Old Fashioned Homemade Chocolate Pudding

Calling all chocolate lovers! If you're craving a rich, chocolatey dessert that's easy to whip up, this recipe for homemade chocolate pudding is perfect for you. If you've never tried made from scratch pudding, let me assure you that it is amazing. So skip the boxed pudding mixes and try making your own with this simple recipe for decadent chocolate pudding.

"I'm going to have to try some more to decide which I like best," my Dad would grin and announce as he'd help himself to another serving of my mom's homemade chocolate pudding and her vanilla pudding.

When I was a little girl, my mom would frequently spend an afternoon making two batches of homemade pudding to serve for dessert--chocolate and vanilla. My dad's dilemma on which flavor he liked best was his sly way of making sure he always got seconds. He'd feign indecision, scrape his bowl clean, and finally concede that both flavors were equally delicious.

Even now, it's still a toss-up on which is better, but today I'm so excited to share with you my family's recipe for the homemade chocolate pudding my dad just couldn't get enough of. Warning! This must-try recipe may spoil you on being able to enjoy an instant or store-bought pudding ever again. Yes, it's really that good. But don't say I didn't warn you.

Kitchen Hack!
Before we get to the recipe, here's a simple and effective tip that will ensure your batch of homemade pudding is pure perfection! Puddings and custards can form a film across the top as they cool. To prevent this film from forming, pour the finished pudding into a bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the pudding. This will keep your pudding fresh and film-free until you're ready to serve up dessert. Yay! That's a kitchen victory that's worth celebrating!

And speaking of kitchen victories...
Reynolds is eliminating plastic wrap hassles for good with their new Reynolds KITCHENS™ Quick Cut™ Plastic Wrap! Its starter edge™ makes it easy to find the beginning of the roll and the built-in slide cutter ensures an easy, clean cut every time you need a piece of wrap. To see this new product in action, be sure to take a look at the video right here. This wrap makes preserving your own batch of pudding and other foods frustration-free. It's a kitchen hack that's too good not to share.

And now it's time to share my family's time-honored recipe for homemade chocolate pudding. I hope you love it as much as we do!

Homemade Chocolate Pudding
Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp. cocoa
• 3 heaping Tbsp. flour
• dash of salt
• 1 cup cream or canned evaporated milk
• 1 cup water
• 2 eggs (beaten)
• 1/4 stick (2 Tbsp.) butter or margarine
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix the dry ingredients (sugar, cocoa, flour, and salt) together.
2. Pour and stir the cream, water, and beaten eggs together in a large pot.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the pot and mix it all together.
4. Cook over medium heat until thick. Once the mixture starts to heat up, you'll want to stir it constantly.
5. When the pudding is thick, remove from heat and add vanilla and butter. Mix well. I'd suggest using a whisk to beat out any lumps. It will thicken even more as it cools.
6. Let the pudding cool to room temperature and place it in the refrigerator. The pudding is delicious warm, but it's best served after being chilled in the refrigerator. Don't forget to put a piece of plastic wrap directly over the pudding to prevent a film from forming.
7. Serve and enjoy!

Your Turn!
Have you ever made homemade pudding? Do you think this recipe would be a winning treat for your family? I'd love to hear what you think in the comments below. And for more recipes and kitchen tips be sure to click around on my blog and visit Reynolds KITCHENS™!

Happy cooking!