Thick and creamy dark chocolate pudding with tofu is my favorite no-cook, higher protein dessert. Blending room temp silken tofu in the food processor is my secret for that silky smooth, never grainy texture. I love using dark chocolate to make it perfectly rich, plus a kiss of cocoa powder and maple syrup to sweeten. It only takes 10 minutes to whip up; you can dig in right away or chill for even thicker pudding. Top with raspberries and whipped cream and prepare to be obsessed!
Tofu and chocolate were destined to be besties, I'm telling you.
This recipe happened on accident when I somehow came home with silken tofu instead of extra firm. The blasphemy!
The treat lover in me knows silken tofu is famous for creating an epically thick and creamy canvas for healthier dessert recipes (hello, no bake chocolate peppermint pie with tofu!).
So while stir fry was no longer in the cards, I went all in on a foolproof recipe for healthy chocolate pudding. Cocoa powder AND melted dark chocolate, yes. Salt! Raspberries! OMG.
Notes from recipe testing
Don't worry, I tested this recipe 17 times so you don't have to.
- I developed this recipe with a 16oz package of tofu because thank God we finally have bigger options (versus just those little shelf stable Mori-Nu ones!). More tofu = more pudding.
- Why must the tofu sit at room temp you ask? When I first tested this with cold tofu, the pudding had this off-putting, almost grainy texture. I realized the cold tofu was the culprit as it was hardening the melted chocolate! Letting the tofu sit out means ultra smooth chocolate pudding perfection. We also blend the chocolate last to help keep it velvety.
- Salt is critical for enhancing chocolate flavor and balancing sweetness, that you must know. Yet a lot of tofu pudding recipes don't call for salt! A tragedy. Don't worry, mine does! Don't skip it.
- I tested this recipe with 3 tbsp cocoa powder and it was giving strong dark chocolate vibes. This chocoholic loved it, but I toned it down to 2 ½ tbsp cocoa to avoid being too chocolatey. I found that too much cocoa powder left a bit of a powdery mouthfeel.
Let's make it!
One time I did a thing..
Just want to go out on a limb and say one time I dared to mixed leftover pudding with plain Greek yogurt for a less sweet chocolate Greek yogurt vibe (ya know, breakfast vs dessert) and it was...stupendous.
MAKE IT! Then tell me in the comments what you think pretty please.
Print
Incredible 10-Minute Silken Tofu Chocolate Pudding
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Method: Food processor
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Thick and creamy chocolate pudding with tofu is my favorite no-cook, higher protein dessert. Blending room temp silken tofu in the food processor is my secret for that ultra smooth, never grainy texture. I love using dark chocolate to make it perfectly rich, plus a kiss of cocoa powder and maple syrup to sweeten. It only takes 10 minutes to whip up; you can dig in right away or chill for even thicker pudding. Top with raspberries and whipped cream and prepare to be obsessed!
Ingredients
- 16oz package silken tofu*
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 ½ tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips (60% cocoa)**
- ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Remove tofu from fridge. Drain water well and set on a plate or a fine mesh sieve to drain. Allow tofu to sit on the counter for an hour. (Bringing it to room temp prevents the pudding from becoming grainy!)
- Place room temp tofu in food processor along with maple syrup, cocoa, vanilla and salt. Blend until smooth and creamy, using a silicone spatula to scrape down the sides.
- Place chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20 second increments, stirring each time, until melted. Stir in olive oil.
- Use a rubber spatula to get all the chocolate mixture into the food processor with tofu mixture. Blend again until smooth and creamy.
- You can enjoy right away as is, but I like to pour it into a bowl or individual serving dishes and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight) to thicken. Serve topped with raspberries, whipped cream and flaky salt!
Notes
To make this dairy free, be sure to use vegan chocolate chips.
*Silken tofu comes in different sizes, so be sure to check your package.
**If you use semi sweet chocolate chips which are sweeter, start with 3 tbsp maple syrup (or to taste).
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
I’m so glad it’s been a hit, yay! I honestly would look up vanilla tofu pudding to get an idea as I haven’t tested this any other way than with chocolate and I’m not sure how it would turn out. You could try just omitting the cocoa and playing around with how much melted butterscotch to add! You could also make my chocolate avocado ice cream (just don’t freeze and eat like pudding, can reduce maple syrup since it won’t be frozen).
Renee says
Thank you, Alexis. Vanilla tofu pudding (with or without butterscotch chips) sounds like a good idea; hadn’t thought of that. Maybe the maple syrup would be noticeable in plain vanilla too. 😋
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
LMK how it turns out!!
Hil says
Is there anything tofu can't do? Can't wait to try - hopefully this weekend!
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
Yess let me know how you like it, Hil!
Giovonne says
Another winner from Alexis :). I made it the second I saw it because I had just bought a package of silken tofu in preparation for some chocolate mousse!
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
Aww you made my day, Giovonne! Thanks a TON for making it and letting me know you loved it!