Almond Milk Pudding
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My 5-ingredient almond milk pudding is chocolatey, creamy, and full of nostalgic flavor. No eggs or dairy needed!
Why I love this almond milk pudding
I consider myself pretty lucky because, growing up, my mom always made us pudding from scratch. It took some convincing to get her pudding recipe, but after some negotiation, she finally shared it with me…so now I can share it with you!
Because my sister was allergic to dairy until her teens, Mom’s always made her pudding with soy milk. I later swapped it for almond milk, which gives the pudding the same silky, creamy texture with a milder flavor. Here’s why I make it on repeat:
- Better than instant pudding. There is a time and a place for instant pudding mix, but nothing beats homemade pudding.
- Customizable. I’m starting off with my mom’s classic chocolate pudding, but of course, I had to test a few different variations.
- Enjoy it as is, or layer it up. I’m a purist and like my pudding plain, but you can use it like yogurt in a parfait or turn it into my chocolate pudding pie!
- Naturally dairy-free. Thanks to the almond milk, it’s also egg-free and gluten-free.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“This tastes like my regular homemade chocolate pudding. Made this for my grandchildren who can’t have dairy, and it got thumbs-up all around. My husband and I both tasted it and swore you could not tell it was dairy-free. That is when I know it’s a great recipe. Thanks so much.” – Laura
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need, along with my kitchen notes. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Almond milk. I used plain, unsweetened almond milk, but vanilla or chocolate almond milk could also be used. I suggest buying a good-quality refrigerated brand, as those tend to have fewer thickeners. I love Califa Farms Organic Unsweetened Almond Milk.
- Sugar. I used regular white sugar, but brown sugar or coconut sugar also work well.
- Vanilla extract. I use half a teaspoon to cut through the rich cocoa flavors.
- Cocoa powder. Use 100% unsweetened cocoa powder that’s been sifted to remove clumps. For a darker flavor, I sometimes use dark or black cocoa powder.
- Cornstarch and water. To form a paste and thicken the pudding.
How to make almond milk pudding
Step 1- Combine ingredients. In a small saucepan, add the milk, sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and water until no clumps remain.
Step 2- Simmer. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the pan and place it over medium heat. Stir until it begins to simmer, then reduce to low heat and continue simmering for 5-6 minutes or until thickened.
Step 3- Cool and chill. Let the pudding mixture cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for an hour until chilled.
Arman’s tips and variations
- Use cold or room-temperature water. If the cornstarch is mixed with warm water, it’ll clump up and not dissolve.
- Serve it chilled. I like to press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface while it cools to prevent a skin from forming.
- Turn it into vanilla pudding. Omit the cocoa powder and double the vanilla extract, or add ¼ teaspoon of vanilla bean paste.
- Try warming spices. A pinch of cinnamon, cardamom, or pumpkin pie spice (my partner’s favorite) gives the pudding a completely different flavor and is especially delicious during the cooler months.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Soy milk is what my mom always used, but I now prefer unsweetened almond milk because it has a milder flavor and still turns out perfectly creamy. Oat milk also works, though it may take a little longer to thicken depending on the brand.
If your pudding is still thin, it likely just needs a little more time on the heat. Keep whisking over medium heat until it reaches a pudding-like consistency. Also, make sure you mix the cornstarch with cold water. Adding it directly to hot milk can cause it to clump rather than thicken properly.
Almond Milk Pudding
Video
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups almond milk unsweetened or vanilla, 360mL
- 1/4 cup sugar brown or coconut sugar work too, 50g
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder 20g
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoon cornstarch 24g
- 2 tablespoon water 30mL
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, add the milk, sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla extract. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and water together, until no clumps remain.
- Whisk in the cornstarch mixture into the saucepan and place it over medium heat. Stir it regularly, until it begins to simmer. Reduce it to low, and continue to mix for a further 5-6 minutes, until it has thickened. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Let the pudding mixture cool to room temperature, before refrigerating it for at least an hour, until chilled.
I thought this was ok. It definitely firmed up nicely, though it was really strong on the cocoa. Maybe I needed more sugar/vanilla, and a little less cocoa powder for my tastes. I was surprised that this is supposed to be 4 servings. You might want to double if you want to make sure you have a little more.
Hi Emily- thanks for the feedback and review. It does have a strong cocoa taste, but it could easily be amended with a touch of vanilla or reducing the amount by a tablespoon.
Like it uses almond milk, it l sounds easy to.make
Can swerve be used instead of sugar?
You can try!
Anyone make a big batch of this? Tips? Need for kids party
Can you substitute the sugar with honey? Thx
What else can I use for cornstarch?
fantastic!!!!!! so good. i added a pinch of espresso powder.
Can I sub the corn starch for arrow root to thicken to keep it lower carb.
You can try!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I’ve been searching for a really great almond milk pudding recipe; and now I’ve found it. The consistency was amazing. And it was so rich. What a treat! I did alter the steps just a bit to make things easier on myself, and get more bang out of the vanilla. Here’s what I did: I whisked all of the dry ingredients together in the pot I was going to use, rather than making a slurry with the cornstarch. And I just added a couple more tablespoons of almond milk with the rest of the milk. And then I added the vanilla AFTER removing everything from the heat. Adding the vanilla before cooking defeats the purpose. Since vanilla extract is mostly alcohol, you cook away/evaporate most of the flavor when you add it before simmering.
The recipe is a keeper, for sure. It came together so quickly and easily. And it met my chocolate craving… I think I may add some PB powder next time, and make it super decadent.
Can I substitute the sugar with honey or maple syrup.
This was easy to make, and was delicious! Drizzled peanut butter on top with unsweetened coconut flakes.
This pudding was really good when it was first made, but once I put it into the fridge to setup, it was more like jello than pudding. I tried to reheat and whisk with some milk, but it just broke into smaller chunks. Way too much cornstarch I think, you could really taste it too.
Hi Suzanne- I’m sory to hear that it turned into jello for you. I’m thinking the culprit is expired or off cornstarch- As the amount I used is much less than traditional puddings. The only other thing that could impact it is the almond milk you used- as some of those have thickeners in them too.
Has anyone tried this with gluten-free flour or anything else instead of cornstarch? What can I use instead of cornstarch? Thanks!
Excellent taste and texture! I love how it thickens like old fashioned dairy pudding mix. I used stevia baking blend and it was terrific! Thanks for a great recipe!
I have leftover chocolate almond milk that I need to use. Will that work for this recipe? Thank you.
I haven’t tried but you are welcome to experiment and see
Thank you so much. My wife has severe food sensitivities and cocoa and almond milk, corn and a very few other fruits and chicken are all she can eat so this is an amazing and easy addition to what she can eat!!! Thank You!!!
You are so welcome, Craig!
Tapioca starch made for a little bit of a gloopy consistency. I’ll try arrowroot next time.
Can you substitute the cocoa powder with flavored protein powder?
I haven’t tried but you are welcome to experiment and see