Pudding Pops

At a glance

What stands out: They might not sell them at the grocery store anymore but you can still enjoy from-scratch pudding pops! You only need 2 ingredients for these creamy frozen treats. There are plenty of flavors to choose from — pick your favorite!

How long it takes: 5 minutes to prep, plus at least 3 hours to freeze
Equipment you’ll need: bowl and popsicle molds
Servings: 4 popsicles, depending on the size of your molds

If you’re a child of the 80s, you probably have fond memories of pudding pops. Each box had chocolate, marble, and vanilla, and obviously the chocolate and marble would go first—and by the time you got to the vanilla, well, it’s time to buy another box because no one wants those (at least, that was true for our family).

You can’t purchase pudding pops anymore but luckily, pudding pops are a cinch to make at home. These from-scratch pudding pops come together in a snap with just two simple ingredients. (Bonus: when you DIY it, they can all be chocolate.)

If you’re wondering, chocolate pudding pops are similar to fudgsicles or fudge pops which are still available in grocery stores today, with the same creamy texture.

Frosty From-scratch Pudding Pops

A fun treat (and activity!) for kids. Older kids can make these from-scratch pudding pops themselves, and younger kids can help you whip them up! Even if you can’t enlist your kids to make them, we can guarantee that they will enjoy eating them.

Customizable flavors. You can make any flavor of pudding pops that you want by using different instant pudding mixes. Always dreamed of having pistachio pudding pops? Go for it!

Great for hot summer days. From-scratch pudding pops are the reliable way to cool down while indulging in a sweet treat. (You’ll also love these funfetti pudding pops and banana popsicles.)

Popsicle Molds

There are many inexpensive molds you can choose from. We have these popsicle molds and they work evenly. We love that they’re straightforward to fit in our freezer.

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Don't Have Popsicle Molds?

If you don’t want to buy popsicles molds, you can still make pudding pops. Pour the pudding into 3 ounce beverage cups, cover with foil, and insert a wooden popsicle stick. The foil will keep the popsicle stick vertical until the pudding freezes.

What goes in

• Instant pudding: Some varieties are 3.4 ounces, while others are 3.9 ounces. Either size will work, however, make sure it’s instant pudding, not the kind you have to cook! Here’s a list of the flavors we saw on the Jell-O website: butterscotch, cheesecake, chocolate, lemon, pistachio, vanilla, banana cream, chocolate fudge, coconut cream, French vanilla, pumpkin spice, white chocolate, milk chocolate, and finally, cookies & cream!
• Milk or half & half: The higher the fat content of the milk, the creamier the pudding pops will be. Unfortunately, you can’t use nondairy milk to make pudding pops; the pudding won’t thicken properly.

How it comes together

Step 1: Stir. Whisk the instant pudding mix and the milk in a large mixing bowl. We like to use a large measuring cup or our batter bowl which has a pouring spout. It’s much easier to pour into the popsicle molds.

Step 2: Pour. Divide the pudding into your popsicle molds. Work quickly—as the pudding thickens, it gets more difficult to pour.

Step 3: Freeze. Place the popsicle molds in your freezer. They should be solid in 3 to 4 hours but it depends on their size and shape.

Helpful Tips

• Freeze overnight for best results. Let the pudding pops freeze for at least 3 hours but overnight is even better to make sure they’re frozen solid.
• Run molds under warm water: If you have trouble removing the pudding pops from the molds, run the outside of the molds under warm water for a few seconds. This will loosen the pops without melting them.

Variations

• Make sugar-free pudding pops. Jell-O offers Zero Sugar pudding mixes (1 ounce boxes) that are sweetened with aspartame instead of sugar.
• Experiment with mix-ins. Make your pudding pops extra special by adding chopped nuts, mini chocolate chips, sprinkles, or fruit pieces. Mix them into the pudding before pouring it into the molds. Check out our funfetti pudding pops.
• Dip them. Once the pops are set, you can dip them in melted chocolate or magic shell and then dip in crushed nuts, sprinkles, or shredded coconut.

Keeping leftovers

Store leftover pudding pops right in the molds for a standby results. If you want to remove them, put the pudding pops in a freezer-safe container or resealable freezer bag to keep them fresh and prevent freezer burn. They can be enjoyed for up to a month.

From-scratch Vanilla Ice Cream

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• Yield: 4 pudding pops
• Prep: 5 minutes
• Total: 3 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 box (3.4 to 3.9 ounce) instant pudding (any flavor)
• 2 cups milk or half & half (see note)

Method

1. In a large bowl, mix together pudding and milk until just combined.
2. Working quickly before the pudding thickens, evenly fill the popsicle molds.
3. Freeze until firm, at least 3 hours but preferably overnight.

Notes

Milk: The higher the fat content of the milk, the creamier the pudding pop will be. Nondairy milk will NOT work; the pudding won’t thicken properly.

Sugar-free: Substitute Zero Sugar Instant Pudding Mix which is sweetened with aspartame instead of sugar.

Yield: How many pudding pops this recipe makes depends on the size of your popsicle molds. The pudding mix makes 2 cups. Our molds hold ½ cup each, so the yield is 4 pudding pops.

Nutrition note: The information below is calculated using whole milk.