Suggestions
🖨️

Chocolate Pudding

Chop Rating
chopchopchopchopchop
Sign in to review
Not yet rated
desserts•american•vegetarian, gluten-free, contains dairy
3 hours•4 servings•

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cups granulated sugar (134g)
  • 1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (21g)
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch (24g)
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt
  • 2 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate – finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter – cut into pieces
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • whipped cream – for serving
Chocolate pudding

Instructions

  1. 1.

    In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt until no lumps remain.

  2. 2.

    Gradually whisk in the milk, a splash at a time at first, until the mixture is smooth, then add the rest.

  3. 3.

    Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the pudding thickens, starts to bubble, and coats the back of a spoon, 8–12 minutes; once it reaches a gentle boil, continue whisking for 1 minute.

  4. 4.

    Remove from the heat and whisk in the bittersweet chocolate until fully melted and smooth.

  5. 5.

    Whisk in the butter until glossy, then whisk in the vanilla extract.

  6. 6.

    Pass the pudding through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to ensure a silky texture. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin.

  7. 7.

    Refrigerate until cold and set, 2–3 hours.

  8. 8.

    Stir gently to loosen, spoon into serving dishes, and top with whipped cream, if desired. Serve chilled.

Chocolate pudding is a smooth, spoonable dessert with a deep cocoa flavor, gentle sweetness, and a creamy, custard-like texture. It’s comforting and familiar, equally at home in a lunchbox cup or a polished dessert glass. When well made, it tastes balanced—rich from chocolate and dairy, not overly sweet, and silky from careful cooking and proper starch activation.

The dish traces back to 19th-century American kitchen puddings and blancmanges, where cooks used cornstarch to thicken sweetened milk into a soft custard. Over time, cocoa and chocolate enriched the base, and stovetop techniques replaced baked custards for everyday ease. Packaged mixes popularized it in the 20th century, but the from-scratch version remains a beloved standard in diners and home kitchens for its superior flavor and texture.