Super silky, oh so creamy vegan chocolate pudding that you'd never guess was dairy-free... and it's made from a surprise ingredient. You have to try this decadent dessert to believe it!
This is one of those recipes that I've been making forever, but I rarely actually make. Why's that? I can't have it around. It's seriously delicious and dangerously addictive.
Having said that, I don't feel as bad about eating this vegan chocolate pudding as I might with some desserts. Don't get me wrong: it's decadent. It's as rich and chocolaty as a slice of vegan chocolate torte, as decadent as vegan tiramisu, and even creamier than my vegan custard. Definitely a dessert and not a snack. But it's totally vegan, and guess what the main ingredient is? Tofu! Silken tofu, to be more specific.
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Silken tofu has a very different texture from the firm or extra firm tofu that you're probably used to using in savory recipes. There's so much you can do with it, as evidenced by this delicious collection of vegan silken tofu recipes.
And this pudding is one of my favorite treats to make with silken tofu. Here's how it's done!
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Ingredients You'll Need
Below you'll find a list of ingredients in this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe, including the amount of each ingredient.
- Vegan chocolate chips. I use Enjoy Life Brand, which is available at many regular supermarkets. You'll find lots more options if you check out a place like Whole Foods.
- Silken tofu. Some brands of silken tofu offer soft and firm varieties. Either will work for this recipe, though firm will give you a slightly thicker pudding. You can also use shelf-stable or refrigerated silken tofu — you'll just need to bring it to room temperature if it's been in the fridge.
- Cocoa powder.
- Maple syrup. Another liquid sweetener such as agave could be substituted if desired.
- Vanilla extract.
- Salt.
How It's Made
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
Step 1: Melt the chocolate chips. The easiest way to do this is to microwave them in a bowl in 30-second increments, stirring between each increment. You could also melt them on the stove using a double boiler if that's how you roll. Either way, be careful not to overheat the chocolate, which can cause it to seize and become clumpy.
Step 2: Load the food processor. Fit the bowl with an S-blade, then add all of the ingredients, including the melted chocolate.
Step 3: Blend. Blend everything until smooth. Feel free to taste-test the mixture and make adjustments if you'd like. This could mean more maple syrup, vanilla, or salt.
Step 4: Enjoy. You can enjoy your pudding right away if you want, but it's best if you chill it for a bit. It will thicken as it sits in the fridge.
Tip: This pudding is very thick and rich! If you prefer a thinner pudding, try adding a little non-dairy milk, such as almond milk or soy milk.
Variations
- Mocha chocolate pudding. Stir a small amount (up to a teaspoon) of instant coffee or espresso powder into the melted chocolate.
- Add nut butter. This pudding is absolutely heavenly with an added spoonful of peanut butter or almond butter.
- Add flavor extracts. Just a tiny bit will do! Flavors that pair well with chocolate include almond, coconut, hazelnut, and peppermint, to name a few.
- Add spices. Add some warming spices like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger.
Tip: Want to use this pudding in a pie filling? My vegan chocolate pie recipe does just that, with a few tweaks to ensure the results are perfect!
Shelf-Life & Storage
Vegan chocolate pudding will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 days. I don't recommend freezing it, as freezing alters the texture of tofu.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is!
You definitely don't need to press it. Silken tofu isn't suited for pressing (read my tutorial on how to press tofu for more details). There usually also isn't much water in the package to drain, but you can certainly discard the little bit that is in there. (It's no big deal either way though!)
Silken tofu pudding works best with chocolate. Give one of my other pudding recipes a try, like my vegan rice pudding, vegan tapioca pudding, or vegan butterscotch pudding.
You should be able to make it work in most blenders, but will probably need to do quite a bit of starting and stopping the blender, scraping down the sides, and generally moving things around with a spatula.
More Vegan Chocolate Desserts
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📖 Recipe
Creamy Vegan Chocolate Pudding
Ingredients
- â…” cup vegan chocolate chips
- 1 (12 ounce / 340 gram) package silken tofu, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl by microwaving in 30-second increments, stirring between each increment. (Note 1)
- Place the tofu, melted chocolate chips, cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla extract and salt into the bowl of a food processor fitted with an s-blade.
- Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Taste-test and add more maple syrup and/or salt, if desired.
- Serve, or transfer the pudding to a sealable container and chill for up to 3 days (I prefer this pudding chilled).
Notes
- If you prefer not to microwave, you can melt them on the stove in a double boiler.
- Recipe makes about 2 cups of pudding.
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I love this! Thank you!
I’ve made this twice and it’s absolutely delicious. I do have a question though. Is there any way to make it less dodgy so it’s a little creamier?
I'm glad you're enjoying it! You could try a different type of silken tofu. Some brands make it in firm and soft varieties, and a soft one would give you a creamier pudding. You could also try adding a bit of non-dairy milk - just make sure it's at room temperature.
I’ve made lots of your recipes and they all came out great — except for this one. The texture was perfect, but no matter how much maple syrup I added, it still tasted kind of bitter. I used semi-sweet chips and unsweetened cocoa — is that where I went wrong? Thanks.
Sorry to hear that! It doesn't sound like you did anything wrong, but one way you could tweak the recipe to mellow out the flavor is to try using Dutch processed cocoa. It's alkalized, so it's less bitter than regular cocoa powder!
I tried making this but could not make it smooth enough. It seems like a temperature issue of the melted chocolate mixing with the cold tofu. Is the tofu supposed to be room temperature, or the melted chocolate supposed to be cooled?
I just made this and had to stop myself from eating the whole bowl! I can’t believe how good this is - so glad I doubled the recipe!
Which consistency of silken tofu do you use for this -- soft, firm, or extra firm?
This is delicious! Thanks so much for the recipe!
So good and so easy. I am pregnant and having massive sugar cravings, but I am trying not to eat total junk food. I made this hoping that it could satisfy dessert cravings while providing some nutrition. And it really hits the spot! I am not vegan, so I used regular chocolate chips. I was afraid the maple syrup would make it taste maple-y, but I couldn't even taste it once it was all combined. Delicious!
Hi Alissa, this recipe (and your blog in general) looks amazing!
I just wondered whether you think it would be possible to make a peanut butter version of this subbing the melted chocolate for PB and the cocoa powder for powdered PB? I'd love to make a 'Reeses' style mish-mash of both but don't want to waste ingredients.
Thanks!
Thank you! I do think that would work! You'll probably also want to add some sweetener - a liquid like maple syrup should work well. The substitutions might not be exact, so I'd try adding a bit of each ingredient at a time, blending, and then taste-testing.
Could coco powder be subbed for the chips?
I tried that once (it was years ago) and if I remember correctly the texture wasn't great - maybe a bit on the chalky side. The melted chips also help thicken it up, so it could be a bit on the runny side without them.
Wow! Just finished making this and will serve it tonight for dessert. I love the velvety creamy texture and am still shocked it has tofu in it. Love your blog and thank you so much for sharing yet another amazing recipe.
Yay! I'm so glad you like it! Thanks so much Nan!
I am afraid you and I are going to have to part ways. I LOVE chocolate and I love desserts - but I am allergic to soy. Also allergic to peanuts, and I think the 2 are relatives. I hate drooling as I start reading a recipe, only to find there is that pesky tofu word again!
What can be substituted for tofu?
Avocado makes a great chocolate pudding! I'd guess 2 or 3 avocados, plus some non-dairy milk to thin everything out would work in this recipe.
Can you use the silken tofu in the dairy case of the hard to find non refrigerator one?????
Either one will work. :)
I hate traditional frosting (which I've been told makes me a weirdo). Something about eating pure butter (or Earth Balance)and sugar grosses me out. I do love coconut whipped cream as frosting, but find it finicky and difficult to work with. Do you think this recipe would hold up as frosting? It looks pretty thick and sturdy. Thanks! Ivy
It is pretty sturdy and I think it would work! I'd definitely use firm silken tofu if you can find it - Mori Nu is the brand I usually use. Enjoy!
What bout a pie? Is it thick enough
It is thick enough, but I actually prefer a slightly thicker version for pie. The recipe for that is here: https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/vegan-chocolate-pie/
When you said secret ingredient, I knew it was tofu. I'm really liking soft, smooth, silken tofu in desserts lately. The texture is so creamy. This will be an easy and yummy dessert for when company comes over.
I've actually served this one to company myself and people are always shocked that it contains tofu. :) I hope you enjoy it!