This gluten-free chocolate pudding has a rich and creamy texture that only a homemade pudding has, and it's so simple to make.
Don't overpay for expensive store-bought gluten-free pudding packs. This gluten-free chocolate pudding recipe is what homemade chocolate pudding dreams are made of. It is simple to make with only a handful of ingredients and has a luscious, rich, and creamy texture that will make you fall in love with pudding all over again.
If you love chocolate as much as I do, check out my gluten-free chocolate mousse, chocolate caramel candy, grain-free chocolate cake, and gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipes.
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Ingredients.
Don't think you need any fancy ingredients to make this gluten-free chocolate pudding; it comes together with just a few simple kitchen staples.
- Cocoa Powder
- Sugar
- Arrowroot Starch
- Milk of Choice
- Butter
- Vanilla
- Salt
Ingredient substitutions.
This recipe is gluten and grain-free and doesn't use any crazy unknown ingredients. As written, this gluten-free chocolate pudding recipe does call for milk, but it can be made entirely dairy-free with a few simple swaps.
- Sugar-free pudding - To make this homemade chocolate pudding into a sugar-free pudding, you can swap the sugar in the recipe for equivalent amounts of your favorite sugar-free sweetener.
- Corn-free pudding - This is already a chocolate pudding without cornstarch since it uses arrowroot starch as a thickener. However, if you don't need a pudding without cornstarch, you can use it in equal parts to the arrowroot starch in this recipe.
- Dairy-free pudding - Switch the milk for your favorite dairy-free alternative. I've used coconut milk as well as almond milk in this recipe with success. I am sure your favorite will work just as well. Sub the little amount of butter in this gluten-free pudding recipe for ghee or a dairy-free alternative.
- Nut-free pudding - As written, this gluten-free chocolate pudding is nut-free. If you can't have dairy or nuts, sub in your favorite milk of choice that doesn't involve nuts. A friend of mine makes this recipe with pea milk for her daughter, who can't have dairy or nuts.
- Egg-free pudding - You are in luck; this gluten-free pudding is totally egg-free already!
How to make gluten-free chocolate pudding.
Most people know how to make a pudding using a mix following the instructions on the back of the box. I promise this gluten-free chocolate pudding recipe is just as simple to make.
- Whisk together the cocoa powder, sugar, starch, and salt into a small saucepan.
- Over medium heat, slowly whisk in the milk of choice.
- Stirring occasionally, let the mixture thicken.
- Once the chocolate pudding has thickened, stir in the butter and vanilla.
- Transfer the warm pudding into smaller containers.
- Cover the top of the pudding with plastic wrap and chill until fully set.
Tips and tricks.
- Always double-check your ingredients to make sure they are gluten-free.
- Don't overmix your pudding. - If you mix your chocolate pudding too much, it can become watery. However, if you don't mix it enough, the ingredients won't come together the way they should. Mix this homemade chocolate pudding just enough to make sure there are no lumps of dry ingredients, and then let it thicken.
- Cover the pudding. - Covering the top of this gluten-free chocolate pudding is important to keep it from creating a layer of film on the top. I find that using simple plastic wrap and making sure the plastic comes in contact with the top of the pudding is the easiest way to do this.
- Keep your pudding cold. - Once you've made your chocolate pudding, be sure to store it covered in the fridge until you are ready to eat it. Pudding can become watery if it becomes warm.
Storing and Making Ahead
This gluten-free chocolate pudding usually lasts about five days in the fridge if it's sealed properly, which is perfect for having it on hand.
Freezing Chocolate Pudding
While freezing, this gluten-free pudding makes it no longer really a pudding; it is actually possible to freeze it. My kids love it when I pour the pudding into a popsicle mold and turn it into some chocolate pudding pops.
More gluten-free desserts.
If you love gluten-free chocolate desserts as much as I do, then you'll love my gluten-free fudgesicles recipe and my gluten-free brownies, or try my gluten-free chocolate chip cookies; they are next-level delicious. Want more dessert goodies? Check out the recipes below.
📖 Recipe
Video
Easy Gluten-free Chocolate Pudding
Ingredients
- ⅓ Cup Cocoa Powder
- ½ Cup Sugar Coconut Sugar or Sweetner of Choice
- ¼ Cup Arrowroot Starch
- 2 ½ Cups Milk of Choice
- 2 Tablespoons Butter Ghee, or Dairy-free Alternative
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Combine the dry ingredients into a saucepan and whisk them together.⅓ Cup Cocoa Powder, ½ Cup Sugar, ¼ Cup Arrowroot Starch, ¼ Teaspoon Salt
- With the pan over medium, whisk and slowly add the milk to the dry ingredients until no dry ingredients remain.2 ½ Cups Milk of Choice
- Once the pudding has thickened, remove the pan from the heat.
- Stir in the butter (or dairy-free sub) and the vanilla until combined.2 Tablespoons Butter, 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
- Transfer the pudding to a container. Carefully place a piece of plastic wrap on the pudding, making sure it has contact on the surface of the pudding to help prevent a film from forming as it cools.
- Place the pudding into the fridge for about an hour to finish cooling.
- Store in the refrigerator in a sealed container for about a week.
Notes
- Always double-check your ingredients to make sure they are gluten-free.
- Don't overmix your pudding. - If you mix your chocolate pudding too much, it can become watery. However, if you don't mix it enough, the ingredients won't come together the way they should. Mix this homemade chocolate pudding just enough to make sure there are no lumps of dry ingredients, and then let it thicken.
- Cover the pudding. - Covering the top of this gluten-free chocolate pudding is important to keep it from creating a layer of film on the top. I find that using simple plastic wrap and making sure the plastic comes in contact with the top of the pudding is the easiest way to do this.
- Keep your pudding cold. - Once you've made your chocolate pudding, be sure to store it covered in the fridge until you are
- Sugar-free pudding - To make this homemade chocolate pudding into a sugar-free pudding, you can swap the sugar in the recipe for equivalent amounts of your favorite sugar-free sweetener.
- Corn-free pudding - This is already a chocolate pudding without cornstarch since it uses arrowroot starch as a thickener. However, if you don't need a pudding without cornstarch, you can use it in equal parts to the arrowroot starch in this recipe.
- Dairy-free pudding - Switch the milk for your favorite dairy-free alternative. I've used both coconut milk as well as almond milk in this with success. I am sure your favorite will work just as well. Sub the little amount of butter in this gluten-free pudding recipe for ghee or a dairy-free alternative.
- Nut-free pudding - As written, this gluten-free chocolate pudding is nut-free. If you can't have dairy or nuts, sub in your favorite milk of choice that doesn't involve nuts. A friend of mine makes this recipe with pea milk for her daughter, who can't have dairy or nuts.
- Egg-free pudding - You're in luck this gluten-free pudding recipe is totally egg-free already!
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