This chocolate protein powder pudding is thick, creamy, and rich enough to feel like a dessert. It gets its body from casein protein, not a thickener, and sets up like real pudding in the fridge. It’s rich and creamy enough to call dessert, and the sugar-free afternoon snack I make on repeat.
I am always on the lookout for afternoon snacks that feel like a treat. And I knew I was on to something when my son and I were negotiating over the last dish of protein powder pudding.
Since I first started testing, I’ve made a batch every week when I meal prep. Come 3 p.m., when I want something chocolate and also want to fight off my afternoon slump, it is right there.
Without any of the chalky shake feeling I normally get from anything with protein powder.
This chocolate pudding took some testing to get just right. Early batches were thin and grainy. This one is thick and holds a spoon. I’ll show you how we get there.
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The Protein Powder You Use Matters
The protein powder you use here matters.
We aren’t getting our pudding texture from a box of instant pudding, or from yogurt. We are getting it from casein protein powder.
When testing, I discovered that whey protein powder (my usual go-to) didn’t thicken and actually became a little grainy. Casein soaks up the liquid and thickens as it chills. The reason we make casein pudding is not that it bumps the protein. It is for structure without gelatin, cornstarch, instant mix, or even xanthan gum.
If you have a casein-whey blend, you can use it. Just increase the amount to 60 grams. It will be a little softer, but still good.
A Word About the Sweetener
I sweeten it with allulose to keep this chocolate protein pudding sugar-free and keto. It dissolves cleanly and skips the cool, minty tingle some sugar-free sweeteners leave on your tongue.
If you aren’t low-carb or keto and just want a protein powder pudding, sugar works just fine. Other sugar-free sweeteners will also work; just be aware that some of them get gritty, and erythritol will make a chilled pudding firmer.
A pinch of instant espresso is optional. It does not taste like coffee. It just makes the chocolate taste more like chocolate. I use it because I keep it on hand—no need to run out and buy it if you don’t have it.
A Temperature Rule to Remember
We begin by warming the almond milk and cream, dissolving the cocoa, and melting the chocolate. The thing you won’t know if you haven’t tried it - you can’t dump protein powder into a hot base and expect it to be smooth. In my testing, casein got clumpy, and whey got grainy when poured into the hot base.
So we let the base cool until just warm, not hot. About 98°F or less. Then you can blend in the protein. I learned this the hard way so you don’t have to.
Thickening Protein Pudding
With casein protein, I found that I didn’t need a thickener because it sets as pudding on its own. I tested this and found it unnecessary, though my son liked the addition of xanthan gum because it made it more like a mousse.
But if you are using a whey protein, or even a whey-casein blend, you will likely want to add a bit (⅛ to ¼ teaspoon) of xanthan gum. (Or another thickener if you aren’t keeping this low-carb.)
Blend it, But Don't Overblend
One more small thing.
Blend the base smooth first, a full minute, with the cream cheese and allulose in there. Then add the protein powder and blend for just 10 to 15 more seconds. No longer.
Over-blend the protein, and you whip air into it. It goes foamy and light, more mousse than pudding, and it can froth up on top. A short blend keeps it dense and pudding-thick. Then it chills and sets.
Setting and Storage
This protein pudding recipe needs at least 30 minutes to set. I like it even better after a couple of hours.
It will keep in the refrigerator for about four days. I suspect that it would freeze well, but I haven’t had any last long enough to find out.
How to Make Protein Powder Pudding
Step 1
Heat the almond milk and whipping cream in a saucepan. Add the cocoa powder and espresso powder.
Step 2
Cook just until fully dissolved.
Step 3
Remove from heat and stir in the chopped chocolate.
Step 4
Let cool until lukewarm. Add to the blender with the cream cheese, allulose, vanilla, and salt. Blend for 1 minute.
Step 5
Add the protein powder and blend for 15 seconds more. Pour into dishes and refrigerate until set
More Sugar-Free Desserts
If you like this sugar-free chocolate protein pudding, don’t miss my keto brownies, keto chocolate chip cookies, and almond flour protein muffins.
Chocolate Protein Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon instant espresso powder optional
- ½ ounce sugar-free chocolate chopped
- 1 ounce cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon allulose
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- ¾ cup chocolate casein protein powder (50 grams ;about 2 scant scoops; casein-whey blend will also work; use 60 grams)
Instructions
- In a saucepan, heat the almond milk and whipping cream over low heat. Whisk in the cocoa powder and espresso powder. Cook until it just steams, and the cocoa powder is fully dissolved. Do not simmer.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped chocolate until melted.
- Let the base cool until it is lukewarm. (Otherwise casein protein will clump or whey will turn grainy.)
- Add the cooled base to the blender. Add the cream cheese, allulose, vanilla, and salt. Blend for 1 minute, until smooth.
- Add the protein powder and blend for 10 to 15 seconds more. (Over-blending will turn it foamy.)
- Pour into 3 dishes and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. I find it best after about 3 hours.
Notes
* Using whey instead of casein? Add ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum for body. With casein, you can leave it out, or it sets firmer than pudding.
* The pudding tastes like your protein powder, so use a chocolate one you love. The chocolate and protein powder you use will impact the total carbs; if you are strictly tracking recalculate based on the brands you use. Allulose has already been reduced to net carbs.
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