This vegan chocolate pudding is smooth, rich, and made from scratch with coconut milk, cocoa, and dark chocolate. No tofu, avocado, or boxed mixes; just simple pantry ingredients for an easy, dairy-free dessert that’s chocolatey and elegant.
Vegan Chocolate Pudding 🍫
This vegan chocolate pudding is smooth, rich, and luxurious; it’s the kind of dessert that feels familiar yet a little elevated. Made on the stovetop with coconut milk, cocoa, and good-quality chocolate, it sets into a silky pudding as it chills, with no dairy, eggs, or boxed mixes required.
While most chocolate puddings are dairy-based, making a dairy-free, vegan chocolate pudding from scratch is just as easy. There’s no tofu, avocado, or other “secret” ingredients here, only a handful of basic pantry essentials you may already have at home and a bare minimum of effort. A combination of Dutch-processed cocoa and dark chocolate give the pudding depth and intensity, while coconut milk adds just enough richness without overpowering the chocolate.
Serve it plain, or finish with a dollop of whipped coconut cream and a few chocolate shavings for an easy but elegant dessert.
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Chocolate Pudding ✨
- Deep chocolate flavor from both cocoa powder and dark chocolate
- Smooth, creamy texture without dairy or eggs
- Made with simple, pantry-friendly ingredients
- Naturally vegan and dairy-free
- Easy enough for everyday, elegant enough for guests
Vegan Chocolate Pudding Ingredients & Notes
- Light coconut milk keeps the pudding creamy without being too heavy.
- Arrowroot thickens quickly and creates a smooth, glossy texture.
- Dutch-processed cocoa powder adds richness without bitterness.
- Dark or bittersweet chocolate (65–75%) gives body and depth of flavor.
- Vegan butter is optional but adds a subtle richness and shine at the end.
How to Make Vegan Chocolate Pudding
- Make the arrowroot slurry
In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons of the coconut milk with the arrowroot until smooth and no lumps remain. Set aside. - Heat the milk and cocoa
In a medium saucepan, combine the remaining coconut milk, coconut sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk over medium-low heat until smooth and small bubbles begin to form around the edges. - Melt the chocolate
Remove the pan from the heat, add the chopped chocolate, and let sit for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the chocolate begins to melt. Whisk until fully incorporated, then return the pan to the heat. - Thicken the pudding
Slowly whisk in the reserved arrowroot mixture, whisking constantly until the pudding thickens, about 1–2 minutes. Remove from the heat and immediately whisk in the vegan butter, if using. - Chill and set
Pour the pudding into a heat-safe bowl. Cover with a piece of parchment paper pressed directly onto the surface and refrigerate until cool and set, about 2 hours. - Serve
Garnish with whipped coconut cream and chocolate shavings, if desired, and serve.
Tips for the Best Vegan Chocolate Pudding 💡
- For a fancier presentation, serve with a dollop of coconut cream and a few shavings of chocolate.
- Choose a good quality chocolate. With so few ingredients, the flavor of the chocolate you use will really shine.
- Whisk continuously once you’ve added the slurry. Arrowroot sets quickly — don’t walk away.
- To prevent a skin from forming, place parchment or plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding as it cools and remove just before serving.
Vegan Chocolate Pudding FAQ 🍨
Can I make vegan chocolate pudding without coconut milk?
Yes. While coconut milk adds richness, you can substitute another unsweetened dairy-free milk such as oat, almond, or soy. Lighter milks will result in a slightly less creamy vegan chocolate pudding.
Can I use cornstarch instead of arrowroot?
Arrowroot gives this vegan chocolate pudding a smooth, glossy texture, but cornstarch can be substituted if needed.
Why didn’t my vegan chocolate pudding thicken?
Vegan chocolate pudding thickens quickly once the arrowroot is added, but it needs enough heat and constant whisking. If it’s still thin, return it to gentle heat and whisk until it thickens.
How long does vegan chocolate pudding last in the fridge?
Stored covered in the refrigerator, this vegan chocolate pudding will keep for up to 3-4 days. Pressing parchment or plastic wrap directly on the surface helps maintain its silky texture.
Can I make vegan chocolate pudding ahead of time?
Yes. This pudding is ideal for making ahead since it needs time to chill and set. Prepare it up to a day in advance and garnish just before serving.
Creamy Vegan Chocolate Pudding (Final Thoughts) 🍫✨
Made with only a few pantry staples, this vegan chocolate pudding delivers deep chocolate flavor and a smooth, creamy texture, just like a classic chocolate pudding. It’s easy enough for everyday desserts, yet elegant enough to serve to guests with just a few optional garnishes.
Whether you enjoy it straight from the fridge or dressed up with whipped coconut cream and chocolate shavings, this is a recipe that is sure to earn a permanent place in your dessert rotation.
More Vegan Puddings and Custards:
Vegan Chocolate Pudding
Making your own chocolate pudding from scratch is simple and so much better than the store-bought kind. This silky vegan chocolate pudding is rich with dark chocolate flavor and only takes minutes to make.
Ingredients
- 2 cups/480ml light coconut milk (divided use)
- 2 Tablespoons/18g arrowroot
- ¼ cup/48g coconut sugar
- ¼ cup/24g Dutch processed cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of fine sea
- 3 ounces/ 85g dark or bittersweet chocolate (65%-75%), finely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon/14g vegan butter (optional)
- Whipped coconut cream for serving (optional)
- Chocolate shavings for serving (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk together 3 Tablespoons of coconut milk with the arrowroot until smooth and no lumps remain. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan combine remaining milk along with, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extra and salt. Whisk over medium to low heat until smooth and little bubbles start to form around the sides.
- Remove from heat, add chopped chocolate and let sit until chocolate begins to melt (30 seconds – 1 minute). Whisk chocolate completely into milk mixture and return to heat.
- Slowly whisk in reserved arrowroot and milk, continuing to whisk until mixture thickens (about 1-2 minutes). Remove pan from heat and immediately whisk in butter if using.
- Pour pudding into a heat-safe bowl, cover with a piece of parchment and refrigerate until cool and set (about 2 hours). Garnish with whipped coconut cream and chocolate shaving if using and serve.
Notes
VARIATIONS:
Use the non-dairy milk of your choice instead of coconut milk. Use brown sugar instead of coconut sugar if desired. Use a combination of both semi-sweet and bittersweet chocolate.
STORAGE:
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
DIETARY INFO:
Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 319Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 16mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 5gSugar: 12gProtein: 5g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
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