I’m a little late to the chia seed pudding bandwagon, I know. But that doesn’t mean I can’t be an enthusiast.
The chia seed has been having a moment for what seems like the past five years. That’s probably because its uses are limitless.
My favorite everyday way to use chia seeds is in place of flax seeds in a Flax Egg, Simple Fruit Compote, and Grain-Free Granola.
But upon discovering you could also use them to make creamy, dreamy pudding, I had to give it a go. Consider this recipe my whittled down, super simple version that’s naturally sweetened, vegan and gluten free. Anyone can make it! Plus, it’s so healthy it’s actually suitable for breakfast. If that doesn’t sell you, I don’t know what will (Rhonda).
Let’s get our pudding on, shall we?
This recipe is simple, requiring just 6 basic ingredients that are totally versatile.
If you don’t have cocoa or cacao powder, leave it out and add vanilla.
If you don’t have a blender, leave it unblended.
No dates? Go for maple syrup or agave (or honey if not vegan).
This is the beauty of chia pudding. Once you have the chia seed-to-liquid ratio right, the flavor possibilities are endless.
I tried it two ways and must say I’m surprised that I actually preferred the unblended, which is easier and faster and seemed to require less sweetener.
But if you’re into pudding of the creamy, dreamy varieties, blended is for you.
But for those of you who prefer a little texture, leave it unblended!
Either way you go, I think you will love this pudding. It’s:
Creamy
Seriously pudding-like
Naturally sweetened
Chocolaty
Loaded with nutrients
& easy
Make this the night before for a decadent breakfast or mid-day snack. Or prep it in the morning for a hands-off, simple dessert to unwind from the day.
You can’t go wrong either way! And it lasts for a couple of days in the fridge – if you can resist sneaking spoonfuls that long.
If you try this recipe, let us know! Take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see. We also love seeing your comments and ratings. It’s the ultimate internet ego boost. Cheers and happy pudding making!
Overnight Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) Almond Breeze Almondmilk Original Unsweetened
- 1/3 cup (63 g) chia seeds
- 1/4 cup (24 g) cacao or unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2-5 Tbsp (30-75 ml) maple syrup if not blending (can sub 5-9 dates, pitted, if blending)
- optional: 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch sea salt
- optional: 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
-
Add all ingredients except sweetener to a mixing bowl and whisk vigorously to combine. If not blending (which I preferred!), sweeten to taste with maple syrup at this time. If blending, you can sweeten later with maple syrup or dates.
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Let rest covered in the fridge overnight or at least 3-5 hours (or until it's achieved a pudding-like consistency).
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If blending, add to a blender and blend until completely smooth and creamy, scraping down sides as needed. Sweeten to taste.
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Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for 2-3 days, though best when fresh.
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Serve chilled with desired toppings, such as fruit, granola, or coconut whipped cream.
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 of 4 servings.
*Prep time does not include chilling!
*Recipe loosely adapted from Pop Sugar.
Nutrition Per Serving (1 of 4)
- Calories: 133
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated fat: 1.2g
- Sodium: 187mg
- Carbohydrates: 17g
- Fiber: 8.6g
- Sugar: 9g
- Protein: 5.3g
Hi, I'm Dana! I am a food stylist, photographer, creator of the Food Photography School and author of the 31 Meals Cookbook and Everyday Cooking.
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I’m late on the chia seed bandwagon, too, but better late than never! Love how easy and healthy this chocolate pudding is :)
Maybe this is just me but this was toooo salty! I think this really doesn’t need any salt but maybe it’s because my milk was not unsweetened and just regular milk. I poured in a lot more milk to attempt to dilute the saltiness. Otherwise it was good. I have a lot of pudding now!
agreed on the too salty but i popped in some agave in leu of maple syrup and it turned out good as heck
A tiny bit of salt helps to bring out the sweetness, but usually that’s 1/4 tsp for more like 4 servings. I added just a tiny pinch of salt and it came out great
Wish I’d read comments first. Waaaay to salty! Hoping I can just add more milk & chia to fix….
Me too… a pinch of salt did not make it too salty
The exact same thing happened to me…. I doubled the recipe minus the salt just to dilute that salty taste!
Think it is you … a pinch of salt made it way tooooo salty????
I don’t know if this would work with flax!
I’m guessing not, but let me know if you try it!
I used flax milk
thanks for sharing!
Great pudding! Delicious. Healthy. Yummy. Putting whipped cream on top when done. Move over chocolate mousse! Thanks for the recipe. So easy too. Best part.
It works fine with flax too
How about quinoa?! My chia pudding is cooling in the fridge as we speak! The struggle to not lick the spoon was real- even the hubs was excited!
Why wouldn’t you lick the spoon?
If you do this with flax, it gets a bizarre texture. Sort of like that slime we all used to play with, so if you want weird, yes, do it, but it is really out there so you (like me) won’t like it. I find that if I blend the stuff the flavor of the chia seed husk comes out and that is not too good. I do not like it at all. I’d not blend it.
Sounds like you had a strange outcome! Probably not the best plan to sub the main ingredient! ;)
Are you waiting to blend until after the chilling?
I think the blending happens first, but I recommend just mixing it with a spoon or whisk; the chia seeds themselves have such a nice texture
Are the chia seeds supposed to soften up if you leave it in the fridge longer?
Flax, when ground or blended, has a similar effect to that of chia seeds. It’s the fat content that makes it pudding-like, hence the reason you can make vegan “cheesecake” with cashews. I make shakes every night for my breakfast the next day, and flax, chia, and nuts all come out with an almost mousse-like flavor the next morning :)
Texture, not flavor
What kind of shakes do you make? Please share the. Recipes!
Whatever kind I can make with what I have on hand! Usually a mix of about 50% fruits and 50% veggies. Most have a banana for the two servings, but not all. Any extra fruit I have I freeze, then use it in shakes later on. Spinach, kale, or beet greens work well with any fruit. Root vegetables left over from my spiralizer usually go with banana and maybe a cup of greens. If I have an abundance of herbs (basil, mint, or parsley), I will throw those in as well. You can find recipes all over the internet. Just look up the type of fruit or vegetable you need to use with smoothie recipe and browse until you find one you want
Would you mind sharing some of your smoothie recipes?
Wow, I’ve made chia pudding but have never thought to blend it. I will most definitely give this one a try. I’m sure it’s going to be fabulously delicious!
This looks so good! I’ve recently adopted a plant-based diet and your blog is my absolute favourite for meal ideas! This will be on the dessert menu this week for sure :)
Ah, great to hear! Good luck on your new journey and let me know if you have any recipe requests / suggestions in the future!
I didn’t see where it was to sit in frig. so because it was the consistency I wanted (Like min shake ) I just blended with some ice cubes and we loved it .. can’t wait to try the actual pudding lol
This looks so good! I haven’t had chia pudding in years, and it’s been too long! I’m excited to try this!
Welcome to the band wagon – Chia Seed Pudding is the best!
As always, loving the photography. The little parfait dishes are fab :)
Thanks Savanna! xoxo
Wauw looks so good!
Gorgeous photos, Dana! I’ll be going crazy on Pinterest with ’em. :D
This pudding looks delicious… love!
Will soy milk work as a substitution? Inhave an anaphylactic almond allergy so almond work isn’t an option for me.
Yes! Or coconut or rice milk. Any dairy free milk should do if you can’t have almond. Good luck!
Why does the milk have to be dairy free? Would regular milk work too?
Of course!
Because this is a vegan recipe site. 😂
Why does it have to be dairy free milk? Any particular reason?
You can make it with dairy milk if you prefer! It’s just what we use and prefer.
i used vanilla soy milk (which i think tastes like cool whip) and it came out super rich and decadent.
Better to use Coconut milk then. All Soy is Estrogenic (gives your body more estorgen which is not good, especially with hormone feed cancers. Dont mess with your hormones!).
I promise I see this chia pudding everywhere! Can’t believe I haven’t tried it yet your recipe looks amazing :)
Your food styling is amazing. So creative every time. Looking forward to trying this!
Thanks for the sweet words!
Can I sub for coconut milk? If so, how much? I also make my own almond milk and would love to do it with that, but since the consistency is much more watery than store bought, it never works :(. Any suggestions?
Yes! Same amount. Use coconut beverage (not canned) if subbing it out.
Thank you for clarifying, I read a lot of recipes calling for coconut milk and I never know which one is meant to be used.
You can make thicker (creamier) homemade almond milk by using less water, e.g., a 3:1 ratio, water to almonds, instead of the usual 4:1. After straining out the pulp, you can then add dates and vanilla and blend again, so the dates are completely integrated. Doing this before you add the milk to the chia seeds will prevent the chia seeds from having to be blended, which makes a nicer flavor.
Great recipe! The proportions were perfect. I make chia pudding a lot, but I just eyeball the quantities, and it’s nice to actually see how much cacao powder to use when I’m making it for company. :-)
Thank you for the almond milk advice! I used to add the dates before straining the pulp. This way is much better! Delicious for making chia pudding.
Thanks for your idea!
I love your blog, it is so modern and fresh. This pudding looks amazing, chia seeds are so versatile, pinned!
Made my day! Thanks Eve!
So what did I do wrong, my Chia and almond milk did not solidify overnight…. The chia is on the bottom and the milk on the top. Should I blend it at this point?
Hmm perhaps, or the kind of almond milk you were using…try adding more chia seeds!
I’ve had this problem, too, where nut milk and chia seeds do not gel. Various website say it may be because the liquid needs to be at room temp for the chia seeds to thicken it. That’s what I’m going to assume, anyhow, the next time I try.
Where can I get those great looking dessert glasses?
Lots of places! They’re Weck brand and I got mine at World Market.
Love your site …still trying to locate the glass cups for the pudding. can you help? ?
Hi Bonnie!
I got mine at World Market and the brand is Weck.
I have chia seed pudding for nearly every breakfast. I make mine a bit differently so that I can have more protein in it. It’s slightly unnatural with the artificial sweeteners, but it’s delicious.
2 1/4 cup So Delicious 5x Protein Unsweetened Almond Milk
1 scoop protein powder (I use Nectar Sweets Chocolate Truffle or Quest Peanut Butter)
3 Tablespoons PB2 powdered peanut butter
4 pumps (about 4 Tbsp) Sugar-free Coffee Syrup (Almond is my usual)
1 cap-ful Almond Extract
Whisk those together until mostly clump-free
Add in 1/3 cup plus 2 Tablespoons of Chia Seeds
Let sit for at least an hour and thoroughly mix with whisk. Let sit overnight
I top mine with a little of each of the following: pistachios, cacao nibs, SF chocolate chips and either blueberries or mango. I also use a dollop of whipped cream
Thanks for sharing, Amy! Love hearing other people’s variations.
Tried this recipe, but had trouble with it setting up. I whisked the ingredients like the recipe said, but when I came back the next day it was in 2 layers- on top was liquid and on the bottom was a glob of chia seeds. Am I doing something wrong?
Thanks for any suggestions!
So weird! Did you use homemade almond milk? Sometimes it separates. Otherwise, perhaps your chia seeds were old?
Used Almond Breeze brand milk. I’ve had the seeds for a couple months. How long do they keep and is there a preferred way to store them?
Thanks!
mine had also like this, and I used Alpro Almond mild… It´s just not pudding like :(
love u guys, the 31 meal book is a huge sucess back home. <3
Try making a slurry with the cocoa powder first (mix only enough liquid with powder to form a clumpless paste) then incorporate the rest of the liquid then the chia seeds. This helped me because I found the powder was clumping and floating on the top and the seeds were sticking to them.
I had the same issue. When I got it out of the refrigerator this morning it was not thickened at all.
I have had times chia pudding separated, too. It helps to let it sit for 15 min to an hour and then give it a thorough mix before letting it sit for at least 4 hours. You also can blend it when you first put it together. The chia seeds still make a pudding after they’re ground, and I haven’t had it separate afterward
Do you think that using Chia flour would work, then?
I don’t think chia flour would work for this one, Jes!
Probably. I make shakes for breakfast the night before most days, and if they have chia, flax or nuts they get a mousse-like texture by morning. It’s the fat content that’s responsible for it more than the chia seeds themselves, hence the reason you can make vegan cashew “cheesecake”
I had exactly the same problem
Mine was watery … it never set … I don’t know what I did wrong
Mine did not thicken up very well at all. I didn’t have the dates.. But everything else I followed to a tee.
Bummer, I’d give it another try, mine came out perfect.
To be perfectly honest, I’ve kind of scoffed at the chia seed thing, as too hipster/crunchy for me to be into it. But you just told me that I could have pudding for breakfast. Chocolate pudding for breakfast. And I don’t even have to get up early in the morning to do it. I can do it the night before. SOLD!
haha YES! Chocolate for breakfast ftw.
Made it. Ate it for breakfast. It made me feel responsible and adult like to be eating something healthy for breakfast, so I topped it with nutella. Whoops.
Chia seeds are so frigging magical!
Your single word descriptions are always what I scroll down to first…then back up to read the post…then down to the recipe. The description for this is just what I need! YUM!
Yay! It’s the journalist in me. Short and to the point. Hope you love it, Katrina!
I’ve only just got myself some chia seeds- and I don’t know what took me so long! I much prefer them to flax seeds!
this looks good, i’ve been adding chia seeds also to my yoghurt, next to try this pudding :)
This recipe looks amazing! I can’t wait to give it a try. Your photos are beautiful, also!
Thanks Elizabeth! Hope you love it!!
Those little pudding glasses look like the little glass containers that a very good yogurt comes in. I’ve kept those little yogurt glasses for some good reason…now I know what!
haha, classy yogurt. Got these glasses at World Market! Love that place.
Do we blend after we mix and refrigerate? Thanks!
PS, I’m still really jealous of your photos. MEHHHHHH.
Yes! Blend after it sets and chills. Thanks Emily!
I’ve never had chia pudding.. I will give this a try because it looks delicious! Pinning
Ohemgee. DANA. Totally changing my world with the blended chia pudding move! How many times have I made this and not blended it? Infinite. Cannot wait to try this blended revolution.
Ps, also wanted to take my Insta and Twitter crushes on your blog to the next level and say hi. So love—and am continually inspired by—what you do!
Have a sweet Wednesday!
So kind! Thanks for saying hi Lily! Hope you love this pudding!
Considering my diet is approximately 50% chocolate and 50% chia seeds, this is right up my alley! Made the unblended version last night. Fast, easy, and so tasty. I especially like the hint of cinnamon and salt which adds to the dark chocolate taste. This is serving as my pre-run snack/ afternoon chocolate fix today. Thanks Dana!
So great! Thanks for sharing!
Made this last night, blended it this morning and then popped it back in the fridge. I just had it for dessert and it was so yummy! I subbed a can of organic light coconut milk (I don’t care for all the additives in most almond milk brands), skipped the cinnamon and used nine dates. It was perfect! A definite keeper. Thank you!!!
Great! Thanks for sharing, Alexis!
I first discovered chia seeds by accident. Someone told me they were healthy, I dumped some in my overnight oats, and they made oatmeal pudding by the next morning! Since then, chia pudding has changed my life. I’m interested in this recipe for my omni husband, because he still buys those Jello chocolate pudding cups and Snack Packs sometimes. I think he’d go crazy for the blended version of this recipe! And maybe no more Jello cups?
I wonder if that would work! It’s not a 1:1 flavor match but seriously close and SO much healthier!
Oh yes! This is one of my favorite treats. It’s 1am, but I think I’ll whip some up real quick for the morning :)
I love chia seeds, I add them whenever I can. I am so excited to try this!!! I think I found my new favorite place for recipes!
Hello! Love this! What would b the measuring ingredient for just one serving? :)
Just divide the ingredients by about 3!
Just made the pudding and it turned out DIVINE! Thanks for another great recipe :)
Great chia seed pudding! I especially love that you used dates, they are the best kept secret it seems. They add so much richness and flavor, and they are a great source of energy. I’m passionate about dates, can you tell? :-)
On a different note, just last week, I purchased your food photography video course. I’m just starting to view it, but i am so impressed with how much you’ve put into it. Visit me sometime, will ya? Hugs.
Thanks Suzy!!
Wow! Your recipes are wonderful and this is no exception. I had several spoonfuls before it even set! When I first transitioned to a plant based diet I had trouble sticking to it because I couldn’t find food that tasted good enough. That problem ended when I found your website. Thank you!
So kind! Thanks for the sweet words Alicia! So glad we’ve been a resource and inspiration to you! xoxo
Shame it’s an overnight one…I’d eat it now! Patience! :)
This recipe really inspired me! So simple & so delicious! Thanks making healthy so easy! YUMM! I’ve been telling everyone!
I made this last night and blended it together this evening and it’s pretty darn good! I love that it’s a pudding with actual nutritional value thanks to the chia seeds! My boyfriend rolled his eyes at me again for trying to make something unhealthy healthy but I like it and my mum continued to lick the spoon after she’d tried it! The only problem I have it that it has turned out somewhat grainy but I think that’s due to my food blender not being the best – I had some dates in the fridge that I was tempted to use but I think I’ve partially ruined my blender from trying to blend dates on multiple occasions (for your 5 ingredient granola bars – I have to crop them by hand now but it is so worth it!!- I really need to get a vitamix!!!
I love your recipes anyway – you’re one of the many who inspired me to create my own food blog – I really need to start getting into it again now that it’s summer and I can take some actual daylight food photos in the evening! Anyway…. girlfoodcrushrambleover… xxx
So kind! Thanks for sharing Rosie! Next time, try unblended! I think I actually prefer it! Best of luck with your blog!!!!
this is the first chia pudding that I’ve tried, and it was soooo good! I had all the ingredients on hand (huge bonus) and it was easy, healthy, and delicious! I threw some in a jar in the morning to take to work and topped with banana, raspberries, sliced almonds and hemp hearts. Breakfast perfection!
When I made this it was watery on the bottom, chia on top. Sooooo, I ate all three because I still liked the taste! What do I need to do to get chia to hang throughout? I used a large whisk. Thx
Hmm, just remix it in the morning?
Tried that, still watery
After the initial mixing of everything and putting it in the fridge, I mix it every 10 minutes for about an hour. It’s all good in the morning.
All I’ve got to say is WOW, this is one of the best puddings I’ve ever tasted, so rich and chocolatey. It’s hard to believe it’s actually good for you. I made it with soy milk and only 2 tbs of honey were enough to sweeten it up, will definitely be making this again.
Thanks for the great recipe.
Eating this right now…it is so good!! I chose the unblended route, used 2 tbs of maple, cashew milk. Frozen blueberries on top. Ahmazing!
hello! love this recipe and would love to recreate it, but I am not the biggest chocolate fan so what would you think is a good substitute?
I would simply omit it! Add 1-2 Tbsp more chia seeds to compensate. Or, sub in some chopped fruit or nut butter! You could also add in some dairy-free yogurt :D
I made this tonight, just threw everything in the vitamix. I made chocolate but still added vanilla because I love vanilla, and maple syrup. After blending for approx. a minute it was already pretty thick and tasted like chocolate cake batter.
I blended it because I was not sure the kids would love the texture, but I think I’ll do half and half next time. Blend half by hand and half in the blender and then combine.
I love it! And will be making this as a treat when my sweet tooth kicks in.
I ended up adding a little bit of extra milk to mine after pureeing. I think all that lovely chia thickening power gets magnified w/ the puree technique. Really great flavor though.
Thanks for sharing, Kelly!
Wow. Seriously yummy, yet easy. I subbed cashew milk (my current fav plant based milk). Added 1 Tb expresso powder & about 1/8 cup raw, unsalted cashews. The cashews give it more of the silky “mouthfeel” of a traditional pudding thickened with egg yolks & w/ butter added. Used medjool dates for my sweetener (7 of ’em) & subbed Hershey’s special Dark Cocoa instead of cacao & pureed the daylights in the VitaMix. I could happily dive into a vat of this stuff. Thanks for sharing!
My next plan? Gonna take some, slice some just ripe ‘nanas into it, then sprinkle a plant based crumble on top. My chocolate version of ‘nana puddin’! Will let you know how it comes out. :-) I have tried chia pudding w/out having the chia seed blended into the pudding. Makes the pudding more of a tapioca kind of deal. I like both, but I think I like blended better.
Smart lady! Thanks for sharing!
What brand of Chia seeds do you buy?
Trader Joe’s recently :D
Thanks for replying so quickly!
I wasn’t sure of the quality of most brands, but I’ll stop by Trader Joe’s to pick some up and will try the recipe soon. Thanks again!
Ok, so I hope this is a fair rating since I am not paleo or vegan and I did make this with two substitutions–I used 2% cow’s milk and honey. I’m sorry but I cannot accept this as ‘pudding’. The consistency was almost right (mine was a little runny) but the crunchy seeds (I tried it unblended and blended) just made it not work as ‘pudding’ for me. I like tapioca but this wasn’t smooth like that, I couldn’t blend them completely away. Also this is just too healthy tasting. Even with cow’s milk it just wasn’t creamy enough to be called pudding (a food I consider a dessert). I destroyed the ‘healthy’ factor by adding 2/3 cup of coconut cream and the taste was pretty darn good (but still crunchy). Also I thought it was too much cinnamon (or was that strong taste the chia? This was my first experience ‘cooking’ with it). I often enjoy healthy versions of my favorite meals but I have yet to get used to healthier versions of dessert so this just didn’t work for me. I think you have some other delicious looking stuff on your site that I look forward to trying and expect to love. Also, I love that you have the rating system! I’ve never seen that on a blog and have always thought it would be awesome!
You should try again – I make chia seed pudding all the time and if it sits overnight, it never is crunchy! The seeds absorb the liquid and become gel-like! :)
We did sub raw milk and local raw honey. Managed to keep the kids out of it overnight.
The chia seeds did gel, of course, but a small portion of the seed remained, giving a little crunch. We blended it and the crunch remained.
How do you all get it smooth?
Also, ours had a goopy, slightly slimy behavior.
My experience was similar with a tad of crunch after blending. I have a Vitamix. Left pudding in fridge for about 21 hours and used TJ’s chia seeds. Flavor was good but it’s not J-E-L-L-O. Lol!
I’m readjusting my attitude about the things I eat. Throwing out all the processed, unhealthy stuff and learning to like food that is good for my body. I’ve made up my mind to enjoy healthy things. A big part of being successful in making these changes is making up our mind to do it and be happy about it. Just made my first chia pudding: 1 ripe banana, 3/4 cup cashew milk, big spoon of peanut butter, and 1.5 TBSP chia seeds. It was so good! Can’t wait to try this chocolate recipe. It sounds even better. Make up your mind to be healthy!
It sounds like you got it very wrong! ;) if you’re comparing it to regular pudding then you will be disappointed, it is what it is and if you don’t like cinnamon then leave it out!
I guess when I read something is a “pudding” I would tend to compare it with things I consider “pudding”. I do love cinnamon but discovered I didn’t like it in chocolate chia “pudding”. I know that my comment was intended as an honest review so others could decide whether they wanted to try making it themselves. Sorry, it was not meant to offend anyone.
Your opinion is as valid as anyone’s, hopefully the next thing you make will be better, happy cooking!
I just made this and put it in the fridge… I made the mistake of trying it before I put it in the fridge, I could have just drank it all, honestly! The chia seeds give it a really cool texture and I’m excited for tomorrow morning to try it as pudding!
So great! Hope you love it, Amanda!
this looks great and I’m interested to try, but I have a question. Your nutrition info says less than three grams of fat per serving, but when I enter the recipe into my nutrition tracker it says 20 grams of fat per serving. Am I missing something? Thank you!
Made this chia pudding today and wow, was I impressed! I had all the ingredients on hand (bonus!) and it was so easy to make. Thanks for a decadent, yet healthy, recipe. :)
Can you double or triple this recipe without causing mishaps in the final product?
We doubled it. I might triple it next time and fill popsicle molds in the morning for the kids.
Who doesn’t like pudding pops, right?
I too am late to the Chia bandwagon but, wow, the amazing things these seeds can do. Just made a double batch of this with some Almond Breeze Almond/Coconut milk. Subbed Splenda in place of the honey to keep the sugar content down. So chocolatey it’s divine. I like the unblended version, reminds me of chocolate tapioca. May take half and blend it to see how that goes. Bookmarked this page, I’ll be making this again, soon!
This was not good at all. Maybe stevia and no cinnamon next time. Ill try it again, but so far eeewwwww
I made this yesterday and love it! I went with 2 TBS maple syrup, the optional vanilla, and ground the chia seeds. Chocolate pudding is one of my favorite sweets, but dairy just doesn’t work for me. This recipe captures the taste and texture while leaving you feeling light and clean instead of bloated and congested.
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
How did you grind the chia seeds?
I use a Cuisinart coffee grinder for all seed grinding. It’s super effective and grinds them into a nice fine powder. Hope that helps :)
How did you figure the calories for this at 80/serving when 1/3 cup of chia seeds alone are over 300 calories. Add the almond milk and cocoa powder and you’re well over 80 cal/serving?
Sarah, sorry for the confusion. The brand of chia seeds I was using to calculate my nutrition was slightly off, only by about 30 calories. It’s been fixed. Plus, it added more fiber and protein, which is a bonus in my opinion.
I am wondering aside from pitted dates and maple syrup, what else would you suggest using.
If you’re looking for a low-sugar option, stevia would work. Otherwise cane sugar, honey or agave!
Just made this today and it was delicious! The consistency was thick and creamy just like pudding. I blended mine with seven dates for sweetness. Thank you for sharing this recipe. :)
So great! Glad you enjoyed it, Sam!
I’ve been making this a couple times a week for the last few months. I love it! I’ll usually add some oats to it as well. I also use a little less chocolate, but that’s just a preference thing :-)
So great! Thanks for sharing, Dan!!
Do I blend it after its been on the fridge or before ?
I just re read the directions and made a mistake. I blended it with the maple syrup ….didn’t realize I was supposed to chill it overnight first. Did I ruin it?
This recipe is AMAZING!
I used chocolate almond milk for the liquid, and added a dash of almond extract as well. .. huge hit at home!
Thank you!
Thanks Lacey! So glad you like it!
Great recipe — thank you. I added cacao nibs for extra crunch.
PS – I have the same mixing bowls — love them!
can you grind the chia seeds before combining and blending with other ingredients? i prefer smooth textures.
I think so! Let me know if you give that method a try!
If I wanted to blend the ingredients and use stevia as the sweetener should I still let the ingredients sit in the fridge overnight before blending or could I go ahead and blend it all before chilling?
Thanks!
I’d sweeten the day of blending.
Going to make this today… So excited to try it tomorrow! Divided all the ingredients by 2 just to make sure I like it before making a bigger batch :) Thanks so much for the recipe!
I finally made my first chia pudding, with your recipe of course! It’s awesome! Even without the sweetener (I didn’t need syrup or dates). But I was working out the nutritional facts, and it seems like your 80 calorie calculation for 1/4 the recipe is way off. For just 1/4 the chia seeds it’s more calories than that.. am I missing something? Thanks for your help!
Hi Debbie. Thanks for posting this! It’s still tasty without the sweetener? I can’t have any added sweetener so I was curious.
Thx!
I don’t think so, personally. It will taste pretty bland…
Yep, I asked the same thing back on June 16th…seems we’re conveniently being ignored. Hmmm…..
I answered your question, Sarah.
Hi there! I tried your recipe yesterday afternoon and just dove into it this morning. The seeds are still crunchy? This is my first time using chia seeds so I’m not sure exactly how it’s supposed to turn out. I followed your recipe exactly :)
They will still have a “little” bite, but it shouldn’t be too noticeable. Perhaps your chia seeds are no longer fresh?
Try an extra time stirring it after it has sat for maybe an hour. Sometimes the seeds like to separate from the milk
I’m so glad that I’ve found your blog. Your recipes are amazing! I think this may end up being a regular on the breakfast menu. I’d be interested to see what you could come up with for a more savoury type breakfast that requires little prep? (I’m trying to kick eggs from the diet but find that I have few options for breakfast).
I’m working on something right now! Stay tuned, Kara.
Hey! Does it matter how long we leave it in the fridge before we blend everything? For instance if we mix all the ingredients the night before and then don’t blend them all until the following night is that still ok? Please let me know! Thank you!!
You can blend them anytime as long as it’s been at least a few hours of soaking.
Actually you can blend it before soaking and it still comes out as a pudding, even if you do it before soaking
Hi. I’m excited about this recipe. I really can’t have any type of sugar or maple syrup etc and was wondering if there is alternate ways to sweeten. Would added fruit be enough? Thanks!
Hmm, perhaps date paste? Or, banana?
Made some this morning with 2 small homegrown bananas, a cup and a half of unsweetened almond milk and one third cup of chia. Blended of course in the Vitamix.. It is delicious!
Just made this today! It’s only my second time using chia seeds, yesterday I put them in my overnight oats.
After about 5 hours I took it out to put the maple syrup in, and it’s still really runny & crunchy. Maybe the seeds are old? I got Better Body Organic seeds, but they were in the “natural” section of my regular grocery store, and there’s no “sell by” date on them. It’s back in the fridge now, we’ll see how it is in the morning. I did whisk it vigorously until it was frothy, just like I used to when I was a kid & we didn’t have an electric mixer, lol.
The flavor is AWESOME, though! My son is a big fan of boxed, instant pudding, so I let him add the syrup by the spoonful until he approved. He stopped at 4 tbls. Even runny he liked it! He **haaaaated** the oatmeal, lol.
If it’s still runny in the morning I may just throw some in a blender with yogurt & call it a smoothie. ;)
Still a bit crunchy … a friend of mine told me that she ONLY uses almond milk for chia seeds, since other milks can react differently. I’ll definitely try this recipe again next time I get some; the chocolate flavor is really divine (you definitely want to use all the vanilla extract & cinnamon & everything -it’s so super yummy!)
Well, I made this and I enjoyed it some ways and not others.
I enjoyed the pudding with all the ingredients MINUS chocolate, sweetener and salt. I did not blend it either. It was yummy especially when I added cut up banana. My husband added a pinch of salt to his dish and he really did not like it at all.
This morning I made the recipe as is (minus the sweetener) and blended it and it was not good, almost inedible The salt really did something not great to this recipe — I should have paid more attention to his thoughts. I thought it was possibly because he added salt after I had whisked it together but that wasn’t it. I don’t think salt has any business in this recipe.
I added banana, both cut up and pureed, and it improved the taste a bit but it still wasn’t good. I am going to try again without the salt.
Cinnamon by itself is very bitter – if you’re leaving out the sweetener, then I’d leave that out, too. But really, if you’re going to leave out half the ingredients in a recipe, I’m not sure why you want to make it. Other websites like The Food Network have chia seed puddings with far less ingredients. Just use a 4:1 ratio of liquid to chia seeds, and then add whatever flavors you want.
Well, Dana herself said this recipe is quite versatile and she has a version without the chocolate which I did and it was very good, and I said that in my review. In fact the version I created with just half the ingredients (as you describe) was better than the whole recipe minus the sweetener.
I was just commenting on variations of this recipe as other commenters have too.
I wanted to like this but I didn’t. I did not blend it. I’m not sure I’ll try again but if so, I’ll leave out the (overwhelming) cinnamon and add more maple syrup (I used 2T). The texture was fine but the taste? Not so much. This saddens me because I love the recipes I’ve tried of yours!
Hi Denise! Thanks for trying it. Chia pudding isn’t for everyone – it’s definitely a healthy alternative to pudding. It’s kind of like kale chips. Some people will love them, others will hate them! Thanks for the feedback though!
Hi! How long does the pudding keep? Could I make this recipe for 4 portions and have 1 per day for 4 days if kept in fridge? Thanks!! :)
Yes! I’d say 4 days is your max.
I’ve been making this for my husband and I a few times per week for the past two months and we’re still not sick of it – it’s the perfect chia seed pudding recipe. Topping it with toasted coconut flakes and various fruits it makes it our fav breakfast. Ever. Thank you Dana!
Oh good! Thanks for sharing, Emily!
Hi Dana! I really love this recipe, I made it this morning using Agave syrup instead of Maple, I used 3 tablespoons and I still find it bitter from the cocoa powder. Is there a difference between sweetening with agave or maple? thanks
Oh my, I’ve tried this (replaced the almond milk with coconut cream / water mixture) and it’s soooo tasty! I think I overdid it with the cocoa powder though, so it’s a little bitter. But it’s still good!
Hi, I’m new to the whole chia seed scene and want to try this recipe. What is the texture like for the unblended pudding? Are the seeds chewy or crunchy? I’m not a fan of either textures (I’m an EXTREMELY picky eater), so should I just blend the pudding? Thanks!
I’m trying this with coconut milk. Looking forward to it!
Great recipe! My first try turned out a little runny, but I’ll adjust next time. And I used an almond * coconut blend, a little maple syrup (will add a tiny bit more next time), and then my favorite spices for my vegan hot cocoa: Vietnamese cinnamon, cayenne & chipotle pepper. I didn’t have any good sea salt, and I think it would help (although it’s delicious without). I will try it with vanilla next time, too. I didn’t this time b/c it was so runny, but I think it would add some depth. Can’t wait to try it again! *Oh, I just read somewhere how someone adds coconut powder to thicken their chia pudding!
I panicked a little when I saw that my daughter had picked out chia seeds at our local bulk store. I’m a vegan, but her and dad are not. He doesn’t cook and I jumped to the internet to find something I could do my for toddler. I’m using chocolate rice milk, and added a tiny bit of brown sugar for a single portion. I’m curious to see if she likes it, if she does I’ve found my guilt free dessert for school.
So excited you have a recipe for this!
I saw chia seeds at the store and remembered a pudding made out if chia seeds an old coworker had made a few years ago and REALLY didn’t want to have to contact her for the recipe so I did a search and found yours and it made my day!
I tried your chocolate ice cream recipe for my husband last week and he loved it! I wasn’t really an ice cream kinda girl but after that I’ve changed my mind!
Thank you!
It’s already sitting in the fringe…Can’t wait :D
I made this with cashew milk and dates and blended it – it was delicious, thank you!
I couldn’t find almond milk at my local stores, what else can I substitute it with?
You can make it yourself, or try coconut milk!
I used canned coconut milk for mine – it was super creamy and delicious!
4/5 Stars
Great recipe, tasty for breakfast or dessert. I did feel like something was missing, however. I added two tablespoons of liquid concentrated coffee (I do this for chocolate cakes to make them more chocolate-y) but this still did not add to it. Maybe the cocoa was too over powering? Maybe I should have blended it? I can’t figure it out. All-in-all a great recipe!
I’m starting with the blended version and this is my first shot. I do have a question about ‘well blended’. As I write my blender has been on for about 5 minutes, there are still little seeds. Do I just leave the blender on and wait until all the seeds are smushed? It looks like the seeds are too small and not getting blended. I think if I stop now it’ll be half blended half seedy… how long did it take you to blend?
I didn’t have any milk in so I soaked some cashews and dates overnight, then added the chia seeds 30 minds before making the pudding. Then I blended all of the ingredients. Yum.
Fantastic flavor! Thanks for sharing. The only tweaks I made to the recipe were substituting chocolate Almond Breeze for the original, used 4 Tbsp of maple syrup (I make my own syrup using 1 c water, 2 c sugar, 1 tsp maple flavoring), 1 tsp of vanilla flavoring, and definitely add the cinnamon for a more complex taste. Ran out of chocolate Almond Breeze (was 1/3 c short) so I used 1% chocolate milk to top it off, and love the final product. Nice, rich, and chocolately.
Loved this! I could eat it everyday! Love that you made it so simply and shared some variations! I made mine with stevia instead of dates. Trying to stay away from sugar. Thank you for sharing!
Very yummy! Excellent recipe with perfect results.
Have you tried to make this pudding using unsweetened coconut milk? do you think it would change the constancy?
I think that would work!
Looks delish! Where did you get the reusable glass bottle that you store the chia seeds in?
I believe World Market!
I just made this and have it chilling in the fridge. My little one likes to help me in the kitchen, and she helped me make it. She always eats what she helps make, and I will feel great about giving this one to her in the morning to try! I will take some pics for the ‘gram.
I’m @BlueLemonShots!
Oh…this is my first time trying chia seeds, so I’m super excited! Thanks for the recipe!
Made this yesterday with trader joe’s original almond beverage and it came out great. I halved the recipe since I was preparing for one and used 3 medjool dates. I tagged you in the photo on instagram :-) Thanks so much!!!
Whoop! So glad you enjoyed it! thanks for sharing, Rachel.
This is amazing pudding. I made a variation of this – blended all ingredients (with dates) without chia seeds and then stired in chia seeds. After a few hours – deliciousness! For me the quantity though is for two not four :) I already made this recipe twice and the third (double batch) is now chilling in the fridge and waiting for me to enjoy it tomorrow. Thanks!
Milda’s method is what I am thinking I will try, so that I can use dates and have the seeds unblended. I will use hazelnut milk which is my favorite and which I can get at two local markets. I love chia seeds and also like to have chocolate for breakfast — just haven’t had the energy to work out my own recipe! Thanks very much. Happy New Year!
I made this for my husband and myself today. Since I already had an open can of coconut milk (yeah, it was the high fat stuff), I used that and topped it off with about 1/4 cup of almond milk to make the 1-1/2 cups. I used 4 T. of maple syrup, and did not put it in the blender. I refrigerated it for 3 hours before eating it. It. Was. So. Good. My husband said it was “the bomb,” and I can make as much of it as I want! So, so yummy! :)
Yay! thanks for sharing, Debbie!
Hi, I was wondering how much vanilla to substitute for the cocoa power? And do you mean vanilla extract or vanilla pods? I really want to give this recipe a go, it looks fantastic! Way to go :)
Either way! I’d suggest vanilla powder. Add it to taste.
Why did you rate it when you haven’t tried it?! :)
Thanks for this recipe! It really is yummy! I wanted to ask about it though because I’ve made it twice (unblended), and while it is delicious it still isn’t setting up like pudding (or like it looks in your unblended pictures). I even used less milk the second time. I am using dairy milk, but I figure that shouldn’t make that much of a difference. I almost get a separation between the cacao at the top and the milk and chia seeds at the bottom. Could you help? Am I not wisking generously enough? I might try it blended tonight and see how that goes!
I like it! But I am not getting the point of blending it. The chia seeds still stayed whole once I blended it.
Shelf life?? Are you sure it will not keep in an air tight container for more than a few days?
I mean what gets spoiled?
Thank much
Any idea if this would work with carob powder instead? I love chocolate taste, but my body likes carob better (aka, minor cocoa allergy).
I used carob powder when I tried it. It was great. I would say go ahead and try it. It was really good.
Thanks!!
Wonderful! thanks for sharing, Milda!
Hi
I tried this recipe using agave syrup instead of dates. However the chia seeds didn’t absorb the liquid and form a pudding. Any idea what could’ve gone wrong?
Hmm, it sounds like your chia seeds might’ve been expired!
Actually, chia seeds do not go bad like flax seeds. The Aztecs used chia in many forms until the Spanish arrived and basicalky banned it. They ground it into flour thst would last years without going bad. The reason is because the oil in chia seeds do not oxidize like other oils.
This is something I’m definitely going to try! I would go make some for in the morning now if i were not so tired. Can’t wait though..
Where are the cute glass jars from??
Thank you! Love your site.
Kim
How come I messed this up? Everything got separated and the chia seeds stuck together at the bottom of my container. Any recommendations?
I suspect it was because you didn’t whisk it thoroughly? It should have been whisked until everything was well blended. That takes a little bit of time and arm action, but it is SO worth it! I recommend adding 1 tsp vanilla to the recipe and using 4 Tbsp homemade maple syrup. Boil one cup of water and 2 cups of sugar together and stir until sugar dissolves. Stir in 1 tsp of real maple extract (or mapleine if you can’t find real extract). Remove from heat and cool. That’s it, and it is super delicious (and inexpensive…and MUCH better tasting than the syrup you buy in the stores). Best wishes!
Oh, and I also used chocolate almond milk instead of the original almond milk to add an extra bit of chocolate decadence to the recipe. =)
The first time I made a Chia seed Iwhisked ot pretty well until everything was thoroughly mixed but in the morning it was all settled. I gave it another thorough whisking and all was well.
Now, so I don’t have to put out too much effort in my coffee-less mornings I whisk thoroughly then let sit for 15 minutes. Whisk thoroughly again.
This. Was. Amazing.
We recently had to remove dairy, gluten, eggs, and a bunch of other stuff from my daughters diet which makes breakfast so difficult! I’m so happy I found this recipe. I used coconut milk and tossed a spoonful of oats in and the consistency was so perfect by morning. This recipe is a keeper!
Loved this recipe.Very pudding like. Do you have any ideas how I would switch it up and make it a pumpkin pie spice pudding. Not sure how much pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice to substitute in the chocolate.
Hmm, use pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice blend, and more maple syrup? Then leave out the chocolate!
I made it with organic pumpkin purée and it was fantastic!
How much pumpkin did you use? Did you just replace the chocolate with pumpkin? Thanks kate
this chia pudding is the best i have ever had! i blended, and substituted the almond milk for coconut milk, it and it tastes better then any pudding i have ever had before! i am going to pack it in my kids lunches every day this week! so healthy and so yummy!
Ooh yay! Thanks for sharing, Elizabeth!
Hi dana, i have recently discovered you and so im now addicted to chia seed pudding in every imaginable form! But mine turns runny bey the next day. Hiw domi keep this from happening? Thanks so much, kathy w
I have just made this. Trying out chia for the first time in last few days. Wanting to slip this one in as a chocolate mousse to less healthy minded family members I ground the chia seeds in the blender first then added the other ingredients, I used maple syrup. Blended it all up and it split between 4 ramekins. In the fridge now chilling. Flavour is great. It’s already got a nice creamy texture. One question. I have been reading about how much liquid chia absorbs and continues to absorb in the Gi tract, so is there sufficient liquid in this mix or should we drink extra liquid when eating this?
I’ve been eating chia for years and always increased liquid intake due to the chia absorbing liquid.
Hi Dana,
This recipe looks AMAZING. I wanted to know if we can share on our website for different recipes suggestions.
Thanks
I add 4 oz. of strong coffee and Ceylon cinnamon to the mix. And I use whole coconut milk. Decadent is understating how good it was. I am about to make a batch using light coconut milk. I’ll let you know how it works. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Can’t wait to try! How much vanilla to sub for cacao?
I love this pudding…sneaked it even into my son’s lunchbox and it was a huge success
Yay! Thanks for sharing!
I love this recipe! I find that the consistency is best if you let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 min after mixing everything together and then whisk it again before dividing and refrigerating. This lets the chia seeds jelly up a little bit so when you mix it again, they stay dispersed.
If you throw it into the fridge immediately, the seeds tend to settle to the bottom and the texture is not very even throughout.
I use Cacao Barry Extra Brut dutch processed cocoa, which gives it an incredibly rich chocolate flavor. If you do this, you have to add in the milk very slowly (just a little bit at a time) while whisking vigorously to dissolve all the powder. If you add all the liquid immediately, the cocoa will clump.
I know this is sponsored by Almond Breeze….but there’s no almond milk where I am right now, so I decided to use fresh coconut milk! Still tastes pretty good!
I DID TOO… AND EVERYTHING TASTES BETTER W/ COCONUT MILK!
Made this 3 days ago. Not blended and sweetened it with agave. So easy and so yum. A really satisfying dessert. The perfect hint of cinnamon. It reminds me of a decadent Mexican chocolate. I have to make it again tonight. Thank you for the recipe!
Love this!! It’s so yum. Thank you !!
I make my chia pudding without coco and with 1/2 soy milk and 1/2 coconut milk (the best is coconut cream but be sure to add more soy milk!) I then also mix vanilla, whole flaxseed and honey. I love the crunchy texture! I eat this with oats and fruit for breakfast :)
I followed directions exactly and found that I had to add more chia seeds to make it creamier. Very good.
I’m chia pudding obsessed!! My favorite I like to make is chia seeds with coconut milk, sweetener of choice(I like honey) and a touch of rose water extract! It’s incredibly floral and so delish!! I added 1/2 cap full of rose water extract to this recipie for a chocolate rose pudding. Love seeing everyone’s variations!
Made this in about five minutes and can’t believe what a nutritious, luxurious treat this is! Thank you so much for this outstanding recipe. I’ll be making it often!
I did exactly what this recipe said to do, but my chia seeds did not turn pudding like. There was no goes consistency from the chia seed. What could have happened there?
I made chia pudding but the chia seeds didn’t swell up overnight. What did I do wrong?
I had this happen the first time I made chia pudding – suspect it’s the seeds (quality or age). When I followed this recipe and only blended to mix (medium), it was a fine mousse texture within 2 hours after refrigeration. I did substitute 2c coconut milk & 1/2c chia seeds for the first 2 ingredients. Very creamy!
This tastes great (i left out salt and cinnamon and included dates preblended before adding chia). But… it tasted horrid when i blended the chia. So- don’t blend the chia!
Omg just made this it was soo good! I used vanilla unsweetened almond milk, dates as my sweetner no cinnamon (i forgot to add) and vanilla, cocoa the chia and blended. I tasted it after and it totally reminded me of my all time favorite (and hard to find) chocolate tofu pudding from whole foods (ive only seen it at the san diego whole foods if you see it in sf let me know) yum!
WOW made this last night and had it for breakfast this morning. SO good. I made it with homemade almond milk and used vietnamese cinnamon (my fave cinnamon – added a bit more since I’m a bit of a cinnamon-aholic) and it was FANTASTIC! Thanks so much for the recipe :)
I made the chocolate chia seed pudding and it is delicious. I used dark cocoa powder and himalayin sea salt. Less sweet, really pretty and so fantastic. Thank you for the recipe!
Wondering if I can blend dates separately and add them without blending whole mixture if I, too, prefer a more textured pudding?
Because the seeds are derived fro the Salvia Hispanica plant, which is in the mint family, I am hoping the addition of mint rather than cinnamon will be as delicious as I am anticipating. I’ll certainly let you know how it turns out.
Can I use ground chia seeds instead of whole ones for this recipe?
That should work, but it does affect the texture. I still prefer whole!
Ground seeds are the best for you since the opened seed makes the nutrition more bioavailable. It’s all I use.
Love, love, love this recipe!
This recipe is amaaaaazing!!! MMMMM. :)
I’m not even a huge fan of chocolate pudding, but this one is divine. Had to fight eating it by the spoonful BEFORE it chilled. Eagerly awaiting a yummy dinner dessert.
Thanks so much for sharing!
Just made this and it’s amazing! I blended mine, and it was just divine. Such a great flavor!
I rarely post about recipes BUT I’m so thrilled I stumbled across this one….. it’s delicious! My 4 year old son was begging for more ‘chocolate pudding’ and even my husband who is chia averse enjoyed it. Thanks for a great recipe! I’ll be making this again and again….
Hi love the recipe, may I know whether I can make them in bulk and store them for the whole week?
How long can they last? Can they last throughout the week?
Thanks in advance.
Rgds Marie
Hmm, I think they would last up to 3 days in the fridge, maybe 1 day more. Hope that helps!
I just made this using regular 1% milk and left unblended. I finely chopped homemade candied orange peels and mixed them in for a chocolate orange flavored pudding…can’t wait until tomorrow because I took a small bite while I was preparing it and the flavor is amazing!
I accidentally dumped a bunch of chia in a pot of boiling water instead of the quinoa I was needing. Got over a gallon of hydrated chia “pudding “! I went looking for a recipe and found yours. Of course, I had to adjust it, but it turned out great. I had little dark unsweetened cocoa left, so I augmented with carob powder and a small bit of blackstrap molasses, and some peppermint oil drops. Yum! Thanks for saving the day!
I put everything except for the chia seeds in my Vitamix, blended until smooth, and then poured the mixture into a bowl and mixed in the chia seeds by hand. It set up beautifully and tastes delicious!
My 2 year old chocolate loving daughter thinks I’m the best mom ever for allowing her to indulge in this treat for breakfast!
Thank you so much!!
Help! I made this yesterday and left in the fridge for 10 hours but it didn’t come out thick and creamy, just like milk :-(
Sounds like you need to add more chia seeds! Were your chia seeds fresh?
I made this last night so it’d be ready for breakfast. I didn’t blend it and I only used about 2 tablespoons maple syrup. I split the mixture into two bell jars and shook them vigorously. It totally worked! I was worried about some of the comments mentioning too salty or too much cinnamon but I don’t agree with them. This morning I topped them with coconut shreds, mixed nuts, and mini chocolate chips. Super delicious!
Yay! Thanks Kelli.
So its OK to blend everything together, chia seeds and all? Or do I blend everything and add the chia last?
You can just blend it all together in the end! However, I enjoyed the unblended version best :D
Best. Dessert. Ever.
Thank you for this recipe. I did not add any sugar and sweetness from the blueberries and raspberries I topped were perfect.
Tastes very much like a high-quality chocolate mousse. I made 2 substitutions for the 1st 2 ingredients: 2c fresh/homemade coconut milk, 1/2c chia seeds. I blended – but only to mix (not on high). Served with CocoWhip and chocolate chips – yummy!
Dana, I am overwhelmed!! Thanks.. Loved it and Pinned it. Cheers!!
do the seeds need to be powdered or can they be whole?
Can you use honey instead of maple syrup? I am getting my wisdom teeth out in a couple of days and am looking to prepare my own pudding, popsicles, etc. Hoping this will come out nicely!
I’m a softmore in highschool and I’m also trying out a plant based diet… And I don’t have much time in the mornings if I want sleep ? So I made this and it’s in the fridge now! I can’t wait to try it with some banana in the morning!
DELICIOUS!!! I haven’t tried it blended yet but once I have a little more time I 100% will! The unblended does leave a slight sliminess around the seeds – however, once you add fruit (I add blackberries and raspberries, yum!) it all blends together. Love how it tastes so good and so much like a dessert, but with none of the guilt! Great way to start your day off and so easy!
Can I ask how you get the chia seeds blended? I desperately wanted this to be a smooth moose consistency. I used a small blender which is really good for blending pretty much anything but as I suspected, the chia seeds are far too small to blend as they just go straight to the bottom! Can you give me any advice?
You can try a spice blender. I buy mine split. They’re better for you when they’re open.
Gorgeous! Worked a treat and completely foolproof. I’m not sure why some people are substituting the chia seed when it is the main ingredient and then leaving a poor review??? Bizarre!
I can’t have chia seeds :'(
Can I use anything else?
Thank you,
Maria
Looks good, will give the recipe a try.
I realized I should be commenting on these because I love your recipes so much! Thanks for putting these up – my roommate is currently doing vegan Tuesdays (and I’m doing meatless Mondays) and your blog has made it really easy and fun. :)
This was a super easy and fun dessert, but my roommate and I both thought that it was overwhelmingly chocolatey & cinnamony. We originally used unsweetened Almond Breeze and 3 tbsp of maple syrup, and after waiting 3 hours, we decided to dilute it by adding 1/2 cup sweetened vanilla Almond Breeze and 21 g chia seeds. It was so good that we couldn’t resist just drinking some like a smoothie – it was great to have the texture of both chia seeds. Excited to have it tomorrow!
I haven’t made chia pudding in a long time, but I’m trying to do more raw foods, so I saw this and had to make it! I’m eating it for breakfast right now, with banana slices and pomegranate arils. Yum! I’m definitely back on the chia pudding bandwagon.
In case anyone is interested, I made mine with Silk cashew milk, and 6 medjool dates. I don’t like the taste of blended chia seeds either, but I wanted to use dates, so I put everything except the chia seeds in my Vitamix, blended it, poured it into a mason jar and then mixed in the chia seeds. I just gave it a stir in the morning, then added my fruit. So delicious!
I will make this today as I happened upon your website. Late chia seed want-ta-be! I come from dried cherry land, so I try dried cherries in place of dates seeing that I do not have any of those here at home. Not sure which type of milk I will use but there were lots of options listed in the reviews. Will keep you posted. Excited to try.
Love this! After blending mine I put sliced banana and a teaspoon of peanut butter in the bottom of the glass and spooned the smooth pudding on top and left to refrigerate again. Was amazing!!
I usually make the Chia seed “jelly”. I am going to try the pudding. You can never go wrong with chocolate (or bacon) :)
Can we use skim milk instead of almond milk??
Yes! But I haven’t tried that so I can’t guarantee it will be as creamy. If you’re using dairy, I’d recommend 2%
Just popped mine in the fridge. Only five more agonizing hours until I can taste it!
Great recipe!! I soaked and blitzed some normal dates, then whisked them in and added some freeze dried strawberries to the mix! Delicious sweet and chocolatey flavour with no guilt☺
Truth be told, this was my first time making and trying chia pudding. This is a great recipe! I followed the recipe using unsweetened Almond Breeze almond milk, subbed honey for dates, omitted the cinnamon, and added vanilla. I did not blend the pudding. I whisked the cocoa and almond milk first until incorporated, then whisked in the rest of the ingredients. No problems with separation and the consistency was perfect the next morning. This is my new favorite breakfast with fresh raspberries and sliced almonds. Yum!
Hi, I really enjoyed your recipe! I am now back to eating chocolate pudding, which is great! Thanks for the recipe. I subbed the syrup for agave since I didn’t have any dates or syrup for sweetener, and it turned out quite tasty. I put it up on my blog, giving you a proper shout out of course. :)
I just tried this recipe, and my puddings are in the fridge for my breakfast tomorrow and the next few mornings. I can’t wait to try them. My taste off the spatula was pretty good. :)
I nearly bought my first pack of chia seeds yesterday but fell at the last hurdle of not knowing what to do with them. They are now top of my next shopping list.
I wonder if it freezes, or if the quantity can be halved successfully?
If I want it unblended, but I want dates in it, how do I incorporate them and when do I add them?
I’m so excited to make this, I need this in my life!
Try making a syrup with your dates. :)
My co-worker and I LOVED THIS . Made it last night as a treat for our lunch. I let another person try some and she said it tasted like chocolate ice cream…
Yummmmm! I love chia pudding. Especially chocolate with a touch of mint. Sooooo goooood.
Love your georgeous pictures! Great work!
I feel like this has a lot of sugar in it, possibly naturally occurring from the sweeteners but more so the hidden sugar in the almond milk. I would add how much sugar it has on the nutrients list for an FYI to make sure those of us avoiding sugar know what we are getting into.
I usually blend the milk, dates, and other flavors first. Then I fold in the chia seeds before refrigerating. I like the texture and flavor is evenly distributed. Great post!
Can you imagine how this would taste with a hint of spice like cinnamon and/or ancho chili powder? YUM!
almond breeze has carrageenan in it (which is terrible for you), as well as other chemicals and additives. you should be encouraging your blog followers to support local almond and cashew milk startups or to make their own mylk.
Just made this and it is absolutely fabulous! I blended coconut milk, 5 dates, cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla in the blender, then stirred in the chia seeds. Topped with homemade whipped cream. I’m telling everyone about this recipe. Thank you!!
I make this all the time! Great recipe!!
This was not good at all. The taste (not sweet at all and I used 5 tablespoons of maple syrup) and the texture (I didn’t blend) were not good. I’ve made chia pudding before using another recipe and really liked it.
This is absolutely delicious! I ended up adding 5 TBS maple syrup and I did add the optional cinnamon and vanilla extract. Thanks for the recipe. I’ll be making this a lot!
SO YUM! I wasn’t sure I’d like this recipe at first because I’ve previously tried making a “healthy” chocolate pudding out of tofu, but”tofu-y” taste was too overwhelming for me… But this chia seed chocolate pudding is delish!!
I decided to blend my pudding (just because I wasn’t sure how the chia seed texture would feel), but after tasting it, I think it would’ve tasted better with some seed texture. It’s still verrry yummy (and there’s no weird chia seed aftertaste) but I think I will do the non-blended version next time.
My taste buds and tummy all thank you for this scrumptious recipe. :)
I make chia seed “jam”. Fruit and chia seeds in a mini blender and I’m good to go. I want to try orange marmalade with the seeds, but all recipes call for cooking the oranges first. Does anyone know if it can be made without cooking? Thanks.
this was my first chia seed pudding recipe and i was amazed. it was so rich and decadent! thank you!
i substituted with vanilla soy milk, used maple syrup and omitted the cinnamon for a more traditional pudding taste.
i will be making this very often.
I’m trying it with dark chocolate cashew milk!!!
My son is on a special diet, he’s 6 and has been since he was 6 months old. His diet controls his seizures and is VERY low in carbohydrates, also, he doesn’t chew, so finding foods that work for him is, well, lets call it an adventure.
He is in school now and is beginning to realize that his friends have different food and he can’t have those things. I am on a mission to find suitable substitutes that can allow him to have something like what his friends have without blowing his nutrition plan.
This is a pretty good substitute.The mouth feel is very different from traditional pudding, but he wouldn’t know that. I quite enjoy the flavor, but find that I enjoy it cut about 50/50 with whipped cream or yogurt just to cut down on the gel feeling.
Does anyone know if you could use the same process with plain water or fruit juice to make a gelatin substitute?
My hubby prefers his chia in apple juice, so I believe that if you decrease the amount of liquid, it can be like an applesauce consistency. You may have to experiment to get the right texture.
Maybe it’s the kind of cocoa powder I used (Trader Joes), but when I stirred it after soaking for about an hour, the flavor was really quite terrible. There was too, too, too much cocoa powder and definitely not enough sweetener. I added another batch of coconut milk and chia seeds and it’s much better. I will definitely halve the cocoa powder next time.
I made this using vanilla almond milk and no other sweetener. It is so good! I was very skeptical, due to the texture, but it didn’t even phase me when eating it unblended. Thank you so much for this great recipe!
I made a chia pudding last night with just almond milk and strawberries, which I blended before adding the chia seeds. I woke up this morning to find a clump of seeds at the bottom of my glass with the milk sitting on top. I stirred before refrigerating. What did I do wrong? :(
I made this 2 days ago, left it unblended and overnight. Its friggin Awesome!! I also made the blueberry compote and served the pudding on top, even my 3 teenagers ate it and our son is major fussy eater.
Delicious! I did just use organic whole milk instead of almond or coconut milk. I was skeptical because at first it was not jelling up or thickening. Maybe I was stirring too frequently because I didn’t want the chia seeds settling to the bottom? I sweetened it with 1 Tsp honey. I put sliced strawberries on top with whipped cream! So good!
Do you have any low-carb recipes? They are so hard to find and that is my weight loss secret. Help please!!
Can you make this with 2% milk ?
I do :) It works just fine. I’ve made it with coconut milk and 2% and they come out equally nice
I’m currently doing Keto, and was optimistic about modifying this recipe. I substituted the maple syrup with half a teaspoon of Stevia per portion with great results. To get my fat up I used a dollop of double cream which worked a treat in cutting through the rather bitter taste of the Cacao. Definitely a regular for breakfast and dessert! I’ll try adding a few raspberries next time as well :-)
I made this on Wednesday and followed the recipe to the T. It’s an amazing pudding. Store bought pudding… never again! Plus, after reading the reviews, it gave me some ideas for variations.
The comments here reflect that this is a very versatile recipe! I used whole chia and found it to be a pleasant tapioca-like consistency. I went for a “cocoa-masala” flavor (chocolate/chai). I used the dairy-free So Delicious brand of coconut milk creamer (which made it sweet enough that maple and dates were unnecessary). I only used 1tbsp of cocoa, plus the vanilla. Beautifully chocolatey. Only a few dashes of cinnamon and one good dash of nutmeg, plus a good spoonful of cardamom powder. SO GOOD.
This turned out very bitter – any recommendations?
It’s probably the amount of cocoa powder. Just reduce that or add more sweetener.
The consistency is pure liquid even after refrigeration – what can I do to fix this?
Loved this pudding… it has a perfect consistency, gives me energy every time and absolutely delicious!
So good! Made this at my boyfriends house with minimal ingredients (no cinnamon or vanilla) and I’m amazed to say still SO good! I am trying to eat desserts with fewer processed sugars and I am sure to make a million variations of this. Thank you so much!
I absolutely love this recipe! It’s perfect in everyway! I definitely like it unblended. The texture is just fantastic. Thank you for the amazing instructions and recipe!
This is seriously the best chia pudding I ever had. My 2 year old and 4 year old were super excited when they saw it as our breakfast this morning. I’ve just doubled the recipe and made it for tomorrow morning too;)
Thanks for posting it!
Pudding for breakfast? Paradise found!!
Simple and perfect. Thanks !!!
Hey I have a question regarding the consistency! I was wondering if this will expand and if it does how much! I want to chill it in mason jars so in the morning I can just grab it and go.
i had to change the quantities of almond milk, cacao and dates but i made these and now they are in the fridge. I really hope this turns out ok. I put mine all through the blender because I didn’t think it was clear enough. Like do i soak the chia seeds first, blend the rest then add both sets of ingredients when the seeds and almond milk are set then put it back in the fridge?
I couldn’t resist leaving a comment here! I used dark chocolate cocoa powder and dumped all of the ingredients in my blender and it was done. I didn’t imagine this would taste so good. I’m so happy I found your page and I’m even more happy I decided to try it out.
I am a dairy eater and I can’t tell the difference. I’m definitely switching to this version! Can’t wait to try it on my very picky significant other. I don’t plan on telling him it’s non dairy. Want to see what he thinks! ???
YOU ROCK!!!!
Hi! I’ve been a chia fan for 6 years now. I’ve had it every which way imaginable. My favorite (and simplest way) is in water. I wanted to let you know that the reason you need sweetener when it’s blended is because in the blender, some seeds get split open. Seeds that are opened allow more of the nutrition to be bioavailable, or easier for your body to use the nutrition. If you consume whole seeds and do not chew or open them in some fashion, they leave the body the same way they went in. The hard outer shell is not digested by the body. I only buy split open chia. More expensive, but my body can actually use it, so it’s well worth it!
Thanks Casey! That’s helpful to know.
Sorry but you are not correct, chia seeds do break down in the body. If you disagree, please check your poop. If you see seeds in it, you’re right.
You are both correct. Just dr9nk lots of water if you don’t soak the seeds do that they can breakdown.
Barbara
HI CASEY,
AFTER READING YOUR COMMENT AND THE REPLIES FROM SABRINA & BARBARA, I WANTED TO ADD THAT IN ORDER TO SAVE MONEY AND GET ALL THE NUTRIENTS FROM THE CHIA SEEDS YOU CAN JUST PUT THEM IN THE BLENDER AND/OR SOAK THEM.
HAPPY CHIA DAYS!
Why would you spend MORE money on already split chia when you can split it open yourself?
Another way to control your ingredients is to make your own nut milks. You can make them easily and without added sugars and emulsifiers. I have made them with every kind of nut and grain. My current favorite blend is raw cashews, almonds, and pecans.
I couldn’t help but comment! I’ve been eyeing this recipe for the longest time and I finally got to try it out this morning! It is SO delicious!! I paired it with a sprinkle of your Gingerbread Granola that I made the other day and a drizzle of maple syrup! YUMMY!
I’m so glad thay I discovered this new way to have chia seeds because the other recipes I tried were a little gag-worthy ?.
Thank you, Dana for creating such simple and oh-so delicious recipes! It makes being vegan a whole lot more fun!
XOXO,
Christian
My pudding didn’t thicken overnight. I used coconut milk. Did I mess it up? Watts wrong? Do you have any idea how I can thicken it up now?
Mine did not thicken as well. I used almond milk but I live at high altitude. Any one have ideas if that would cause it not to thicken?
Perhaps, or the kind of almond milk you were using…try adding more chia seeds!