Homemade Chocolate Pudding without Cornstarch

You don’t need cornstarch to make a thick, creamy, luscious pudding. Whether you’ve got a food sensitivity or you just prefer not to use it in your cooking, this homemade chocolate pudding without cornstarch is a must-try recipe! It’s just as sweet and satisfying but totally corn-free—and simple enough to whip up in around 20 minutes.

Cornstarch is used in all sorts of recipes and baked goods, and it’s a common thickening agent in homemade chocolate pudding recipes. It definitely gets the job done but if you don’t want it in your pudding, you don’t need it! This recipe still uses real chocolate, cocoa powder, egg yolks, and the milk of your choosing (dairy or non), but with a different thickening ingredient.

Personally, I came across a recipe on Key Ingredient for how to make chocolate pudding without cornstarch and I was inspired. Just nix the cornstarch and replace it with another staple that you probably have on-hand in your pantry: flour! An all-purpose flour or a 1-to-1 gluten free flour will both work great in this recipe—whatever suits you.

The result is a thick, creamy, crave-ably sweet treat that satisfies just like the classic recipe! Honestly, I was skeptical about making homemade chocolate pudding without cornstarch at first. But I promise, once you give it a try, you’ll see for yourself: the proof is in the pudding. Perfect for a chocolaty dessert, after-school snacks, or DIY dirt cups with gummy worms!

Homemade Chocolate Pudding Substitution Notes:

• Flour—either all-purpose flour or a 1-to-1 gluten free flour will both work great in this recipe.
• Sugar—I prefer to use regular granulated white sugar, but you can also use coconut sugar or an alternative granulated sweetener of your choice.
• Cocoa Powder—a must for this homemade chocolate pudding recipe!
• Milk—feel free to use dairy or non-dairy milk, just make sure to let it rest until room temperature before prepping your pudding.
• Egg Yolks—I haven’t personally tried this recipe with a substitute, so as far as I know, these are a must!
• Chocolate—both milk chocolate and dark chocolate are suitable for this recipe, whichever you like.

How to Make Chocolate Pudding without Cornstarch

First, to make this homemade chocolate pudding without cornstarch you’ll need a large heat-proof bowl, a deep saucepan, and a whisk. In your bowl, start by whisking together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, cocoa, and salt. Then, pour in just ½ cup of your milk and start adding the egg yolks, one at a time,whisking to integrate each before adding the next. Set that aside.

Next, add the remaining 2½ cups of milk into your deep saucepan and bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat. Once it’s lightly simmering, remove from the heat and slowly pour the hot milk into your cocoa mixture, whisking constantly as you go. Don’t pour it too fast or all at once, and make sure to keep the mixture moving—otherwise you might scramble the eggs. If there’s someone around who can help with this, I recommend asking them!

Then, pour that entire mixture back into the saucepan and return it to the stove over medium-high heat. Now is the time to whisk the pudding constantly for 2-3 minutes, until it’s nice and thickened, so it leaves a “trail” as you whisk. Once it’s as thick as you’d like, remove from the heat, add in your chopped chocolate and vanilla, and stir until integrated.

Finally, transfer your homemade chocolate pudding into the container(s) of your choice, then allow it to cool before refrigerating! I prefer to portion it into small jars, but you can also keep it as a big batch if you like. Just know that it will continue to thicken as it cools. Easy as that, you’ve got a luscious batch of chocolate pudding WITHOUT cornstarch that’s ready to devour!

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Check out my DIY Halloween Dirt Cups video to see how this recipe is made!

Homemade Chocolate Pudding without Cornstarch

Yield: 10 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 5 minutes mins

Total Time: 20 minutes mins

How to make chocolate pudding from scratch without cornstarch, using cocoa powder and real chocolate.

5 stars (9 ratings)

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Ingredients

• ▢ ¼ cup all-purpose flour, or 1-to-1 gluten-free flour, if desired
• ▢ ½ cup granulated sugar, or coconut sugar/sweetener of choice
• ▢ 4 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• ▢ ¼ tsp salt
• ▢ 3 cups milk of choice, room temperature (separated into ½ cup and 2½ cups)
• ▢ 3 egg yolks, room temperature
• ▢ 5 oz ~⅔ cup dark or milk chocolate, finely chopped
• ▢ ½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions 

• Add flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt to a bowl and whisk to combine.
• Add ½ cup of milk and egg yolks one at a time, whisking to combine after each.
• Set aside.
• In a saucepan, add remaining 2½ cups of milk and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
• Once simmering lightly, remove from heat and slowly pour hot milk into cocoa mixture, whisking constantly to combine. (You don’t want to scramble the eggs!)
• Add entire mixture back into saucepan and return to the heat.
• Whisk constantly over medium-high until thickened, so the pudding leaves a “trail” as you whisk (2-3 minutes).
• Remove from heat and add chopped chocolate and vanilla, stirring until smooth.
• Transfer pudding into small containers and allow to cool. (It will thicken as it cools.)
• Serve chilled or at room temperature. Store in airtight container(s) in the fridge for 5-7 days.
• Enjoy on its own, or use to make DIY pudding dirt cups with crumbled Oreos and gummy worms!
• Yields 10 servings of pudding, in 4oz mason jars.

Serving: 4oz, Calories: 151kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 7g, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 18g

Author: Alyssia Sheikh

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

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