5 Ingredient Salted Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding Cups [Vegan + Gluten Free]

A quick + easy, ultra rich and creamy dessert made from 5 simple ingredients with only about 5 minutes of prep work! Make these decadent pudding cups for a special occasion or an everyday indulgence!

Today we’re making a fancy looking dessert out of five simple pantry ingredients.

Yes, really.

These Salted Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding Cups have a shorter ingredient list than their title would suggest.

All you’ll need to make them is:

cocoa powder

maple syrup

peanut butter

a thick + creamy milk like califia’s better half or any full-fat milk of your choice

& salt.

It doesn’t really make sense, and I still haven’t figured out how these humble ingredients transform into a luscious dessert, but I’m not fighting it.

I happened upon this ridiculously simple chocolate pudding by accident a few weeks ago when I was attempting to mix up some chocolate sauce to pour over pancakes, but opted to completely wing it instead of actually using a recipe that I already know works as a chocolate sauce.

I scooped cocoa powder into a tiny bowl, stirred it up with a little maple syrup, a pinch of salt, and a splash of water and then set it in the fridge to thicken up while I made my pancakes. Little did I know, this chocolate sauce was going to become a thick, pudding-like texture that was going to send me down a chocolate pudding recipe testing rabbit hole.

A few tries later I ended up with a rich, bold, dark chocolate pudding that’s good enough to eat immediately, but gets even more thick and luscious after sitting in the fridge for 30 minutes; the only thing that could improve upon it’s unassuming beauty is a thick layer of peanut butter sauce on top and a generous pinch of flaky sea salt.

It’s kind of the best flavor combination, ever.

The best part? I’m not exaggerating when I say you can make these pretty little pudding cups in 5 minutes flat. Like, I actually set a timer on my phone to see how long it took, and without rushing, I was done in just under five.

The chocolate layer gets whisked together, poured into your cups of choice, then the peanut butter mixture gets stirred together in the same bowl, and spooned over the chocolate. Top with a pinch of flaky sea salt, and you can either eat immediately, at a slightly softer texture, or chill for 20-30 minutes for a more firm consistency.

Either way, I think you are going to love these crazy easy pudding cups. They’re naturally vegan and gluten-free, and can be made in just minutes with ingredients I’m guessing you have in your pantry 365 days a year.

If you make this recipe, let me know what you think! Leave a comment below, or take a picture of your Salted Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding Cups and share it with me on Instagram so I can see!

5 Ingredient Salted Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding Cups [Vegan + Gluten Free]

Time: 5 minutes
Yields: 4

Ingredients:

pudding layer

• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 2/3 cup thick + creamy milk of choice (canned coconut, unsweetened non-dairy creamer, or any fill-fat milk you like)
• 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
• Small pinch of sea salt

peanut butter layer

• 1/2 cup creamy, all-natural peanut butter
• 1/3-1/2 cup thick + creamy milk of choice
• 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
• Flaky sea salt, for topping

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients for the pudding layer in a small bowl and whisk until no cocoa lumps remain. Divide this mixture evenly among 4 small bowls or jars.
2. Give the bowl a quick rinse (or just scrape it very clean with a spatula), then put all ingredients for the peanut butter layer in the bowl (starting with 1/3 cup of milk) and stir until creamy. Depending on the consistency of your peanut butter, you may need to add more milk, to reach a thick-but-pourable consistency.
3. Divide the peanut butter mixture evenly among the 4 bowls, spreading to cover the chocolate layer. Either eat immediately, at a slightly softer texture, or chill for 20-30 minutes (or up to 5 days) to enjoy it at a firmer texture. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt before serving.

Be sure to check out my Shop page to purchase some of my favorite ingredients and kitchen equipment used in this recipe.

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