan chocolate so added 3/4 cup of cocoa instead. Also added a pinch of pepper flakes to give a little punch. Thanks for sharing.
Alanna says
I'm so glad you liked it and that those modifications worked!
Selena G says
What brand of vanilla paste do you use/suggest?
Cheryl Hudson says
Love the recipes can’t wait to try them!!
Alanna says
Please let me know if you do! :)
Sandy says
Hello Ms Alanna - I cannot count the number of recipes that I have tried from both your book and blog - they have turned fabulous every time !!! Thank you so much.
For this recipe however, I am unable to get my hands on condensed coconut milk. Is there any substitute?
Alanna says
Hi Sandy,
Aw I'm so glad to hear that you're loving the recipes! Thank you so much for the kind note.
For the pudding, you can use regular sweetened condensed milk if you're ok with dairy. Otherwise, you could try using full-fat canned coconut milk or coconut cream and adding some sweetener to your taste. Or you might like these coconut milk pots de creme or this paleo chocolate pudding instead.
Please let me know what you try!
Terena says
Hi Alanna,
I was able to find condensed coconut milk, but the cans are 11.25 oz size, not 15 oz size like the recipe calls for. I looked online and can't find a 15 oz can of condensed coconut milk there either. I am concerned about using the wrong size and not having the correct ration of ingredients. What would you recommend?
Thank you!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi Terena,
My apologies, I thought I responded to you earlier! So I asked the original author and it sounds like she actually used an 11.25 can to develop the recipe. I updated the recipe card to reflect the correct amount. Thank you very much for catching that!
When I made and shot this recipe, I used 15 ounces from 2 cans, and then I used the extra sweetened condensed coconut milk on this rice pudding: https://bojongourmet.com/milk-tea-rice-pudding/ which was yum. So it will work with more too.
In any case, please let me know if you try the recipe!
-Alanna
Monica D says
This came out excellent! We cut out refined sugar so I subbed heavy cream and maple syrup for the sweetened condensed milk. Whipping it nice and easy til it's cool really does make the silkiest pudding. Our family enjoys your recipes so much! Very thankful for a place to find a more refined and classy take on gluten free eating. Hope all is well!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi Monica,
So great to know that this pudding will work with heavy cream and maple in place of the sweetened condensed milk – brilliant! How much of each did you use? I want to try your variation! :)
Thank you so much for the sweet note; I'm so glad you're enjoying my recipes! That means a lot to me.
-A