This Chocolate Pudding for Two is absolutely indulgent and decadent and one of the easiest things in the world to make.
Good morning! How are you on this fine Friday? Feeling a little harried from the holidays? Run down by the work week? If that’s the case, I have a little weekend pick-me-up for you today: the best, easiest, most amazing Chocolate Pudding for Two.
And if you’re sitting there, nose crinkled, remembering bland pudding eaten in school cafeterias out of little plastic cups, thinking you outgrew chocolate pudding years ago, friend, I have great news for you. You’re never too old for good chocolate pudding (and this is Good Chocolate Pudding TM).
Chocolate pudding is the perfect grown-up dessert because it feels absolutely indulgent and decadent, but it’s low-stress to make, and the active cooking time is short. So you can throw together a fabulous pudding dessert quickly and get right back to whatever important grownup things you were doing like, I don’t know, chopping down trees or taxes.
I love this particular pudding recipe so much that it has actually appeared on the site twice before. Once as filling in my Brooklyn Blackout Cupcakes (if you like chocolate, you must go try those) and this summer as the base of my Homemade Pudding Pops, but today it’s time to let the pudding be pudding.
And letting this pudding be the star of the show is never a bad thing. Deeply chocolatey and creamy, rich, and not too sweet, it’s a dessert to linger over. Just add good company, and you have the makings of a perfect evening.
How to Make Chocolate Pudding
Chocolate pudding really is one of the easiest desserts in existence. If you can hold a whisk, you can make this pudding. You just take said whisk and mix together sugar, cornstarch, salt, and milk over low heat until thickened, melt in some semisweet chocolate, drizzle in a few drops of vanilla, and refrigerate until set. About twelve minutes of active cooking time and two to three hours of agonizing waiting for your pudding to set, and you can grab a spoon, pile on the whipped cream, and enjoy.
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Chocolate Pudding for Two Recipe Notes
- This pudding can be made with any percentage milk, but the higher-fat the milk, the richer (and tastier) the pudding will be. If you only have low-fat milk, you can replace a bit of it with heavy cream or half and half for a richer finished product.
- With homemade puddings, it’s completely normal to have some cornstarch lumps. You can strain them out with a fine-mesh strainer (if you don’t own one, they’re cheap on Amazon and also available in the baking aisle at most large grocery stores) or just leave them. They won’t hurt anything.
- To make chocolate shavings for topping, run a vegetable peeler down the short edge of a chocolate bar.
Looking for more chocolate desserts for two? Try these Chocolate Souffles for Two, Peanut Butter Brownies for Two, and Small-batch Chocolate Cupcakes.
Easy Chocolate Pudding for Two
Ingredients
Special Equipment
Chocolate Pudding for Two
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons (15g) cornstarch
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups milk whole preferred, but any percentage is fine
- 1/2 cup (3oz) semisweet chocolate chopped (good-quality chocolate chips are fine)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Toppings
- Whipped Cream optional
- Chocolate shavings optional
Instructions
- In a 2-quart (small) saucepan, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Slowly whisk in milk, whisking out any lumps as they form.
- Heat over medium-low heat, whisking every other minute or so, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 8 to 12 minutes. If the mixture begins to simmer before thickened, turn down the heat slightly.
- Add chocolate and whisk until completely incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in vanilla.
- Strain pudding through a fine mesh strainer to remove any lumps. Pour into individual serving cups or single container and allow to cool at room temperature for at least 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap--if you are worried about pudding skin, place wrap directly on pudding surface--and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours, until set.
- Top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings if desired and enjoy!
Notes
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Jeannine says
I made this and the flavor was delicious, however it was kinda thin, I used whole milk and cooked it in the recommended time and let it cool in the fridge for several hours. What could I do to make it thicker?
Tracy says
You want to cook it until the pudding is thick enough to really coat the back of a spoon, even if that takes longer than the recommended time in the recipe. This will ensure that your pudding firms up in the fridge. All stoves are different, so cooking times can vary. Hope that helps!
Anna says
Have you ever used canned coconut milk as a replacement for the milk?
Stacy I. says
I’m late to the party here, but do you think it would work to swap out butterscotch chips for the chocolate for a quick butterscotch pudding?
Sherri says
This was quick, totally satisfying, and just the right amount! I added 1 1/2 tablespoons of Dutch process cocoa and used bittersweet chocolate chips. This is the perfect comfort dessert for a chilly winter night!
Tracy says
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Sherri!!
jules says
Mine is even easier but is called chocolate pots. Totally decadent.
All in a blender:
6oz bitter chocolate broken
5 oz light cream – bring to just under the boil & pour over chocolate in blender & whirl it up
1 whole egg & dash of salt, 1 tsp. brandy & blend until smooth
Pour into small pots & chill several hrs.
Voila!
Tracy says
Thanks for the recommendation, Jules! Chocolate pots have been on my to-try list forever and these sound delish. Especially love the bit of brandy in there.
Patty says
I tried this recipe last night. I like the fact it uses chocolate instead of cocoa. It sets well and tastes terrific.
Tracy says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Patty!
Deepika|TheLoveOfCakes says
This looks like the perfect thing to cozy up with! I have tried lots of chocolate pudding recipes before, but never really liked one! I need to do make this!
Tracy says
Thanks, Deepika! I hope you enjoy it!
Neta says
This looks GOOD!!! Can’t wait to try it!
Tracy says
Thank you, Neta! Hope you enjoy it!
Melissa Griffiths says
“chopping down tree or taxes” haha! This pudding looks fabulous, and I”m certainly not too grown-up for pudding!
Tracy says
Glad to hear, Melissa! 😉
Elaine says
Just finished chopping down some trees in the backyard and was about to do my taxes but then I saw this one and decided to make myself some tasty pudding. Your recipe is fantastic – thank you, Tracy! 🙂
Tracy says
Well perfect timing then! 😉 Thanks, Elaine!
Beth says
This looks so thick and decadent! Perfect for entertaining for an easy dessert!
Tracy says
Thank you, Beth!
Meredith says
Love that you can have homemade chococlate pudding and not have to make a WHOLE batch of it! Great for portion control and enjoying a sweet treat!
Tracy says
Exactly! Thanks, Meredith!
Annie @ Annie's Noms says
I am definitely in the camp of “run down by work” this Friday! This is the perfect dessert to brighten my mood and love how easy it is to make too. Homemade pudding is the best thing ever, the texture, the flavour, the whole process of making it, just bliss!
Tracy says
Totally agreed, Annie! Hope your weekend perks you up!
Sara says
Wow does this look good, trying it this weekend!
Tracy says
Thanks, Sara. I hope you enjoy it!