Creamy, luscious, and addictively delicious healthy dark chocolate pudding made with simple wholesome ingredients like coconut milk, almond milk, coconut sugar, a touch of maple syrup, and high quality cocoa powder. The perfect chocolatey guilt-free treat for Valentine’s Day!
Dairy-Free and Refined-Sugar Free Healthy Dark Chocolate Pudding
I’ve loved pudding since I was a kid. I remember finding the pudding cups in my lunchbox as a surprise sweet treat. Or my mom making the instant kind from the box for after dinner dessert – anxiously waiting for it to set up in the fridge before we could dive in. There is something just so satisfying about the creamy, sweet, delicious magic of pudding.
As I’ve gotten olden, I shy away from a lot of processed foods or sugar-free/fat-free “health” foods (which is the kind of pudding we typically purchased). Instead of buying the box pudding mix, I now prefer to make it from scratch.
Turns out, making pudding from scratch is actually incredibly easy. Plus, you can use real, wholesome ingredients to make not only a healthy pudding, but an irresistibly delicious chocolate pudding. May I dare say, it’s even better than the box kind I grew up with as a kid!
Main Ingredients
- Canned full fat coconut milk
- almond milk, or other dairy free milk
- good quality cocoa powder, I used Ghirardelli
- coconut sugar
- maple syrup
- vanilla
- cornstarch
- an egg
How to make dark chocolate pudding
Making pudding from scratch may seem intimidating, but it’s actually quite simple to make! And it’s worth the extra effort as it’s more rich and delicious than the box kind.
First, whisk together the cornstarch, egg, almond milk, salt, and vanilla. Set aside. The combination of the egg and cornstarch is what will thicken the pudding. Make sure to fully whisk these ingredients together, and the cornstarch is dissolved, otherwise you’re pudding will be clumpy.
Next, combine the coconut milk, cocoa powder, and coconut sugar to a saucepan and bring to a low simmer. Make sure the coconut sugar is fully dissolved so it creates a smooth, silky pudding. I also recommend using a high quality cocoa powder, such as Ghirardelli, as it leads to a more rich, chocolate-forward pudding.
Slowly, whisk the hot chocolate mix into the egg mixture. You want to add it slowly and gradually in order to temper the eggs. Tempering the eggs is the process of bringing up the temperature of the eggs so they don’t scramble. Scrambled eggs in pudding would not be a very appetizing dessert!
After the two mixtures are combined, pour the liquid back to the saucepan and cook over medium heat whisking constantly until the mixture thickens. The heat helps activate the cornstarch so your pudding is the perfect consistency. This will take 5-10 minutes.
Once the mixture is thick, you can remove it from the heat. If you enjoy warm pudding, you can serve it immediately. If you are making it ahead of time or prefer cold pudding, then pour the mixture into a large bowl, allow to cool slightly, then cover with plastic wrap, and set in refrigerator for about 4 hours. It will thicken more as it sets in the fridge. I also recommend pressing the plastic wrap gently on top of the pudding so it does not form a top layer.
That’s it. The pudding is done! A lot easier than you thought, right?! For me, tempering eggs just sounds fancy and complicated. But it really isnt’! It’s just the process of slowly combining a hot mixture with an egg mixture so the eggs don’t scramble. Making pudding from scratch really just requires a little patience for the pudding to thicken and lots of whisking!
To serve, divide the pudding among the 4-6 bowls and top with a dollop of coconut whipped cream and dark chocolate shavings. Now time to indulgence in this delicious, satisfying treat!
Enjoy!
This is a special, comforting dessert perfect for your Valentine or just a treat for yourself! It has a velvety and silky texture, a rich, chocolate flavor, and the perfect balance of sweetness. It pairs perfectly with a dollop of sweet, creamy, cold coconut whipped cream. It’s pure bliss and even better than how I remembered as a kid!
If you make this healthy dark chocolate pudding, please leave a comment below. I love to hear from you guys and your thoughts on my recipes. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or pin it on pinterest. 🙂
Other Valentine’s Day dessert ideas
Healthy Dark Chocolate Pudding
Creamy, luscious, and addictively delicious healthy dark chocolate pudding made with simple wholesome ingredients like coconut milk, almond milk, coconut sugar, a touch of maple syrup, and high quality cocoa powder.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup coconut milk full fat
- 1 cup almond milk or other dairy free milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder good quality
- 1 egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
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Whisk the almond milk, cornstarch, salt, egg, and vanilla in a bowl. Set aside.
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Place coconut milk, the coconut sugar, maple syrup, and the cocoa in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, over medium-high heat, watching constantly so it does not burn. Remove from the heat.
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Gradually whisk the hot coconut milk into the egg and almond milk mixture. Return to the saucepan and cook over medium-high heat whisking constantly, until the pudding comes to a full boil, about 5-7 minutes.
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Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and continue whisking until thick, about 2 or 3 minutes more.
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Pour pudding mixture into a large bowl. Allow to cool at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap, allowing the plastic wrap to touch the pudding, so the pudding does not form a top layer. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
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Top with coconut whipped cream, serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
The recipe is best served with a dollop of coconut whipped cream and shaved dark chocolate.
Using good quality cocoa powder will lead to a richer more decadent pudding.
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