Gluten-free pudding pops

There’s always room for pudding! These lightly sweet, rich chocolate pops are the perfect way to beat the heat in the summertime.

I don’t know that I have ever met a person — especially a kid! — who doesn’t love pudding. And if you’ve never made homemade, custard-style chocolate pudding, I’d be willing to bet that you’ve definitely never made pudding pops at home. But what better way to beat the summer heat than homemade pudding pops?

Instead of making this gluten-free pudding with cornstarch as a thickener, this recipe uses a basic xanthan gum-free gluten-free flour blend. It makes for a smoother, silkier dessert. Add some gelatin to the recipe, and it freezes in ice pop molds without ever becoming icy. Pudding pops for everyone!

Gluten-free chocolate pudding pops recipe

Serves 6 to 8 (depending upon size of pops)

Ingredients:

• 1 scant tablespoon (1 packet) unflavored powdered gelatin
• 2 tablespoons cool water
• 1/4 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour, without xanthan gum (use your favorite, or my go-to blend: 3 tablespoons superfine brown or white rice flour plus 1-1/2 tablespoons tapioca flour/starch plus 1 tablespoon potato starch)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 tablespoons Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Rodelle brand, and I buy it at amazon.com)
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 cups milk (any kind), room temperature
• 3 egg yolks, room temperature
• 5 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Place the contents of the packet of powdered gelatin and the 2 tablespoons of water in a small, microwave-safe bowl, and mix well. Allow to sit for a few moments until the gelatin swells. It will be lumpy.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, place the flour blend, sugar, cocoa powder and salt, and whisk to combine well. Add 1/2 cup of the milk, and then the egg yolks, whisking to combine after each addition. Set the mixture aside.
3. In a medium-sized heavy-bottom saucepan, place the remaining 2-1/2 cups milk and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Once the milk reaches a simmer, remove the saucepan from the heat and add the hot milk to the bowl with the egg and chocolate mixture in a slow trickle, whisking constantly to combine. The purpose of adding the hot milk slowly is to avoid cooking the egg yolks by bringing them up to temperature slowly. Once all of the hot milk has been added, pour the whole mixture back into the saucepan and return to the heat. Cook, whisking constantly, over medium-high heat until thickened enough that the whisk leaves a visible trail in the pudding as you whisk it (2 to 3 minutes). Add the softened gelatin to the pan, and stir until the gelatin is melted. Remove the pan from the heat, and add the chopped chocolate and the vanilla, and stir until the chocolate is melted and the pudding is smooth.
4. Pour the pudding immediately into ice pop molds, insert sticks and freeze for at least 4 hours or, ideally, overnight. Serve straight from the freezer.

More gluten-free recipes

Gluten-free peanut butter chocolate chip blondies
Gluten-free strawberry shortcakes
Gluten-free chocolate tres leches cake