If you’re looking for a guilt-free indulgence that satisfies your sweet tooth and nourishes your body, you will love this Chia Pudding!
This creamy, dreamy pudding is not only a treat for your taste buds but also packs a punch of nutrition. Whip it up in minutes, let it chill, then top it with fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, or high-protein granola, and you’ve got a versatile dish perfect for breakfast, snack time, or even dessert!
Why We Love This Recipe
Just 3-ingredients! It is low-calorie (150 Kal/ serving), low-carb (6g net carbs) & gluten-free. It’s easily customizable based on different topping choices. Add your choice of nuts, seeds, granola, or fruits to enjoy it for breakfast, snacks, or dessert. It is loaded with protein, fat, and fiber. Each serving contains 11 g of fiber, 4 grams of protein, and 9 grams of fat (5g of omega-3s!) Set-it-and-forget-it recipe that takes less than 5 minutes to prepare, ready to eat in less than an hour. Easy to double or triple for a meal prep breakfast or snack throughout the week.
Let’s add some balance to your weekly routine and get started!
Ingredients - Notes & Substitutions
The main ingredients for this chia seed pudding recipe are chia seeds, milk, and sweeteners. But the real fun comes with the toppings. Here’s a look at what we need: Scroll to the recipe card for a detailed list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Chia Seed Pudding
Here are the step-by-step instructions and photos for how to make chia seed pudding:
Step 1: Mix Chia Seeds and Milk
Take a mason jar or small bowl and add chia seeds, milk of choice, and maple syrup (or sweetener of choice). Using a fork, give it a good mix to combine everything. Wait about 5 minutes and stir again to break the chia seed clumps.
Step 2: Soak
Close the lid (mason jar) or cover tightly using food storage wrap. Now set it in the refrigerator for at least an hour, up to overnight. The chia pudding will get thicker the longer it sits.
Step 3: Finish with Toppings
When ready to consume, add a splash of milk if it appears too thick. Enjoy it cold, or warm it up for 30 seconds in the microwave and serve it with your favorite toppings (see suggestions below).
Serving Suggestions
While plain chia seed pudding is delicious, the real fun is in the toppings. Here are some of my favorite ways to serve it:
Fresh Fruit: Top it with assorted berries, like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries or bananas, mango, apples, or pears. Nuts / Seeds: Add extra texture with toasted almonds, walnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, or hemp seeds. High Protein: Give it the ultimate crunch factor with high protein granola, top it with a dollop of Greek yogurt, or swirl in some nut butter. Dessert: Transform it into dessert with chocolate chips, dried fruit, or shredded coconut flakes.
How to Store, Freeze & Meal Prep
Refrigerate: Store leftover chia seed pudding in the same mason jar or airtight container for up to 5 days. Freeze: Portion into individual containers and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight before enjoying. Reuse: The mixture will thicken the longer it sits, but you can add a splash of milk to thin it out to your desired consistency. Wait to add the toppings until ready to serve. Meal prep: Make a big batch at the beginning of the week, portion it into individual containers, and breakfast chia pudding is ready to enjoy throughout the week.
Flavor Variations & Additions
Here are some popular flavors to make this overnight chia pudding your own:
Extract: Add a touch of extract to enhance the flavor, like vanilla, almond, or coconut. Powder: Make a chocolate chia pudding by adding cocoa powder, or matcha chia pudding using matcha powder. Puree: Add 1-2 tablespoons of your favorite fruit or vegetable puree, such as strawberry jam, plum jam, peach ginger chutney, mashed banana, or pumpkin puree. Milk: Keep it dairy-free with any other variation of plant-based milk, like coconut milk chia pudding, cashew, or oat milk.
Recipe Tips & Notes
Milk: I prefer almond milk due to its low-carb content, but any milk will work. Some alternatives include 2% or whole milk, and oat milk. Texture tip: It is important to stir the pudding after a few minutes to break the chia clumps. Please don’t skip this step. Sugar-free: For a sugar-free, lower-carb variation, skip the maple syrup altogether, or use monkfruit maple syrup instead. Toppings: I like to top this chia pudding with assorted berries including blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, or raspberries due to their low glycemic index. Feel free to use other fruits like bananas, apples, or mango. You can also top it with granola of choice. Protein-boost: To add a protein boost to this chia pudding, stir in 1 tablespoon of nut butter or protein powder per serving, or 1 to 2 tablespoons of high-protein granola.
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