Chocolate Avocado Pudding

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This chocolate avocado pudding is one of my all-time favorite healthy desserts. It’s a creamy and decadent blend of avocados, cacao powder, coconut milk, and a splash of vanilla. Enjoy it as a simple, silky smooth pudding, or top it with sea salt and chopped hazelnuts for some added crunch!

Chocolate avocado pudding in a glass cup.
Photo: Gayle McLeod

Why This Chocolate Avocado Pudding Is My Favorite

I fell in love with this chocolate avocado pudding when I first had it in Bali, Indonesia several years ago. It was luxuriously rich and oh, so yum, but also made from simple, good-for-you ingredients. So I just had to replicate it at home! And if you’re wondering if it tastes like avocado, the answer is no! The cacao powder, maple syrup, and vanilla extract mask the flavor — so all you taste is chocolate heaven goodness. But if you need extra convincing, here’s a few more reasons to love this healthy dessert: 

  • It’s rich in antioxidants and healthy fats: Raw cacao powder is packed with nutrients and antioxidants, while avocados are a great source of healthy fats. For more information on cacao, read the next section below.
  • It checks all dietary needs: Whether you’re vegan, gluten-free, or dairy-free, this dessert fits the bill for any dietary sensitivity, just like my chocolate chia pudding!
Ingredients for chocolate avocado pudding.

Chocolate Avocado Pudding Ingredients

  • Avocados: I recommend chilling your avocados in the fridge overnight, so you can enjoy this dessert cold right away. But if your avocados aren’t chilled, just place the finished pudding in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before serving.
  • Coconut Milk: Make sure to use full-fat coconut milk for extra creaminess and an extra thick pudding.
  • Raw Cacao Powder: I typically buy raw cacao powder for all my chocolate recipes. Made from cold-pressed unroasted cacao beans, the process helps retain all the living enzymes packed with nutrients and antioxidants. But, you can certainly swap in regular cocoa powder as well! 
  • Maple Syrup and Vanilla Extract: For a sweetener, I prefer using maple syrup, but you could also use honey or about six pitted dates (just make sure to blend the mixture well). 

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

Blending chocolate avocado pudding.

How To Make Chocolate Avocado Pudding

  • Blend away. Just add everything to a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy — that’s it! Pro tip: It’s best to use a food processor for the perfect pudding-like texture. This mix of ingredients would be too thick for a blender.
  • Serve or store away. You can serve this straight out of the food processor or store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Pudding Topping Ideas

  • Add fresh berries such as raspberries, strawberries, or blueberries. 
  • Add other chopped nuts such as almonds, pistachios, or cashews. 
  • Dollop my homemade coconut whipped cream
  • Stir in a bit of homemade Nutella for a delicious hazelnut variation.
Blending chocolate avocado pudding in a food processor.

Common Questions

What can you do if you think it tastes too much like avocado?

Simply add more cacao powder or an extra ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract to help mask the flavor.

How do you thicken this pudding?

Add 2 tablespoons of hardened coconut cream, a sprinkle of chia seeds (or ground flax seeds), or half of a ripe banana. 

How do you thin down this pudding?

Add a splash of your favorite non-dairy milk such as cashew milk, almond milk, or oat milk.

Chocolate avocado pudding with hazelnuts.

More Easy Chocolate Desserts

If you make this chocolate avocado pudding recipe, I’d love to know how it turned out in the comment box below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more healthy food inspiration (and exclusive content), join my free newsletter.

Glass cups of chocolate avocado pudding.

Chocolate Avocado Pudding (vegan, dairy-free)

4.98 from 69 votes
Prep: 5 minutes
Total: 5 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Lisa Bryan

Description

A creamy, decadent and delicious chocolate avocado pudding that's topped with hazelnuts and sea salt. It's naturally dairy-free, vegan and paleo friendly. Watch the video below to see how I make it in my kitchen!

Video

Equipment

Ingredients 
 

Optional Toppings

  •  hazelnuts, roughly chopped
  •  sea salt

Instructions 

  • Prep ingredients. Slice the avocados in half, remove the pit, and scoop out the flesh into a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients into the food processor.
    Chocolate avocado pudding in food processor.
  • Blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. Test and see if you'd like to add any additional sweetener.
    Blended chocolate avocado pudding.
  • Scoop into bowls. Divide the chocolate avocado pudding between four serving bowls.
    Cups of chocolate avocado pudding.
  • Garnish and serve. Add your favorite toppings such as chopped hazelnuts and flaked sea salt.
    A cup of chocolate avocado pudding.

Lisa’s Tips

  • For garnishing this recipe I prefer pyramid sea salt flakes as they’re larger and will stand out on top of the desert.

Nutrition

Calories: 323kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Sodium: 17mg | Potassium: 899mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 147IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 4mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Avocado Chocolate Pudding, Chocolate Avocado Pudding, Chocolate Pudding
Did you make this recipe?Mention @downshiftology or tag #downshiftology!

This recipe was originally posted December 2015 but updated to include new photos and information for your benefit!

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About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

4.98 from 69 votes (1 rating without comment)

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Recipe Rating




223 Comments

  1. Lisa, Can I substitute the Cacao powder for Cocoa powder. I’m having difficulty finding Cacao powder but I do have Cocoa powder on hand. Please let me know. Thank you!

  2. Hoping you can recommend a cacao powder. There are so many out there and many that claim to be organic have reviews saying they contain pesticides. 

  3. My daughter refuses to eat Avocado. I had a few that needed to be used up so I whipped this up for dessert tonight. She topped it with Vanilla ice cream and i did with salt. We both loved it & she actually said her only complaint was it’s a bit too rich for her..  ;-p
    Will definitely make this again.5 stars

  4. Hi again, Lisa! You never cease to delight!

    I was wondering if you think it would work if I substituted chopped baker’s chocolate for the cocoa powder? I’m not sure given they’re such different consistencies, but I thought I’d ask. (My gut does perfectly fine with chocolate, but declares a holy war on even organic high-end cocoa powder).

    1. Hi Virlana- I wouldn’t recommend using chocolate chips as it will harden up. So it’s best to use cocoa or cacao powder for this :)

  5. Hi Lisa,
    I few year back I made an avocado chocolate pie. I loved it and now cannot find the recipe. I have been doing keto for a while, an have lost 50 pounds, and need, or desire to drop 50 more pounds, and would like to remain on keto for a while longer. Can this, successfully be made with erythritol or monk fruit?

    1. Hi Vicki! I believe I never made an avocado chocolate pie, as this is my only avocado chocolate recipe on the website. But, you can feel free to use monk fruit with this recipe!

  6. Hey Lisa!   This is AMAZING!   The perfect whole food indulgence for a creamy loving chocoholic like me!  🤣. Question….   Is the nutrition info you provide per serving or per the entire batch?  

    Love every single one of your recipes I’ve tried.  And I’m an IIN grad because I found your website, so thanks for the giant impact you’ve made in my life and my kitchen.  ❤️5 stars

    1. Hi Leigh- Yes! The nutrition facts will always be for one serving :) And I’m glad you discovered Downshiftology as well! I hope you continue to enjoy all my recipes.

  7. Hi Lisa! Thank you so much for the healthy and yummy recipes you make and share with us! I just made this avocado pudding and it turned out super delicious! Also, I would like to suggest me some more recipes with avocado without tasting it. My skin and hair love avocado but I hate the taste of it! Sending you my love from Greece ❤️❤️❤️5 stars

    1. Hi Xanthi- So glad you’re. loving all the recipes so far! I will definitely keep in mind for more avocado recipes :)

  8. Made this, sooo creamy and chocolaty. Mixed some with greek yogurt, granola & berries for breakfast. Also, adding some milk to the blender and turns out chocolate avocado shake5 stars

  9. This is AMAZING!  I made it three times in two weeks.  I used half the amount of maple syrup and cacao powder.
    I have not made a single recipe of yours that wasn’t amazing.   Thank you.5 stars

    1. Hi Karen – Wow! You’re on a roll with this recipe 😊 So happy you’re enjoying this one, along with my other recipes as well! I hope you continue to enjoy my recipes to come.

    1. The Vitamix really need more ingredients/quantity to allow the blades to work properly. If you doubled the recipe, that could work. Otherwise, this recipe is better in a food processor. :)

    2. Vitamix also has a food processor, that’s what I use as it’s the only food processor I have! It’s amazing but I think I might have to chill this even if using chilled avocados just because the food processor is so powerful! 

  10. OMG! It was soooo good! I made it for our Valentines dinner tonight, my husband loved it! It was almost weired that there is no hint of avocado taste in it when avocado is a main ingredient! Love your website and videos!

    1. Yay! I’m happy you loved the recipe and yes, there’s no hint of the avocado flavor (which fools many!). :)

  11. What measurement would I use if I wanted to make this with hemp milk or almond milk? Sounds delicious and super healthy, and I would love to make this soon!

  12. Hello, Lisa! I’m new to your YouTube channel and blog, and am sooo excited about what I’m learning from you in the area of healthier cooking and meal prep. Thanks!
    I’m wondering about the full fat coconut milk in this recipe. What about using just regular coconut milk from the carton? That’s all that I have on hand. Will it make a difference?5 stars

    1. You could use that, but I’d start with a little less as it’s a thinner consistency. :)

  13. This such a finger-licking treat and an awesome recipe for these cold winter days, Lisa. I will definitely prepare it for the Christmas dinner. :)

  14. Made this for our Sunday lunch today and it was such a crowd pleaser. It looked totally decadent and took literally five minutes to make. Just finished polishing off the rest as a guilt-free, late night, indulgent, snack. Amazing recipe.

    1. Awesome – so happy to hear it was such a hit! And how fortunate you had a little leftover for a late night treat. ;) Thanks Monica!

  15. YUM! This chocolate pudding looks so delicious! I made something similar with avocado and really LOVED the texture, so I can’t wait to try your recipe ♥

    1. I agree. Just found your site last week. I actually stumbled across your YouTube channel first. You have inspired me with your kitchen setup and your videos… let’s just say they are perfect. Short and sweet and to the point, yet very appealing on the eye. As a visual person, I found your videos inspiring me to make them. And the length is perfect also. Not to long. You make it look so simple. I’ll be trying your recipes as soon as I get back from my trip. Thank you!!

      1. Thanks so much Brenda! That’s the best compliment – that my videos inspire you to make the recipe. Yay! Thanks so much for your kind words and enjoy this pudding! :) x

  16. I have never tried chocolate avocado pudding and I am not sure why! I adore avocado and, of course, chocolate!

  17. I have yet to use avocado in a sweet dish. But after seeing this beautiful pudding, I need to get on that QUICKLY!

  18. Your photos are so lovely that it makes me want to try this. I am sure the avocado brings a great texture to the pudding.

  19. I loved your hint in your chocolate cake to add espresso powder to boost the chocolate flavor. Do you think it will work on this recipe too?

  20. Just gave this a try today because I had a couple extra avocados left over from another dish this week. This is delicious. Not being an avocado fan, hubby was a little hesitant at first but he tried it and he liked it ALOT. We used raw almonds, toasted instead of hazelnuts and cut the maple syrup to 4T. Now we’re talking about what other flavors we can try out. Thank you for the great recipes!

    1. Yay – glad you and the hubby loved it! And it’s always nice when those who are initially hesitant fall in love with a “healthier” dessert, isn’t it? ;) I also love this with any type of berries, but especially raspberries. Let me know what else you try out!

  21. Everything in Texas is bigger, including “large avocados.” After the 1st taste test, it was too avocado-y & I knew The Hubbs wouldn’t go for it. So I added another T of maple syrup, some of the salted caramel sauce I had on hand (maybe a T 1/2?), & melted Enjoy Life chocolate chips to the mix & blended it. Perfect! I toasted the hazelnuts, chopped them, & for grins added chopped pistachios. Sea salt flakes aren’t in my pantry, so I subbed coarse sea salt. While on the sofa, The Hubbs asks, “Is this supposed to be healthy?” Yes. It’s healthy. “How many calories are in it?” I don’t know. I’ve learned to refrain from using words like “paleo,” “vegan,” “dairy free,” “gluten-free,” “raw,” etc., when presenting him w/ new recipes. Otherwise he scrunches up his face, I get annoyed, & want to sling my pudding at him. Not really. I want to eat it. But you get what I mean. He has no clue that there are avocados in it. :-) He finished his leftovers last night & even came into the bedroom while I was working on some photos, smacking his lips, taunting me, because he knew I really wanted to eat it (I had my leftover pudding for lunch).This is a KEEPER! Thanks, Lisa, for another stellar recipe! xo

  22. Pinning this! These look so delicious, and at least somewhat healthy :) I’ve always wanted to try making pudding with avocado!

    1. Thanks Thalia! Love your blog and recipes as well! Ironically, I almost made donuts with pomegranate glaze this morning…then decided to wait until next week (to perfect a GF version). When I clicked through to your site I saw your version and seriously laughed out loud. Great minds! ;) xo

  23. I never tried raw cacao powder, but I really need to because of all the great health benefits!! This pudding is incredible and is proof that avocados do wonders in dessert!!

    1. You’ll definitely have to try raw cacao! It’s perfect in so many desserts and drinks…and yes, avocados are quite amazing! :) x

  24. Every time I have chocolate avocado pudding, it always amazes me how wonderfully masked the avocado is (don’t get me wrong, I LOVE avocado – but not with chocolate… so the idea of mixing them is always weird to me, haha). Love that you made this pudding delight even better with the addition of hazelnuts!

    1. When I first heard of chocolate + avocado I thought the same thing! Thank goodness we were willing to try it though, right?! ;) x