Instant Pudding with Coconut Milk

Instant Pudding with Coconut 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 coconut milk from scratch.

However, instant pudding is an incredibly easy dessert for anyone who doesn’t want to bother.

If you’re dairy free, you may have tried to make instant pudding with coconut milk and found it to be too liquidy.

This is because you cannot replace milk with dairy free milk at a 1-to-1 ratio 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 almond milk.

History of Pudding

Historically, it is a variation on chocolate custard.

Versions calling 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 coconut milk be used with instant pudding?

Yes, but not cup for cup.

Can I make JELL-O Pudding with coconut milk?

Yes, you can make jello pudding with coconut milk.

For older JELL-O packages, use:

For JELL-O Instant Puddings, use 1 1/2 cup cold coconut milk.

For JELL-O Cook & Serve Pudding with refrigerated coconut milk, use 1 3/4 cups of coconut milk.

For Vanilla, Coconut, Banana, and Butterscotch JELL-O Cook & Serve Pudding with shelf-stable coconut milk, use 1 1/2 cups of coconut milk.

For Chocolate JELL-O Cook & Serve Pudding with shelf-stable coconut milk, use 1 3/4 cups of coconut milk.

For new JELL-O instant pudding packages (any flavor) use 1 1/4 cups coconut milk.

How do I substitute coconut milk for instant pudding?

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

For example, if the instructions call for 2 cups of milk, use 1 1/2 cups of coconut milk.

With JELL-O instant pudding (any flavor) use 1 1/4 cups of coconut milk.