Chocolate Coconut Milk Pudding

By
Ashley Adams
Ashley Adams
Ashley Adams is a restaurant professional and workshop instructor with a specialty in dairy-free cooking and baking.
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Updated on 12/27/22
Chocolate Pudding in a Glass Dish

Food Image Source/Getty Images
Prep: 2 hrs
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 2 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
297 Calories
14g Fat
45g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 297
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 17%
Saturated Fat 10g 49%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 48mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 45g 16%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 33g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 17mg 1%
Iron 4mg 21%
Potassium 155mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This rich, decadent chocolate pudding is prepared with coconut milk and almond milk instead of dairy, and because it is thickened with cornstarch instead of egg yolks, it's totally vegan, too! Perfect for after school sweets and lunch-time treats for vegan and dairy-free kids, this pudding is also one you'll want to make for you and your adult friends. Garnish your puddings with dark chocolate shavings and shredded coconut, or layer your puddings with sliced strawberries or other fruits for elegant parfaits!

For those of you looking for a gluten-free and soy-free pudding, just be sure to check the ingredients of your dairy-free chocolate chips to make sure that there are no gluten, wheat, or soy-based ingredients included.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch

  • 2 tablespoons cold water

  • 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder

  • 1 pinch salt

  • 1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk

  • 1/2 cup plain unsweetened almond milk

  • 1/3 cup dairy-free chocolate chips

  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • Dairy-free dark chocolate shavings, for garnish

  • Shredded coconut, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. In a small cup or bowl, combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water, mixing to dissolve. Set aside.

  2. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and lite coconut milk. Over medium-low heat, gradually add the almond milk, stirring constantly until smooth. Cook until a thin film develops on top of the liquid and steam rises from the surface, but do not let the mixture boil. Remove the pan from heat and add the chocolate chips, swirling the pan to keep the chips from resting on the bottom of the pan and burning. Allow the pan to sit off of the stove for about 3 minutes, then stir the mixture with a wooden spoon to incorporate the melted chocolate.

  3. Mix in the cornstarch mixture and vanilla until well incorporated, and return the pan to the stove over medium heat. Stirring constantly, cook until the mixture is thick but just slightly thinner than desired (the pudding will thicken as it cools). Transfer the pudding to a heatproof dish. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding (this is to prevent a skin from forming), and set on a wire cooling rack to cool for about 20 minutes.

  4. Once puddings have cooled slightly, place them in the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Garnish with shaved dark chocolate and shredded coconut if desired.

  5. Enjoy!

Tips and Variations

  • Although almond milk is the used milk substitution to accompany the coconut milk in this recipe, you can use soy milk and other dairy-free milk substitutes and yield positive results. So really, whichever dairy-free milk you decide to use to accompany the coconut milk is up to you and your diet. (Persons on a soy-free diet could consider rice or hemp milk.)