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!

A bowl of vegan chocolate pudding has whipped cream on top. It sits in front of another bowl of pudding and a bowl of chocolate chips.

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.

  1. Stir together the sugar and cornstarch and then pour it into the saucepan.
  2. Add cocoa powder if making chocolate pudding.
  3. Slowly stir in the plant-based milk.
    Milk is being poured into a saucepan with a cocoa powder mixture.
  4. Stir occasionally while bringing it to a low boil, then reduce heat and simmer until thickened. 
    Dairy-free pudding is being stirred in a saucepan.
  5. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and vegan butter.
    Vegan butter is being stirred into a saucepan with other pudding ingredients.
  6. Transfer to serving dishes and refrigerate until cool.
  7. Top with your favorite topping, such as coconut whipped cream.

Key Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe, including substitution ideas:

  • 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.
Looking down into a spoon in a bowl of vegan pudding with whipped cream on top.

What Makes This Recipe Shine?

  • 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.

A hand holds a spoonful of vegan chocolate pudding topped with whipped cream. It hovers over a serving dish full of pudding.

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!

Looking down into a spoon in a bowl of vegan pudding with whipped cream on top.

Vegan Pudding

Serve this creamy vegan pudding with some dairy-free whipped cream on top. It's a delicious dessert that everyone loves!
5 from 6 votes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes
Resting time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 26 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 257kcal

Ingredients

  • 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

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

(The products above contain sponsored links to products we use and recommend)

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. 
Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 104mg | Potassium: 268mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 582IU | Calcium: 196mg | Iron: 1mg

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.

2 Responses to Vegan Pudding

  1. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyPatricia Reply

    5 stars
    Made this for my kids – they loved it. Thanks!

  2. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyKay Reply

    5 stars
    Delicious pudding!

Rate / Comment

Your email address will not be published.

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.