This vegan chocolate pudding with nutty, creamy tahini and warming baharat spice is rich in flavor, lightly sweet and indulgent. Equally delicious for a date-night dinner or a lazy movie night in, this easy dessert recipe takes just one pot and 10 minutes of hands-on time!
Vegan desserts have an undeserved reputation for lacking flavor or requiring specialty ingredients to compensate for the missing dairy and eggs. But like our vegan chocolate tahini date bars, this vegan chocolate pudding proves all you need is a few strategic (and easy-to-find) ingredient swaps! Creamy and decadent, it’s just as indulgent and even more flavorful than the classic. And, with no egg yolks to temper, it's easier and faster too!
Like chocolate, tahini has an earthy, slightly bitter flavor. The toasted sesame paste complements the chocolate’s roasted, nutty flavors, and its natural oils add body and creaminess. Almond milk subtly builds on the nutty flavor.
- READ MORE: What is Tahini?
The surprise star here, though, is the Baharat spice! The complex blend of paprika, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, nutmeg, allspice, and more lends warm comfort to the chocolate and tahini, giving it a very grown-up feel.
To achieve an extra chocolatey flavor, I combine both cocoa powder and melted chocolate. Made from finely ground cocoa solids, cocoa powder adds a deep, rich intensity. Melted chocolate is mellower but contains more cocoa butter, giving the pudding a lush texture without any heavy cream necessary!
Table of Contents
Ingredients for Tahini Chocolate Pudding
This tahini chocolate pudding has a simple ingredient list that includes two kinds of chocolate and a surprise addition of Baharat spices for a rich, spiced chocolate flavor.
- Cocoa powder: You can use either natural or Dutch-process cocoa. Natural cocoa powder has a sharper, often fruitier flavor, while Dutch-process has a mellower, darker flavor.
- Sugar: A small amount of granulated sugar lightly sweetens the pudding and balances the bittersweet flavors of the chocolate and tahini.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch thickens the pudding so it’s creamy and smooth without making it too thick or gel-like.
- Baharat spice blend: Adds warming, spicy, and slightly savory notes, giving this chocolate pudding a grown-up flavor. You can find Baharat in our online shop or in Middle Eastern and North African Markets. If you can't find it, you could also substitute cinnamon, but I recommend picking some up. It's really a beautiful spice blend to use in sweet and savory recipes.
- Salt: A large pinch of kosher salt not only enhances the flavors but also gives a subtle salted chocolate note.
- Almond milk: The nutty creaminess from almond milk works wonderfully with the chocolate and tahini. For a sweeter pudding, you can also use oat milk, though homemade oat milk may thicken too much.
- Semisweet chocolate: 60% cacao is the sweet spot between bitter and sweet. To keep this pudding vegan, make sure to choose a chocolate with no added dairy. My favorite is Guittard.
- Tahini: Adds richness to the pudding without using cream or egg yolks.
What is Tahini?
Tahini is a creamy and nutty paste made from roasted sesame seeds. Its slightly bitter, savory, nutty flavor pairs beautifully with chocolate in pudding, chocolate chip cookies and more. Think of it as the Mediterranean version of peanut butter cups!
For this recipe, I like a silky, runny tahini, like Soom from our shop. You can also look for tahini in the international section of your grocery store. For a deeper dive on all things tahini and how to find the best quality, check out our guide: What is Tahini?
What is Baharat?
Baharat is a warming blend of spices like cinnamon, paprika, coriander, and cardamom. It gives this pudding a spiced chocolate flavor and an element of surprise. Learn more in our guide: All About Baharat: The Warming, Spicy, Sweet-And-Savory Wonder Spice.
You can sometimes find baharat in the spice section of your grocery store. Or you can order our favorite baharat blend from our shop.
How to Make Tahini Chocolate Pudding
This vegan chocolate pudding is a ten-minute, one-pot wonder. The hardest part is waiting for the pudding to chill, but thankfully it’s also delicious warm!
- Combine the dry ingredients and almond milk: In a medium cold saucepan, whisk together ¼ cup cocoa powder, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, ½ teaspoon baharat, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Pour in 2 cups unsweetened almond milk and whisk until the dry ingredients have dissolved completely.
- Cook the pudding: Set the pan over medium heat and bring the pudding to a boil, whisking constantly. Once it comes to a boil, continue cooking and whisking for 1 more minute. Take the pan off the heat.
- Add the chocolate and tahini: Add 4 ounces of chopped chocolate or chocolate chips and ⅓ cup tahini. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the tahini is fully combined. The pudding should be smooth and glossy.
- Chill: Pour the pudding into individual ramekins or a large serving bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and press the plastic directly onto the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until the pudding has set and is thoroughly chilled, about 2 hours.
- Serve: Serve the pudding cold, garnished with fresh berries and a generous drizzle of tahini.
How to Store Vegan Chocolate Pudding
The pudding can be made ahead and kept, covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for up to four days.
How to Serve Tahini Chocolate Pudding
This tahini chocolate pudding is creamy and indulgent all on its own, but it's also a great base for piling on garnishes. I like to add a small handful of fresh berries with an extra drizzle of tahini and a sprinkle of chocolate shavings and toasted sesame seeds.
Toasted sesame seeds, flaky sea salt, chopped toasted nuts, sugared cranberries, or candied orange peels would all be excellent additions as well. The rich, bittersweet flavor pairs exceptionally well with an after-dinner espresso or even a carajillo.
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Baharat Spice Blend
Give your vegan chocolate mousse a layer of spicy, warming flavor with cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, paprika and more
Vegan Chocolate Pudding with Tahini
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (25g) cocoa powder
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baharat spice blend
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups (480g) unsweetened almond milk
- 4 ounces (113g) vegan semi sweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (I like 60%)
- ⅓ cup (85g) tahini
Instructions
- Combine the dry ingredients and almond milk: In a medium cold saucepan, whisk together the cocoa powder, granulated sugar, cornstarch, baharat, and salt. Pour in the almond milk and whisk until the dry ingredients have dissolved completely.
- Cook the pudding: Set the pan over medium heat and bring the pudding to a boil, whisking constantly. Once boiling, continue to cook, stirring, for 1 more minute. Take the pan off the heat.
- Add the chocolate and tahini: Add the chopped chocolate and tahini and stir until the chocolate has melted and the pudding is fully combined and smooth.
- Chill: Pour the pudding into individual ramekins or a large serving bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic directly onto the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate the pudding until set and thoroughly chilled, about 2 hours.
- Serve: Serve the pudding cold, garnished with fresh berries and a generous drizzle of tahini.
Notes
- Storage: The pudding can be made ahead and kept, covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for up to four days.
- Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils, honey, jams, and spices.
I have all the ingredients except the almond milk. Can I use fat free milk?
Hi, Margaret! Yes, that should work! Enjoy!
Just made this today and it is really good!! Very easy to make. I used cinnamon as I did not have the other spice on hand and can’t have sugar so I substituted with monk fruit. I’ve been searching for an easy really good chocolate pudding and have finally found it!! Thank you Suzy!!!
Sorry, just realized Mark submitted this recipe! I didn’t realize this was four servings per recipe (as someone replied from TMD. I thought it was 6-4 ounce servings.)
Thanks for sharing your substitutions, Susan! Very helpful!
Hi, I am unfortunately allergic to sesame, so cannot use tahini. I was wondering what I could use instead of tahini in this recipe?
Hi, Andrea. I think another nut butter would work. Maybe try almond butter if that is safe for you to eat?
Hi, just wondering which is correct measurement as sugar and cocoa both say 1/4 cup but one is 25g and one is 50g.
Thanks
Hi, Julie! I'm Summer and I work here at the Mediterranean dish. Both the volume and the weight measurements are correct. Sugar weighs more than cocoa, which is why the volume measurement of 1/4 cup of sugar weighs more than the same volume measurement of cocoa. 1/4 cup of sugar weighs 50 g, and 1/4 cup of cocoa weighs 25 g. I hope that helps clear it up.
Wondering what I can use in place of sugar?
Hi, Kellie! This recipe is pretty low in sugar already. It serves 4, which means there is only 1 tablespoon of sugar per serving, so about 48 calories. I haven't made this recipe with a sugar substitute, but I would imagine you could use stevia or if you are looking for something less processed honey would work, but if you need to keep it vegan you could use maple syrup. Good luck. If you make a swap and try it out please let us know how it goes.