Make your own dry gluten free pudding mix, in chocolate or vanilla flavor. Add milk, cook for just a few minutes on the stovetop, and have pudding any time.
All you need is a well-stocked gluten free pantry, and you can make pretty much anything from scratch. Plus, you can control the amount of sugar.
These puddings are much more lightly sweet than the store-bought kind, and even though I have as much of a sweet tooth as the next person, I find packaged store-bought puddings to be simply tooth-achingly sweet.
Other uses for these pudding mixes
When I made gluten free chocolate poke cake, I needed an “instant” chocolate pudding. So I came up with the recipe for chocolate gluten free instant pudding you’ll find below.
I poured it over that chocolate cake—but it sat there on top. It was thick and rich, like proper chocolate pudding should be. But clearly it was too thick for that cake.
Since it was a D.I.Y., I just reworked the proportions and voilà! But today we’re back to those original proportions, and the pudding is perfect…for just being pudding that is ready in an instant.
How to prevent that pudding skin
There are two types of people in this world: those who hate pudding skin, and those who like it best. You know, that darker, thicker skin that develops on hot pudding as it cools…
If you don’t like pudding skin, there’s an easy way to prevent it. After you’ve poured the hot cooked pudding into serving containers, place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the top of the pudding. Once it’s mostly cooled, remove the plastic wrap, cover the top of the container, and refrigerate until set.
Dairy: milk and nonfat dry milk
You can use whatever milk you like to make the pudding, but if you use a nondairy milk, I find that the pudding is a bit thinner even when using nice, thick almond milk. Nondairy milk is usually not quite white, either, so the vanilla pudding will be a bit off-color (only literally, though!) if you use it for cooking the pudding.
I have used blanched almond flour in place of nonfat dry milk in the chocolate pudding, as it’s just a small amount, and it worked fine. In the vanilla pudding, the dry milk is such a major component, I would stick with nondairy milk powder, like coconut milk powder.
A note on thickeners
I know you were probably expecting cornstarch as a thickener, rather than my gum-free gluten free flour blend. But I rarely use cornstarch as a thickener, particularly something I am going to serve chilled, as it tends to “leak” liquid.
That ruins both the texture and the visual experience. You can use sweet rice flour in place of my simple basic gum-free flour blend, but I do prefer the blend. The sweet rice flour creates a better texture in warm mixtures than in chilled, but it will work better than cornstarch.
In simple recipes like these that have as few as 4 ingredients, making a drastic substitution is really like creating a brand new recipe. Keep in mind that these recipes, unlike custard-style pudding recipes, are naturally egg-free, which already makes them more allergy-friendly.
Like this recipe?
Prep time:Cook time:Yield:3/8 cup (vanilla) to 3/4 cup (chocolate) dry mix
Ingredients
Chocolate Pudding Dry Mix*
6 tablespoons (30 g) unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-processed is best, but natural works, too)
To Make Pudding (either flavor)
2 cups (16 fluid ounces) milk (any kind, including dairy-free)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Seeds of 1/2 vanilla bean (optional for vanilla pudding)
1 to 2 ounces chopped chocolate (optional for chocolate pudding)
Whipped cream and chocolate shavings, for serving (optional)
*Multiples: These recipes can be multiplied easily, so you always have dry pudding mix on hand. Double, triple and quadruple the dry mix at will. When you are ready to make a serving of pudding, measure out 117 grams (or about 3/4 cup) of the chocolate pudding dry mix or 121 grams (or about 3/8 cup) of the vanilla pudding mix, and proceed with the recipe as written.
Directions
To make either dry mix, place all of the ingredients for either mix in a large bowl and whisk to combine well. Store in a sealed glass container in a cool, dry location until ready to use.
To make chocolate pudding, place the dry mix in a medium-size heavy-bottom saucepan and whisk in about 1/2 cup of the milk until smooth and well-combined. Add the rest of the milk in a slow drizzle, whisking constantly to combine. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook, whisking frequently, until the mixture thickens enough for the whisk to leave a visible trail in the pudding (about 4 minutes). Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and optional chopped chocolate and mix until the chocolate is melted. Pour the hot pudding into a 2-cup heat-safe container or a few smaller, heat-safe containers. Allow to cool to room temperature before covering and placing in the refrigerator to chill until set (about an hour). To avoid a “pudding skin,” place plastic wrap directly on top of the warm pudding as it cools and then chills. Garnish with optional whipped cream and chocolate servings, and serve cold.
To make vanilla pudding, place the dry mix in a medium-size heavy-bottom saucepan and whisk in about 1/2 cup of the milk until smooth and well-combined. Add the rest of the milk in a slow drizzle, whisking constantly to combine. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add the optional vanilla seeds and cook, whisking frequently, until the mixture thickens enough for the whisk to leave a visible trail in the pudding (about 4 minutes). Remove from the heat, add the vanilla, and mix to combine. Pour the hot pudding into a 2-cup heat-safe container or a few smaller, heat-safe containers. Allow to cool to room temperature before covering and placing in the refrigerator to chill until set (about an hour). To avoid a “pudding skin,” place plastic wrap directly on top of the warm pudding as it cools and then chills. Garnish with optional whipped cream and chocolate servings, and serve cold.
Vanilla pudding powder! I can make my granny’s “Russischer Zupfkuchen” again!
Sandra
January 24, 2015 at 2:50 AM
Can this be made sugar free for diabetics?
Anneke
January 23, 2015 at 8:06 PM
These look great, Nicole! Thanks!
Jodie
January 23, 2015 at 5:53 PM
Yummy can’t wait to try these out
Melissa
January 23, 2015 at 5:00 PM
Could I use regular milk instead of dry milk?
Lorna
January 23, 2015 at 4:35 PM
Do you think maybe you could substitute coconut milk powder for the skin milk powder? I made some dairy free hot chocolate mix at Christmas and it used the coconut milk powder. I have never liked regular hot chocolate but I’m quite enjoying this! All my life I’ve had a real dislike for powdered milk and evaporated milk (okay cooked in something sometimes but….).
Rhonda
January 23, 2015 at 1:44 PM
Hi Nicole, I appreciate the why’s thrown in along with the how’s.
anna
January 23, 2015 at 1:13 PM
Yay!
Mare Masterson
January 23, 2015 at 1:10 PM
Am I glad you realized you really weren’t done with DIY Friday! This is awesome!
Leah Mengwasser
January 23, 2015 at 11:34 AM
Wondering if there is a way to make it GF and DF? Something to substitute instead of the dried milk? We use rice milk, as we can’t have dairy or nuts of any kind. Thank you.
Emily Howe
January 23, 2015 at 11:25 AM
Loving the DIY Fridays!! I was wondering if instant pudding can be made without using the stove / heat?
I remember using a Tupperware container to make pudding in. We would just add milk and shake, then put it in the fridge to set.
Jennifer S.
January 23, 2015 at 10:38 AM
wow – who knew these were so simple. So good to know. I’d rather make this stuff then the packaged stuff with so much gunk in it. you’re the best!
So simple, Jennifer! I think of boxed pudding like I do boxed cake mixes—kind of a very, very successful overreach on the part of big food companies. :)
Lucy
January 23, 2015 at 10:00 AM
Great recipes Nicole, love to see the DIY Friday back :)
HELLO! I’m Nicole! I make gluten-free food enjoyable & affordable. If they can make it with gluten, we can make it without. That’s a promise!
Comments are closed.
[…] Instant pudding mix. […]
Vanilla pudding powder! I can make my granny’s “Russischer Zupfkuchen” again!
Can this be made sugar free for diabetics?
These look great, Nicole! Thanks!
Yummy can’t wait to try these out
Could I use regular milk instead of dry milk?
Do you think maybe you could substitute coconut milk powder for the skin milk powder? I made some dairy free hot chocolate mix at Christmas and it used the coconut milk powder. I have never liked regular hot chocolate but I’m quite enjoying this! All my life I’ve had a real dislike for powdered milk and evaporated milk (okay cooked in something sometimes but….).
Hi Nicole, I appreciate the why’s thrown in along with the how’s.
Yay!
Am I glad you realized you really weren’t done with DIY Friday! This is awesome!
Wondering if there is a way to make it GF and DF? Something to substitute instead of the dried milk? We use rice milk, as we can’t have dairy or nuts of any kind. Thank you.
Loving the DIY Fridays!! I was wondering if instant pudding can be made without using the stove / heat?
I remember using a Tupperware container to make pudding in. We would just add milk and shake, then put it in the fridge to set.
wow – who knew these were so simple. So good to know. I’d rather make this stuff then the packaged stuff with so much gunk in it. you’re the best!
So simple, Jennifer! I think of boxed pudding like I do boxed cake mixes—kind of a very, very successful overreach on the part of big food companies. :)
Great recipes Nicole, love to see the DIY Friday back :)
Thanks, Lucy!