This post and recipe was created for #HalloweenTreatsWeek! I was sent samples by some of the sponsor companies but as always opinions are 100% mine.
Today I have a wonderful chocolate pudding recipe for you guys. I call it easy chocolate pudding because it doesn’t have any eggs in it. And if dairy is an issue for you, I have a kinda surprising non-dairy alternative for you as well.
If you love pudding like I do, you may also enjoy my butterscotch pudding, roasted banana pudding, and my caramel chocolate pudding.
Read on, not only for this recipe, but to see everyone else’s recipes for today and to of course enter the Halloween Treats Week giveaway!
What Makes This Recipe Work
I have been a pudding afficianado for years, and I’ve made all kinds of pudding.
I like to think I’ve perfected this recipe.
Here’s what’s great about this recipe:
- It uses both cocoa powder and chocolate chips for well-rounded chocolate flavor
- This is a no-egg recipe, so it’s great for folks who can’t have eggs.
- You can make it with either flour or cornstarch, so it also works for gluten free folks
- It uses brown sugar for a deeper flavor than using granulated sugar
- It makes 4 servings, although it is easy to scale up to serve more if you need to
- It’s equally delicious chilled or warm
How to Make It
Pudding is a pretty straightforward dessert, and it’s often my go-to for a comforting dessert.
You probably own most of these ingredients already:
Ingredients
- cornstarch: you can also use flour if you prefer. If using cornstarch, boil the pudding for 2 full minutes. If using flour, boiling for 30 seconds or so will do
- salt: I use kosher salt. You can also use table salt, but only use 1/4 teaspoon
- milk: I use whole milk. You may also use 2% or 1% milk or a plant based milk
- brown sugar: I like brown sugar for the deeper flavor it provides, but you can use granulated sugar as well. Dark or light brown will work equally as well
- cocoa powder: I wanted a pretty dark chocolate pudding, so I went with Hershey’s special dark cocoa powder which is a mixture of Dutch process and regular cocoa. Any cocoa powder will do here.
- chocolate chips: To stick with the theme, I also used Hershey’s special dark chocolate chips, but again, any dark chocolate chips or even chopped dark chocolate will work just fine
- vanilla extract: the vanilla rounds out the chocolate nicely.
Procedure
As I said, it’s a really straightforward and easy process. I’m listing all the steps here so you know what to expect, but the short version is stir, bring to a boil, strain, and then pour into jars.
- Put chocolate chips and vanilla in a bowl.
- Heat milk, brown sugar, cocoa powder, and salt together.
- Bring to a boil, whisking constantly.
- Strain into the bowl with the chocolate chips.
- Stir until the chips are melted and the pudding is smooth.
- Pour into containers for serving.
How to Spooky Up Your Chocolate Pudding for Halloween
Ever rimmed a margarita glass with salt? Then you’ll have no problem with this technique.
- Instead of lime juice, wet your dessert glass rims with corn syrup.
- And instead of salt, rim your glasses with Halloween sprinkles.
Go ahead and pour your pudding into your glasses while it’s warm, but wait until it cools down before putting any decorations on top, like candy eyes. They might melt!
PRO TIP: Don’t add candy decorations to your pudding until it cools or they may melt!
More Tips for Success and Equipment Recommendations
Tips and tricks are all from me. Any equipment recommendations are Amazon links, and I will earn a small commission on any sales through those links. Your price is unaffected.
- Keep the pudding moving so it doesn’t scorch. I like to use a pan with sloped sides like a saucier and a nice balloon whisk to keep things from sticking.
- I always recommend straining any pudding, whether it has egg or not. It ensures that it’s silky smooth. I use a fine mesh strainer for all my custards.
Pudding Q & A
Absolutely. Pudding recipes are easy to double. No weird math. Just multiply the amount of all ingredients by 2. You can also make a ton by tripling or even quadrupling this recipe.
The surprising answer is yes! I tried it with water, and the chocolate flavor is a bit more intense without the dairy to mellow it, and I really liked it. The pudding doesn’t set up quite as thick, so you can add an additional 1-2 teaspoons of cornstarch or flour to make up for that.
If you use a plant-based milk or water as the liquid and check all your other ingredients, this pudding can be vegan.
Use cornstarch as the thickener and be careful of your ingredient labels for everything else, and this makes a great gluten-free dessert option.
It’ll be just fine in the fridge for 4-5 days. Make sure you cover each jar/container individually with some plastic wrap so the top of the pudding doesn’t dry out and form a skin.
Yes you can! Pour your finished pudding into popsicle molds and freeze them. In just a few hours, you’ll have frozen pudding goodness on a stick!
Yes, and if you are going to freeze it, you may as well make pudding pops.
Of course. You can add some instant espresso to make mocha pudding. Or just a very few drops of mint oil to make chocolate mint pudding. Grate some orange zest into the pudding and add a little bit of orange extract, and you’ll have chocolate orange pudding.
Questions?
If you have any other questions about this recipe or any other, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
You can leave a comment here, and I will be back in touch in about 24 hours.
If your question in more urgent, you can email me and I answer within about 4 hours.
Either way, I promise to help!
A Note About Measurements
NOTE: Most of my recipes are written by weight and not volume, even the liquids.
Even though I try to provide you with volume measurements as well, I encourage you to buy a kitchen scale for ease of measuring, accuracy, and consistency.
This is the scale I use, love, and recommend.
I really hope you love this recipe, you guys!
If you make it, please share a photo with me before you devour them, either in the Pastry Chef Online Facebook Group or on instagram by tagging @onlinepastrychef and using hashtag #pcorecipe.
I’d also love to have you join my PCO newsletter, The Inbox Pastry Chef!
Thanks, and enjoy!
Remember to keep scrolling after the recipe for the prize descriptions and to enter the #HalloweenTreatsWeek giveaway!
Easy Chocolate Pudding Recipe
This easy chocolate pudding contains no egg and, as the name implies, is super easy to make. Whisk everything together in a pan, bring to a boil, and then pour over chocolate chips and some vanilla.
Decorate it festively for Halloween, or just serve it in pretty classes or cups.
Ingredients
- 3 oz (1/2 cup) dark chocolate chips (I used Hershey's Special Dark)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 6 oz (about 3/4 cups, lightly packed) brown sugar
- 1.3 oz (6 Tablespoons) cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Special Dark)
- 2 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon flour or cornstarch
- 3/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 20 oz (2 1/2 cups) whole milk
Instructions
- Put the chocolate chips and vanilla into a medium bowl. Place a fine mesh strainer on top of the bowl and set aside convenient to the stove.
- Combine brown sugar, cocoa powder, flour or cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan.
- Whisk in about half the milk, and whisk until the cocoa combines with the rest of the ingredients.
- Add the remaining milk and whisk.
- Heat over medium to medium-high heat until it comes to a boil, whisking constantly.
- If using cornstarch, boil a full 2 minutes. If using flour, boil for about 30 seconds.
- Pour the pudding through the strainer into the bowl. The mixture will be thick, so press it all through with a silicone spatula. Don't forget to scrape the underside of the strainer to get all the chocolate goodness!
- Allow the mixture to sit for a minute or two so the chips melt.
- Whisk until smooth, and pour into four containers.
Notes
To Decorate for Halloween
- Pour 2 Tablespoons of corn syrup onto a plate and tilt to allow it to spread.
- Pour your favorite Halloween sprinkles out onto a plate.
- Dip the rim of your cups or glasses into corn syrup and then into the sprinkles.
- Set upright for 30 minutes so the corn syrup becomes tacky. Some of your sprinkles might slide down the inside or the outside of the glass. Just push them back into place right before filling your glasses.
- If desired, decorate the top of the pudding with candy eyes.
Non-Dairy Option
Believe it or not, you can make this pudding with water. It will be a bit thinner than pudding made with milk, so you may want to increase the flour or cornstarch by 2 teaspoons.
The bonus is that the chocolate flavor really shines through since there is no dairy to mute the flavor. I made this pudding with both water and with milk to see, and unless I tasted them side by side one after the other, I'm not sure I could tell the difference between the two.
You of course can also use a plant-based milk as a non-dairy alternative if you'd rather.
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Halloween Treats Week Recipes for Wednesday
Halloween Cookies & Bars:- Bat Sugar Cookies from The Flour Handprint
- Voodoo Doll Cookies from Sweet ReciPEAS
- Halloween Confetti Cookies from Fake Ginger
- Marshmallow SpiderWeb Cupcakes from Big Bear’s Wife
- Candy Corn Poke Cake from Devour Dinner
- Halloween Brownie Cupcakes from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes from It’s Shanaka
- Spider Brownie Bites from Tastes of Homemade
- Evil Dead Necronomicon Brownies from Savory Moments
- Mini Candy Corn Cheesecakes from Cheese Curd in Paradise
- Halloween Themed Layered Drinks from 4 Sons R Us
- Easy Chocolate Pudding from Pastry Chef Online (You’re here!)
- Halloween Bark from West Via Midwest
- Halloween Snack Mix from Savory Experiments
- Healthy Halloween Snacks from House of Nash Eats
- Sweet & Savory Halloween Snack Board from An Affair from the Heart
- Spooky Candy Bark from Sweet Beginnings
- Poisoned Candy Apples from Fresh Coast Eats
- Donut Hole Mummies from Family Around the Table
- Halloween Caramel Popcorn Munch Recipe from Back To My Southern Roots
- Spiderweb Baked Donuts from Lemon Blossoms
- Mini Monster Meatball Sliders from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Mummy Brie from The Spiffy Cookie
- Halloween Deviled Eggs from I am a Honey Bee
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