Easy Kid (and Adult) Friendly Pudding Cups

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Nothing says classic dessert like a good Homemade Chocolate Pudding! This is kid and adult-friendly is a quick and easy treat to make whenever someone gets a sweet tooth! 

Whenever you walk down the grocery store's regular snack aisle, it's usually filled with all the typical "kid" snacks. You know what I'm talking about those snacks that are more chemicals than they are actual food but, of course, are marketed to kids, so parents often end up buying them for them.

When you have a kid with food intolerance and allergies, you can't always run to the store and grab what all the other kids are getting. Often kids with food allergies get isolated at school because of them, and other kids can make fun of them for being different. For our daughter, who LOVES pudding but can't get the regular pudding cups because they usually have corn in them, I've figured out how to get something she loves into her lunch box. Plus, it tastes a whole heck of a lot better than the process store kind anyways!

Ingredients in Chocolate Pudding

• • Cocoa Powder
  • Sugar or Sweetener of Choice
  • Arrowroot Starch
  • Milk of Choice
  • Butter, Ghee, or DF Alternative 
  • Vanilla 

How to Make Pudding

Most people know how to make pudding using a mix in a box and follow the instructions. I promise this recipe is just as simple.

This recipe uses only six simple ingredients cocoa powder, sweetener, arrowroot starch, milk of choice, butter (or ghee), and vanilla.

You just aren't pouring the dry ingredients out of a box. All you have to do is add the dry ingredients into a pot over medium-high heat, slowly whisk it as you add the liquid until it's thickened, and let it cool.

Totally Allergy friendly!

This recipe is gluten and grain-free, and it doesn't use any crazy unknown ingredients. The original method does call for milk, but it can be made entirely dairy-free with a few simple swaps.

Make it Dairy Free!

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. This recipe does call for a small amount of butter in the end, but you can opt to leave this out or use a dairy-free butter or even ghee in its place.

Make it Nut Free!

If you can't have dairy or nuts, sub in your favorite milk of choice doesn't involve nuts. A friend of mine makes this recipe with pea milk for her daughter, who can't have dairy or nuts since most other dairy-free options don't work for her.

It's Egg Free!

Yay! You're in luck this recipe is totally egg free already!

How to Make it Sugar Free

The original recipe calls for plain sugar. However, I know many parents are trying to reduce the amount of sugar in their kids' diets, and those kids with diabetes, like pudding too— swap equivalent amounts of your favorite sweetener in place of the sugar. I've had lots of luck with subbing in monk fruit sweetener (about a TSP) into this recipe, but something like Stevia and other sugar substitutes should work just as well.

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How long will pudding last?

Pudding usually lasts about five days in the fridge, if it's sealed properly, which is perfect for having some on hand during the school year.

Storing the pudding?

The biggest thing I've found with making pudding from scratch is the film that can form on the top as it cools. The best way I've found to combat this issue is simply a piece of plastic wrap on top of the pudding as it cools. This keeps the pudding creamy all the way through.

Will it stay good in lunches?

I've found as long as the pudding has cooled before transferring it to storage containers, it will hold in the fridge for about a week. When it comes time to put it into our daughter's lunch box, I'll take a piece of plastic wrap, place it over the top of the container before I put the lid on it. This not only helps to keep the pudding off of the lid if it moves around in transport, but it also reduces the air that can get into the pudding that can cause a crust to form on the top layer.

I then add the container into their lunchbox with a cold pack, and it's good until they are ready to eat it at their lunchtime.

What about the adults?

Don't worry; this recipe is loved by adults and kids alike! In fact, my husband was the person who begged for me to make pudding, which then, in turn, got our daughter obsessed with it. So, needless to say, whether you are making it for kids or kids at heart, everyone will love this recipe!

Now that you know how simple it is to make a batch of this pudding for your next gathering for a quick dessert or add it to your meal prep for all the school lunches coming up!

More Easy Snack Recipes

Sweet and Tangy BBQ Beef Jerky

Deviled Eggs

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag a photo #grainfreetable or @grainfreetable on Instagram. I'd love to see what you come up with!

Originally Posted 08/7/2019