Without a doubt, chocolate pudding is a classic dessert that stirs deep feelings of nostalgia in many people. It’s something that people have often grown up eating, so enjoying a cup of pudding can instantly conjure up images of home, family, and comfort.

However, that’s not the only thing to love about the box of chocolate pudding in your cupboard. It’s also a dessert that’s easy to make, and it tastes great as well. And the final thing that makes chocolate pudding such a great food is that it’s very versatile. You can turn a box of pudding into dozens of different desserts.

Since National Chocolate Pudding Day is on its way, we thought we’d take up the herculean task of going through all the chocolate pudding recipes we have to create a manageable list that people can use to make this dish for the holiday. If that sounds exciting, then buckle up, and let’s find out what we can do with that box of chocolate pudding that’s been sitting in your kitchen. But before we do, let’s take a few moments to talk about the chemistry of instant pudding.

The Chemistry of Pudding

Obviously, people can choose to make their own pudding, but we feel that the vast majority of people who are going to make chocolate pudding are probably going to use a box of instant chocolate pudding. That’s why we’ve decided to take a few moments to talk about what’s in instant pudding and why it gels so perfectly every single time.

The main ingredient in chocolate pudding, or any pudding really, is gelatinized starch. This is a dried starch that wants to absorb liquids. When mixed with milk, this dried instant starch allows the pudding to firm up. Most instant puddings don’t just rely on this starch to do the job alone. Usually, gums and other thickeners are added as well.

Because of its unique properties, pudding is great for a variety of different uses. It can be used to make cakes denser and more moist. It can also be used to make cookies chewier. People just have to be careful when adding chocolate pudding mix to their cakes. Adding too much can cause the cake to fall, so always make sure to follow a recipe that’s been tried and tested.

Our Favorite Chocolate Pudding Recipes

Speaking of chocolate pudding recipes, below are some of the recipes that we feel are the best examples of the versatility of pudding. With that being said, let’s grab a spoon and dig into the following recipes, what do you say?

Chocolate Delight

This layered pudding dessert not only tastes great, but it also looks amazing. And it’s very easy to make. A few basic ingredients and a little bit of time will enable anyone to put a great dessert on the table for everyone to enjoy.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups of self-rising flour
• 1 1/2 cups of chopped toasted pecans
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup of powdered sugar
• 1 16-ounce container of frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 package of vanilla instant pudding
• 1 package of chocolate instant pudding

Directions:

• Step One: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat a 13×9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Mix together pecans, flour, and butter in a bowl. Press the mixture into the prepared baking dish, forming a thin layer and making sure the mixture is evenly distributed. Bake for approximately 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. Let cool for 30 minutes.
• Step Two: With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy. This should take about 2 minutes. Slowly add powdered sugar, while still beating the mixture, until well blended. This should take about 1 minute. Finally, fold in 1 cup of thawed whipped topping and then spread the mixture over the cooled crust.
• Step Three: Mix the vanilla and chocolate puddings together in a large bowl with the milk. Let stand for about 10 minutes, or until the mixture is slightly set. Pour it over the cream cheese layer, then spread it with the remaining whipped topping. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for about 2-6 hours.

No-Bake Chocolate Pudding Pie

This dessert is a classic. It’s easy to make, delicious, and doesn’t take any time whatsoever. That’s probably why it’s considered a classic. Let’s find out how to quickly whip up this delicious dessert for friends and family members.

Ingredients:

• 1 box of instant chocolate pudding
• 1 pre-made 9-inch graham cracker pie crust
• Whole milk (the amount prescribed by the instant pudding box)
• 1 8-ounce tub of whipped topping.

Directions:

• Step One: Using an electric hand mixer, make the instant pudding in a medium-sized bowl. Follow the directions on the back of the box for best results.
• Step Two: Pour approximately half of the chocolate pudding into the graham cracker pie crust.
• Step Three: Mix the other half of the chocolate pudding that’s left in the mixing bowl with half of the whipped topping. Stir them together well. Now, add this chocolate pudding filling to form another layer of the pie.
• Step Four: Add the remaining half of the whipped topping to the top of the pie. Smooth it out.
• Step Five: Refrigerate the chocolate pudding pie for at least 60 minutes to let it set. After it’s set, remove it from the refrigerator and cut it into slices. Now it’s time to serve!

Okay, folks. That does it for us today. We hope the above two chocolate pudding recipes show people what can be done with a box of instant chocolate pudding and a few other ingredients. Chocolate pudding is one of the most versatile ingredients in your cupboard, regardless of whether you know it or not. Now, let’s all grab that box of pudding out of our cupboard and put it to good use — not only on National Chocolate Pudding Day but all year round.