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A healthy, no-cook chocolate pudding, naturally sweetened with honey. It’s also dairy-free, gluten-free and can be vegan!
I feel like I accidentally re-invented pudding. I threw this together one weekday afternoon when I realized I had a single ripe banana in the pantry that needed to be used. Just one banana. Oh, and I didn’t want to bake anything because we were gonna head out as soon as the kids had snack. And I was feeling lazy. Also, it had been at least a day since I’d had something chocolate, which is a cruelly long time in my book.
So I threw all of this in my little immersion blender and blended it up. I licked the spoon and knew I had done good. I wasn’t sure what it was, but I liked it. I licked the spoon several more times and managed to finally pour the rest into a bowl and stick it in the fridge. At which point, I licked the immersion blender clean, except for the blades. I know, aren’t you impressed with my self-restraint?
When I checked it later, it had thickened into a deliciously rich, deliciously thick pudding. Magic! Healthy chocolate pudding was born. Though I did consider calling this “When you’ve only got one ripe banana and don’t know what to do with it” or “Chocolate must happen immediately,” but pudding seems *slightly* more descriptive.
As I wrote down what I’d done – and three days later, remade it to plunge my face into, er, photograph – I realized this is dairy-free and gluten-free (use certified gluten-free oats), naturally sweetened and can be vegan (sub maple syrup for the honey). You could probably sub almond butter or another nut butter, too, if you need it to be peanut-free. Pudding for everyone!
Blend up this easy pudding next time you find yourself with a ripe banana. Or two – just double the recipe! But please, be careful with those blender blades.
Enjoy!
5-minute healthy chocolate pudding
A healthy, no-cook chocolate pudding, naturally sweetened with honey.
Ingredients
- 1 ripe banana
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup oats (I use old-fashioned oats)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Put all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor (I used my hand blender, since it’s a small batch) and blend very well, scraping down the sides if necessary.
- Pour into a bowl and cover and chill. I'm not patient either but it's even better cold. The pudding thickens and sets up in 25-30 minutes.
- To make this recipe vegan, substitute maple syrup for the honey. Just as delicious!
Recipe Notes
You an easily double or triple this recipe to make more.
You can sub almond butter or another nut butter for the peanut butter if you prefer.
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
You had me at 5 minute. I can’t even wash my hair in 5 minutes… or put on my shoes that quickly (i’m slow), so if I can MAKE something in 5 minutes?! SCORE! This is seriously VERY clever, Kathryn!! I like turning my *ONE* banana into frozen “ice cream”, but turning it into chocolate pudding?? DANG GENIUS! Boy will absolutely LOOOOVE this! And I am going to sub out the cocoa for white chocolate powder so I can LOOOOOVE it along with him! P.S. I am proud of your self restraint and BOTH of your other options for titles had me LMAO! <3 Cheers to a fabulous weekend, girlfriend!
Kathryn says
Haha, thanks Cheyanne! What is it about necessity being the mother of invention? 🙂 The lone banana wins again! Hope you and the BOY enjoy your respective portions. Have a great weekend! XO
Lucy @ Bake Play Smile says
What!!!?? This has just totally blown my mind!! Healthy + chocolatey = perfection!!!
Kathryn says
Thanks Lucy! It blew my mind, too… right before I collected myself and devoured it 🙂 Happy weekend!
Laura | The Kiwi Country Girl says
This is AWESOME!!! Guilt free 5 minute dessert?? YES!
Kathryn says
Thanks Laura! I’m all about a chocolate dessert that’s ready, oh, NOW 😉
Jessica Powell says
The kiddos and are this recipe the time today! I’m grateful find healthier alternative to store variety. I’m pretty the sugars not 0 though.
Kathryn says
Yay, I hope you love it! 🙂 And no, sugars shouldn’t be zero- ha! I’ll have to ask the tech people with my recipe plugin if there’s some sort of glitch!
Krisztinke says
This is brilliant! Thanks so much!!
Kathryn says
Thanks! I hope you enjoy it!
Ashley says
Oh my! This is FABULOUS! I am always looking for a healthy treat that I don’t feel too guilty eating and man this sure did the trick! I used a frozen banana to make it thick right away. Such goodness! Make it!
Kathryn says
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it Ashley! I made this again just recently too – so easy and so yummy! 😊
Bipasha Bhattacharya says
I am a 12 year old and want to make it for my sis who has gluten allergy and she might have allergy with peanut butter also . Can’t we make it WITHOUT peanut butter? P.s : I am doing it myself.
Kathryn says
Hi there! You could certainly substitute another nut butter instead of the peanut butter for this recipe. You could also try substituting applesauce, but that will take away some of the richness from this pudding. Let me know how it goes!
Bipasha Bhattacharya says
Thanks a lot 😊. I will certainly take a look everyday for your next upload! P.s.: It went great!
Laura D. says
This was disgusting. To call this pudding is quite a stretch. Sadly no one would eat it in my house and I am having a hard time eating it to not waste the ingredients. I am disappointed because I really wanted to celebrate National Chocolate Pudding Day. 🙁
Kathryn says
Hi Laura, I’m so sorry you didn’t enjoy this, I know that’s disappointing. I am so in love with it and upon seeing these pictures as I read your comment, my 8-year-old daughter begged me to make some for her today. I know others have made and loved it as well. I tried to make clear in the post that it’s an invented pudding-like dessert so maybe it just wasn’t what you were looking for. Hope you find something else to hit the spot!