This Eggless Chocolate Brownie Pudding is a rich, spoonable dessert inspired by Ina Garten’s popular brownie dessert, made completely egg-free so everyone can enjoy it safely. As an allergy mom with over 12 years of egg-free cooking experience, I’ve tested this recipe until it delivers deep chocolate flavor and that perfect pudding texture every time. It uses simple pantry ingredients and feels both comforting and special. Serve it warm, and watch everyone go back for seconds.
Oriana’s Thoughts On The Recipe
You might’ve seen the viral Ina Garten chocolate pudding floating around lately. This Eggless Chocolate Brownie Pudding is my eggless copycat version—tested and tweaked so allergy families can enjoy that same rich, cozy dessert safely and confidently. It’s rich, warm, and spoonable—very much inspired by those cozy Ina Garten-style desserts that feel both familiar and elegant, just without the eggs, so allergy families can relax and enjoy.
It’s soft in the center, almost molten, and meant to be scooped with a spoon. And even though there are no eggs, no one ever notices—what they do notice is how chocolatey and satisfying it is. As an allergy mom who’s been cooking egg-free for over 12 years, I love having desserts like this in my back pocket. It’s the kind of recipe I can serve confidently, knowing everyone at the table can safely share it—no stress, no explanations, just really good food.
Why You’ll Want to Try My Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need, Substitutions & Notes
Scroll down to the recipe card for all the details, including measurements and instructions.
- Unsalted Butter: This gives richness and that classic brownie flavor. Use good-quality butter if you can—it really shows here.
- Cocoa Powder: Choose a good, unsweetened cocoa powder for deep chocolate flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour: Just enough to give structure without turning this into cake.
- Baking Powder: Adds a little lift so the pudding isn’t dense.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the chocolate.
- Evaporated Milk: Adds creaminess and body. This is key to the pudding texture.
- Sugar: Sweetens and helps create that glossy, spoonable consistency.
- Custard Powder or Cornstarch: This replaces the structure eggs usually provide and helps the pudding set gently.
- Vanilla Extract: Rounds out the chocolate flavor.
- Framboise Liqueur (Optional): Adds a subtle depth, but the recipe works beautifully without it.
Food Allergy Swaps
This recipe is naturally egg, nut, peanut, soy, sesame, fish, and shellfish-free, making it suitable for most dietary needs, but always check labels for hidden allergens.
- Dairy-Free: To make this recipe dairy-free, you can easily swap out the dairy ingredients for non-dairy alternatives.
- Butter: Substitute butter with dairy-free butter substitutes. Miyoko’s Creamery Organic Vegan Butter, Trader Joe’s brand vegan butter, and Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks are my favorite butter substitutes for baking. For the best flavor, use a vegan butter that tastes good. Use sticks or blocks, not tub (spreadable) butter.
- Evaporated Milk: Use evaporated coconut milk or evaporated oat milk, or make your own dairy-free evaporated milk with your favorite plant-based milk. Evaporated milk is just milk that has been reduced to eliminate the water content, so it’s super easy to make at home with any milk of your choice. Check out my How to Make Evaporated Milk post. If evaporated milk is not an option, you can use any dairy-free milk, but keep in mind that the texture might change slightly.
- Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free, all-purpose flour blend. Look for a gluten-free flour blend specifically formulated for baking, as it will have the right combination of flours and starches to mimic the texture of wheat flour. My favorite is Better Batter Original Blend. I also like Doves Farm Freee Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour, but this blend does not contain xanthan gum, so you need to add 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup (140 g) of gluten-free flour blend.
Process Overview: Step-by-Step Photos
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
Melt the Butter
Gently melt the butter over low heat, then set it aside to cool slightly so it blends smoothly later.
Mix the Dry Ingredients
Sift together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt to remove lumps and evenly distribute everything.
Whip the Base
Beat the evaporated milk, sugar, and custard powder until slightly thick and frothy for about 8 to 10 minutes. This step helps create structure without eggs. Then add the vanilla and framboise liqueur, if using, and whisk to incorporate.
Bring It All Together
Mix in the cocoa mixture until smooth, then slowly stir in the melted butter until the batter is glossy and silky.
Prepare for Gentle Baking
Pour the batter into the baking dish, place it in a larger pan, and carefully add very hot water halfway up the sides.
Bake Until Just Set
Bake until the edges are set, but the center is still very soft—it should look underbaked in the middle.
Cool and Serve
Remove from the water bath, let it cool slightly, and serve warm with vanilla ice cream if desired.
Recipe Tips For Success
➤ Troubleshooting Tips:
- Too Soft in the Center: This dessert is meant to be soft and pudding-like, especially in the middle. Pro Tip: Check doneness near the edges, not the center—the edges should look set, while the center will still seem very soft and underbaked—and that’s exactly right. This dessert is meant to land somewhere between a brownie and a pudding.
- Grainy Batter: Cocoa powder can clump if not mixed well. Pro Tip: Make sure your dry ingredients are well sifted before adding them to the wet mixture.
- Water Bath Anxiety: Water baths can feel intimidating if you’re new to them. Pro Tip: Pour very hot tap water after the baking dish is in the oven rack to avoid spills.
➤ Extra Tips:
- Let the melted butter cool slightly before adding it so it blends smoothly.
- Don’t rush the mixing step with the milk and sugar—this helps thicken the base.
- Serve this warm for the best texture; that’s when the pudding really shines.
Variations & Additions
- Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top before serving.
- Serve with whipped cream instead of ice cream for a lighter finish.
- Add a pinch of espresso powder to deepen the chocolate flavor.
Serving Suggestions
Serve warm straight from the baking dish with vanilla ice cream. Perfect for dinner parties, holidays, or cozy weekends at home. Great make-ahead dessert for gatherings—just rewarm gently before serving.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions gently in the microwave.
Freezing isn’t ideal for this pudding-style dessert—the texture is best fresh or refrigerated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Try These Egg-Free Brownie Recipes Next!
Recipe Card
Eggless Brownie Pudding
This Eggless Chocolate Brownie Pudding is rich, warm, and spoonable, with a soft brownie edge and a molten chocolate center. Made with simple pantry ingredients and no eggs, it’s an allergy-friendly dessert that feels elegant and comforting at the same time—perfect served warm.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup (230 g) unsalted butter, plus extra for buttering the dish
- ¾ cup (85 g) good-quality cocoa powder
- 2/3 cup (94 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (240 ml) evaporated milk
- 1 ¾ cup (350 g) granulated sugar
- 3 ½ tablespoons custard powder or 2 ½ tablespoons cornstartch
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon framboise liqueur (optional)
- Vanilla ice cream for serving (optional)
Important
You can find step-by-step photos above in the post and/or right here on the recipe card. They’ll walk you through the process and make everything super clear! Just click the camera icon button below on the right to show or hide them. Turn them off before printing if you prefer a cleaner copy!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF (160ºC). Lightly butter a 1-quater baking dish and set aside. Read notes for alternative baking dish size.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Remove from the heat and let it cool slightly.
- Sift together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together with an electric mixer on medium-high speed the evaporated milk, sugar, and custard powder (or cornstarch) until slightly thickened and frothy, for about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the vanilla and framboise liqueur, if using, and whisk to incorporate.
- Add the cocoa mixture and mix until evenly combined. Slowly stir in the melted butter until the batter is glossy and smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Place the dish inside a larger roasting pan. Carefully pour very hot tap water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the baking dish. This water bath helps the dessert bake gently and develop its signature pudding-like texture.
- Bake for 60 minutes. The edges should look set, while the center will still seem very soft and underbaked—and that’s exactly right. This dessert is meant to land somewhere between a brownie and a pudding.Note: Don’t worry if the center looks underbaked when you pull it out. The edges set first, and the soft middle is what gives this brownie pudding its signature texture.
- Carefully remove the dish from the water bath and let it cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream.
Oriana’s Notes
Custard Powder vs. Cornstarch: Custard powder is essentially cornstarch with added flavoring and color, so it thickens the pudding just as reliably while also adding a subtle vanilla note and a warmer, more dessert-like flavor. It helps create that soft, spoonable center that makes this brownie pudding feel extra cozy and special. If you don’t have custard powder, cornstarch will still work beautifully—the texture will be nearly the same, just with a more neutral flavor. After years of egg-free baking, I’ve found that custard powder gives this dessert a little something extra without adding any complexity.
Baking Dish Options: This recipe is written for a 1-quart baking dish, which gives you the perfect balance of set edges and a soft, pudding-like center. If you don’t have a 1-quart dish, you can absolutely use what you have—as long as the capacity is similar. An 8×8-inch or 9×9-inch square baking dish, a small oval or round casserole, or even a deep pie dish will all work well. The key is avoiding anything too large or shallow, which can cause the pudding to overbake and lose that spoonable texture.
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions gently in the microwave.
Freezing isn’t ideal for this pudding-style dessert—the texture is best fresh or refrigerated.
Food Allergy Swaps:
This recipe is naturally egg, nut, peanut, soy, sesame, fish, and shellfish-free, making it suitable for most dietary needs, but always check labels for hidden allergens.
- Dairy-Free: To make this recipe dairy-free, you can easily swap out the dairy ingredients for non-dairy alternatives.
- Butter: Substitute butter with dairy-free butter substitutes. Miyoko’s Creamery Organic Vegan Butter, Trader Joe’s brand vegan butter, and Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks are my favorite butter substitutes for baking. For the best flavor, use a vegan butter that tastes good. Use sticks or blocks, not tub (spreadable) butter.
- Evaporated Milk: Use evaporated coconut milk or evaporated oat milk, or make your own dairy-free evaporated milk with your favorite plant-based milk. Evaporated milk is just milk that has been reduced to eliminate the water content, so it’s super easy to make at home with any milk of your choice. Check out my How to Make Evaporated Milk post. If evaporated milk is not an option, you can use any dairy-free milk, but keep in mind that the texture might change slightly.
- Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free, all-purpose flour blend. Look for a gluten-free flour blend specifically formulated for baking, as it will have the right combination of flours and starches to mimic the texture of wheat flour. My favorite is Better Batter Original Blend. I also like Doves Farm Freee Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour, but this blend does not contain xanthan gum, so you need to add 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup (140 g) of gluten-free flour blend.
- Too Soft in the Center: This dessert is meant to be soft and pudding-like, especially in the middle. Pro Tip: Check doneness near the edges, not the center—the edges should look set, while the center will still seem very soft and underbaked—and that’s exactly right. This dessert is meant to land somewhere between a brownie and a pudding.
- Grainy Batter: Cocoa powder can clump if not mixed well. Pro Tip: Make sure your dry ingredients are well sifted before adding them to the wet mixture.
- Water Bath Anxiety: Water baths can feel intimidating if you’re new to them. Pro Tip: Pour very hot tap water after the baking dish is in the oven rack to avoid spills.
- Let the melted butter cool slightly before adding it so it blends smoothly.
- Don’t rush the mixing step with the milk and sugar—this helps thicken the base.
- Serve this warm for the best texture; that’s when the pudding really shines.
- Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top before serving.
- Serve with whipped cream instead of ice cream for a lighter finish.
- Add a pinch of espresso powder to deepen the chocolate flavor.
I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!
Recipe reviews on the website are extremely valuable to other readers online. So, please don’t forget to give it a 5-star rating below.Nutrition
Calories: 505kcalCarbohydrates: 66gProtein: 5gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 87mgSodium: 158mgPotassium: 274mgFiber: 3gSugar: 48gVitamin A: 799IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 131mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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