Chia Seed Pudding
from https://www.loveandlemons.com/

Also see Chia Seed Pudding with Dates.

This easy chia seed pudding recipe is a perfect healthy breakfast or snack! It tastes like dessert, but it's filled with fiber, protein, and healthy fats.

Now that the weather’s warming up, this chia seed pudding recipe has become my go-to breakfast/afternoon snack. It’s cool, creamy, and lightly sweet, with warm depth of flavor from a pinch of cinnamon. Topped off with fresh fruit, homemade granola, and a drizzle of maple syrup, it tastes like dessert, but it’s packed with fiber, protein, and healthy fats.

It’s super easy to make, and it keeps in the fridge for about 5 days. So if you’re a big fan of meal prepping, this recipe is for you. Make a batch of chia seed pudding on the weekend, and portion it into individual jars or containers. You’ll have a quick, healthy breakfast ready for every day of the week!

Chia seeds: I used white chia seeds on the day I took these photos, but black chia seeds will work here too.
Almond milk: Or any milk you like! If I don’t have almond milk on hand, I often make this recipe with other non-dairy milks. Light coconut milk and oat milk are both great. Regular milk also works.

Troubleshooting I find that a ratio of 2 tablespoons chia seeds to 1/2 cup almond milk yields a creamy texture that I love. But on occasion, I hear from readers whose pudding hasn’t set up properly. Here are my best tips for making perfect chia seed pudding every time:

• It’s important that you stir the chia pudding after it’s chilled for a few hours. By stirring it, you’ll break up any clumps of chia seeds in the milk or at the bottom of the jar. If the chia seeds are clumped, they won’t absorb as much liquid, which will result in a thinner pudding.
• If your chia pudding is too thin after it chills overnight, add more chia seeds, stir well, and chill it for another few hours. The extra chia seeds will absorb the excess liquid.
• If the pudding becomes too thick, loosen it with a little extra milk before adding your desired toppings and digging in.

Toppings:

On its own, chia pudding is creamy, rich, and lightly sweet. But let’s be honest: the best part of any chia seed pudding recipe is the toppings! Wait to add the toppings until right before you eat. Here are some of my favorites:

• Fresh fruit. I love piling berries and tart cherries on chia seed pudding. Use fresh ones in the summer and thawed frozen ones for the rest of the year.
• Something crunchy, like coconut flakes, chopped nuts, or homemade granola.
• Something sweet. Add an extra drizzle of maple syrup or honey. Chocolate chips are delicious too!
  

Recipe (see variations below)

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk [or oat milk] [can use cartoned coconut milk - not canned, which is very rich but high in saturated fat]
2 tablespoons chia seeds [do not wash the seed or they clump together]
1 to 2 Tbsp Greek yogurt (optional, but it would make it creamier)
1/2 teaspoon maple syrup [didn't add, or try adding 2 chopped up dates for sweetness]
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon {didn't add)
[added 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract]

Optional toppings
Tart cherries
Blueberries
Chopped nuts or granola
Coconut flakes [high in saturated fat]
Maple syrup

In a lidded jar (the jars she uses have an 11-ounce capacity, I use pint canning jars), combine the almond milk, chia seeds, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Cover and shake to combine [quite a few seeds stuck to the side. Better is to add the milk, flavorings, then the seeds and stir]. Chill for a few hours, then give it a good stir to loosen any clumps. Continue chilling for 8 hours or overnight for the pudding to set.

Serve with toppings like fruit, nuts, coconut flakes, and maple syrup as desired. [Blueberries or other fruit and granola is good]

1 serving

Flavor Variations

Chocolate Chia Pudding
Add 1 tablespoon cocoa powder.
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sweeten with 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey.
Optional: Stir in 1 tablespoon mini chocolate chips.
- FMM: Topped with chopped up cherries and sliced almonds. Except for having to add more honey due to flavor the cocoa powder, this was quite good and could easily be eaten for dessert.

Vanilla Bean Chia Pudding
Add 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract or scrape the seeds from 1/2 a vanilla bean.
Sweeten with 1 teaspoon honey or agave.

Berry Chia Pudding
Blend 1/2 cup mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries) with the milk before mixing with the chia seeds.
Sweeten with 1 teaspoon honey, if desired.

Matcha Chia Pudding
Add 1 teaspoon matcha powder to the milk and whisk well to combine before mixing with the chia seeds.
Sweeten with 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup.

Tropical Chia Pudding
Use coconut milk as the base.
Add 2 tablespoons crushed pineapple or diced mango.
Sweeten with 1 teaspoon agave, if needed.

Peanut Butter Chia Pudding
Add 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter (or almond butter) to the milk and whisk well before mixing with chia seeds.
Optional: Top with a drizzle of more peanut butter and sliced bananas.

Coffee Chia Pudding
Replace half of the milk with chilled brewed coffee (1/4 cup milk + 1/4 cup coffee).
Sweeten with 1 teaspoon maple syrup or a pinch of cinnamon.

Sweet Almond Chia Pudding
1/4 tsp almond extract
Pinch of cardamom
1 tsp honey
1 tbsp sliced almonds