Vegan Chocolate Avocado Pudding
Last Updated on May 29, 2023 by Heather Reseck
This vegan chocolate avocado pudding makes tasty comfort food in less than 15 minutes. Easy and kid-friendly.
Belief Bakery
This recipe originally appeared in the July 9, 2022 issue of Guide magazine, a publication for children ages 10-14. It is the fifth in a series of 28 installments called “Belief Bakery” which uses a hands-on cooking project to illustrate each of the 28 fundamental beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists.
This project is in collaboration with my husband, Greg Reseck, an educator, who tests the recipes with the students in his classroom.
We emphasize the love of God and Biblical concepts and tie them into fun cooking projects with healthy plant-based recipes.
A Better Comforter than Chocolate
Do you like getting gifts for your birthday? Do you think your parents like giving you special gifts?
Even more so, God likes to give gifts. Before Jesus left this earth, He promised the gift of the Helper—the Holy Spirit. Here are some of the ways the Holy Spirit is a Helper.
Connector
The Holy Spirit connects you to Jesus. That is how Jesus lives in your heart. (1 John 3:24)
At the beginning of every day choose to give your life to Jesus. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and help you to be a blessing to others. Throughout the day talk to Him and listen for His promptings.
Teacher
The Holy Spirit helps you understand the Bible so you can discover what is true. (John 14:26; John 16:13)
Power Giver
The Holy Spirit empowers you to be like Jesus. (Ephesians 3:16)
Fruit Grower
The Holy Spirit helps you grow the fruit of the Spirit in your life: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22, 23)
Spiritual Gift Giver
The Holy Spirit gives you spiritual gifts to use to bless others. Some of the gifts include helping, encouraging, teaching, giving, and leading. (Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12)
Comforter
The Holy Spirit comforts you, so you encourage others. (John 14:26, KJV; 2 Corinthians 1:4).
Chocolate Pudding
Let’s make some comfort food to help you remember the Holy Spirit is our comforter! It takes less than 15 minutes. Chocolate will never replace the comfort of the Holy Spirit. But it can remind you of the Helper, the true source of comfort, joy, and peace. It’s also a reminder that God loves to give good gifts.
Information for Kids
- Adult supervision is recommended for inexperienced junior chefs.
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Safety: Uses a knife
Before You Begin
- Read through the recipe, variations, and tips.
- Choose if you want to make the main recipe or a variation.
- Arrange to buy any ingredients you need.
- Buy the avocado ahead so it is ripe. (See tips.)
Variations
- Chocolate-Banana Pudding: Substitute half of a peeled fresh or frozen banana for all or part of the sugar.
- Carob Pudding: Substitute carob powder for the cocoa pow
Recipe Tips
- You will need to plan so you have a ripe avocado on hand.
- Don’t worry. You won’t taste the avocado!
- To tell if an avocado is ripe: hold it in your hand and gently squeeze it. It should feel a little soft but not mushy. If it is mushy, it is overripe; don’t use it.
- Unripe avocados will be hard—like a baseball. They can take 4 or 5 days to ripen at room temperature. To speed up ripening, place the avocado in a paper bag with an apple or banana. Fold down the top of the bag to help contain the ethylene gas released by the fruit. Check the avocado every day until it is soft.
- Once avocados are soft, refrigerate them for up to a week to keep them from spoiling quickly.
- If you don’t have a 1/8 teaspoon measuring spoon, you can use one-half of a ¼ teaspoon.
- If using a blender, you may need to add extra liquid.
Health Bite
Dates are naturally sweet fruit that contains valuable health-supporting nutrients. Sugar contains no nutrients. For your body to process sugar, it must take nutrients from your body. In that way, sugar is an anti-nutrient. That’s why it’s best to use sugar in small amounts, not as a food group!
Vegan Chocolate Avocado Pudding
Equipment
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Liquid measure
- Food processor or blender
- Strainer or colander
- Bowl larger than the strainer
- Small saucepan
- Paring knife or table knife
- Fork
- Spoon
- Rubber spatula
- 4 small bowls (or 1 larger bowl) fo serving
Ingredients
- ¾ cup pitted dates
- 1 cup water
- 1 large ripe avocado or 2 small
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2-3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract preferably alcohol-free
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place the dates and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat.
- Poke several dates with a fork. If they are soft, proceed with the recipe. If not soft, let them soften for 5 minutes.
- Set a strainer or a colander over a bowl. Drain the dates. Save the liquid that collects in the bowl.
- Cut the avocado in half from top to bottom with a paring knife or table knife. Open the avocado by twisting it apart.
- Use a spoon to remove the pit and discard it.
- Use a spoon to scoop the avocado pulp into a food processor or blender. Discard the peel.
- Add the softened dates, ½ cup of the date soaking liquid, cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons sugar, vanilla, and salt.
- Process until very smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. It may take 1-2 minutes to get it smooth.
- If needed, add additional date soaking liquid one tablespoon at a time to achieve a smooth, yet thick pudding consistency.
- Taste it. Is it sweet enough? If not, add the additional tablespoon of sugar and process until mixed in.
- Spoon the pudding into 4 small dishes (or a serving bowl.)
- Serve. If you want to dress up the pudding, top it with a dollop of whipped cream. If desired, top with raspberries or strawberry slices and a fresh mint leaf.
- If there are any leftovers, cover and refrigerate them for up to 3 days.
- Wash the dishes and clean up after yourself.
Video
Notes
- Read through the recipe, variations, and tips.
- Choose if you want to make the main recipe or a variation.
- Arrange to buy any ingredients you need.
- Buy the avocado ahead so it is ripe. (See tips.)
- Wash your hands with soap and water.
- Gather the equipment.
- Gather the ingredients.
- Chocolate-Banana Pudding: Substitute half of a peeled fresh or frozen banana for all or part of the sugar.
- Carob Pudding: Substitute carob powder for the cocoa powder. Add the sugar only if needed.
- You will need to plan so you have a ripe avocado on hand.
- Don’t worry. You won’t taste the avocado!
- To tell if an avocado is ripe: hold it in your hand and gently squeeze it. It should feel a little soft but not mushy. If it is mushy, it is overripe; don’t use it.
- Unripe avocados will be hard—like a baseball. They can take 4 or 5 days to ripen at room temperature. To speed up ripening, place the avocado in a paper bag with an apple or banana. Fold down the top of the bag to help contain the ethylene gas released by the fruit. Check the avocado every day until it is soft.
- Once avocados are soft, refrigerate them for up to a week to keep them from spoiling quickly.
- If you don’t have a 1/8 teaspoon measuring spoon, you can use one-half of a ¼ teaspoon.
- If using a blender, you may need to add extra liquid.
