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.
This was delicious and made great frozen pudding pops. I did add a little more sugar than what the recipe called for.
Love that you used them for pudding pops, Amy- I think that is very smart to add a little extra sugar when you intend on freezing them- they can naturally lose sweetness by freezing. Glad you enjoyed them!
Sooo good! I doubled the vanilla extract and added a bit of salt.
I skipped the cornstarch and it didn’t thicken. What happened?
Hi Toni- cornstarch is actually what makes this pudding nice and thick. Skipping it would result in a watery mess and one that I don’t think would even be able to thicken whatsoever. Next time, please keep it in.
I was wondering if you have tried this with 100% maple syrup instead of sugar. Being a diabetic I need to attempt to avoid sugar which is kind of a poison for your body anyway. Just curious if you’ve tried it with honey or maple syrup instead of sugar?
Hi Karen! I just responded to a comment from a reader who replaced the sugar with maple syrup successfully (it’s a few comments down).
Can you make this almond milk pudding with an artificial sweetener and also a different thickener like zanthan gum?
You can definitely give that a try Lisa! Allulose is probably the easiest swap for sugar. Let us know how you go!
Finally!! A delicious, smooth , creamy, and easy chocolate pudding recipe I can have. Love it!
Can I use pure maple syrup in place of the sugar? Will it set?
July 20, 2024 – I just made this delicious and easy almond milk chocolate pudding!
I substituted maple syrup for the sugar without having to make any other adjustments, and it came out very delicious. This is a creamy pudding I will definitely be making again. Thank you for posting this recipe. I hope others will give it a try, as well.
Marianne- Thank you so much for sharing that, as I’d been curious how it would work with maple syryp (several readers have asked that) so this is super helpful. I really appreciate you trying that and sharing it with me!
My pudding came pit too thick and I didn’t boil it for the 5-6 minutes as instructed. I think I will reduce the cornstarch.
Hi Myriam- sorry to hear that! I think the issue could be the almond milk you used- I’ll make a note about the best kinds to use, as some have added thickeners in them that react with the cornstarch.
Easy and flavorful!
Can I use this chocolate pudding in a pie crust?
Hi Angel, absolutely! Make sure it’s fully set before scooping it into the crust. You can even seal the pie crust with some melted chocolate before adding the pudding and this will help keep the crust nice and crisp 🙂
Hi; i’m going to try your chocolate pudding. I would like to know if you have a recipe for vanilla pudding? Thank you , Hazel
Hi Hazel, I do- it’s for sugar free pudding, but you can use standard sugar instead 🙂
Will arrowroot powder work instead of corn startch?
Yes it will, Rebecca 🙂 Or tapioca starch!
Set up in SECONDS after simmering, was the easiest recipe I’ve ever made!!!
Delicious! I used oat milk since it’s all I had. 10/10! Thanks for this recipe
So welcome, Kay- glad you enjoyed it and thanks for sharing your experience using oat milk!
i substituted the cornstarch with flaxseed, turned out wonderful!! Thank you for all you wonderful recipes, my whole family enjoys!!!
Did you use the shelf stable almond milk? TY 💕
Yes, I did- Cindy 🙂