Instant Pudding with Almond Milk

Instant Pudding with Almond Milk is easy to make, and if you use a dairy free instant pudding, you have a quick dairy free dessert.

Pudding is a beloved dessert, but it’s not dairy free friendly.

You can make dairy free pudding with almond milk from scratch.

However, instant pudding is an incredibly easy dessert for busy moms, college students, and anyone who doesn’t want to bother.

If you’re dairy free, you may have tried to make instant pudding with dairy free milk and found it to be a bowl of chocolate soup.

This is because you cannot replace milk with a dairy free milk cup for cup when making instant pudding.

However, you may still notice instant pudding made without regular milk sets differently and has a slightly different texture and flavor than regular pudding.

The set will be softer, so if you’re using it as part of a dessert, it is only suitable for desserts that are spoonable like parfaits.

You will not find the same success with pudding pies, eclair cakes, or striped delight.

If you like this recipe, you may also like instant pudding with oat milk and instant pudding with coconut milk.

History of Pudding

Historically, it is a variation on chocolate custard.

Versions called for egg and flour appear in cookbooks from 1903 and 1918.

Then, general Foods introduced chocolate pudding mix in 1934, and in 1936 they made an instant pudding made with milk

Modern chocolate puddings don’t call for eggs and are usually thickened with corn starch.

Instant Pudding Vs. Custard

The key difference between instant pudding and custard is that the pudding uses flour or cornstarch as a thickening agent, whereas custard uses eggs.

Is Instant Pudding Dairy?

Whether an instant pudding contains dairy or not depends on the brand. Look for vegan brands for a safe bet.

Is JELL-O Instant Pudding Dairy Free?

Yes, Jello Instant Pudding is Dairy Free. I do recommend checking the packages regularly to make sure nothing changes, though.

Can you make instant pudding with almond milk?

Yes, you can make instant pudding with almond milk, but not at a 1-to-1 ratio.

Can I make JELL-O Pudding with Almond milk?

Yes, you can make jello pudding with almond milk as long as you use the right ratios.

Will Pudding Set with Almond Milk?

Yes, pudding – both instant and cooked – will set with almond milk as long as you use the right amount of almond milk.

If you use the same amount of almond milk as you do regular milk, it will be too thin and will not set.

Will JELL-O pudding set with almond milk?

Yes, jello pudding will set with almond milk as long as you use the right ratios.

Jello seems to have changed their formula, so for older packages:

For JELL-O Instant Puddings and JELL-O Cook & Serve Pudding, use 1 1/2 cup cold almond milk.

For Vanilla, Coconut, Banana and Butterscotch JELL-O Cook & Serve Pudding with shelf-stable almond milk, use 1 3/4 cups of almond milk.

For Chocolate JELL-O Cook & Serve Pudding with shelf-stable almond milk, use 1 1/2 cups of almond milk.

For newer packages, it’s 1 1/4 cup of almond milk per package.

How do I substitute almond milk for instant pudding?

To substitute milk for almond milk in instant pudding, you need to use 3/4 of the amount of milk called for on the package.

So, for instant pudding that calls for 2 cups of milk, 1 1/2 cups of almond milk should be used.

For newer packages of Jell-O instant pudding, it would be 1 1/4 cups of almond milk.