Dairy-Free Chocolate Pudding Pops Recipe with Carob Option

Do you remember Jell-O Pudding Pops? Perhaps I’m aging myself, but it’s worth the nostalgia to introduce this wonderful homemade recipe for dairy-free chocolate pudding pops! Unlike many recipes, this one is from scratch, with a quick homemade vegan pudding that doesn’t come from a box. It even includes carob and chocolate-coconut options.

Dairy-Free Chocolate Pudding Pops that are Simply Homemade

This dairy-free chocolate pudding pops recipe was originally shared with us by Whole Foods, way back in 2006! We’ve since updated the recipe, added more options, and even have some ingredient tips and substitutions.

Starch Options: If you need a corn-free recipe, you can substitute arrowroot or tapioca starch for the cornstarch.

Milk Beverage: Richer milk beverages will produce the best results, so don’t shy away from varieties that are higher in fat. You can alternatively use lite canned coconut milk for a creamier finish.

Chocolate Tips: For a richer chocolate finish, you can increase the chocolate chips up to 1 cup. For more chocolatiness without more density, opt for a chocolate milk beverage. To locate your perfect chocolate or carob chips, see our Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips Guide.

Special Diet Notes: Chocolate Pudding Pops

By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, plant-based, and vegetarian. Just be sure to pick the milk beverage and chocolate or carob chips that suit your dietary needs.

Dairy-Free Chocolate Pudding Pops (Carob Option)

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

20 mins

Please note that the Prep time is hands-on time specifically. This is a great make ahead recipe, since the pudding needs to cool and the pops freeze overnight. Also, the yield depends on the size of your pop mold!

Author: Whole Foods

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Serves: 8 pudding pops

Ingredients

⅓ cup non-GMO cornstarch
Pinch sea salt
3 cups dairy-free milk beverage (original, vanilla, or chocolate), divided
⅓ cup sugar or sucanat
½ cup dairy-free chocolate chips or carob chips (see post above for chocolate options)
½ to 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract, to taste

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with salt. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the milk beverage, until smooth.
In a medium saucepan, whisk together the remaining 2 cups milk beverage and sugar, and add the chocolate or carob chips. Place the pan over medium-high heat. Cook, whisking frequently, until the mixture is smooth and hot, but not boiling. Reduce the heat to medium.
Give the starch mixture a quick whisk, and then whisk it into the saucepan. Continue to cook and whisk constantly until the mixture thickens completely, about 3 to 5 minutes. It will coat a wooden spoon with thick, hot pudding.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the extract.
Let the pudding cool completely, to room temperature.
Spoon the cooled pudding into popsicle molds and freeze overnight.
Run the outside of the molds under hot tap water for just a few seconds to loosen pudding pops for easier removal..

Notes

Coconut Option: Use coconut milk beverage and 2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut in with the extract.