5-Ingredient Chocolate Protein Pudding (vegan + gluten-free)
5-Ingredient Chocolate Protein Pudding- made with simple ingredients, this protein pudding only takes 15 minutes to make and each serving packs 17g of protein! (vegan, gluten-free + soy-free option)
This chocolate protein pudding has quickly become our family’s favorite high protein treat. I mean, my 4-year old doesn’t exactly know or care that it’s high in protein, but he loves it anyway. I’ve been prepping a big batch on a weekly basis for months now because everyone has come to expect it as a post-dinner dessert.
Thankfully it only requires 5-ingredients and 15 minutes to make. Clean up is kind of another story but hey, if you’re the one doing the cooking then hopefully someone else is doing the dishes. Even if that’s not the case, I promise the chocolate protein pudding is worth the clean up time. The smooth, creamy texture and rich chocolate flavor is sure to get you excited about hitting your protein goals.
Vegan Chocolate Protein Pudding Ingredients
- Extra Firm Tofu– If you’ve ever had chocolate pie made with tofu then you know that you can’t even tell it’s there. Same goes for this pudding. The tofu creates a firm, yet creamy base while providing a good source of protein, iron, calcium, and magnesium. You can use any kind of tofu you like here, however, I tend to go for extra firm as it is highest in protein. Using a different kind will require you to adjust the liquid amount (you’ll need less milk) since softer varieties have a higher water content.
- Non-Dairy Milk- Sticking with the idea of maximizing protein, I like to use unsweetened soy milk but any kind of milk you like will work the same. *Depending on the water content of your tofu or absorbency of your protein powder, you may need to increase or decrease the amount of milk you use.*
- Chocolate Protein Powder- Truvani is my go-to chocolate protein powder because I like the simple ingredient list and enjoy the flavor. But any chocolate plant-based protein powder should work here.
- Dates- Blending medjool dates in the pudding sweetens it just enough to remind your taste buds that you’re eating dessert. If you want to make the pudding lower in sugar, carbs or calories then you can omit them.
- Dark Chocolate Chips- Melting dark chocolate chips and blending them with the other ingredients infuses the pudding with chocolatey goodness while also helping to firm it up as it sets in the refrigerator.
How to Make Chocolate Protein Pudding
- Combine the tofu (broken into pieces) with milk, chocolate protein powder, dates and a pinch of salt (optional). Blend until smooth.
- Melt chocolate chips and stir until smooth. Add to blender and blend until well combined.
- Spoon mixture into a sealed container and refrigerate for about 3 hours, or until firm.
- Serve with coconut whipped cream and desired toppings, and enjoy!
Tips for Success
Using a high speed blender is ideal for breaking down the tofu to a smooth and creamy texture. Something smaller like a Nutribullet would work great but you will have to scale down the recipe by at least 1/4th.
If you find that your blender struggles with the recipe, feel free to add a little more milk (a few tablespoons at a time) to help get things moving. You just want to be careful not to add too much excess liquid or it will turn out more like thick chocolate milk than pudding.
Serving Suggestions
Here are some of my favorite ways to serve the chocolate protein pudding:
- Coconut Whipped Cream
- Mini Chocolate Chips or Chopped Dark Chocolate
- Chopped Peanut Butter Cups (Justin’s Crispy Quinoa Cups are my fav)
- Crushed Oreos Cookies
How to Store
The pudding will last for up to 1 week when sealed in an airtight container and refrigerated. I haven’t tried freezing it but if you do please let us know how it turns out!
More Vegan Protein Treats
- Vegan Chocolate Protein Mug Cake
- Fudgy Sweet Potato Protein Brownies
- Vegan Protein Energy Bites
- Easy Protein Granola
- Oatmeal Cookie Protein Energy Bites
5-Ingredient Chocolate Protein Pudding
Ingredients
- 16 ounces extra firm tofu, torn into large chunks; see notes for soy-free option
- 26-28 ounces non-dairy milk, I like unsweetened soy milk
- 70 g pitted medjool dates, about 4 large dates
- 160 g chocolate protein powder
- 120 g dark chocolate chips
- pinch of salt, optional
Instructions
- In a high speed blender, add chunks of tofu, 26 ounces milk, pitted dates, and chocolate protein powder. Blend until smooth. If your blender is having a hard time, feel free to add milk as needed (about 2 ounces at a time) to help get things moving.
- Add chocolate chips to a small bowl. Place bowl in a large pot filled with about 1-inch of water. Warm pot over medium low heat, until water begins to simmer. Stir the chocolate chips as they begin to melt, until completely smooth. Alternatively, you can microwave the bowl of chocolate chips for about 10-15 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until they are entirely melted.
- To the blender, add the melted chocolate. Blend until smooth. Using a spatula, scrape down any unblended portions along the edges. Blend again, until combined. Taste test to see if you prefer a bit of salt, or more sweetener and adjust accordingly.The mixture should be thick and creamy, but pourable.
- Transfer the pudding mixture to a large sealed container. Refrigerate for several hours, or until it has firmed and set. Serve with coconut whipped cream and/or desired toppings, and enjoy!
Super tasty! Next time, I will add less milk and try silken tofu. Be sure to soak your dates if they aren’t super fresh. I crumbled half a GoMacro bar on top for my afternoon snack, and I’m looking forward to eating it again tomorrow! Thanks for another great recipe! :)
This recipe sounds absolutely amazing. Since i don’t have any protein powder do you think i can use regular unsweeetened cocoa powder instead? If so, how much would you recommand?
You could! I would suggest starting with a little less milk as cocoa powder is less absorbent than protein powder. The mixture should be thick but pourable prior to refrigerating.