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Silky smooth and creamy chocolate pudding made with just 5 simple ingredients. This delicious recipe is foolproof!
When it comes to comforting desserts, chocolate pudding is right up there with the best of them. Rich and creamy… full of real chocolate flavor… and ridiculously easy to make with just a handful of ingredients. Really, what could be better?
To make this pudding you’ll need cornstarch, granulated sugar, whole milk, semisweet chocolate, and pure vanilla extract. That’s right – only 5 ingredients! This recipe is truly a minimalists dream. Since there are only a handful of ingredients used, I do recommend using the highest quality chocolate and vanilla extract you can get your hands on. I love using Scharffen Berger Semisweet Dark Chocolate 
Making homemade chocolate pudding is seriously simple! You will need a double broiler, but if you don’t own one, you can likely put together a makeshift version using a small pan and a heatproof bowl. Here’s what you do:
- Fill a small pot with 1 and 1/2 cups of water, or until it’s 1/4 full.
- Bring the water to a rapid boil, then reduce the heat to a light simmer.
- Fit a heatproof bowl on top of the pot. The bottom of the bowl should not touch the simmering water. Make sure there us at least 2″ to 3″ of space between the bowl and the hot water. You want to heat the bowl with the rising steam, not the simmering water.
- At this point you may proceed with the recipe instructions.
Warning: The bowl on top of the pan will get VERY hot; use potholders when handling.
The pudding will need to chill, but only for 30 minutes! Why is it that when chocolate pudding is involved… 30 minutes feels like 300 hours?!? You can also make this pudding up to 3 days in advance. Not that I think there’s any chance of it sticking around for that long! One batch makes about 3 cups of pudding, and trust me when I say, it disappears FAST.
You can literally see how silky smooth this perfect pudding is! I love this recipe. It’s great as is, but if you really want to go all out, try topping it with fresh whipped cream and some chocolate shavings. ← Doesn’t that sound just amazing!? And it tastes even better than is sounds.
This recipe is the easiest, most straightforward, foolproof way to make chocolate pudding! And because it’s so cold and creamy, it makes an especially wonderful dessert on hot Summer nights. But I have a feeling once you taste this… you’re going to want it on hand year round 😉
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment below and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it #bakerbynature on Instagram! Seeing your kitchen creations makes my day. ♥
This post was updated on 2/29/2016
5-Ingredient Chocolate Pudding
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 cups whole milk
- 6 ounces 62% semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- In the top of a double boiler combine the cornstarch and sugar. Slowly begin to whisk in the milk, making sure to scrape the bottom and sides with a heatproof spatula incorporating the dry ingredients. Place over gently simmering water and stir occasionally, scraping the bottom and sides. If lumps begin to form use a whisk to beat smooth as necessary. When the mixture begins to thicken (about 15-20 minutes) and coats the back of the spoon, add the chopped chocolate. Continue to stir for about 3-4 minutes, or until the pudding is smooth and thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer and pour into serving bowl.
- Place plastic wrap on top of the pudding and smooth it gently against the surface. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 3 days.
These pictures are making me drool! I usually stay away from chocolate pudding and ice cream (yet looove chocolate..weird) but this is making me think otherwise. 🙂
This chocolate pudding looks really good, love your addition of the chocolate pearls. Thanks for stopping by my blog. I saw your comment on doing the dishes … that makes two of us 🙂
dirty dishes are evil. word.
Yumm! This looks so delicious! It has a similar method to my Finnish chocolate pudding version. So light and heavenly!
Best pudding of your life? I’m definitely going to try it. Looks delicious.
Of my life… for real.
This looks so creamy and smooth! I would love some too!
This pudding looks FAB! Can you believe that until today I didn’t know it was possible to make pudding from scratch? I thought the Jell-O mixes were the closest one could come to homemade. I was wrong. I bet this tastes better than teh Jell-O version too! Thanks for sharing! 😀
You have to try it; basically as easy as the boxed stuff and tastes a million times better!
i literally grew up on the boxed heat and serve kind but haven’t had any since high school?!? this looks amazing!
This was my first pudding in a very long time myself; but now I am hooked all over again!
A deliciously old-fashioned dessert! Lovely.
Cheers,
Rosa
Your pictures are amazing! I want to dig right in. YUM! Thanks for stopping by my page and saying “Hello!” I am insanely jealous that you live in NYC. I have only been there once and am desperate to go back!!! Can we be friends….hahaha…..no, seriously…….?
Hey Jenn!
You must get back to NYC; it is so amazing here all the time! And of course I will make you pudding when you get here!
Looks so luscious and creamy! And I love those little chocolate pearls! I’ve never seen them at the Whole Foods I go to, but I’ll look a little closer next time we go. I might have missed them. Anyway, congrats on making such a wonderful pudding! Isn’t it amazing how much better the homemade stuff is compared to the box stuff! 🙂
They were in the chip section… weird right?!? Homemade everything is always better; I think it’s all the love you put into it.
This looks so rich and creamy! I have never made homemade chocolate pudding before. Thanks for sharing all your delicious pictures and the recipe 😀
Seriously – who would have lefteovers for 3 days?! lol I hope the date was as awesome as this dessert! I have been dreaming about bourbon vanilla! 🙂
Trader Joe’s has it for like 4 bucks… seriously. The date and the pudding were equal in wonder!
Best pudding of your life?? Game on. Love this & those little chocolate balls floating on top. So happy you will be joining us for our summer grill event!
I love that dessert so much, thanks for posting the recipe. I’ll have to give it a try.
That looks beautifully silky indeed! And infinitely better than a boxed chocolate pudding too 🙂
Your chocolate pudding would not last long at my house. I would eat this till it was gone 🙂
The texture is beautiful, the chocolate crunchies, a nreally nice addition.
Cheers.
Velva
I’m not sure I would want to share this pudding with my date, it looks so so gooooood!
I LOVE homemade chocolate pudding too! Those chocolate pearls sound really good! I wish we could get them here… Your post was funny and very interesting to read 🙂 Thank you for stopping by my blog! I will be back to visit yours more often…
Haha, your blog is so fun to read! That pudding looks delicious! Wow, I really would like some right now… but the closest thing I have is chia seed pudding. 😛 It’s not bad either, but it’s not quite as decadent. Those crunchy chocolate pearls look awesome!
Thanks Kelsey; I’m sure your pudding will be great also!
This looks yummy….you have a lovely blog…I am having a giveaway in my blog..Y dont you check and join that
http://yummytummy-aarthi.blogspot.com/2011/05/chocolate-recipe-and-chocolate.html
This is much better than a boxed pudding- and those chocolate pearls…love it.
A classic! Looks fabulous!
New to your blog; happy I found you!
Mary xo
Delightful Bitefuls
Glad you found me!!
Your commentary is hysterical. I’ll remember to not fall asleep on the couch next to a random. 😉 Sounds like you had a lovely and relaxing date night. Pudding looks great!
Amazing! My roommate loves pudding so maybe I should try to make this for her.
I laughed out loud at the “charming boy” and “ixnay the falling asleep part” — hilarious!
Only if she is a good roommate 🙂
Glad I gave you a giggle!
Hi Ashley! I’m here for the first time. Thanks for leaving a comment on my blog. You make such a wonderful dessert. I don’t cook/bake dessert enough and I’m looking forward to learn this year. I’m happy to find your blog. 🙂 Chocolate pudding will make my kids so happy! Yours especially looks delicious. Yum!
Pudding and kids get along fantastically; I promise!
I don’t run marathons or count calories… that evens it out, right?
This looks really tasty! Do you think bittersweet chocolate would also work?
And thanks for the comment. 🙂
I think so; just a more bittersweet taste. Maybe add an extra tablespoon of sugar if you want to sweeten things up.
Thanks for visiting my blog…came here and what do I find? Chocolate pudding…you’re my kind of gal! I love NYC so much…we spent a week there last June, having a blast and eating our way around the city. We stayed in an apt. on the UWS, just off Central Park West. Fab location, and we loved living like locals for a few days!!
That is some GORGEOUS chocolate pudding… yikes what a craving I now have 😉
<3
n
make it, eat it, love it… that’s a promise.
This is simply one of my favorite dishes.
Me too; nothing like pure and silky chocolate goodness!
I’m glad that I’m not the only one that gets crazy excited over a new kitchen conquest! The pudding looks yum!