Pudding. How could pudding be so difficult to master? This recipe threw me for a loop. I tested it no less than 10 times! And it only became peanut butter pudding in the eleventh hour. And oh dear, I’m so glad it did. Talk about creamy, dreamy, pillowy deliciousness.
Friends, I can’t wait for you to try this amazing 1-pot, 5-ingredient pudding! Let’s do it.
This recipe starts with coconut milk (full-fat is best!) and arrowroot starch to thicken. Once you cook that for about 5 minutes, it should be thick and pudding-like, as you’ll see below.
Next, it’s time to add flavor in the form of peanut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla! That’s right, maple syrup keeps this recipe naturally sweetened. Dreams do come true! I mean, just look at that creaminess!
P.S. – If you’re more into dates than maple syrup, I included a date-sweetened option in the notes.
Are you even ready for this pudding? I mean, are you? Look at those ribbons! Look at that color! Look at the thickness! It’s too much for my eyes to handle. I have to go make it again.
I hope you all LOVE this recipe! It’s:
Creamy
Thick
Peanut buttery
Naturally sweet
Easy to make
& Super delicious
This makes the perfect healthier treat when dessert cravings strike. It’s also tasty topped with coconut whipped cream and crushed peanuts! And don’t forget the 2-ingredient chocolate ganache (recipe below)! Pour a layer of that on top and you’ve got a peanut butter cup surprise.
If you’re into pudding, also be sure to try out Avocado Peanut Butter Chocolate Pudding and Banana Cream Pie. And if you’re into peanut butter, don’t miss our Peanut Butter Cup Cookies, No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies, and Easy Peanut Butter Fudge!
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
5-Ingredient Vegan Peanut Butter Pudding
Ingredients
PUDDING
- 3 cups canned full-fat coconut milk (If avoiding coconut milk, you can try cashew or almond milk)
- 4 Tbsp arrowroot starch
- 5-6 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 cup creamy salted peanut butter
- 1 pinch sea salt (optional)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
FOR SERVING (optional)
- Coconut whipped cream
- Crushed peanuts
- Chocolate ganache*
Instructions
- Add full-fat coconut milk and arrowroot starch to a large saucepan and whisk to combine. Cook over medium heat until bubbly and thickened (approximately 5 minutes).
- Remove saucepan from heat and stir in maple syrup, peanut butter, vanilla, and a pinch of salt (optional). Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more maple syrup for sweetness, vanilla extract for vanilla flavor, salt for saltiness, and peanut butter for a more peanut-buttery flavor.
- Pour mixture into a medium mixing bowl (glass is best) and let cool on the countertop for 10 minutes. Cover mixing bowl with plastic or parchment wrap so that it touches the surface of the pudding (to prevent a film).
- Chill overnight in the fridge (or until thickened and cold). Serve as is or topped with coconut whipped cream, crushed peanuts, and/or chocolate ganache. It would also work well as a pie filling!
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days. We haven’t tried freezing it but assume it would work.
Video
Notes
*If you want to sweeten this recipe with dates instead of maple syrup, you will end up with a less smooth but equally delicious pudding. Use the following measurements: DATE-SWEETENED OPTION
2/3 cup (~100 g or 8 dates) pitted dates ~ SOAKED in hot water, then drained
2/3 cup (170 g) creamy salted peanut butter
2 1/2 cups (600 ml) full-fat coconut milk (use almond milk for a less thick, creamy pudding)
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 Tbsp (24 g) cornstarch or arrowroot starch Soak dates, then drain. Add to blender and blend with peanut butter, coconut milk, vanilla extract, and starch until creamy. Thicken over medium heat in a large saucepan, then transfer to a bowl and set in the refrigerator to chill completely and thicken. *Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
Susan says
Inquiring about leaving out peanut butter for just a vanilla pudding? What adjustments would I have to do.? Want to use in a pie w/ chocolate or graham cracker crust . My family does dairy free/soy free/gluten free. Thank you for your input.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Susan, we’re not sure if that would work! We’d suggest referring to the filling on this recipe for a vanilla pudding. Hope that helps!
Cynthia says
I used Ripple instead of coconut milk. It was delicious!!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Amazing! Thank you for sharing, Cynthia! xo
Regina Cranford says
Last year this was perfect. This year it came out all gloppy. I used can full fat coconut milk. Making a trifle with it tomorrow, is there any way to make it smooth? To expensive to start over because I use organic peanut butter
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Oh no! We’re so sorry that happened, Regina. Is it possible it cooked for longer this time? You could thin it out with some more coconut milk possibly!
Alice says
I want to make this for my bfs family but wasnt sure if I could substitute the peanut butter for sun-butter? ( its an allergy thing)
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Alice, you could, but it will change the flavor!
The Vegan Goddess says
I prepared the pudding this morning.
It took too long to firm up in the fridge so I stuck it in the freezer for a short time to firm up more.
That helped but if it’s left out it will liquidate again. Since it was so soft I didn’t put chocolate ganache on top but I’m sure that would have been delicious.
I enjoyed it though.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Thank you for sharing your experience! Sorry it didn’t thicken properly. It sounds like the mixture needed to cook longer. Or another idea would be if you swapped in a different milk it might not be as thick?
The Vegan Goddess says
I used coconut milk from two different cans. One of them was older and might not have been full fat so that might have been the problem. I should have double-checked at the time. It was on the stove for more than five minutes and didn’t really thicken as much as in your video. I think it was the quality of the milk.
It tasted great though. I’ll definitely try it again.
Jennifer L Thomson says
Yum!!!
Only change was using Nutella instead of dark chocolate for the chocolate ganache.
Put in little glass jars, oh so pretty!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Ooo yum! That sounds amazing! Thank you for sharing, Jennifer! xo
Christl says
A.M.A.Z.I.N.G! I just made this and had to “taste test” it while it was still warm and not even chilled yet… OMG! I halved the recipe (used one 14-ounce can coconut milk), and I didn’t have maple syrup or dates, but I DID have date syrup (available in health food stores, Middle Eastern grocery stores, Trader Joe’s and increasingly run-of-the-mill grocery stores now). Super delish!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Amazing! Love that swap, Christl. Thank you for sharing! xo
Regina Cranford says
Hi! This was so easy and delicious, perfect for a peanut butter trifle. I need a vanilla version for banana pudding. How can I make this just vanilla but with the same serving size?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Regina, we’re so glad you enjoyed this! Unfortunately this recipe relies on the peanut butter for the right texture, but we do have a banana cream pie recipe that could be helpful, or our tiramisu pudding could possibly be “vanilla” without the coffee. Hope this helps!
Katie says
I would have NEVER tried making chocolate pudding with black beans on my own but all the good reviews made me try it. I only have a nutribullet so I made the pudding in that with black beans and maple syrup (no dates) It is DELICIOUS!! Wish I had found it earlier. I am going to use this as a post workout snack !
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Thanks for sharing, Katie! Did you mean to comment on our chocolate version?
ANGELA MANNING says
Can chia seeds be used to thicken this, instead of the arrowroot?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Angela, for this recipe you do need to use a starch for thickening otherwise it will be the wrong texture. Hope this helps!
Kristi says
Hi! What crust recipe would you recommend pairing with this??
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Kristi, We’d suggest either a graham cracker or pretzel crust! You can find inspiration Here and here. Hope that helps!
Jake says
Made this for Veganuary as finding cheap dessert options is so hard. I can’t believe how amazingly it turned out! I topped it with the chocolate ganache and a sprinkle of sea salt, delicious! Thank you for a great recipe!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the review, Jake!
Stacy says
Hello! I made this today and it is very gelatinous. I followed the recipe exactly. The only point where I became super unsure was when the coconut milk and arrowroot starch was coming together. I wondered if I cooked it too long? I hoped the texture would change after being in the fridge but it’s definitely not pudding consistency. Any saving it at this point?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Stacy, sorry that happened! It does sound like perhaps it cooked too long. We’d suggest thinning with almond milk. Hope that helps!
Nancy says
Looks and sounds delicious! Approximately what is the size of a serving ?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
~1/3 cup is a serving!
Alessandra says
Hi! Do you think Tapioca could work as a substitute for Arrowroot?
Thanks!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Alessandra, We don’t think tapioca would work because it would make it too stringy in texture (but it looks like someone else tried it and it worked!). Another option would be to try cornstarch. It should be a closer match. Let us know if you try it!
Miriam says
Hi, I made this the other day and doofed by adding the peanut butter and the syrup before cooking and it still thickened normally within about 5-10 minutes. Just sharing that in case someone else flubs in the future and worries they’ll have to throw it out.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Great! Thanks for sharing, Miriam! xo
Lisa says
I have not been able to find any of the coconut milks that you recommend. Can I use cashew or almond milk instead? Is homemade a better option for them?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Lisa, store-bought is actually better in this recipe because homemade can develop a strange texture when heated too long. We haven’t tried it with cashew or almond, but we do think it would work well. Let us know if you try it!
HS says
Could we just skip the peanut butter I’m looking for just a simple vanilla pudding would it still turn out?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi, we’d suggest referring to the filling on this recipe for guidance. Hope that helps!
Codettta says
Hello!
Can we use honey instead of maple syrup or does that significantly change the flavour?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We haven’t tried it, but we think it would be fine. Let us know how it goes!
Linsey says
I can’t tell you how long it’s been since I’ve had pudding – this was really good and super easy.
The flavor turned out great, but I was hoping for it to be more peanut-buttery. I added a lot of extra peanut butter. I also noticed that the peanut butter didn’t mix in all the way so the texture wasn’t perfectly smooth (this started in the beginning of adding PB so I don’t think it was because I added extra). This actually may have been something to do with the arrowroot starch not mixing in perfectly?
I was concerned because the coconut + arrowroot starch wasn’t thickening, but then it thickened super quick, so watch is closely!
Otherwise, really easy and delicious!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Linsey! Thanks for sharing your experience! Did your peanut butter have any additives that might have caused that?
Linsey says
Nope, just peanuts! I’m wondering if I cooked the coconut/arrowroot too long? I waited for it to bubble, which I never did, for probably too long.
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Hmm, not sure here! Without knowing how much extra peanut butter you added I can’t troubleshoot there. As well, some natural peanut butters are more oily, which can cause separation when mixed with other ingredients. In any case, it sounds like you enjoyed this recipe overall!
Felicia says
Hi! How big is one serving? Is it like a cup?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hmm, good question! We don’t have an exact measurement, but would estimate ~1/2 cup.
Nicole says
SO yummy! So simple to make yet so decadent. I’m not worried about high fat or calories but try to not have too much added sugar so this is great. I had some coconut milk to use up and it worked out to about 2/3 coconut 1/3 unsweetened oat milk. Added a little bit extra pb, vanilla and maple syrup.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Nicole! Thanks for sharing!
Freya says
Hi,
This recipe was so easy. I absolutely love peanut butter and the different toppings you did- I’m all for chocolate ganache! I just wanted to let you know that I’ve added it into my list of the easiest vegan dessert recipes.
This is the link if you want to check it out.
https://www.happierwithtea.com/index.php/2020/05/05/easy-vegan-dessert-recipes/
Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Thanks for sharing, Freya! Lovely name, btw!
Rebecca says
First of all, your recipes are incredible. I keep coming back for more and more! I must ask if you happen to remember where you found the dessert cups you are using for this post (the one in the very first picture here). I’ve been searching for something similar but so far no luck.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Aw, thanks so much, Rebecca! Unfortunately, we can’t remember where we got them.
Jennifer says
Do you recommend regular or unsweetened canned coconut milk? Thanks.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We used unsweetened.
Jennifer says
I can’t wait to try this recipe. Just to clarify, does this recipe use 1 can of coconut milk? Thank you.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Jennifer, the recipe as written uses 3 cups, which is more like 2 cans. If you only have 1 can, you could change the serving size to 5 and it will adjust the measurements accordingly.
gabriele says
delicious, creamy. a pity that I felt a little bitterness in the bottom .. I don’t know what it could be, maybe peanut butter? it’s also a little sickening, so I recommend using a dark chocolate ganache or something to break. oh, and I used molasses, since I’m Brazilian and here agave is very expensive!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Gabriele, we think it was probably the molasses that made it bitter.
Abha says
Simple recipe and accessible ingredients. Can’t wait to try it!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Let us know how it goes!
Bea says
Hi I would love to try this tomorrow, but I can’t work out if you mean coconut milk that you get in a carton and put in coffee for example or coconut milk (cream) that you get in a tin and put in a curry. Would love to know so I can make this!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Bea, we are referring to canned coconut milk. Sorry that wasn’t more clear!
Rebecca Gale says
Hey! I tried this out as written, but subbed cornstarch for the arrow root. Everything cooked up exactly like the video, but as soon as I stirred in the peanut butter and extra ingredients, the entire pudding separated! It looks like the coconut milk liquified? Any tips for the ingredients coming together so I can salvage this beautiful sounding dessert?! Any help is appreciated! Thanks!
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
So strange! Can you blend it in a food processor? Perhaps your peanut butter was too thick?
Alycia says
The Same thing happened to me! I used arrowroot starch and everything was coming together fine until I added the peanut butter. In my case, I suspect it was the peanut butter that separated because we used the all-natural one (the one you have to mix first because the oil sits on top). Next time, I think if we used something like Jiffy we’d be fine.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Alycia, so strange! We’re not sure what’s causing that. We used an all-natural peanut butter too (but it was well-mixed).
Barb says
A good dessert for peanut butter fans , it was easy to make and refrigerated nicely
Tessa says
Wow!!!!
I doubled the recipe for a dinner party dessert and I’m so glad I did. Ooo’s and ahhh’s all around. Topped with the chocolate ganache and peanuts really took it to another level but straight up on its own was just excellent!
YUM.
Thanks for another knock out of the park ?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Whoop! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing!
Brianne says
It works!!! I am not a very crafty cooking person so I was slightly nervous I would bomb it, but it works!! Great recipe! Thanks for all your hard work of trial and error to get it perfect! My son loves it!
Katja says
Hey Dana,
this looks delicious and I already pinned it. Will this also work with any other starch?
Thanks in advance.
Katja
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Katja, cornstarch might work! Let us know if you try it!
Maria says
This looks delicious ?! Do you think any other nut butter would work well instead of the peanut butter? Thank you!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hmm, maybe? But we think peanut would be best! Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Gaby says
Considering my daughter just had her tonsils removed, I would love to make this! Is there a substitute for the arrow root powder?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Cornstarch might work. Let us know if you give it a try!
Lynn says
Great!! I made it as is, except I cut the recipe in half.
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Wonderful – thanks for sharing!
Audrey says
Just wanted to let others know that I made the date version with oat milk and it came out great! I’d definitely recommend making sure you soak the dates long enough, I got excited and didn’t soak them quite long enough which made it more difficult to blend. Will be making again! :)
Tildie says
Hi Krista! I was wondering if you had any recommendations on what type/brand of peanut butter to use. I found that the coconut milk flavor overpowered the peanut butter and I would have much preferred the opposite. Any suggestions? Can I sub a more neutral milk next time?
Rebecca Bryant says
Just wanted to say that I was making your golden milk recipe then decided I didn’t want a drink but instead wanted pudding. So I took the milk with spices and added peanut butter and arrowroot like this recipe and now I have golden peanut butter amazing pudding. Thank you so much for giving us the creative juices to make healthy, delicious food.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Woah, that is next level!
Krista says
I am so happy to find this recipe! I am having a second gum surgery in two weeks, but am currently on a 40 day sugar fast (refined sugars). Last surgery I survived on butterscotch pudding and have been wondering I am going to do – can’t wait to give this a try. I am curious if you have a brand of creamy peanut butter that you recommend for this recipe? Thanks so much!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Krista! We love this brand of creamy peanut butter! Good luck with your sugar fast! :)
Aaron Logan says
I was looking for a simple yet delicious treat to make for the new years and I knew you would have just the thing.
I doubled the recipe and with a large enough sauce pan it worked out great! It only set for 4ish hours but that texture was still nice. I added the sliced bananas and peanuts and felt that was essential. Everyone enjoyed it. I even had one friend come up to me and say, “Aaron, did you try the pudding? It’s great!” :)
Sarah says
My pudding turned out with some gelatin-like lumps from not mixing the starch in super well. Nothing too terrible, but I’m wondering if it would be a tragic mistake to take an immersion blender to it (after letting it set overnight)? I was planning to use this for your peanut butter banana pudding recipe :).
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Sarah! I think that would work if it means saving the recipe. Let us know how it turns out!
Sarah says
The blender was not a huge success, but the pie was! No one cared about the lumps :)
Natasha Tatton says
I used coconut cream out of a can and cornstarch, using the date method. This stuff is better than crack! I’m hooked! Thanks for sharing :)
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Great! Thanks for sharing, Natasha!
Josh says
I just found this last night and it was great. But I had to make substitions because I didn’t have exact ingredients.
I make my own rice milk. Since I wasn’t confident in the difference I put a dollop of vegan butter in with cornstarch. I ran this through a blender because of trouble with lumps every time I use it. As it cooled on the counter it did start to collect oil on the top. I thought about skimming it off. Instead I put everything back into the blender before refrigerating. Super creamy and delicious. I used the ratio of the ingredients above, except I removed enough peanut butter in place of the added butter.
Used this over some pulverized vegan brownies (that were as dry as sand) with a touch of butter pressed into a pie tin. It’s was a great combo. The whole reason I found this recipe was to find a use for the failed brownies. Now I have a new snack/dessert to add to my allergy recipe collection.
Elizabeth Galloway says
Absolutely delicious! Made this very quickly with my kids and we all loved it. I re-heated the chocolate ganache the next day to pour over the pudding warm. Yum Yum
Brooke says
To anyone struggling with texture: I made this, following the recipe to a T (ok almost…I subbed cornstarch for arrowroot, and next time I’d use less cornstarch), and it tasted fine but the texture….!!! Yikes. Oily, gloppy, separated mess. I walked away, defeated. After eating all the chocolate in my house, I returned to get rid of my nemesis (now room temperature). I gave it a quick whisk, and what should appear before my eyes but pudding! Glorious pudding!! I was saved!
Now, I can definitely taste the coconut milk, despite adding extra peanut butter, but it doesn’t bother me too much. It’s also a bit too thick, but I’m pretty sure that can be attributed to the cornstarch. Overall I liked it, but if I make it again I’ll sub half the full-fat coconut milk with cashew milk to make it less oily and coconutty for my personal taste.
Andria says
I made the date-sweetened version of this with the coconut milk. I was really happy with it overall, but actually thought the coconut milk made it a little too rich for me (and I am a fan of rich desserts, generally). Some coconut whipped cream did help balance it out, but I think next time I’ll make it with almond milk.
I also tried a trick I had read for vegan, starch-thickened puddings: let the pudding set up, then use a stick blender to “whip” it a bit (I think a mixer might also work). It takes it from somewhat gelatinous to more creamy, and I really thought it improved the texture.
I’m definitely planning a PB banana pudding for Thanksgiving this year ; )
Tara says
Hi! I am super excited to try this tonight. Question: if I am making ganache, can I pour it over the pudding and chill all at once, or do I chill the pudding overnight THEN add the ganache then chill again? THanks!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We’d recommend chilling overnight before topping with ganache. Hope that helps!
Abigail says
So Delicious! I only had Almond milk and Corn Starch in my cupboard so I used that. Came out super yummy! Non-vegan (and picky!!!) husband loved it too. Thank you!
Jolene says
I also used almond milk and cornstarch, it turns out pretty smooth but when I refrigerate it overnight I realise it wasn’t very viscous. When I tilt the bowl the liquid can just come out flowing, was it suppose to be like this? I have no idea which step I did wrong since I followed exactly (except the wrap with plastic film part). But when I manage to freeze the pudding it stays solid.
Pam says
This turned out so well! One of my new favourite recipes. I LOVE how simple but delicious your recipes are!! I always enjoy getting your emails in my inbox to see what you’ve created next. Thank you!
Alex says
Well Dana, just mad this bomb of a pudding and halved it in two, I added choc chips to one which, when melted made the pudding even creamier and more awesome. Then I layered it in glasses with some banana coins and choc chip cookie dough made by myself. Topped it off with bananas- did not even make the whipped cream. The recipe is awesome, thanks!
Amanda says
I made this recipe using light coconut milk because that’s what I had. It didn’t thicken in the refrigerator as much as I wanted it to, so I put it in my ice cream maker and it made awesome ice cream! I added peanuts and a peanut butter + chocolate chip fudge swirl and it is some of the best vegan ice cream I have ever had!
Lauren says
This was delicious! Made exactly like the recipe said. If you can’t wait 12 hours to eat it, portion out some in a small bowl and it will chill in a few hours.
3 cups of coconut milk is just shy of 2 cans. I think next sime I will add the remaining milk (~1/4-1/3 cup) and maybe a teaspoon more of arrowroot to sol e the problem of what to do with the leftover coconut milk.
Lauren says
Could you list coconut milk in terms of cans where possible? I understand sometimes only part of a can is used (eg the fat layer, or just a fraction of the homogenized milk), but if you have recipes where whole cans are used if you could list the measurements in terms of cans that would be great!
Cecelia Ivy Price says
So excited to try this! I am a peanut butter freak!
Kat says
Yummmmm. So good! I wanted to thank you for being a great inspiration. I ditched sugar 80 days ago (yep still counting) and been trying to find new ideas for dairy, wheat and sugar free desserts using dates, coconut sugar or agave for sweetening. This pudding was great, so easy to make. I used corn starch and coconut sugar and it came out a bit like a caramel pudding. BF is loving it !
Next time I will try to make banana or chocolate pudding… ?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Glad you enjoyed it, Kat!
Tari B says
Wish me luck pukker ppp festival
Carol says
You nailed this recipe. I’ve never had peanut butter pudding. My husband and I devoured it. All of your testing paid off. Thank you!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Woot woot! Glad to hear that, Carol!
Anelyse says
I really liked the simplicity of this recipe and the fabulous flavours/textures. Quick and delish. Made it for a die-hard peanut butter fan, and it was a hit. Added a bit more maple syrup to the pudding.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Cindy says
I used almond milk, when I put it in refrigerator it had a thick pudding like consistency; however, as it set overnight it turned into liquid. I’m going to make it again today using full fat canned coconut milk. That said, the flavor is delicious.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Better luck with the coconut milk, Cindy!
Jolene says
I think it’s best to have a mixture of other kinds of milk together with full-fat coconut milk because coconut milk’s melting (aka freezing) point is around 76 °F which will be rather solid and viscous when you put in the fridge. Wheras other milk’s freezing temperature is near 32 °F
Whitney says
Wow, I just made this for my bridal shower tomorrow, and even though it’s still hot, I’m thinking it will not disappoint! I did the date-sweetened version, but I swapped out the peanut butter for homemade cashew cream, and added a little lemon juice to turn it into a cheesecake dip. I’m anticipating success!
One note: always add salt! Salt brings out so much of the flavor, and enhances the recipe. Other than that, I am very satisfied!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Yum! Thanks for sharing your recipe changes, Whitney!
Tina Salicco-Jackson says
Can this be made with unsalted pb?
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Yes, that will work!
Tina Salicco-Jackson says
Thank you :)
Julia says
Oh my goodness, I know whats for dessert tonight, w/ the chocolate ganache, perfect.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Yay!
Pixie @ Cheerfully Vegan says
I read all of the comment and was chuckling at how most of us can’t seem to leave a recipe alone! Sorry, Dana! lol If the taste of the warm pudding is any indication, this is going to be lovely! I did make some modifications….lol…I can’t help myself. I do it to most recipes, even my own after a while!
I measured 1 can of coconut milk and realized that 2 of them would be OVER 3 cups, and what would I do with the extra? I thought about how much fat (healthy, but still…) was in 2 cans. Gulp! Delicious, but I thought I could help cut it a teeny bit. I used for the 2nd can light coconut milk – and used the whole 2 cans, which measured 3 1/2 cups. Therefore, I needed to increase the arrowroot a little – so I guessed at 4 T. We’ll see how thickly it sets up later. I increased the maple syrup to 8 T. After following all the rest of the instructions, I saw that my peanut butter must have had some thick small lumps in it that weren’t whisking out even with heating it a bit. Remembering that last year I treated myself to an immersible blender that I have rarely used, I pulled that out and – voila! – smooth pudding. I tasted it and decided I needed more salt and sweetener. Instead of more calories, I opted to use 1/4 tsp of stevia (1/8 wasn’t quite enough.) It really tasted fantastic! What a great pudding option and a nice break from chocolate or vanilla pudding.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Thank you for sharing your recipe changes, Pixie! We are glad you enjoyed it!
Pixie @ Cheerfully Vegan says
Update: This pudding was a huge hit! Thank you for creating the recipe. I have shared it all around. :)
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Whoop! Thank you for sharing! We are glad you enjoyed it :D
Kelly says
I made this Peanut Butter Pudding and followed the exact recipe. It was awesome! Creamy, thick and delicious! While in the refrigerator, I read through other comments. Then I attempted to make chocolate pudding with the unsweetened almond milk that I had on hand. I followed the recipe subbing the almond milk for coconut milk, and melted chocolate for peanut butter. The chocolate pudding was not as thick. Although I was disappointed, the combination of peanut butter and chocolate pudding was amazing! Thanks, Dana! I love ALL your recpies :)
Eva says
This dish is a big hit with my husband, who adores peanut butter, but is otherwise not vegan. I used a brand of coconut milk that has guar gum added to it for a more homogeneous texture. Instead of arrowroot starch, I used a “universal gluten free flour” mix that contains a variety of plant starches and it worked just fine. I just had to be careful to mix the flour in very slowly and carefully to avoid clumps or weird textures. I look forward to creating my own flavor creations using this wonderful recipe as a base!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Thanks for sharing your recipe subs, Eva! We are glad you both enjoyed it!
Alexis Ranallo says
Hi! :) I am so excited to make the vegan PB Banana pudding for my Mom who is watching my baby girl this weekend as a treat, she loves bananas and vanilla wafers- yet she is avoiding peanuts right now. Do you think subbing sun butter would work? Thank you for such amazing recipe ideas!
Staci Moore says
Don’t use peanut butter powder. It separates and turns to mush.
Michelle says
Thank you I was planning on trying that to cut calories. Appreciate the heads up maybe I’ll use 1/2 almond milk 1/2 coconut milk & monk fruit extract to save on calories.
Gabi says
Hi! I made this and loved it! The arrowroot starch clumped after refrigerating it. It doesn’t pose any taste differences, but the texture kind of weirds me out. I realized I never let the pudding sit out to cool before putting it in the fridge. Do you think that has something to do with the arrowroot clumping?
Heather says
I read this recipe about 15 minutes ago, and I said “I have those ingredients!” Well, I had only one can of coconut milk, so I had to scale it down. Based on licking the pan, I’d say this is a winner. And I’m sure the ganache is lovely, but I took the direct route and covered the top with chocolate chips while the pudding is still warm. I can hardly wait until it’s chilled.
Karen says
This looks amazing! Can’t wait to see the peanut butter pie recipe!! Thanks!
Deborah P Sturges says
Could you comment on the use of the peanut butter powder in this recipe? The use of it would certainly cut down on the fat content in view of the fact that you are using full fat coconut milk. Please let me know what you think. I’m anxious to try this but would like to reduce the fat if possible.
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
I think that would work!
Aura says
For some reason my pudding never acquired the same nice consistency of the pudding in the video, but that hasn’t stopped me from scarfing nearly the entire batch over the past couple of days. SO good!
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Hm, strange, did you blend it?!
Aura says
I used a whisk and then a spoon as well. It seemed thoroughly mixed. I’m going to make it again with cornstarch instead of arrowroot, just to see if it’s different. But trust me, even with the odd texture this recipe is still a winner. Many thanks to you for continually expanding my vegan repertoire!
Leah says
Thank you for including a date-sweetened option! Looking forward to trying this one.
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Yeah! Hope you like it!
Danielle says
What kind of peanut butter (brand?) are you using? I think the “all natural” (peanuts + salt) is causing oil separation issues.. I’m sure it will taste good.. but the oil is sitting on the top of the mixture and causing a funky texture.
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Wild Friends! The oil does sit at the top of this (and other natural brands), but you just need to stir it in to incorporate. Although that shouldn’t come across in the texture of this pudding…Did it get blended well enough?
Elyssa says
This looks ahhhmazing I just wish the calories/serving sizes weren’t so ridiculous 10 servings on something that is going to produce appropriately 4 cups at most brings it to a few bits per serving at over 300 calories. I could eat a candy bar for less lol
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Hmm, that’s good food for though. The fat definitely comes from the coconut and peanut butter. If concerned about that, you could sub peanut butter powder or light coconut milk to lighten things up. But arguably, the ingredients in this recipe are way “healthier” for you than the ingredients in a candy bar. Hopefully you’ll still give it a try!
Elyssa says
Do you think the light coconut milk would work?! I guess I will have to give that a whirl!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Yes, that should work! Let us know how it goes!
Matilda says
I was wondering, do i have to chill the coconut milk and only use the thick top part or do i have shake use the whole can?
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
You can use the whole can!
Risa Gruberger says
Hi, Ok unfortunately I had a lot of problems with the textures in this recipe. Ugh, made it 2 times. The taste is amazing but could not get a pudding texture. First go around it was extremely oily which I attributed to the peanut butter. Second time, the problem was my mixture came out with small lumps (gummy like) I am guessing the arrowroot gelled. Not sure why. Then the ganache turned out watery, ugh. And last ugh, the whip cream turned out liquidly. Would love any tips. I am thinking my problem is working with the coconut milk, full fat. I chilled the can and it looked very much like whip cream. Open to all suggestions. I love all of your recipes and usually have success. Thank you!
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Did you blend the pudding well enough? That sounds like the primary issue. It benefits from being emulsified in that way. Otherwise, the ganache shouldn’t have been “watery” – I’ve never experienced that…perhaps add more chocolate next time? As for whipped cream, that usually goes wrong if you’ve used a brand of coconut milk or cream that’s too runny or watery…what brand did you use?
Natalie says
I also had the same problem. Ended up with little lumps in the pudding. Still tastes amazing but wondering how to fix. I didn’t whisk the whole time when it was on the stove, could that be the issue?
Corina says
If you add any starch to a hot liquid, you will get lumps. You need to add the coconut milk and starch at the same time, turn on the heat, and then whisk continually until it thickens. I’m guessing this is the cause of the lumpy texture issues.
Lev K says
This was excellent! I only had one can full fat coconut milk so I had to sub in some lite coconut milk and it worked fine! Also didn’t have enough arrowroot so I used some cornstarch and couldn’t tell a difference. I’d definitely recommend serving with some crushed salted peanuts and some dairy free chocolate chips; they add a needed crunch and saltiness to cut the rich taste of the pudding! Thank you, Dana!
Katie says
I used coconut cream in a can and natural organic cream peanut butter (just peanuts and salt) and the texture turned out horrible. It was not creamy at all and the oils separated. What do you think I might have done wrong? I used no sweetener, and I think the taste is good, but the texture is awful. I will eat it, but wouldn’t want to serve it to anyone!
Khara says
Maybe stick to just regular canned coconut milk? Big texture difference between that and the cream in my opinion. I’d try it again and follow the recipe exactly to see if that works.
Nicholas Gray says
I’m predicting a peanut butter pudding pie recipe coming up in the near future utilizing this recipe…
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
tomorrow ;D
Heather says
Thank you for torturing yourself 11 times because this recipe is the best! I made this in the microwave with a bowl and a fork. It worked! So easy and so yummmmm. I used jaggery, the brown sugar of India, and it gave a perfect amount of sweetness. I also quartered the recipe! I used 200ml coconut milk and a heaping tablespoon of arrowroot. I whisked that good with my fork then zapped it for 1 minute on full power. Then I took it out and whisked up the small chunks of arrowroot. I zapped it for 30 second intervals with lots of whisking in between for another 2 minutes roughly. Just till it got thick. Then I followed the rest of the recipe using a quarter of everything. I did add a little extra jaggery, maybe half a tbs, to get it a little sweeter. So yummy! The coconut taste disappears and it tastes like silky peanut butter fluff. And so easy, I can’t get over it. Great recipe.
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Lovely! Thanks for sharing your experience!
Shoshana Pursley says
I too am wondering about cornstarch instead of the arrowroot. This looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it!!
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Should work!
Wim says
Is there a reason that you use arrowroot starch? Does that give the pudding a better texture than cornstarch? Or doesn’t it matter?
Elena Hughes says
I made this but omitted the peanut butter because I’m avoiding inflammatory foods as much as possible due to a pulled muscle. Put a ton of vanilla beans in it instead. Topped it w/ peaches, blueberries & coconut butter. So good. Thanks for the idea!
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Smart! Thanks for sharing, Elena!
Dawn says
Thank you for this! I don’t tolerate pb very well due to cancer stuff and was wondering about making it “plain” or vanilla; your recipe change sounds perfect! Thank you
Sandra says
I subbed 4 tbsp monk fruit for sweetener added it while cooking-my taste tester licked the bowl and gives it 2 thumbs up & it hasn’t even cooled yet. You’re my hero Dana.
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Lovely!!
Tina says
Did one of your less than successful attempts involve PB powder? Trying to keep saturated fats down.
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
I think PB powder would work fine! I didn’t try it, but think it would work. Let us know if you give it a go!
Nikki Kostyun says
I tried peanut butter powder …. it turned out more like sauce than pudding … You also have to add salt and sweetener if using powder since peanut butter usually has that … as well as oils that I’m sure affect it too
Nikki says
Update: I put this back in the pot and whisked regularly while heating until it got much thicker. With the PB powder I think you have to let more boil off and also whisk not-constantly-but-regularly in order to keep it consistent throughout … And now I have pudding! Thank you so much for this one and all your lovely recipes!
Also PB Powder people – Hoosier Farms brand has nothing added to it – PB2 Brand and most others have added salt and A LOT of sugar.
Angela says
I don’t know that I’ve noticed the feature for changing serving sizes previously, but just did so, and am eternally grateful to you for this!
I subscribe to an Ayurvedic vegan lifestyle, which means I cook from scratch daily only what I consume daily. And, as I am now a household of one, being able to expand my recipe options within these parameters and without manual conversion formulas is an invaluable assist to living my best, healthiest, most fulfilled life ever.
Again, many thanks to you!!
XOXOXO
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Lovely! Hope you love the new recipe features xoxo!
Gina says
I agree!! The recipe conversion is so helpful! Can’t wait to try this recipe. Thank you!!
Cora says
I have looked but don’t see the serving size changer. Would you be so kind as to share a link.
Thanks,
Cora
Kate says
It’s just below the Prep Time/Cook Time/Total time and before the ingredients. It’s set to 10 servings right now but you can put whatever number you prefer and it will update the ingredients list. Neat feature!
Alexan B. says
You have now given me something to research today! Intrigued by the “make daily, eat daily” kind of mentality. Intrigued by this lifestyle!
Alyssa says
This looks really good. My husband doesn’t like peanuts. Are there any other flavors that might work?
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
I would guess melted chocolate would be nice, or another nut or seed butter that he’s into (like almond, hazelnut, or cashew).
LyndseyVC says
I made a chocolate ganache for a cake recently using bournville chocolate and canned coconut milk, you couldn’t taste the coconut at all and the bournville had no bitterness, it tasted very creamy, like eating melted dairy milk!!
Evelyn Barney says
Hmmm – I’d like to make this for my son. He does not care for coconut in sweet dishes. Would almond milk work? Or even regular dairy? (We tend to be ‘flexitarian’)
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
So coconut milk provides that nice creamy thick texture. But you can try almond milk! Let us know how it goes if you do.
Lynn says
This looks heavenly =) When you say coconut milk, is this the stuff in the can or rather the carton in the dairy aisle? (Also, the link to the whipped cream has a 404 error).
Ashley says
I was wondering the same!
Amelia says
Full-fat coconut milk is definitely the canned stuff :)
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
Fixed! For this I’d recommend coconut milk in the can!
Barbara Avgoustidis says
What about milkadamia latte it’s pretty creamy. ?!
Lynn says
Got it….thank you!
Leonie says
Yes, it is the can.
Ahlam says
Can I use tapioca starch instead of arrowroot?
Hayley says
Or how about cornstarch too?
b says
made it with tapioca and almond milk (as it was the only one i had) and it was awesome!
Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
I don’t think tapioca would work because it would make it too stringy in texture (but it looks like someone else tried it and it worked!). And you can try cornstarch! It should be a closer match.