Our Best Pudding Recipes

April 22, 2019
Sometimes you just want a dessert you don’t have to chew. Thankfully, there’s pudding: Creamy, sweet, and wholly comforting. We rounded up our best classic pudding recipes, from homemade chocolate pudding to nostalgic rice pudding we've got all of your custardy favorites coming right up. 
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Coconut Rice Pudding with Strawberry-Nectarine Compote

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Hadas Smirnoff
Coconut Rice Pudding with Strawberry-Nectarine Compote Recipe

Layers of creamy rice pudding and a chunky fruit compote add up to a dreamy dessert with a nice crunch from pistachios. Make ahead and chill or serve warm–either way is delicious.

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Chocolate-and-Peanut Butter Banana Pudding

Meredith Food Studios
Chocolate-and-Peanut Butter Banana Pudding Recipe

This decadent chocolate-peanut butter banana pudding is easy to make and perfect for a crowd. It’s a staff favorite from The All-New Official SEC Tailgating Cookbook.

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Creamy Classic Rice Pudding

Time Inc. Video Studio 
Creamy Classic Rice Pudding Recipe

If you’ve never tried rice pudding, the concept may seem a little strange, but trust us—this toasty, creamy, carb-based custard is just about the most comforting dessert you’ll ever encounter. Give this easy to follow recipe for classic rice pudding a try and taste for yourself. 

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Spaghetti Pudding

Photo: Kelsey Hansen; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland; Food Styling: Liz Mervosh
Spaghetti Pudding Recipe

Spaghetti pudding may sound strange, but that sure didn’t keep us from going back for seconds (or thirds). Similar to bread pudding or rice pudding, this playful sweet twist on baked spaghetti is enriched with a vanilla custard and delivers all the comfort food vibes one could ever crave. Finished with a vibrant strawberry “red sauce” and chocolate truffle “meatballs,” this decadent dessert is as fun to serve as it is delicious to eat. 

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Roasted Banana Pudding

Photo: Oxmoor House
Roasted Banana Pudding Recipe

Many folks say banana pudding is best the next day, after the flavors have blended overnight and the cookies have softened.

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Dirt Pudding

Dirt Pudding Recipe
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Tropical Coconut Pudding

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham
Tropical Coconut Pudding Recipe
Top this pudding with any ripe fruit. If you're looking for crunchy texture, gild it with crushed banana chips or chopped macadamia nuts.

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Peanut Butter and Jelly Rice Pudding

Photo by Jake Laub
Peanut Butter and Jelly Rice Pudding Recipe
From the cookbook Wanderlust Find Your True Fork

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Double Chocolate Pudding

Double Chocolate Pudding Recipe
Semi-sweet and white chocolate combine to make an over-the-top dessert that pleases both adults and kids, plus kids-at-heart. Garnish with fresh whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
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Butterscotch Pudding

Randy Mayor; Jan Gautro
Butterscotch Pudding Recipe
Vitamin D aids calcium absorption in dairy foods. One serving of this dish offers about one-fifth of your daily calcium needs. Garnish with fresh grated nutmeg.

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Lemon Puddings with Candied Lemon Zest

Con Poulos
Lemon Puddings with Candied Lemon Zest Recipe
This amazing pudding sets from the acid in the lemon juice; there's no need to add gelatin. The texture is best when the puddings are allowed to firm up overnight.

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Red Velvet Pudding Shots 

Photo: Lauren Musgrove
Red Velvet Pudding Shots  Recipe

Nothing tastes and looks like the holidays quite like a classic red velevet cake. Easier to prepare, these dessert shots capture all of the rich goodness of red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting; it's a boozy treat everyone is sure to love. Make these shots as instructed for a Christmas party or top with edible metallic sprinkles for a festive New Years treat.

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Ginger-Infused Japanese Rice Pudding

Photo: Howard Lee Puckett; Styling: Mindi Shapiro-Levine
Ginger-Infused Japanese Rice Pudding Recipe
This heavenly rice pudding recipe is a must-serve on cool days or afternoons when you simply must have a special treat.

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Vanilla Rice Pudding 

Vanilla Rice Pudding  Recipe

Dessert: Be smart and you can treat yourself without breaking the rules! 150 calories and under. This healthy recipe is featured in the dessert section of the new 5:2 Starter's Guide to The 2-Day Diet. The book provides a selection of over 100 tasty recipes to help you meet the daily 500 calorie allotment for the 2 days of intermittent fasting, as required by the 5:2 Diet.

 

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Pumpkin Pie Pudding

Photo: Jonny Valiant; Styling: Deborah Williams
Pumpkin Pie Pudding Recipe
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Turtle Cheesecake Pudding Shots

Photo: Lauren Musgrove
Turtle Cheesecake Pudding Shots Recipe

These layered dessert shooters sure aren't your mama's turtle candies.Take everything you love about the turtle flavor combo (caramel, chocolate, and pecan) and mix in Bailey's Irish Cream for a grown-up version of the classic candy treat. Top each shot with all of the chocolate and caramel that your heart desires. 

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Meyer Lemon Sponge Pudding

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Meyer Lemon Sponge Pudding Recipe

Meyer Lemon Sponge Pudding image

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Vanilla Bean Pudding

Randy Mayor
Vanilla Bean Pudding Recipe
Vanilla beans can be expensive, but their superior flavor is worth the investment. Substitute vanilla paste or one teaspoon real vanilla extract if necessary. Stir extract in with the butter.
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Rocky Road Chocolate Chia Pudding

Photo: Thomas J. Story; Prop Styling: Joni Noe
Rocky Road Chocolate Chia Pudding Recipe

Chia seeds give this no-cook dessert a silky, lightly chewy texture like tapioca pudding. The recipe comes from the outdoor cooking experts behind the blog Dirty Gourmet, dirtygourmet.com.

GEAR 2-qt. backpacking saucepan, Nalgene bottle (for measuring), spork, backpacking ladle, small grater (or small cutting board and knife)

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Mint Chocolate Pudding Shots

Photo: Lauren Musgrove
Mint Chocolate Pudding Shots Recipe

Mint meets chocolate in a dessert shot. What could be better than your favorite sweet combo with a boozy added bonus? These shots are perfect for your next holiday or New Years Eve party. 

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Chocolate Banana Puddings

Photo: Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Chocolate Banana Puddings Recipe

Chocolate Banana Puddings image

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Chocolate-Peanut Butter Pudding

Photo: Johnny Autry; Styling: Cindy Barr
Chocolate-Peanut Butter Pudding Recipe

Supereasy. Try bananas on top.

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Chocolate-Buttermilk Pudding

Photo: Alison Miksch; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Chocolate-Buttermilk Pudding Recipe

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White Chocolate-Cherry Rice Pudding

Oxmoor House
White Chocolate-Cherry Rice Pudding Recipe
When you're looking for a quick dessert, turn to this superfast pudding that's spiced with ground cinnamon and flecked with cherries. This shortcut method of using an instant pudding mix delivers the characteristic creamy texture of rice pudding without the long cooking time.
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Coconut-Banana Pudding

Photo: Hector M. Sanchez Styling: Victoria Cox 
Coconut-Banana Pudding Recipe

The recipe below feeds a crowd, family-style, but can be halved and served in individual bowls.

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