CHOCOLATE CHIA PUDDING
Hello chocolate lovers!
Today I have for you a classic chocolate chia pudding that’s easy to make and meant to be enjoyed anytime of day. Be it for breakfast, a pick-me-up snack, or decadent dessert!
Is Chocolate Chia Pudding Healthy?
Yes! Chocolate Chia Pudding is a combination of healthy, wholesome ingredients that are dairy-free, refined sugar-free and whips up into a deliciously creamy, almost tapioca like, pudding!
- Pair it with fresh fruits like raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, sliced banana, kiwi, pineapple, mandarin oranges, cherries, etc.
- For extra protein, add a dollop of your favorite nut butter.
- Add crunchiness with a sprinkle of granola.
- Make a parfait using whipped coconut cream or non-dairy vanilla yogurt.
- Finish it off with additional topping of chocolate such as cacao nibs, mini chocolate chips or shaved chocolate.
You can make this a healthy to-go treat by filling mason jars or tupperware with a serving of chia pudding and toppings of choice. Store your to-go containers in the fridge and they’ll be ready to grab-n-go when you’re on the run.
Chocolate Chia Pudding Ingredients
Non-Dairy Milk: I used a protein rich plant-based milk here, but feel free to use your favorite non-dairy milk, preferably unsweetened.
Chia Seeds: You may already be familiar with the Vanilla Chia Pudding I shared a while back. My first batch of this chocolate chia pudding, I used the same ratio of chia seeds to milk and came up with a finish that, with the added cocoa powder, was just a bit too chalky. So you will find this recipe calls for slightly less chia seeds, and a definite improvement in texture. Using slightly less chia seeds will mean you may have to chill it for a full 4 hours, or overnight, for it to thicken nicely. But it’s well worth the wait!
Cacao Powder: Use 100% cacao or cocoa powder.
Sweetener: Pure maple syrup is my sweetener of choice, but feel free to use your favorite sweetener.
Vanilla: The vanilla can be optional, but is highly recommended as it adds another layer of flavor I know you’re going to love! Only skimp on the vanilla if you must. :)
How To Make Chocolate Chia Pudding
You’re going to love how easy chocolate chia pudding is to make!
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the milk, chia seeds, cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla and salt, whisk until blended. Be patient, it will take a good minute or so to blend in the cocoa powder.
- Cover and place in the fridge to chill. Give a good stir after 30 minutes (this step is very important or you’re pudding will not set properly and you’ll have a soupy mixture), cover again and continue to chill. Stir again after 15 to 30 minutes. Let chill for at least 4 hours.
Once chilled, the pudding will miraculously become thick and creamy. It’s a delicious mix of chocolate goodness that will put a smile on your face and fill that chocolate craving!
Now, you are ready to assemble your pudding however you like. My favorite topping this time around was fresh raspberries, cacao nibs and a dollop of non-dairy vanilla yogurt.
With minimal ingredients and maximum flavor, it’s nom, nom, nom….all day long!
More Pudding Inspiration
CHOCOLATE CHIA PUDDING
Craving chocolate? This classic chocolate chia seed pudding is a healthy way to satisfy your chocolate craving!
- Prep Time: 4 hour
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: Dessert, Snack
- Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 cups unsweetened almond milk (or your favorite non-dairy milk)
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1/3 cup 100% cocoa/cacao powder
- 1/4 – 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- pinch of mineral salt
Instructions
In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the milk, chia seeds, cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla and salt, whisk until blended. Be patient, it will take a good minute or so to blend in the cocoa powder.
Cover and place in the fridge to chill. Give a good stir after 30 minutes (this step is very important or you’re pudding will not set properly and you’ll have a soupy mixture), cover again and continue to chill. Stir again after 15 to 30 minutes. Pudding should be thickened and ready to serve within 4 hours, and will be at it thickest after 8 – 10 hours.
Serve as is, or with a few of the following….
- banana slices
- berries (raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and/or blueberries)
- kiwi, pineapple, cherries, or mandarin oranges
- cacao nibs, mini chocolate chips, or shaved chocolate
- granola
- dollop of whipped coconut cream, peanut butter, or non-dairy vanilla yogurt
Serves 4 – 6
NOTES:
As suggested by a reader, try adding a 1/2 – 1 teaspoon cinnamon!
It’s a bit intense chocolate flavour but it’s definitely worth making again! Thank you! I am trying to eat more chia seeds for they are very healthy and good to get omega 3 from, so I’m happy to have found this recipe. Will try the other 2 also. Great!
★★★★★
I made the Vanilla Chia Pudding first and then I tried the Chocolate.
Loved the Vanilla but the Chocolate was not to my taste. I could taste the powdered chocolate, which I did not find appealing, even with fruit. It did set well.
★★★★
Every month a co-worker and I make something healthy to try. This month we tried your recipe. This is what we sent out…..
This month we made Chocolate Chia Pudding. We used Almond Milk and topped it off with Non-Dairy whipped cream. As the website implies, it’s vegan and we made it non-dairy. It’s a good treat for breakfast or an afternoon snack.
hen we started, we used this recipe as is and it came out with the consistency of soup. We added more chia seeds……and then we added some more. After 2 tries we got it to get the consistency of pudding. I think we added about ¼ cup more chia seeds.
BTW, the eyes are not edible but we wanted to add a ghostly look for Halloween!
I’d love to send the picture if you let me know how!
My family loved this recipe! I made some minor changes by using 7 plump medjool dates instead of the maple syrup (extra fiber and a thicker pudding) and last night I added 2 tablespoons of coconut butter for extra flavor and richness. I put the ingredients in my Vitamix and blended it so it was ready to eat without waiting. I’m always impatient for dessert 😁 Sometimes we top with banana slices, sometimes Lily’s stevia sweetened chocolate chips. Yummy! 😋 Thank you so much for this great recipe!
★★★★★
If chia seeds are not fresh they won’t plump up. I just bought organic chia seeds from Costco. I prepared the pudding and after 15 minutes I needed to stir the mixture before placing in the fridge. It was nearly pudding like at that point. You must use fresh chia seeds.
Simple but decadent and healthy??? Too good to be true but it’s 100% REAL. This pudding was so good!! Can’t wait to try the other variations. Thank you for sharing!
★★★★★
This was AMAZING!!! Thank you!!!
★★★★★
simple and delicious!
★★★★★
First time I’ve used chia seeds for something other than blending up in a smoothie. I was very surprised that it worked. Correct consistency and it tasted delicious! Hard not to sit and polish off the whole jar.
★★★★★
I tried making this with almond milk, and it did not gel up. I refrigerated overnight, and it’s the consistency of a thick chocolate milk. Should I try using less milk or more chia seeds or a different milk altogether?
Try adding another 2 tablespoons of chia seeds. And make sure to give it a good stir after 15 minutes, and after another 15 minutes. The seeds will settle to the bottom of it’s not stirred well a few times before the seeds start to gel up. It’s definitely not the almond milk, I used it myself. Hope that helps and it thickens up for you. :)
The flavor was still great, and I drank it like a smoothie, but I look forward to trying your suggestions to see if that helps with the consistency. BTW I’m not vegan or even vegetarian, but we have been trying to eat healthier, and I really enjoy your recipes!
If chia seeds are not fresh they won’t plump up. I just bought organic chia seeds from Costco. I prepared the pudding and after 15 minutes I needed to stir the mixture before placing in the fridge. It was nearly pudding like at that point. You must use fresh chia seeds.
I just made it using almond milk as well. By the time the 15 minutes were up for me too whisk again before refrigerating it was near pudding like at that point. Your chia seeds are not fresh. You must use fresh chia seeds or this recipe will not work.
a tip to get the cocoa blended in easily: With a bamboo whisker, whisk the cocoa and milk together first, then add everything else.