Vegan Pudding
You’ll love this vegan pudding recipe with options for vegan vanilla pudding and an easy vegan chocolate pudding. Made with only five ingredients, this pudding is so easy to make. Serve your pudding in fancy glasses with a dollop of vegan whipped cream on top!
Oh, how I love creamy pudding. Are you with me? For example, this vegan chia pudding is so creamy and divine. This vegan creme brulee is another go-to favorite.
I just get a thrill dipping that spoon in for each bite, especially when there’s some vegan whipped cream involved! Sometimes I’ve been known to crumble an ice cream cone or add some peanut butter granola on top.
It’s all so good!
How to Make Vegan Pudding
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
- Stir together the sugar and cornstarch and then pour it into the saucepan.
- Add cocoa powder if making chocolate pudding.
- Slowly stir in the plant-based milk.
- Stir occasionally while bringing it to a low boil, then reduce heat and simmer until thickened.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and vegan butter.
- Transfer to serving dishes and refrigerate until cool.
- Top with your favorite topping, such as coconut whipped cream.
Key Ingredients
- Lemon — We’ll use both the zest and the juice of the lemon.
- Oats — I used rolled oats for this recipe, but you can substitute instant oats.
- Chia — We’ll add some ground chia seeds to create a thicker texture. You can use whole chia seeds; I just prefer ground because it creates a smoother finished texture.
- Syrup — I used maple syrup, but you can substitute agave nectar.
- Milk — We’ll use almond milk for the best overnight oats! Substitute your favorite plant-based milk.
- Yogurt — I love adding some plant-based yogurt (plain, unsweetened) for an even more tangy flavor.
- Protein Powder — I add some vanilla protein powder for increased flavor and nutrients. If your protein powder is not sweetened, you may want to add an extra teaspoon or two of sweetener.
- Cornstarch — We’ll use cornstarch to thicken the lemon curd topping.
- Turmeric — A pinch of turmeric makes that lemon curd sunny yellow.
- Sugar — We’ll be using granulated sugar (see below for sugar options).
- Cornstarch — This is my favorite thickener for the perfect pudding texture. You can substitute arrowroot powder, but I find the texture is different.
- Plant-based milk — Use your favorite plant-based milk, such as oat milk, soy milk, pecan milk, vegan evaporated milk, cashew milk, and more!
- Vegan butter — We’ll add buttery-rich flavor with a bit of vegan butter.
- Vanilla extract — For vegan vanilla pudding, you’ll stop with this ingredient. Note: If your plant-based milk is already vanilla-flavored, you may not need to add any vanilla extract.
- Cocoa powder — If you want vegan chocolate pudding, add some cocoa powder with the sugar and cornstarch. Or go super rich and ad some dairy-free chocolate chips!
Vegan Pudding Sugar Options
If you’re worried about your vegan pudding being too sweet, I have options for you. You can try different sugar ratios, such as:
- For a less sweet pudding, reduce sugar to 1/2 cup.
- For refined sugar-free pudding, substitute 1/2 cup maple syrup.
- Another refined sugar alternative would be to substitute 1/2 cup pitted dates. Cook them along with the rest of the ingredients in the saucepan. Then run it all through a food processor until smooth.
- For sugar-free pudding, start with 1/4 cup of your favorite zero-calorie sweetener. After the pudding cools and you can taste it, add more to taste if necessary.
Why This Recipe is a Winner
- EASY — This vegan pudding is so easy; it’s made with only five ingredients!
- VERSATILE — Add your favorite flavorings, such as cocoa powder, vegan butterscotch, and more.
- DECADENT — It may be made with simple plant-based milk, but this pudding is so decadent and delicious!
Frequently-Asked Questions
Is instant pudding vegan?
Some store-bought vegan puddings are accidentally vegan. Always check the labels to make sure no animal-based products are included. I recommend using a little bit less plant-based milk than what is recommended on the box, to make sure you get thick pudding.
Can you freeze pudding?
Most puddings are freezer-friendly. Transfer it to a freezer-safe container, then allow the pudding to cool completely before freezing.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this vegan pudding with dollops and drizzles of any of the following:
Storage Tips
Cover pudding and refrigerate for up to 5 days. You can freeze it in freezer-safe containers. Let it cool completely before freezing. To thaw, sit in the fridge overnight or sit it out at room temperature for several hours.
Vegan Pudding Recipes
You love this vegan pudding. Now it’s time to try even more tasty pudding recipes:
That’s it for this tasty vegan pudding recipe. Enjoy!
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Vegan Pudding
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar (see notes)S
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 ½ cups plant-based milk (see notes)
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vegan Chocolate Pudding
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
Instructions
- Place a saucepan over medium heat. Stir together the sugar and cornstarch and then pour it into the sacepan. (Add cocoa powder if making chocolate pudding).
- Slowly stir in the plant-based milk. Continue to stir while bringing it to a low boil. Reduce heat slightly and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until thickened.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in vanilla extract and vegan butter.
- Transfer to serving dishes and refrigerate until cool.
- Top with your favorite topping such as coconut whipped cream.
Recommended Equipment
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Notes
Sugar
You can try different sugar options, such as:- For reduced sugar pudding, reduce sugar to 1/2 cup.
- For refined sugar-free pudding, substitute 1/2 cup maple syrup.
- Another refined sugar alternative would be to substitute 1/2 cup pitted dates. Cook them along with the rest of the ingredients in the saucepan. Then run it all through a food processor until smooth.
- For sugar-free pudding, start with 1/4 cup of your favorite zero-calorie sweetener. After the pudding cools and you can taste it, add more to taste if necessary.
Plant-Based Milk
You can use your favorite plant-based milk, such as oat milk, soy milk, almond milk, etc.The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Made this for my kids – they loved it. Thanks!
Delicious pudding!