You can’t go wrong with this homemade chocolate pudding recipe. It is super decadent, with a super rich chocolate flavor, and really creamy.
Growing up we always had the instant pudding whenever we ate pudding. It was quick, easy, and cheap to make, and I thought it was delicious. We made these fun Worms in Dirt desserts and just ate them plain.
Then I discovered how to make homemade chocolate pudding from Hershey’s from scratch, and my eyes were opened. The process is very similar to this easy vanilla pudding, and the taste is phenomenal. If you are a pudding fan, you have got to try this out. If I can do it, you can do it. Let’s get started!
Step 1: Gather the ingredients
In order to make this incredible homemade chocolate pudding from scratch you need just a handful of easy-to-find ingredients, you may already have all the ingredients currently in the house:
- Sugar
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – Not the kind of Instant chocolate milk powder
- Cornstarch
- Salt
- Milk – I always use whole milk, but other milk will work as well.
- Butter
- Vanilla extract
Tools
- Medium Pot
- Wooden Spoon or Silicone Spoon
- Whisk
- Plastic wrap
- Bowls
Step 2: How to make homemade chocolate pudding
Begin by adding all of your dry ingredients to a medium sauce pot. Add the sugar (sometimes considered a wet ingredient), cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt. Use a whisk and whisk the ingredients together really well. You could also use a sifter if you like.
Don’t skip this step, cocoa powder tends to get lumpy, and it is important to get the lumps out.
Now slowly pour in the milk and whisk and stir it in. I usually do about a third of a cup at a time.
Place the pot of ingredients on the stovetop and set the temp to medium heat. Stir continually while the homemade chocolate pudding is heating up. Heat it until it starts to bubble, once it does, allow it to cook for 1 more minute, stirring continually. Then remove it from the heat.
While still hot, add the butter and the vanilla extract to the chocolate pudding and stir them in.
Scoop the homemade chocolate pudding into your serving bowls. Allow it to cool for a bit and then cover the bowls with plastic wrap or silicone lids which will prevent skin from forming on top. Chill in the fridge for a few hours or you can always serve it while warm. I prefer my pudding cold.
After the pudding has chilled, remove the plastic and serve it up. Maybe add a dollop of whipped cream if you like, or use it in another recipe. Enjoy!
How long does homemade chocolate pudding last?
If stored covered in the fridge the pudding will last 6 to 7 days. Of course, I doubt it will last that long, it is so yummy!
Here are some other recipes you may like:
Homemade Chocolate Pudding
Equipment
- Medium Pot
- Wooden spoon or Silicone Spoon
- Whisk
- Plastic wrap
- Bowls
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup of white granulated sugar 150g
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa 25g
- 3 Tbsp cornstarch 22g
- 1/4 tsp. of salt 1g
- 2-1/4 cups milk whole, 2%, 1% (562 ml)
- 2 Tbsp butter 28g
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract 5ml
Instructions
- Add the sugar, salt, cornstarch, and unsweetened cocoa powder to a medium pot and whisk those ingredients together.
- Next, pour the milk in a third of it at a time and stir and whisk it in until all combined.
- Place the pot on the stovetop burner, use medium heat. Stir the pudding and heat it up until it starts to bubble. Once it bubbles keep stirring and cooking it for 1 minute then remove it from the heat.
- Add the butter and vanilla extract and stir them in until well combined. Allow the pudding to cool for a few minutes and then scoop it into individual bowls. Serve the pudding warm, or allow it to cool to room temp and then cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for a few hours.
- Remove the chocolate pudding from the fridge, serve as is, or use it in a recipe, or top it off with some whipped cream. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Do you like this recipe? Please give it a rating and comment down below, I really appreciate it. If you make it tag me on Instagram @inthekitchenwithmatt. Also, sign up for the newsletter so you won’t miss out on any of my new posts and recipes.
I have made similar recipes for cooked chocolate pudding using eggs instead of cornstarch for the thickener. This recipe is by far smoother and more delicious! The only problem is, the pudding is completely devoured before it has a chance to cool in the fridge! Someone please hide it from me!
Nice!
absolutely delicious! I’ve made this one twice and the vanilla as well 🙂 super easy to make and tastes amazing, so happy I don’t think I’ll ever make boxed again
So happy you like this homemade chocolate pudding Mary and keep making it! 🙂 Agreed, so much better than boxed pudding.
Easy, fast and yummy!
So glad you like this homemade chocolate pudding recipe!
Easy and GREAT tasting. This recipe only made 3 servings though (American size servings, lol) so keep that in mind!
Glad you made this homemade chocolate pudding and liked it! haha, serving sizes are subjective. 🙂 But 1/2 cup is pretty standard for a serving size.
I used Drambuie instead of vanilla and I added a handful of milk chocolate chips with the butter and Drambuie after I removed it from the heat. Absolutely delicious. I was suspicious because most call for egg yolks and/or eggs.
Awesome! Glad you tried it and liked it. 🙂 Yep, no eggs in this recipe. 🙂
I absolutely love this recipe! I used half the amount of sugar and it was perfect for my taste. I also used dutch processed cocoa. It turned out very smooth and chocolaty. What a great comfort dessert. So delicious when its still warm. It’s in my list of goto recipes. Thanks Matt! ❤
So glad you made it and liked it, Ruth!! 🙂
super yummy! it’s cooling off right now but it’s setting up really well and tastes delicious!
Thank you so much, Kim!! 🙂 So glad you tried it and like it. 🙂
Delicious as ever. And SO much better than boxed mix. Who knew this would be so easy!
Thank you!! 🙂 I know, so much better than instant pudding from a box.
Definitely better than instant pudding and just as easy to make!
Agreed!! 🙂 🙂
Looks SO good. Can’t wait to try this one!
Thank you so much! 🙂 🙂