When my husband and I first got married, I have to confess that I was not a good cook. I mostly stuck to making boxed mixes (think Hamburger Helper) or just randomly throwing together ingredients and hoping things would work out. It wasn’t until my daughter was born that I really learned how to cook, since I wanted to be able to feed her healthy and delicious food that I made myself. She’s eleven now, and she doesn’t even remember that there was ever a time when I didn’t bake my own bread, or cook our dinner from scratch most nights. One of my favorite things about learning how to cook was figuring out how to make some of my old favorite store-bought foods at home. It has become a bit of an obsession for me, and I’ve made all sorts of fun things, from homemade tortillas and bagels, to condiments like chocolate syrup and ranch dressing. Somehow homemade just always tastes better to me, and it’s amazing to think that I can make so many things myself. I love knowing exactly which ingredients are in the foods I make, and that I can often experiment with different flavors or techniques to make things even better. One of my favorite desserts to make from scratch is homemade pudding. It has a totally amazing texture, and is much more flavorful and rich than the boxed pudding mix. I also love that it’s so easy to make! This chocolate peppermint pudding is one of my favorites to make around the holiday season. Everyone in my family loves it! It makes about six servings of pudding, and it tends to disappear almost instantly at my house. It’s definitely one to try!
If you’re in the mood for even more chocolate peppermint goodness after making this awesome pudding, be sure to check out these peppermint chocolate cookies I posted a few weeks ago. They have the same delicious flavor combination, but in cookie form. Yum!
Chocolate Peppermint Pudding
The full recipe is at the bottom of this post, but here’s what you’ll need:
brown sugar cocoa powder corn starch salt milk heavy cream chocolate chips peppermint extract whipped cream candy canes
This chocolate peppermint pudding really could not be easier to make! Just mix the pudding ingredients together on the stove, bring it to a simmer, and let it cook until it is thickened and smooth. It’s made from pantry and fridge staples, which means it’s so easy to whip up any time you need a chocolate and peppermint fix. (Which, let’s be honest, happens often during the holiday season for me!)
I like to serve the pudding in these cute tiny little glass jars, but you could easily use ramekins, small bowls, or even just a larger serving bowl. It’s important to cover the surface of the pudding tightly with plastic wrap, to prevent a skin from forming on top. Once it’s tightly covered, refrigerate it until the pudding is cool so it can thicken up even more and get extra creamy and luscious.
When you are ready to serve the pudding, top it with a little whipped cream and some crushed candy cane for a fun and festive presentation. I absolutely love little individual serving desserts, and these ones are so cute! They’re really easy to make in advance, and store in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. They will keep in the fridge for several days if they’re tightly covered, so they are perfect for a dinner party or special occasion!
This luscious and rich chocolate peppermint pudding is the perfect festive treat for the holidays! It’s easy to make on the stove top, and so delicious!
