These Paleo Vanilla Pudding Parfaits are creamy, dairy-free, honey-sweetened and so dang delicious!

A closeup view of a cup of paleo vanilla pudding parfait with strawberries and blueberries.

I know I’m not known as a prolific source of Paleo dessert recipes—and that’s totally cool with me. As I explained in my first cookbook, Nom Nom Paleo: Food For Humans, I don’t make it a habit to whip up sweets and treats ’cause I’m a recovering sugarholic; if I spent my days and nights perfecting grain-free treats, I’m sure I wouldn’t stop eating them ’til I burst. Besides, after completing a couple rounds of the Whole30, I recognize that I feel a lot better when I avoid sugary treats most of the time.

That said, it’s not like I don’t make (and eat!) desserts on occasion. It’s just that when I do, I make sure that the sweet treat I’m preparing is crazy-delicious and worth every bite. That’s why even though my cookbooks, cooking app, and blog contain just a handful of treats, all of them are showstoppers that’ve wowed even my most discriminating non-Paleo pals. Our second cookbook, Ready or Not!, is no different: It contains a highly curated list of meticulously tested desserts that are definitely worth the time and effort to make, including my Tangerine Dream Tart, Rustic Chocolate Cake, Cherry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, and Strawberry Almond Semifreddo + Berry Balsamic Sauce.

A four-picture collage of paleo desserts from Ready or Not Cookbook from Nom Nom Paleo

Dude—if you haven’t yet ordered my latest cookbook, what are you waiting for? Get one here. As I explained a few weeks ago, this book is bonkers.

A picture of Ready or Not! cookbook and shot of the book opened up to a dessert recipe

Still don’t have a copy of our cookbook, but craving an indulgent, grain-free sweet? Fine. Here’s a creamy, berry-riffic pudding parfait in red, white, and blue—so patriotic! Fair warning, though: This dessert’s ROI (Return On Investment) is quite high—meaning it’s a breeze to make, but yields exponentially lip-smackingly awesome results—so just promise me that you won’t go crazy and make it everyday, m’kay?

A person assembling a Paleo vanilla Pudding Parfait and placing fresh berries on top.

Time to make Paleo Vanilla Pudding Parfaits!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 can (13.5 ounces) full fat coconut milk, divided
  • 2 teaspoons gelatin
  • 2 tablespoons honey (or more to taste)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt
  • 2 cups mixed berries, cut into bite-sized pieces (e.g. strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.)

A closeup view of a plate filled with strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries.

Equipment:

Method:

Shake the can of coconut milk well, and pour ¼ cup of it into a medium bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin on top and whisk briskly to get rid of the lumps. Set the bowl aside.

Pouring coconut milk and gelatin into a metal bowl and whisking it together.

Next, heat the remaining coconut milk and honey over medium heat…

Pouring coconut milk and honey into a small saucepan to make paleo vanilla pudding, a dairy-free and gluten-free healthy dessert.

…stirring frequently, until the sweetened milk is steaming, but not boiling.

A person whisking the sweetened coconut milk in a small saucepan

Pour the hot coconut milk into the bowl with the gelatin/coconut milk mixture, and whisk well to combine.

Pouring the hot coconut milk into the bowl with the gelatin.

Stir in the vanilla extract and salt.

Adding vanilla extract and salt before whisking the paleo vanilla pudding together.

Place the bowl in the fridge uncovered for 30 minutes, and then cover with a silicone lid or plastic wrap until the pudding firms up, at least 2 hours. You can keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days before serving.

Placing a bowl of Paleo vanilla coconut milk pudding into the refrigerator.

When you’re ready to serve, take the bowl of coconut pudding out of the fridge. Uncover it, and grab a hand or stand mixer.

Placing a silicone lid onto of a metal bowl filled with Paleo vanilla Pudding

Beat the pudding until it’s nice and fluffy and transforms from a stiff Jell-O-like texture to a thick, smooth pudding. It’ll take at least a minute, so be patient!

An overhead shot of a hand mixer beating the paleo vanilla pudding until it is smooth and creamy.

Divide the pudding into 4 bowls or cups, alternating layers of berries and pudding.

Layering Paleo vanilla Pudding and fresh berries to make dairy-free parfaits.

Aren’t summer berries the best? Serve immediately and dig in!

An overhead shot of Paleo Vanilla Pudding Parfaits with fresh berries.

Wanna make a paleo chocolate pudding version? Go here!


Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).


PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD

Paleo Pudding Parfaits

4.75 from 4 votes
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time2 hours 10 minutes
Servings 4 servings
This recipe for creamy, dairy-free, honey-sweetened patriotic pudding parfaits is one of my favorite paleo desserts! Make them for Independence Day!

Ingredients  

  • 13.5 ounces full-fat canned coconut milk divided
  • 2 teaspoons gelatin
  • 2 tablespoons honey or more to taste
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt 
  • 2 cups mixed berries cut into bite-sized pieces (e.g. strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.)
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Instructions 

  • Shake the can of coconut milk well, and pour ¼ cup of it into a medium bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin on top and whisk briskly to get rid of the lumps. Set the bowl aside.
  • Next, heat the remaining coconut milk and honey over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sweetened milk is steaming, but not boiling.
  • Pour the hot coconut milk into the bowl with the gelatin/coconut milk mixture, and whisk well to combine.
  • Stir in the vanilla extract and salt.
  • Place the bowl in the fridge uncovered for 30 minutes, and then cover with a silicone lid or plastic wrap until the pudding firms up, at least 2 hours. You can keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days before serving.
  • When you’re ready to serve, take the bowl of coconut pudding out of the fridge. Uncover it, and grab a hand or stand mixer.
  • Beat the pudding until it’s nice and fluffy and transforms from a stiff JELL-O-like texture to a thick, smooth pudding. It’ll take at least a minute, so be patient!
  • Divide the pudding into 4 bowls or cups, alternating layers of berries and pudding. Serve immediately and dig in!

Video

Notes

If you refrigerate the leftover pudding, beat it again with a hand or stand mixer to get the pudding texture.

Nutrition

Calories: 272kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 21g | Fiber: 2g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

About Michelle Tam

Hello! My name is Michelle Tam, and I love to eat. I think about food all the time. It borders on obsession. I’ve always loved the sights and smells of the kitchen. My mother was (and is) an excellent cook, and as a kid, I was her little shadow as she prepared supper each night. From her, I gained a deep, abiding love for magically transforming pantry items into mouth-watering family meals.

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16 Comments

  1. Sorry, this is a little off topic, but where did you get that silicon lid for your bowl? I love it. This recipe looks great. Can’t wait to try it! I’m a new “nomster” and love your website! Thanks.

  2. Help! I made this recipe today, but it didn’t turn out right! I used full-fat coconut milk from Trader Joe’s. I just re-read the recipe again, and I did follow it as written. The fat rose to the top of the “pudding” in the fridge and formed a crust. I beat it with a stand mixer for more than 5 minutes, but it was still grainy from the solidified fat and it never got thick–when I assembled the cups and put the berries in, they just sank into the pudding.

    1. If you whisk the hot coconut milk into the gelatin and refrigerated it right away — it should form a gel as soon as it cools without separating. If your fridge is not cold enough, you can place the bowl in an ice bath to chill it quickly before placing it in the fridge.

      1. Thank you for the suggestion! I will try again! 🙂 Perhaps I’ll try using a stainless bowl next time instead of glass to help it cool more quickly as well. I love your site! Thank you again!!!

  3. This pudding is blowing my mind and making me wonder if there aren’t all kinds of other applications for the basic coconut milk-gelatin method. Think you could do sour cream/créme fraîche or yogurt with a little added probiotic/fermentation?

  4. What a unique idea! I must try this today. Your food photography was amazing too. I just find your blog today. Its cool.

  5. 5 stars
    OMG! I made this with monk fruit sweetener instead of honey, even exchange. It is delicious and I feel a hair less guilty. Lol!

  6. Do you know if there is a commercially available gluten free, dairy free, and maybe sugar free, pudding snack cup? Or panna cotta? Something that hospitals could source and buy.