This creamy and luxurious Chocolate Pudding is flavored with cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and a splash of vanilla. This easy recipe comes together on the stovetop in minutes. Once you taste this Chocolate Pudding you will never go back to boxed pudding again.
Who’s ready for Homemade Chocolate Pudding?! Extra creamy, topped with whipped cream, and ready to satisfy your chocolate craving immediately. This comforting old fashioned dessert is pure perfection.
If you’ve never made homemade pudding you are in for treat. My Vanilla Pudding is one of my most popular recipes. I love it when readers share that after making it they will never go back to boxed pudding again. Yay for homemade!
You might also like our Chocolate Pie (the filling is a variation on this pudding recipe).
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Why you’ll love this recipe
- Ease: This recipe is made in one pot on the stovetop in a matter of minutes.
- Basic ingredients: You probably have all of these ingredients on hand. More on the ingredients below.
- Flavor: Double the chocolate flavor (from cocoa powder and chocolate chips) plus vanilla extract to round it all out.
- Gluten free: Since this recipe is thickened with cornstarch and egg yolks it is naturally gluten free.
- Versatile: Serve this pudding as is, or serve with whipped cream, cookies, graham crackers, berries, and more. See below for more ideas.
Ingredients
The ingredient list is fairly basic. You might even have all the ingredients on hand right now.
- Milk: This recipe uses whole milk or 2% milk for a rich flavor and texture.
- Cocoa Powder: Unsweetened cocoa powder adds part one of the chocolate flavor. It adds a deep chocolate flavor and color to the pudding.
- Chocolate chips: Chocolate chips add part two of the chocolate flavor. The chocolate chips are added at the end of the cook time, and they melt into the pudding creating an extra smooth, rich, chocolate flavor. I like semisweet chocolate chips, but you can use milk chocolate for a sweeter pudding or bittersweet/dark chocolate for a more intense chocolate flavor.
- Sugar: Regular granulated sugar sweetens the pudding. Since it is cooked on the stovetop the sugar dissolves right into the mixture.
- Butter: My favorite puddings are always finished with a tablespoon or two of butter. The butter gets whisked in at the end of cook time (along with the chocolate chips). The warm pudding melts the butter and creates a velvety texture throughout the pudding.
- Vanilla extract: A splash of good vanilla extract is also added at the end of cook time. The vanilla flavor won’t come through much (this pudding is all about the chocolate), but the subtle vanilla undertone really rounds out the chocolate flavors.
- Cornstarch and eggs: These are the thickening agents. The cornstarch does most of the thickening (with a little help from the egg yolks, which also contribute to the velvety texture).
Success tips
Use whole or 2% milk for a thicker, richer pudding.
Heat the mixture slowly, whisking frequently, to keep it from burning and sticking to the pan.
Simmer the mixture until thickened. It should coat the back of a spoon. It will thicken more as it cools.
Pour the pudding through a fine mesh sieve to remove any small lumps that might have formed during cook time.
After transferring the warm pudding to serving dishes, place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the pudding to keep a skin from forming while it cools.
What to serve with chocolate pudding
This pudding is absolutely delicious as is; it doesn’t need anything else. But if you want to add a little something extra, here are our favorite additions:
- Top with whipped cream.
- Dust with cocoa powder.
- Sprinkle with chocolate shavings, chocolate sprinkles, or chopped chocolate covered espresso beans.
- Garnish with fresh raspberries or strawberries.
- Sprinkle with crushed Oreos, graham crackers, or crispy chocolate chip cookies.
Recipe
Homemade Chocolate Pudding
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups whole or 2% milk
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, whisk the sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking as you pour, then whisk in egg yolks. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, whisking frequently (be sure to scrape/stir along the bottom and edges of the pan to avoid scorching).
- Once the mixture begins to boil, reduce heat slightly and simmer for about 2 minutes, whisking frequently, until the mixture has thickened and coats the back of a spoon. It will thicken more as it cools.
- Remove from the heat and pour through a fine mesh sieve set over a large bowl. Immediately add butter, chocolate chips, and vanilla extract. Whisk or stir until smooth. Pour the pudding into individual dishes or a large serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate for several hours, until chilled.
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
Carden
Can I use evaporated milk in place of milk?
Celebrating Sweets
I’ve only made the recipe as written, but I would guess that it should be ok. It might be a touch thicker than mine, but should taste fine. Enjoy!
Irene Hobbins
is it suppoesed to be 3 1/2 cups of milk? or 2 1/3 cups.
Celebrating Sweets
It is 3-1/2 cups of milk.
Harold
Hi Carden
Yes, you can use. Evaporated (canned milk. The combination of chocolate plus vanilla removes that familiar “canned” taste. Actually, I diluted my canned milk 50/50 with cold water.
Emmeline
I tried it, and even though the milk never boiled, when I took it off it was thick as chowder. It never did firm up, but tasted great! I’ll have to try it again and leave it longer, I guess. Unless anyone has another tip for it?
Beaverhausen
Thank you for this recipe. I make it for my husband . He’s a diabetic so I use organic stevia, unsweetened vanilla and a walnut or pecan crust with sugar free whipped cream. He loves it..
Celebrating Sweets
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by. ?
Toni
Just made this recipe for the first time. The taste was great but it wasn’t quite as thick as we would like it even after being refrigerated. Any suggestions? Maybe a little more cornstarch or letting it boil a little longer? I used a nonstick pot on an electric cook top. Thank you in advance for your help and for the recipe! ?
Celebrating Sweets
I don’t think you’ll be able to thicken it after it’s cooled. If you try again you can increase the cornstarch a bit. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Joanne
I also had a problem with thickening. I kept rereading the recipe thinking I did something wrong. Having company tomorrow and wanted to use this for chocolate cream pie. It tastes great but is the consistency of cream soup. Going to reheat tomorrow and add more cornstarch. Wish me luck!
Karen Fenichel
I made this with my 3 year old granddaughter. It was great. I followed the recipe and it was nice and thick. I did let it take about 15 minutes to reach boiling and then let it simmer for a minute. But it had already thickened a bit before boiling. I would like to use either soy milk or almond milk next time because my husband is lactose intolerant. Does anyone know if it will turn out okay with soy milk?
Celebrating Sweets
Hi, Karen. I’m glad you enjoyed it! I have made vanilla pudding with almond milk and it turned out fine, so I would guess that this recipe *should* work with soy milk.
Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Suzie hill
Thank you. Most our recipes are alike but if I lose a recipe or want to compare I ck w you.
Maeve
I just made this for a treat tonight and already it’s so fantastic warm from the pot! I can’t wait until later when it’s cold and set. Thank you for this delicious and east recipe.
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Casie
Delicious!
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Marilyn Wakefield
I used this as a base for a chocolate merengue pie. It was awesome!
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Melissa Crafton
Made this recipe a few times but this time I used orange extract and it tasted like a chocolate orange it was super fantastic
Allison
That sounds delicious! I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂