The Delicious Aldi Dessert You Can Snag For Cheap

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With the rising cost of groceries in recent years, it's hard to believe that you can still snag any, let alone good-tasting, food for around $1. Aldi boasts a unique selection of foods that'll barely make a dent in your pocket. For a delicious dessert that'll cost you just a dollar and some change, consider trying Baker's Corner Instant Pudding Mix.

According to a Mashed ranking of the worst to best foods you can buy at Aldi for under $1, the German grocery store's instant pudding mix landed at No. 3 on a list of 12 different items. (Happy Harvest Sweet Corn came out on top, while Brookdale Vienna Sausage was the least favorite.) After tasting the pudding, our Mashed reviewer observed, "The finished dessert is smooth, not gelatinous as sometimes happens with instant pudding mix." They reviewed the vanilla flavor and found that it tasted "marshmallowy," which was "a definite plus."

Baker's Corner is Aldi's private label brand for baking supplies and ingredients. As of this writing, the Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix costs $1.09 for a 3.4-ounce box (though the price may differ across locations). It contains no added sweeteners, synthetic colors, or high fructose corn syrup. It also comes in chocolate and a sugar-free vanilla version. Use it to make a variety of desserts, from cream pies and cake filling, to fruit dip and pudding shots. Or, simply mix it with milk and eat it as is for a quick, creamy treat.

Steven Luna/Mashed

There are various ways to upgrade boxed pudding the directions don't tell you. One hack that will make your mix so much better is to incorporate whipping cream instead of milk. This heavier alternative makes the pudding thicker and fluffier, turning it into a rich mousse that is perfect as a spread for graham crackers and cookies, a donut or cake filling, or an indulgent pudding parfait with fruit, cookie crumbs, and whipped cream.

Instead of heavy whipping cream, you can also add evaporated milk or coconut milk to instant vanilla pudding to make it decadently creamy and delicious. Another option is to enhance the flavor with vanilla or almond extract, chocolate malted milk powder, espresso or instant coffee powder, and/or spices like cinnamon or nutmeg. For texture, add berries, bananas, crushed Oreos, or Nilla wafers. Condiments like peanut, almond, and cashew butter will thicken the pudding and give it a rich, nutty flavor.

In addition to upgrading instant pudding itself, there are a variety of ways you can use instant pudding mix to upgrade your desserts. One of the most popular uses involves combining it with your dry ingredients to make your cake extra moist and boost the flavor. You can also use instant pudding mix to make the tastiest, softest, chewiest chocolate chip cookies imaginable.