This Easy Vegan Chocolate Pudding recipe gives pudding a makeover with almond milk, cacao powder and naturally sweet Medjool dates.

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Before I get to the healthy dessert recipe today, I have to share a Chicago story about chocolate. I work downtown in the Loop, and several times a week I get a strong whiff of chocolate walking to and from the L. When I saw it’s strong, I mean it – the scent is similar to opening the oven in your kitchen to a baking pan of brownies. The chocolate smell comes from Blommer Chocolate Company, located downtown in the West Loop.

This phenomenon has been written about many times {WBEZ; Chicago Tribune; and Fodor’s Travel}. Someone even created a Daily Chicago Chocolate Smell Map to track the odor. Whenever I smell the Blommer factory, a chocolate craving inevitably hits. I finally have a healthy snack to answer for this – Superfood Vegan Chocolate Pudding!

I was home visiting my family last week, and I had the urge to create a new healthy snack recipe. While perusing my mom’s cupboard, I found Cacao Powder, a version of raw unsweetened chocolate that is considered a “superfood.” Cacao powder contains flavonoids, which may help lower blood pressure and blood flow to the brain/heart. {source} I decided to make this  pudding in individual serving cups, using vegan milk.

Instead of processed or refined sugar, this pudding is sweetened naturally with Medjool dates. To create a very creamy pudding consistency, I pureed pitted dates in a blender with unsweetened vanilla almond milk prior to cooking the pudding on the stovetop.

I hope you enjoy this delicious vegan pudding!

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Easy Vegan Chocolate Pudding

A vegan chocolate pudding recipe.

Servings 9 people

Ingredients

• 5 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 6 tbsp cornstarch
• 8 dates {pitted}
• 3 tbsp cacao powder OR unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Puree dates with almond milk in a blender, until smooth.

2. Remove the milk/date mixture and whisk in cacao powder for ~2 minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract.

3. Divide the liquid mixture in half - to one half, add 3 Tablespoons of cornstarch. Add the other half to the stovetop in a pan on medium low.

4. When the liquid comes to a simmer, add the rest of the cornstarch and whisk until smooth. Add the other half of the liquid mixture and continue cooking.

5. Whisk every few minutes to ensure the pudding stays smooth. Continue cooking on medium low for ~10 minutes, until the mixture comes to a boil and begins to thicken.

6. Turn the heat to low and continue cooking for at least ~5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

7. Pour pudding into ramekins. Chill in the refrigerator, covered, for at least 2 hours.

{Adapted from hell yeah it’s vegan! – Vegan Chocolate Pudding}

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