28 Grandma-Approved Pudding Recipes

Updated: Nov. 06, 2023

End your next meal on a sweet note with these classic and comforting pudding recipes.

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Old-Fashioned Chocolate Pudding

One of the nice things about this easy pudding is you don’t have to stand and stir it. It’s a must for my family year-round! I also make it into a pie with a graham cracker crust that our grandchildren love. —Amber Sampson, Somonauk, Illinois

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Lemon Snow Pudding

My mother first served this light and refreshing snow pudding at a dinner for my brother, his new bride and their wedding guests back in the early ’40s. When I got married in ’47, I made sure I had the recipe. —Eula Voehl, Ottumwa, Iowa. If you’re looking for more recipes, learn how to make figgy pudding, a dessert for every season.
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Easy Banana Pudding with Cream Cheese

I blend cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk and whipped topping into instant pudding then layer it with vanilla wafers and sliced bananas. Served in a pretty glass bowl, this banana pudding with cream cheese makes for a fancy yet fuss-free dessert. —Edna Perry, Rice, Texas
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Coconut Rice Pudding

This coconut rice pudding has a hint of citrus and a mild coconut flavor. Look for unsweetened coconut milk in the Asian aisle of your grocery store. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Peanut Butter Pudding Pie

This peanut butter pudding pie is pretty enough to serve to company… if your family doesn’t get to it first! No one can resist a sweet piece of this creamy chocolate and peanut butter dessert. —Valerie Sisson, Norton, Ohio
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Strawberry Banana Pudding

I add in additional fruit to get a little closer to all those servings you need every day. You can also try using different flavored puddings and fruit to switch up the recipe. —Jackie Termont, Richmond, Virginia
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Creamy Butterscotch Pudding for 2

One day when I had a craving for something homemade, I tried from-scratch pudding. It’s much better than the store-bought kind! —EMR, tasteofhome.com
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Apple Honey Tapioca Pudding

I’m glad that apple season is long, since my family requests this pudding quite often!
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Homemade Chocolate Pudding

This delightful chocolate pudding is always a treat and easy to whip up. I usually top the pudding with M&M’s. My husband likes whipped topping on his and our daughter loves to dip fresh strawberries in hers. —Carrina Cooper, McAlpin, Florida
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Easy Almond Joy Chia Pudding

I enjoy making this coconut milk chia pudding recipe because it’s easy and I can find all the ingredients at my local market. No baking is required, and it’s served in individual jars for guests. For more flavor, add shredded coconut. —Ashley Altan, Hanover, Maryland
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Pumpkin Pie Pudding

My husband loves anything pumpkin, and this creamy, comforting pumpkin pudding recipe is one of his favorites. We make our easy pudding all year long, but it's especially nice in the fall. —Andrea Schaak, Bloomington, Minnesota
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Banana Crumb Pudding

Friends and family ask me to make my banana pudding for all occasions. —Yvonnia Butner, Pinnacle, North Carolina
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Creamy Coconut Rice Pudding Parfaits

When my daughter’s friends come over for lunch, she treats them to her tropical parfaits made with brown rice and coconut milk. They’re fresh, creamy and comforting. —Suzanne Clark, Phoenix, Arizona
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Dark Chocolate Espresso Tapioca Pudding

I’ve been experimenting with espresso powder in different dishes. I really enjoy this chocolate tapioca pudding, and I hope you do, too! —Shelly Bevington, Hermiston, Oregon
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Leftover Rice Pudding

This rice pudding with leftover cooked rice is a delicious classic. We also like to dress it up with English toffee bits, chocolate and toasted coconut. —Laura German, North Brookfield, Massachusetts
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Chocolate Pudding Pizza

My sister Brenda and I made up this recipe while talking on the phone! My family loved the classic pairing of chocolate and peanut butter presented in a whole new way. —LaDonna Reed, Ponca City, Oklahoma
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Danish Rhubarb Pudding

My grandmother used to make this pudding. It’s one of my favorite traditional Danish desserts. —Kay Sundheim, Nashua, Montana
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Dirt Pudding Cups

These darling little desserts are my daughter Crystal’s favorite. At family birthday parties, no matter how fancy the dirt cup looks, each person gets a gummy worm, too. —Linda Emery, Bearden, Arkansas
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Matcha Chia Pudding

This matcha chia pudding is quick, easy and super healthy. Combine earthy matcha green tea powder, creamy almond milk and healthy chia seeds for superfood heaven in a little package. It is gluten-free, vegan, paleo and Whole30 approved! —Abra Pappa, New York, New York
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Peanut Butter Pudding Dessert

Here’s a fun layered dessert that will appeal to all ages. If you want it even nuttier, you can use chunky peanut butter, and if you’re not a fan of cashews, substitute your favorite nut. This peanut butter lasagna is one of my favorite pudding desserts. —Barbara Schindler, Napoleon, Ohio
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Baked Pumpkin Pudding

Even after you favorite turkey dinner, you’ll find room for this perfect pudding dessert—a treat served hot or cold. Mildly spiced, it will leave you sweetly satisfied, but not overly full, assures Gerri Saylor from Graniteville, South Carolina.
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Old-Fashioned Tapioca

My family loves traditional tapioca, but I don’t always have time to make it. So I came up with this simple recipe that lets us enjoy one of our favorites without all the hands-on time. —Ruth Peters, Bel Air, Maryland
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Lemon Pudding Dessert

After a big meal, folks really go for this light lemon treat. The shortbread crust is the perfect base for the fluffy top layers. I’ve prepared this sunny dessert for church suppers for years and I always get recipe requests.
—Muriel DeWitt, Maynard, Massachusetts
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Puerto Rican Coconut Pudding

Tembleque, or coconut pudding, brings back so many memories of the days my family would vacation in Puerto Rico to see my relatives. It was one of my favorite things to eat—I’m sure it will become a much-loved recipe with your family, as well. —Linette Serenil, Upland, California
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Dark Chocolate Pudding

Life is too short to pass on dessert. This old-fashioned treat is so creamy and comforting! —Lily Julow, Lawrenceville, Georgia
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Memaw’s Banana Pudding

Creamy and rich, this homemade banana pudding recipe is so easy. Layer it in a trifle bowl for a pretty presentation. —Ruth Kizer, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
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Caramel and Pear Pudding

Here is a lovely winter dessert that uses fresh seasonal pears. It’s easy to fix and a comforting treat after any meal. I enjoy snacking on it while sitting by the fireplace. —Diane Halferty, Corpus Christi, Texas
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Molasses-Graham Cracker Puddings

When I was in college, I frequently had dinner with a relative after a night class. The restaurant we went to had a graham cracker pudding and I always ordered it. Recently, I adapted several recipes to re-create that pudding from years ago. —Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas