Dark Chocolate Pudding

Pudding is the unsung hero of easy-to-whip-up desserts, but once you take a bite of this Dark Chocolate Pudding, you won't overlook it again. This easy recipe uses common kitchen ingredients, takes only about 15 minutes to put together, and is ridiculously good.

This Dark Chocolate Pudding recipe and I go way back. I've been making a version of it for nearly 15 years, and it's been the starting point for all of my pudding recipes (like my Vanilla Pudding, Butterscotch Pudding and Pistachio Pudding). The original recipe I used to make I *think* came from Gourmet magazine (RIP), but all these years later the exact recipe I started with has been lost. Like all "heirloom" recipes, it has morphed and changed over the years as I've made it my own.

This Dark Chocolate Pudding recipe uses a straightforward technique (no egg tempering required!) and uses common pantry staples. While I do dive a little deeper into the best type of chocolate to use below, at its heart, this is a simple recipe with a simply delicious outcome.

So, let's get to making it, shall we? The article below details all the information you need to know to make this successfully, concluding with the recipe at the end. You can jump around using the menu below, or skip to the end of the article for the full recipe.

Jump to:

• Ingredients Needed and Substitutions
• What Type of Chocolate to Use
• Bar Chocolate vs. Chocolate Chips
• How to Make It
• Tips for Success
• After the Pudding is Made
• Serving Chocolate Pudding
• More Chocolate Recipes
• Full Recipe

Ingredients Needed and Substitutions

Here is a brief overview of the ingredients needed. The recipe card lists the full recipe with quantities and detailed instructions (located below this article).

• sugar
• cornstarch (this has just enough cornstarch to thicken the pudding, but not so much that it's going to set firm, so if you want to use this for a pie, you'll have to adjust the recipe to make the filling firmer)
• cocoa powder (I prefer to use Dutch-processed cocoa powder in this recipe, for a more rounded flavor, but natural cocoa powder is also fine for deep, slightly bitter chocolate flavor)
• espresso powder (this is optional, but deepens the chocolate flavor)
• coarse kosher salt (this recipe was tested using Diamond Crystal coarse kosher salt. If you use Morton's kosher salt or fine salt, decrease by about half for volume, or use the same amount by weight.)
• egg yolks
• whole milk
• dark chocolate (see more on this below)
• unsalted butter
• vanilla extract
• optional whipped cream: heavy cream + sour cream

What Type of Chocolate to Use

This recipe calls for dark or bittersweet chocolate. The cacao percentage for dark chocolate can vary, but somewhere in the 60%-80% range is good. Basically, use a dark chocolate you like the taste of. The sugar in the recipe balances the bittersweet chocolate, resulting in a deeply chocolatey flavor.

It is possible to use semisweet chocolate if that is all that is available, but it will result in a sweeter pudding.

Bar Chocolate vs. Chocolate Chips

In an ideal world, when baking or cooking with chocolate (see: French Silk Pie), it is best to use a pure chocolate bar from a high-quality brand. A pure chocolate or baking bar is best because it doesn't contain additives that help it keep its shape like chocolate chips do.

However, it's not always a perfect world, and we don't always have whole bars of high-quality chocolate hanging around when the craving for chocolate pudding strikes.

So, if you want to make the best dark chocolate pudding, use a whole chocolate bar that has been chopped up very finely. If in a pinch, use high-quality chocolate chips. By high-quality, I mean I don't recommend making this with something like Nestle. Instead, I recommend brands like Ghirardelli, Guittard or Callebaut.

How to Make It

This pudding is made all in one pot and doesn’t require any fussy tempering of the eggs (hooray!).

Here is a quick visual overview of the steps needed to make this recipe. This is not the actual recipe, which is located at the end of this article and has much greater detail to ensure success.

Tips for Success

1. Make sure to have both a rubber spatula and a whisk handy. I swap between using them while I’m cooking the pudding to make sure I’m getting all the mixture out of the crevices of the pot while also whisking to ensure an even cook.
2. Take your time whisking the egg yolks and milk into the dry ingredients. The instructions call to add just some of the milk at first and whisking until the mixture is smooth. If you pour in all of the milk at once, it can be hard to get clumps out. The pudding is strained at the end to avoid any clumps in the final product, but it helps to avoid clumping from the beginning.
3. Don’t walk away from the pudding while it's cooking. It takes at most 10 minutes to cook. Also, it’s especially important to stir almost constantly in the beginning when you are cooking it to ensure no egg yolks stick to the bottom of the pot and scramble.

After the Pudding is Made

After cooking, the pudding needs about 3 hours to chill and finish setting up. Though, if you want to eat it warm, go for it! Do note: the pudding will taste sweeter when served warm vs. chilled.

Know that this pudding is on the thinner side. If you want to use it as a pie filling, add an additional tablespoon of cornstarch to the recipe. Or, follow this recipe for a full guide on how to make Chocolate Cream Pie.

If you aren't making a pie, you can serve the pudding portioned into individual serving dishes, or simply left in the bowl it was strained into.

To prevent a skin from forming on top of the pudding, cover its surface with plastic wrap while it's still warm.

After the pudding has fully chilled, it may take on a jiggly consistency. For a creamier texture, gently whisk the chilled pudding to aerate it and achieve your desired creaminess.

Serving Chocolate Pudding

Pudding is best eaten within 1-2 days of being made, but it will last up to 3 days. As the days go on, the pudding might release some moisture. This is fine to consume, just stir it back into the pudding before serving.

Go ahead and put a big dollop of unsweetened whipped cream onto this pudding. I paired this recipe with a tangy whipped cream that contrasts the dark chocolate flavor. It's optional, but you won't regret making it. The pudding can also be served with some cookie crumbles if you want to add a textural contrast!

More Chocolate Recipes

I am so honored when you make a recipe from my site! If you make this Dark Chocolate Pudding, please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating with your experience! If you have any questions about this recipe, feel free to comment here, and tag me on Instagram!