Easy Chocolate Espresso Pudding Recipe

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If you’re wanting to make a delicious and yet easy espresso pudding recipe that satisfies your chocolate craving, all you need to do is follow this amazing recipe. 

This is an easy homemade Italian recipe that makes a perfect snack or dessert, especially for special occasions such as Valentine’s day or a holiday like Christmas. 

It will leave you saying WOW! 

Sound cheesy?

Perhaps, but that’s literally what I said the first time I made it.

When you get that espresso flavor, it’s just like… amore, so much amore!!

How to Make an Espresso Pudding with Chocolate

This recipe uses espresso, (an Italian coffee), chocolate chips, unsweetened cocoa powder, milk, sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla.   It is super easy to make in under 20 minutes from scratch, and even quicker if using instant chocolate pudding as the base. 

You can print out my recipe below, but in summary, you combine the dry ingredients in a medium sauce pan, add milk stirring slowly and bring to a boil over medium high heat.   

Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 minute.   Remove from heat and stir in the espresso and chocolate until it melts and add in the vanilla at the end, stir and pour into small bowls for storing in the fridge.  

It will take about 4 hours to chill, possibly less if you’re impatient like we are. 

What type of Chocolate to Use in an Espresso Pudding?

I recommend 2 oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips.  This comes to about 1/2 cup.   

The reason I recommend semi-sweet instead of bittersweet, is because the espresso itself is bitter.  Yes the sugar helps, but I have made it with bittersweet chips and it was still too bitter.  Good, but not as good as with semi-sweet chips. 

When you add them into the pudding it won’t take long for them to melt because the pudding is so hot.   

Do You Have to use Italian Coffee or is Regular Coffee Okay?

Italian coffee is espresso.   So if you want a Chocolate Espresso Pudding, you need to use espresso.   The espresso has a much stronger and concentrated flavor than regular coffee. 

If however you simply do not have espresso and are in a jam, then use a very strong coffee brew.  French roast or Venetian may work.  Just please make it strong. 

Keep in mind, espresso is not a type of coffee bean.  Coffee makers use a variety of specific beans that when ground together produce the bitter espresso Italian love.   

Can You Use Instant Espresso in Espresso Pudding?

In regards to Instant espresso, yes you can use that, although I have not since I have my own stovetop espresso maker that produces perfect espresso shots. 

If I were to make a pudding with instant espresso, I would add the instant espresso in with the dry ingredients.   

What is the Cornstarch for and Can You just Use Instant Pudding instead? 

When making a homemade espresso pudding recipe, you use the cornstarch as a thickener.   When you heat up the milk with the dry ingredients, the cornstarch is what creates the thick pudding.  

Homemade pudding is so much easier to make than one would think.   It takes barely any time at all and produces a decent quantity for at least 4 or 6 people depending on serving sizes.    

If however, you want to cheat and buy instant pudding, I’d imagine you could just add in the shot of espresso along with the milk.  

I hope you enjoy this recipe. It has become a favorite and may become one of my favorite sexy recipes yet!  😉