Pina Colada Pudding Shots

Name: Pina Colada Pudding Shots
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: pudding
Ingredients: 1 3.5 oz box vanilla pudding; 1 3.5 oz box coconut pudding; 2 cups cold milk; ¼ cup dark rum; ½ cup pina colada mix; 1 8 oz tub Cool Whip

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This Pudding shots recipe takes a classic cocktail and turns them into individual boozy desserts!

These creamy little cups are perfect for parties and friendly gatherings. They taste so good, there is no doubt they will be the life of the party!

These mini, boozy sweets are easy to make and can be made in so many different ways and for any occasion!

And now I can officially add these pudding shots to my favorites list! Packed with so much flavor and prepped in just minutes flat you can have a tasty tray of pudding shots in no time. Perfect for any party or occasion.

What Are Pudding Shots?

Pudding shots are one of those things that both make and break a party. They make a party because they are fun to eat and are usually quite delicious.

They are small but packed with booze in every delicious bite. It’s easy to overconsume these little shots as you usually don’t feel the effects of the alcohol right away, but once you do, you may have trouble walking.

Pudding shots are exactly what the name implies. They’re pudding that has been mixed with alcohol and then served in individual shot glasses. This recipe contains rum and several other tropical-themed ingredients for a good pina colada cocktail!

Ingredients

Boxed vanilla pudding
Boxed coconut pudding
Cold milk
Dark rum
Pina colada mix
Cool Whip

For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.

How To Make Pudding Shots With Rum

Pudding shots are so simple to make! For this recipe, you will need one box of vanilla pudding and one box of coconut pudding. The coconut pudding I used did have shredded coconut in the mix. You can always add more shredded coconut if you’d like.

Combine the vanilla pudding mix with a cup of milk, pina colada mix, and the rum; beat the pudding with a whisk until it begins to thicken.
Fold in half a container of Cool Whip and then set aside.
Repeat the process with the coconut pudding.
From here you can do one of two things, you can either layer the two separate pudding flavors or you can fold them together. I did not find a big color difference between the two, so I folded mine together.
Place the pudding into the shot glasses. I like to place the pudding in a large piping bag or a large ziptop bag with a corner snipped. Then pipe the pudding into your shot glasses.
Add your garnishes. I like to garnish my pudding shots with a maraschino cherry, but you could garnish with pineapple, shaved coconut, or even more whipped cream.

Recipe Tips

Use instant pudding. Instant Pudding is the best for these pudding shots because it will be set up quickly, making the assembly process run much more smoothly, efficiently, and faster.
Cold milk is best. Use very cold milk when making pudding shots and beat on high with a handheld mixer. The cold milk and all the air from whisking will work to set your pudding. I know the box says to use a whisk, but creamier textures and less undissolved pudding chunks happen when you use an electric mixer, so use this tip for better-finished results.
Do not stir! Fold in the whipped cream, DO NOT STIR, or else your pudding will deflate. Use a large rubber spatula to help scrape the sides of the bowl as you fold the whipped cream into the bowl. It will take a moment, but you will be rewarded for your efforts- in the form of tasty alcohol.

Substitutions

Add more coconut flavor. If you’re looking for a stronger coconut flavor you can always add in some coconut extract. Just a teaspoon of coconut extract could be added to the pudding for extra flavor.
Replace the alcohol. If you want to switch it up a bit you can try different alcohol for a new flavorful experience. White Rum, coconut rum, pineapple, or coconut vodkas could be used in place of the dark rum.
Change the garnish. While I enjoy using maraschino cherries for the garnish pineapple chunks, more whipped cream or even shredded coconut (toasted or untoasted) can also be used for garnishing.

Variations

Swap the alcohol. Any type of alcohol will work in pudding shots. You can substitute brandy, vodka, Rumchata or whiskeys, tequilas, and bourbons in your shots. Make Malibu Shots by using Malibu rum (any flavor).
Change the pudding flavor. White chocolate or cheesecake pudding can be used in place of the vanilla pudding, both of them will taste heavenly.
Opt for similar but different flavored pudding shots. To make different flavors, try these Irish Coffee Pudding Shots, Tiramisu Pudding Shots, and these Eggnog Pudding Shots. These flavors work well for any time of the year, especially in the winter.

Why Didn’t My Pudding Shots Set?

One very important thing to mention about making pudding shots is your milk and your whipped topping MUST BE COLD! Otherwise, your instant pudding will not be set up to be thick enough.

You will have to beat your pudding and cold milk on high speed to get enough air into your pudding to have set properly.

Refrigerate your pudding shots until you are ready to serve them up!

I promise your party will be more memorable with these Pina Colada pudding shots! They are fun, festive, and irresistible!

FAQs

How Long Do Pudding Shots Last?

Pudding shots should keep in your refrigerator for 5-7 days. Make sure to keep the glasses well covered or stored in a larger airtight container. If planning on making these shots in advance I recommend storing the pudding mixture in an airtight container and not filling shot glasses until ready to serve. This will make the storage much easier and more convenient.

Can I Freeze Pudding Shots?

These shots can be kept in the freezer for up to a month. Allow them to thaw in the fridge before serving. Once again I recommend storing the pudding mixture in an airtight container by itself until ready to serve and then pouring it into individual shot glasses. that way you won’t have to worry about all those small glass cups in the freezer.

Can Pudding Shots Be Made With Almond Milk?

Almond milk does not have the fat that cow’s milk has, so your pudding will not be set up properly. This will hold true for any milk alternative.

That said if you would like to take a longer route there is a simple workaround that could help you to create these using a dairy-free alternative milk. If you use boxed cook and serve style pudding, you can use a thickener (like cornstarch) to help make the mixture thicker.

Using cook and serve pudding will take longer to cook and cool so the prep time for these shots would be greatly increased.

While a frozen Pina Colada cocktail is reserved for warmer weather, other pina colada inspired recipes are enjoyed all the time! Some of my favorites are Pina Colada Ice Box Cake, Pina Colada Pineapple Upsidedown Cake, Pina Colada Energy Balls, and Pina Colada Moscow Mule!

Yield: 12