The easiest vegan paleo chocolate pudding you will ever make with just 4 main pantry ingredients and 5 minutes of active time. Maple-sweetened and naturally free of gluten, dairy, eggs, sugar, and nuts.
I'm never not craving pudding. Whether it's classic chocolate pudding, butterscotch pudding, pumpkin pudding, rice pudding, tapioca pudding, pot de creme, breakfast chia pudding, or chocolate pudding pie, I'm here for it.
I also have a thing for chocolate and tahini, be it in the form of cookies, more cookies, tart, hot fudge sauce, zucchini bread, or brownies.
Really, this moment was inevitable. I've been tinkering with this tahini chocolate pudding recipe for close to a year now, and I couldn't be more excited to share it today!
The Easiest Healthy Chocolate Pudding
Many years ago when TBG was just a little baby, I shared a raw vegan chocolate pudding recipe that uses similar ingredients to this one – nut milk, cocoa powder, maple syrup, and coconut oil, set with lecithin and agar powder. I crave this pudding often, but I don't usually have those ingredients around.
This paleo chocolate pudding recipe satisfies my sweet tooth in a similar way but with a tahini twist. As a bonus, I always have the ingredients at hand! The recipe could not be easier, made with just 4 main ingredients (plus vanilla, salt, and water) and 5ish minutes of active time, no cooking required.
Tahini Chocolate Pudding
Tahini gives this vegan chocolate pudding recipe a subtle sesame flavor. This flavor combination has a similar vibe to chocolate and peanut butter, and it always reminds me of the marbled chocolate halva my mom used to buy for us when I was little.
But this recipe also works just as well with any favorite creamy nut or seed butter, so use what you've got. I recently made a chocolate peanut butter pie with a variation of the recipe, and the combo was just as delicious. Suggestions below!
Top these paleo puddings with a dollop of coconut yogurt or whipped coconut cream, a drizzle of tahini, and a sprinkle of chocolate shavings. Serve with a side of vegan gluten-free graham crackers if you like, for a s'mores vibe.
Healthy Chocolate Pudding Ingredients & Substitution Suggestions
- Nut or seed butter forms the base of this pudding. I use tahini because I love the sesame flavor it adds, but any creamy nut or seed butter will work. Cashew butter would make a neutral base, while peanut, almond, or hazelnut would add luscious complimentary flavors. Use what you've got!
- Cacao or cocoa powder give this pudding a rich chocolate flavor. I like using raw cacao powder, but natural cocoa powder and dutch-process cocoa work too.
- Water blends with the tahini and cocoa powder to form a thick base. I've tested this with all water and with a mix of water and plant milk, and I didn't really have a preference. There's enough richness from the tahini that the pudding tastes super rich and thick either way.
- Maple syrup sweetens the pudding naturally. Any grade will work, so use what you've got. Other liquid sweeteners will work here as well, just add them to your taste since they can vary in sweetness.
- Vanilla and salt sharpen the flavor.
- Coconut oil sets the pudding into a thickly scoopable texture that literally melts in your mouth. It's important to measure the coconut oil accurately, since too little will give you loose pudding that doesn't set up well. If your pudding does end up too soft after 3 hours of chilling, you can melt it down and whisk or blend in another tablespoon or two of melted coconut oil, then chill again. I'm often asked for coconut substitutions, and you could try palm oil, melted ghee (for non-vegan) or cacao butter, which are all solid when cold.
How to Make Paleo Chocolate Pudding
Classic chocolate pudding is made by cooking milk with starch, sugar, and cocoa until thick, then adding in chocolate. But this paleo chocolate pudding recipe comes together with no cooking required.
Magical Chocolate Pudding for Everyone
This healthy chocolate pudding recipe doesn't seem like it should work, but it does, magically, every time. Here's what I love about it:
- It comes together in a snap with pantry-friendly ingredients.
- It's suitable for many dietary preferences: paleo, vegan, and gluten-free.
- Allergy-friendly: dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free, maple-sweetened.
- No cooking required.
- Keeps brilliantly for up to several days.
- Easy to transport to parties, picnics, potlucks, and on road trips and campouts.
- Rich, luscious, and chocolatey.
- Made with good-for-you ingredients, but tastes and feels like a decadent chocolate treat!
If you give it a whirl, please let me know how you like it.
*Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my gluten-free cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this paleo chocolate pudding recipe, I’d love to know. Leave a comment and rating below, and tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.*
More Favorite Pudding Recipes:
- Butterscotch Pudding (vegan & paleo-friendly options)
- Classic Chocolate Pudding (vegan option)
- Chocolate Tapioca Pudding (vegan)
- Raw Vegan Chocolate Pudding
- Pumpkin Pudding
- "PBJ" Tahini Chia Pudding
More Healthy Chocolate Recipes:
- Vegan Chocolate Pie (gluten-free)
- Raw Vegan Chocolate Cheesecake
- Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Paleo Chocolate Tart
- Dairy-Free Pot de Creme
- Find more favorite gluten-free chocolate dessert recipes here!
More Chocolate Tahini Recipes:
- Vegan Chocolate Tahini Tart
- Magical Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies (vegan, paleo)
- Tahini Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies (vegan, gluten-free)
- GF Brownies with Tahini Frosting
- Vegan Tahini Hot Fudge Sauce
Paleo Chocolate Pudding (vegan)
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 1 ¼ cups filtered water (or half water, half plant milk such as almond or oat milk)
- 1 cup (70 g) raw cacao powder, natural cocoa powder, or dutch-process cocoa powder
- ½ cup (130 g) well-stirred runny tahini such as Seed and Mill, Soom, or Kevala (or any creamy nut or seed butter)
- ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons (130 g) maple syrup (or more, to your taste)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 tablespoons (40 g) melted extra-virgin coconut oil
- For serving (optional): tahini, whipped coconut cream or coconut yogurt, chocolate shavings
Instructions
- Combine the water, cacao or cocoa powder, tahini, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt in a blender.
- Blend on medium speed until well combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the sides of the blender once or twice.
- Add the melted coconut oil and blend until combined, 20 seconds or so. The pudding will be very runny at this point, but it will firm up as it chills.
- Pour the pudding into individual cups or jars. Chill until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 4 days. You can pop them in the freezer for 20 minutes or so to speed this up!
- Serve with toppings if desired.
Notes
- In place of tahini, use any creamy nut or seed butter you like (cashew, peanut, almond, hazelnut, sunflower, etc.)
- In place of maple syrup, use another liquid sweetener to your taste such as honey or coconut nectar.
- In place of coconut oil, use another oil that's solid at room temperature palm oil, ghee (which won't be vegan), or try cacao butter. You may need to experiment with the quantity of oil since these vary in firmness.
Nutrition
CJ @ www.bravelittlevegan.com says
Your photography is so impressive! This also looks really delicious, and seeing as how I have some tahini in my fridge I may have to give this a try!
Alanna says
Aw thanks for saying so! I used to be so intimidated to shoot chocolate recipes but now they're my favorite. Please let me know if you give this recipe a go!
Ice says
Just made this and it is currently chilling in the fridge! Oh my! How am I going to wait for it to chill!? Send help!
As always, yet another amazing recipe! Thanks for sharing. Your tips were so helpful.
Cheers!
Alanna says
Awwww I'm so honored that you made my recipe Ice! I wish we could enjoy some together along with your beautiful almond cookies from your weekend newsletter. They look SO good. Please let me know how you liked the pudding! xoxo
Natalie says
I'm wondering if using fancy molasses instead of the maple syrup is going to work here? I don't have honey or maple syrup. Can I mix simple syrup and molasses at 1:1 ratio? Not sure if using only molasses will be too overpowering here...
Alanna says
Hi Natalie,
Hm, that's a great question. I've never used fancy molasses, but from the photos online, it's still pretty dark, correct? I'm not sure you're going to love the flavor of it here. I think simple syrup would work fine though! Depending on the ratio of sugar to water (some are 1 to 1, others 1 to 2) you may want to just add it to your taste once you've blended all the other ingredients together. You could try adding a tablespoon of molasses to see whether you enjoy that flavor here. The tahini and cocoa are pretty intense, so it's up to your personal taste. Please let me know what you try!
Kris Koby says
Love this! Thank you for all that you do. I’ve been following your blog for years now, and many times in my house your GF holiday deserts get eaten before the conventional ones do!
Can I ask where you sourced the speckled plate underneath the glass of pudding in the last photo?
I’m looking to get new dinnerware and this caught my eye. ;)
Kris
Alanna says
Hi Kris,
Aw that means so much to me! Thanks for following along all these years and for trying my recipes. (Which ones?!)
That adorable little plate is from RV Pottery. It's the 4.5" side plate in Dalmation. Their work is beautiful and I recommend it!
Trish says
A good, simple recipe to put together quickly. And it’s a nice, deep chocolatey flavor - what’s not to like? That’s in spite of the fact I forgot to add the tahini and had to pour everything back into the blender and, ahem, correct my goof! And the photography is s beautiful as always!
Alanna says
Ah it happens to the best of us. I'm so glad you caught it and that you enjoyed the pudding! Thanks a bunch for trying my recipe and for the sweet note Trish!
Eva Foley says
Can't wait to try this! I am also a tahini-chocolate addict and just recently impulse-bought a jar of black tahini...this will be the perfect way to test it out! Thanks for so many great recipes...you are my go-to when procrasti-baking. :)
Alanna says
Oh I *love* the sound of black tahini here. Please let me know how it is if you try it!
Eva Foley says
Well, I have *zero* complaints of the finished product…so unctuous and velvety and deeply chocolatey; I’m actually reminded of why I don’t usually make puddings: because they’re legit too easy for me to consume. Your recipe is perfect, though; the black tahini is delicious (and can boast a gourmet twist?) :)
Alanna says
I'm so glad it worked well with the black tahini - yum!! Definitely a gourmet twist. And yes, I'm in the same helpless-in-the-face-of-pudding camp. The struggle is real!
Janet says
Can this b a pudding blog now? Just exclusively pudding only? You are the world's hands-down all-round champeen at glamorous pudding portraits. I am 100% chomping at the blender to make and snarf this. xoo
Alanna says
Awww thank you friend!! I wish we could chomp and snarf some puddings together. I need to make your perfect chocolate pudding again too! <333
Pauline McNee says
This recipe looks amazing and I have all the ingredients on hand so I would love to try this. What a pudding with all my favourite flavours. Thanks so much, Pauline.
Alanna says
Totally my favorite flavors too. Please let me know if you try it!
Martell Sandra says
Recently discovered your blog and the photographs are intimidating of how absolutely beautiful they are. But the recipes are doable! So, this is my first one and surely not the last. Thank you for sharing your passions with us!
Oh! The pudding is in the fridge, it’s delicious!!!
Alanna says
I'm so glad you found your way here and that you love the pudding! Thank you so much for the kind words and for trying my recipe!
Kathleen C says
Made this today, but it did not come out smooth a creamy. Wondering how I messed up such a simple recipe :-(.
I used cacao instead of cocoa, and I added (by mistake) the coconut oil with the other ingredients.
Tasted good, but was not mousse like.
Thoughts/suggestions?
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that! I wouldn't *think* that adding the coconut oil with the other ingredients would make that big of a difference, but it's possible that it hardened when it hit the other ingredients and never came back together. If you still have some of that batch, it might work to melt it all down, then whizz it in the blender again. Otherwise if you want to give it another go as written, I'd be very curious to know if that's what the issue was!
Cacao powder should work just as well as cocoa powder – I've tried it with both, so I don't think that would be the issue!
Fearghal says
Hi. Quick question on this - would a food processor (Cuisinart) or mixer (KitchenAid) a work to mix the ingredients or is a blender essential equipment for this? Looking forward to trying but we are a "blenderless" household!!
Thanks!!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Great question! I think a food processor should work, but probably not the kitchen aid stand mixer. An immersion blender could also work if you happen to have one. Please come back and let me know what you end up using!
Fearghal says
Hey! Thanks for the quick response.. Went ahead and tried it with the Cuisinart and it worked beautifully!! Great recipe - thank you so much for sharing it with us.
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Fabulous, I'm so glad it worked! Feel free to leave a star rating if you're so inspired!
Fearghal says
So good!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Yay thanks!