How to Make Chocolate Pudding from Scratch is that old-fashioned, creamy goodness recipe you’ve been looking for like grandma used to make.

If you’re looking for other pudding recipes to try, Homemade Vanilla Pudding and Creamy Butterscotch Pudding will make your taste buds happy.

Pudding makes everything better, don’t you think? Add the flavor of chocolate and you have the perfect combination of heaven in a bowl.

This easy homemade chocolate pudding recipe will become a family favorite. Don’t you just love those type of recipes?

A lot of chocolate puddings have eggs now – but this recipe is what you’ll find in those old cookbooks. Knowing your chocolate pudding ingredients don’t include any artificial flavors is a comforting thought.

History of Pudding

The history of pudding is a bit murky. The word “pudding” has been used to describe the dessert we’ve come to love, and it also described as savory and salty dishes made of meat according to Wikipedia.

Meat puddings were made out of ingredients mostly in liquid form that are then encased and boiled or steamed to set the contents. (Doesn’t that sound yummy?) Today haggis, Yorkshire pudding, and Black pudding originated from that tradition.

Historians agree that dessert puddings (classified as custards) have been around since the Middle ages, according to Food Timeline.

Somewhere around the 1840’s, the difference between American pudding and European custard became known. At that time, alternatives to the traditional boiled puddings changed due to the creation of custard powder – invented by Alfred Bird, an English chemist. Cornstarch also made it’s debut and gave cooks another way to thicken dishes.

The earliest reference to chocolate pudding was in 1730 in the cookbook The Complete Practical Cook by Charles Carter. Some of the ingredients listed in the recipe is Orange-Flower water, ginger, nutmeg, and  cinnamon. Wealthy people enjoyed these sweet bowls of heaven.

Some trivia about chocolate

• According to Wikipedia, fermented beverages made from chocolate date all the way back to 450 BC. It was thought to be a drink that gave a person strength.
• Cacao trees grew up to 60 feet tall in their natural environment, so it was difficult to harvest the trees initially.
• On average it can take 400 beans to make one pound of chocolate.
• National Chocolate Day is celebrated annually July 7th.
• The cacao bean was used by the Aztecs as currency.  
• Cadbury company located in England was the first to make the chocolate bar in 1842.
• Milk chocolate was created by Daniel Peter in 1875 in Switzerland. It took him eight years of experimenting before he was able to make the perfect recipe.

“When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.”

Regina Brett

Creating a Cozy Life Group

Since you found this post looking for how to make chocolate pudding from scratch, I’m guessing you like all things cozy living. I created a Facebook group called Creating a Cozy Life with over 122,000 like-minded souls.

It’s a group where we share recipes, pictures of things that leave you in awe, and ideas on how to make your life just a little bit more snug. Join here to be part of the virtual cozy cabin.

Here’s How to Make Chocolate Pudding from Scratch

Simple Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 3/4 cups milk

2 tablespoons room temperature butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions for Easy Chocolate Pudding Recipe

1) In a medium saucepan, stir together sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, corn starch, and salt.

2) Cook over MEDIUM heat, stir in milk. Bring the pudding mixture to a full boil. Cook, stirring constantly, scraping down the sides of the pan until the pudding thickens enough to coat the back of a metal spoon.

3) Remove pudding from the heat. Stir in the butter and vanilla.

4) Let cool. Chill the creamy pudding in the refrigerator in individual ramekins or a medium bowl until serving.

Tips for How to Make Homemade Chocolate Pudding 

• Make sure you mix the first four dry ingredients well. I use a whisk to make sure they are properly combined. This prevents lumps from forming.
• You don’t want to cook your pudding on a higher heat than medium. Don’t hurry the process after it boils, give it 2-3 more minutes to cook, constantly stirring. Hot milk can scald, so don’t leave the pan unattended.
• For richer flavor, heap the tablespoons of cocoa powder.
• If you want to avoid having the layer of skin that forms at the top of pudding, place a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface of pudding in the bowl. This prevents the skin on the surface of the pudding.
• Let the pudding cool on the counter for 10 minutes or so before putting in the refrigerator.
• If you think the pudding is too sweet, reduce granulated sugar to 1/3 cup. You can also substitute the sugar for your sweetener of choice.
• Use whole milk or 2% milk, otherwise your pudding will be too thin.
• If you have a tendency to burn things (like me), use a double boiler instead of placing your saucepan directly on the heat.
• Choose a high quality chocolate for best results.
• You can add coconut extract for a tropical flavor. If you’re looking for a different type of milk to use, coconut milk will work well in this recipe for a vegan chocolate pudding.
• Heavy cream or half and half can be used in place of milk.

How long does homemade chocolate pudding last in the fridge? 

You’ll want to keep chocolate pudding from scratch covered in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It will last 3-4 days.

Add-ins for Traditional Chocolate Pudding

• To make your bowl of pudding even more delicious, stir in fruit like raspberries, strawberries, or blueberries.
• Crush your favorite cookies and sprinkle the crumbs on top of the pudding for a fun add-on.
• Chopped candied nuts add a little crunch to your bowl of pudding.
• For a festive touch, you can add sprinkles to the pudding to celebrate a beautiful day.
• Mini chocolate chips would add a fun twist to your pudding.
• You can add drizzles of chocolate sauce, caramel, or even strawberry sauce to take your chocolate pudding up a notch.
• Shave milk, white, or dark chocolate on top of your pudding. Chocolate shavings make a decadent chocolate pudding.
• I know someone that likes to add Kettle corn to the top of her chocolate pudding for a sweet and salty topping.
• How about sprinkling your favorite spice on top of your pudding? Cinnamon and nutmeg are a couple of options.
• I love it when you get served pudding in a cup, and there’s a cookie sitting on the rim. Simply cut a cookie half-way up and slide it on the edge of the rim.
• You can spoon a little cherry filling on top of the chocolate pudding for a beautiful contrast in color.
• Layer homemade pudding with pieces of pound cake and cookie crumbs. Top with whipped cream.
• How about adding some jam or marmalade to your pudding? A little more sweetness in life never hurt anyone.

How to serve classic chocolate pudding

Chocolate pudding is the perfect dessert to serve in individual serving dishes.

• I like to use individual ramekins to serve pudding. You can find my favorite ramekins here.
• You could also use clear glass drinking glasses to serve this chocolate custard pudding and top with whipped cream.
• Small mason jars are the perfect vessels for old-fashioned chocolate pudding.
• If you have a fun collection of mugs, you can also serve your pudding in those.

How to Make Chocolate Shavings

We’ve reached the end of How to Make Chocolate Pudding from Scratch.

Let me know in the comments below what you thought of this easy recipe. What are your other favorite chocolate desserts?

Do you have special memories associated with pudding? If so, I would love to here about them.

Be sure to join our Creating a Cozy Life Group. You’re not going to believe how amazing it is.  

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More Chocolate Desserts for Your Sweet Tooth

• Creamy Chocolate Fondue Recipe
• Whipped Chocolate Butter
• Chocolate Fondue Dippers
• Vintage 7 Layer Bars Recipe

Printable Recipe Card Creamy Chocolate Pudding Recipe with Daily Values