Chocolate Almond Milk Pudding
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.This Chocolate Almond Milk Pudding is my go-to dessert when I’m craving something rich and indulgent but want to keep it healthy. Made with creamy avocados, ripe bananas, and unsweetened cocoa powder, it’s a perfect balance of decadence and nutrition. The best part? It’s vegan, naturally sweetened, and incredibly easy to make.
I came up with this chocolate pudding with almond milk recipe after being inspired by my friend’s baby shower, where I wanted to bring a dessert that was both indulgent and secretly healthy. Much like my out-of-this-world creamy and smooth vegan vanilla pudding.
Watching everyone dig into their chocolatey treats while raving about how creamy and delicious they were (without a clue they were made with avocado!) was the highlight of the party. It’s now my go-to, guilt-free dessert that’s perfect for any celebration.
👩🏽🍳 Why I Love This Recipe
I love this recipe because it hits that sweet spot of indulgent and healthy, I mean seriously, it’s the best of both worlds. Chocolate pudding has always been my ultimate comfort dessert: it’s cozy, nostalgic, and impossible to resist.
But let’s be honest, traditional pudding is often too rich to enjoy regularly, not to mention it’s rarely vegan or healthy. That’s why I created this recipe! I wanted all the creamy, luscious decadence of chocolate pudding but in a version I could enjoy guilt-free. The secret ingredient? Avocado! It might sound surprising, but it transforms into the creamiest base for this almond milk chocolate pudding that’s vegan, gluten-free, and absolutely delicious. With just a handful of simple ingredients blended together, there’s no need for stovetop cooking or fancy techniques, it’s ready in less than 10 minutes! Plus, it’s naturally low in sugar and free from common allergens, making it perfect for picky eaters.
The combination of smooth avocado, rich cocoa, and a touch of maple syrup creates a dessert that tastes anything but “healthy.” Once you try it, I guarantee you’ll never go back to store-bought pudding.
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🥘 Ingredients
I make my chocolate almond milk pudding with simple, easy-to-find ingredients that come together beautifully. Here’s what I use to make it perfect:
Avocados: I use ripe avocados to give this pudding its dense, creamy texture without needing milk or cream. They’re the secret to making this dessert so rich and satisfying.
Banana: A ripe banana adds natural sweetness to this pudding. Depending on how sweet you like it, you can use half or a whole banana.
Unsweetened Almond Milk: I use one cup of unsweetened almond milk to keep the sugar low and let the chocolate shine.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Raw cocoa powder gives this pudding its rich chocolate flavor and a boost of antioxidants.
Swaps
Milk: Sometimes I swap almond milk with other plant-based options like coconut, soy, or oat milk. It’s so versatile and works perfectly with whatever I have in the fridge.
Sweetener: I usually go for maple syrup, but agave or honey (if you’re not keeping it vegan) works just as well. It’s easy to adjust the sweetness to your taste.
Extract: Vanilla is my go-to, but if I’m feeling adventurous, I’ll try almond extract for a nutty twist. It’s such a fun way to change things up.
Almond Butter (optional): I love adding almond butter for extra richness and nuttiness, but it’s totally optional. If you’re avoiding nuts, just leave it out, and it’s still delicious.
🔪 How To Make
I love making my healthy chocolate pudding with almond milk, especially knowing my kids are eagerly waiting and excited for their dessert! Here are my 3 simple steps to make it:
Prep Ingredients: I start by peeling and removing the seed from the avocados, then cutting them into chunks. Next, I peel the banana and cut it into chunks as well.
Add To A Blender: I add the avocado, banana, almond milk, dark cocoa powder, vanilla extract, almond butter, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt to my blender or food processor. Then, I blend it all together until it’s smooth and perfectly combined.
Transfer to Bowls and Serve: I use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to scoop the dark chocolate pudding into individual serving bowls. Then, I let it chill for at least 2-3 hours, the longer, the better! Before serving, I like to sprinkle a few chocolate shavings on top for a little extra flair. Then it’s time to dig in and enjoy!
💭 Expert Tips
My #1 Secret Tip for making the best Chocolate Almond Milk Pudding is to serve it super chilled. Trust me, the first time I made this, I skipped that step because I was too excited to dig in, and I could taste a hint of avocado. Once I let it chill properly, the creamy chocolate flavor completely took over, and it tasted like pure indulgence. Now, I always give it plenty of time to chill, it’s worth the wait!
Other Tips To Keep In Mind:
- Adjust the Sweetness: I like to adjust the amount of banana, honey, or maple syrup depending on how sweet and chocolatey I’m craving it. I always taste after blending and tweak it if needed.
- Banana Substitute: If you’re not a fan of banana, no worries! I often use 2-3 Medjool dates instead, and it works beautifully in this mousse.
- Don’t Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing this pudding because the texture changes once it defrosts. It’s best enjoyed fresh and chilled.
📖 Variations
This Chocolate Almond Milk Pudding is one of my favorites because it’s so versatile and easy to customize. These are my favorites:
Mocha Twist: I like to add 1/2 teaspoon of espresso powder to the pudding for a rich mocha flavor. It pairs perfectly with the chocolate.
Peanut Butter Swirl: For extra creaminess, I swirl in 1 tablespoon of peanut butter before chilling. It adds a delicious nutty flavor that my family loves.
Spicy Chocolate: Sometimes, I mix in 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper for a subtle spicy kick. It’s a fun twist that makes the chocolate flavor pop.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
My healthy chocolate banana pudding is a dream come true for dark chocolate lovers!
To serve: I divide the pudding into 6 ramekins or small bowls, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let it chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours. It’s best served cold (as I mentioned in my tips section), not at room temperature.
Toppings: I like to add shavings of dark chocolate, fresh fruit like sliced strawberries or raspberries, or even a sprinkle of chopped nuts for crunch. It’s such a versatile dessert, you can serve it as a showstopper at a dinner party or enjoy it as a guilt-free midday snack.
🧊 Storage Directions
Refrigeration: I loosely cover this almond milk mousse with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator. It stays fresh and delicious for up to 2 days!
❓Recipe FAQs
Not at all when it’s properly chilled! I always make sure to let it sit in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours so the chocolate and vanilla flavors really shine through.
As a nutritionist and certified health coach, I love how this chocolate almond pudding is packed with health benefits compared to traditional chocolate puddings made with milk and cream. It’s low in calories and sugar but high in fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, and nutrients, making it a dessert you can truly feel good about.
Thanks to the avocado, this pudding gets its rich, creamy texture without the extra calories or unhealthy fats. Avocado is full of monounsaturated fats, the good kind your body needs to support heart health and overall well-being.
Yes! I often make it a day in advance. Just store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and it will keep for up to 2 days.
🍫 More Healthy Chocolate Desserts!
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📋 Recipe Card
🎥 Watch How to Make It
Chocolate Almond Milk Pudding
Ingredients
- 2 avocados – peeled pitted, and cut into chunks
- ½-1 ripe banana peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- ¼ cup raw unsweetened cocoa powder or more to taste
- 2 tbsp maple syrup more to taste if needed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp almond butter optional
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- pinch salt
Equipment
Instructions
- Remove the peel and seed from the avocados. Cut into chunks.
- Peel the banana, and cut into chunks.
- Add the avocado, banana, almond milk, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, almond butter, cinnamon, and salt in a blender of food processor.
- Blend until smooth and everything is combined. Scoop into individual serving bowls and chill for a few hours. Then serve!
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for making the best Chocolate Almond Milk Pudding is to serve it super chilled. Trust me, the first time I made this, I skipped that step because I was too excited to dig in, and I could taste a hint of avocado. Once I let it chill properly, the creamy chocolate flavor completely took over, and it tasted like pure indulgence. Now, I always give it plenty of time to chill, it’s worth the wait!
- I like to adjust the amount of banana, honey, or maple syrup depending on how sweet and chocolatey I’m craving it. I always taste after blending and tweak it if needed.
- If you’re not a fan of banana, no worries! I often use 2-3 Medjool dates instead, and it works beautifully in this mousse.
- I don’t recommend freezing this pudding because the texture changes once it defrosts. It’s best enjoyed fresh and chilled.
Love this fantastic, healthy approach to pudding! I’ll be making this all the time.
Thank you so much!! Enjoy!
This pudding is healthy enough to eat for breakfast! I am so excited to make this tomorrow for Canadian Thanksgiving. Thank you so much for the recipe 🙂
It totally is!! I will often make it for my kids for breakfast and they love it! 🙂
Drooling over this delicious pudding. I am going to make this today.
Yay! I’m sure you will love it!
My 6yr old son loves when I buy the chocolate pudding worms in dirt but now I think I’m going to do this recipe instead!!!!!
Aw yay! I can’t wait to hear how he likes this recipe! 🙂
I would never have thought of using avocado to make a pudding. I am so excited to try this out. It looks amazing!
Thanks Patty!! Can’t wait to hear how it turns out for you!
Pudding sounds so amazing and very yummy! My family is going to love this recipe! Making this very soon.
Thanks Beth! I hope you all love it!
I love the idea for a healthy chocolate pudding. It looks amazing!
Thanks Biana! Enjoy!
So good yet healthy. Finally I get the flavours I like without all the bad sugars.
Totally!! You can literally have your cake and eat it too!
I love that this recipe uses all raw ingredients! I didn’t taste any avocado! It was creamy and chocolatey!
Yay! So happy to hear that Alison! 🙂
I love chocolate pudding just like you. But regular chocolate pudding isn’t healthy – I agree! But the recipe that you have shared is a very good substitute. I can’t wait to try out this recipe at my home. Thank you!
Thanks!! Enjoy!
A pinch of Ancho chili powder really elevates the taste. Sounds weird, but oh so good.
I do use the really dark, bumpy avocados-Haas variety? I find the thin skinned ones didn’t work quite as well.
I use coconut cream from the top of the can of coconut milk instead of the cup of almond milk.
The banana really took any hint of avocado away.
Makes a fab chocolate pie also. )
I took to a luncheon, served people who are on the typical SAD diet, and they loved it.
Great idea to add chili powder to this recipe! That reminds me of a Mexican Hot Chocolate recipe — chilis and chocolate go great together. I’ve used both types of avocados in this recipe and both have worked for me. I bet the coconut cream makes it super super creamy! It might increase the calories per serving though. Never thought to use it as a chocolate pie – I bet it would taste great! So glad you liked this recipe Lisa!
Thank you so much for this recipe! It was amazing, A perfect way to use up my extra milk from when I nursed my daughter, and a yummy healthy pudding for her to eat as well. It was amazing and easy and eating it straight from the blender I would never have known there were even avocados in it! So yummy!
Oh great!! I’m so glad you liked this recipe Sarah, love the idea of making it into baby food too! 🙂
Instead of cinnamon, you could put a pinch of cayenne for a little kick! 🙂 Great recipe. Thanks!
Great idea! Thanks for sharing Ashley!
Looks delicious! I could so eat a huge bowl of that chocolate pudding right now.
Haha thanks Spencer! Enjoy!
I really enjoyed this recipe. I have had another version that did not have banana, but also had organic apricots and mejool dates. Both are really tasty. I found the other version more chocolately, but I am enjoying this one too!
Thanks for the recipe!
Chloe
Thanks so much for sharing Chloe! I’m so glad you liked this recipe!
Mark Bittman has a Mexican chocolate tofu pudding that is a passable substitute for those who can’t have bananas.
https://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/mark-bittman/mexican-chocolate-tofu-pudding.html I don’t like it as well as the Healthy Raw Chocolate Pudding. 😉
Oh good to know, thanks for sharing April!