With simple ingredients, zero cooking, and a method that takes about 2 minutes total, this Chocolate Avocado Pudding is a yummy dessert to share with the kids. It’s also low in added sugars yet super creamy and so delicious!
Making pudding with a base of avocado has become a thing in recent years and while I was initially skeptical, I’m here to tell you that this treat is GOOD. The avocado adds richness and a super creamy texture—and combined with cocoa powder and a little sweetener, it’s a no-cook pudding that’s incredibly easy to blend up.
Making pudding with a base of avocado has become a thing in recent years and while I was initially skeptical, I’m here to tell you that this treat is GOOD. The avocado adds richness and a super creamy texture—and combined with cocoa powder and a little sweetener, it’s a no-cook pudding that’s incredibly easy to blend up.
It’s great plain or with fruit like fresh raspberries and is delicious chilled. And yes, it has healthy fats from the avocado, but we love it mostly because it’s fast and yummy. Plus, since it’s sweetened with just a little maple syrup, it’s a perfect chocolate pudding recipe to share with the kids.
You can also freeze it into Fudge Pops or just freeze the mixture into little bites by adding it to an ice cube tray or silicone mold.
(You may also like my Vegan Chocolate Mousse, Chocolate Muffins, and Mini Chocolate Chip Muffins.)
Table of Contents
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Ingredients You Need
There are a few variations among other recipes online and I’ve tried this Chocolate Avocado Pudding a few ways and feel like I’ve landed on the mix of ingredients that’s easiest and that tastes the best—because you actually don’t want to taste the avocado (and sometimes you can, in my experience trying out other recipes). You’ll need:
- Ripe avocado: Ripe avocado will make the creamiest pudding. You can also use frozen avocado, just let it thaw mostly first so that it blends easily in the blender.
- Plain whole milk Greek yogurt: This type of yogurt helps to ensure that the pudding is super creamy. You can use a Greek-style nondairy yogurt if needed, too, to make this dairy-free. Or coconut cream or full-fat coconut milk. (I wouldn’t use nondairy milk like almond milk or oat milk in place of the yogurt as it won’t be as creamy.)
- Cocoa powder: I use unsweetened cocoa powder to add chocolate flavor and typically buy Hershey’s Special Dark. Honestly, you can use any that you like the flavor of—the recipe is fairly flexible (though some cocoa powders are more bitter than others). You can also use cacao powder.
- Maple syrup: I like to add a little maple syrup to balance out the flavor of the avocado and the cocoa powder. If you want to make this without any added sugars, you can use ½ of a very ripe banana instead.
- Pure vanilla extract: Adding vanilla extract helps to ensure that the mixture tastes like pudding.
- Optional: You can also add a ripe banana, more maple syrup, and/or a little powdered sugar if needed for a sweeter flavor.
TIP: You can use honey if you prefer, but always avoid honey for babies under 1. Agave also works.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at how to make this Chocolate Avocado Pudding recipe. Scroll down to see the full information!
- Add the ingredients to a blender
- Blend it smooth. (You can also use a food processor.)
- Taste and adjust the sweetness if needed. Note that this mellows slightly in flavor after it sits in the fridge, so you can make this a little ahead for the best results.
- Serve.
TIP: If you use a blender regularly, I highly suggest getting yourself a blender spatula. It’s thin and easy to get into the base of the blender to get all of the good stuff out!
Best Tips for Success
- Use a ripe avocado that’s soft, yet not brown on the inside.
- Taste the pudding before you serve it and adjust the sweetness if needed. You can add more maple syrup, a little powdered sugar, or even blend in a very ripe banana.
- Use unsweetened cocoa powder, such as Hershey’s Special Dark.
- Top with sprinkles if you’d like.
- Start with a small portion since it’s rich and the kids may not want a ton (or maybe they will, but if you start with a smaller portion, you may get some too!)
- This is best on the day you make it, though you can store it in the fridge for 24 hours in an airtight container. If any liquid separates out, simply stir it up.
- Note that the flavor mellows out a little after it sits in the fridge so you can make it a little ahead if desired.
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I’d love to hear if you try this recipe, so please comment below to share!
Easy Chocolate Avocado Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 medium avocado, pit and peel discarded (about ½ cup avocado flesh)
- 1/2 cup whole milk Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Equipment
Video
Notes
- Use a ripe avocado that’s soft, yet not brown on the inside.
- Taste the pudding before you serve it and adjust the sweetness if needed.
- Use unsweetened cocoa powder, such as Hershey’s Special Dark.
- Add 1-2 tablespoons smooth almond butter (or sunflower seed butter) for extra creaminess.
- Top with sprinkles if you’d like.
- Start with a small portion since it’s rich and the kids may not want a ton (or maybe they will, but if you start with a smaller portion, you may get some too!).
Nutrition
This post was first published February 2020.
I made this for myself tonight…. so good! I’m not normally an avocado fan, but you can’t taste it at all in this. My kids are only 3.5 and 1 right now, but I look forward to making this for them as they get more into preschool/school age. 🙂
Love this recipe! My 2 year old devours it and then I have an excuse to eat chocolate and tell myself I’m really eating a vegetable! It’s really great if you stir raspberries into it!
This was super easy to make, and so delicious! My two-year-old son never had pudding before, and it was so wonderful to be able to offer him a healthy version of chocolate pudding, and to see him enjoy it so much! My husband is a fan too and already asked me to make more.
I love this! I’m almost seven months pregnant and tested it out on myself initially—I’m ashamed to admit I’ve made it several times since the first go and have yet to share it with my family. XD I’m using the I’m pregnant excuse for as long as possible… 😉 But I WILL share someday. 🙂 Thanks for posting!
Can you freeze it?
You can freeze it into popsicles! If you thaw it completely, it may have some liquid that comes off so stir it well.
Love your recipes. Can you please link the rxact same rainbow sprinkles that are shown in the picture?
They’re called Rainbow Nonpareils and are usually in all grocery stores!
Can I give it to 16 month old?
Sure!
The video shows using almond butter, but it’s not in the recipe. Is it part of this, and if so, how much should I use?
Thanks! I LOVEEEEEEE your recipes for my twin 2 year olds! 🙂
It’s listed as an optional addition in the Notes—you can add 1-2 tablespoons if you’d like. Enjoy and I’m so glad!
Our family does not like avocado. How can I make this without it. Plus I think the avocado could make it bitter
You could try leaving it out and using twice as much of the almond butter. The texture may not be the same though.
Can you use honey instead of syrup?
Yes!
How do you think this would do without dairy – using dairy free yogurt or some sort? Worth it?
Diary-free yogurt should work exactly the same. The thicker the better, and if you can pick one with a flavor you like, that will help too. (Siggis makes some nice plant-based ones.)
Mine was also bitter unfortunately. I read the other comments beforehand so decreased to 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (hershey’s) and I increased to 3 tbsp maple syrup. It still came out bitter. I wonder if decreasing the amount of whole greek yogurt would help.
I’m honestly not sure what’s causing it. I made it over the weekend (with SACO) and it wasn’t bitter. I guess it’s possible the flavor of the specific yogurt could contribute? It’s frustrating to not be able to pinpoint it!
Yep mine too! Looked so lovely too! Maybe a sweetened yoghurt?
Ours was rich. I wouldn’t say bitter. I think rich covers the intensity of the cocoa. My son and husband licked their spoons as we sat and chatted. Both said they were done but kept licking tiny bites. I think I will try and adjust to a lower cocoa amount next time but now that we know I think that our expectations will be set as well. My son ate his accompanies by a peanut butter spoon which also gave his pallet a break between bites.
Thanks for the feedback!
I made this but it was very bitter. Was it my cocoa powder?
It’s possible. Did you try adjusting the sweetener a little?
I also tried this and it was very bitter.
Since the flavor of cocoa powder can vary, you’ll need to adjust the sweetener accordingly. I hope that helps!
Can you substitute cacao powder?
Yes, that should be just fine