10 minute Chocolate Chia Pudding tastes like dessert with nutrition of a healthy breakfast. Refrigerate this naturally gluten free and vegan treat for up to 5 days for easy grab and go snacks.
I love to meal prep breakfasts like vanilla chia pudding, cottage cheese chocolate pudding and pumpkin chia pudding. It’s smooth, delicious and so creamy!
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Dessert for breakfast anyone? I mean delicious chocolate mousse with healthy fats, complex carbs, fiber and protein. This chocolate chia pudding is creamy, rich and full of dark chocolate flavor.
It is possible to combine delicious and nutritious, and proof is in these healthy chocolate muffins, black bean brownies and healthier chocolate cake. And in the pudding, of course.
Chia pudding tastes like something in between tapioca pudding, mousse and Greek yogurt. It melts in your mouth, and is both creamy and rich.
I swear it is an equivalent to eating your favorite chocolate bar, but so much healthier!
This whole jar is only 275 calories. And it’s just as perfect for healthy breakfast as it is as part of your healthy snacks rotation!
Are Chia Seeds Healthy?
Chia seeds are considered a superfood because of their nutritional benefits!
- Plant based protein: Chia seeds are a complete source of protein, perfect for those following vegan or plant based diets.
- Antioxidants: An essential part of any healthy diet!
- Fiber: Helps you stay full longer and aids in digestion.
- Omega 3 fatty acids: The good kind of fat that is proven to be heart healthy.
Most importantly, this chia seed pudding will pass for a chocolate dessert to anyone with closed eyes. I’m saying that not because it’s my healthy recipe. But because it’s delicious.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chia seeds: Please use whole chia seeds sold in any supermarket. I do not recommend to use ground chia seeds. The taste will have very prominent Omega fishy taste. And texture is not pleasant.
- Milk: Any plant based milk works from a carton. I like dairy free almond milk. You can use any other milk like oat milk, rice, coconut, hemp or soy milk. Canned coconut milk doesn’t work but it makes wonders for healthy chocolate bread.
- Maple syrup: As for a sweetener, I prefer maple syrup vs. honey because it mixes better with cold milk. You can use honey if it is of a runny consistency and your milk is room temperature. Otherwise, my experience shows honey doesn’t dilute well. It results in bitter chocolate chia pudding with lumps of sweetness.
- Cacao powder: You can use cocoa powder. It is what most people know and have on hand. The only difference between cacao powder and cocoa is that last one is more processed. Cacao powder has more antioxidants and is better for you.
How to Make Chocolate Chia Pudding
Chia pudding recipes are so easy to make, if it wasn’t so good, it would be almost embarrassing.
Combine all ingredients: To any small jar, add milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, chia seeds and cacao powder in this exact order.
Whisk with small whisk or a fork really well or until cacao powder is dissolved. Some tiny cacao powder lumps are OK.
Stir again: Let chia pudding sit for 10 minutes and stir again to break down any lumps. Close jars with lids.
Refrigerate overnight: Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight is the best.
Chocolate Chia Pudding Recipe Tips
- To avoid lumps it is better to stir chia pudding 2 times before refrigerating overnight. 1st time when mixing, 2nd time 10 minutes later.
- Liquids first: It is important to add ingredients in the order listed in the recipe.
- If you have lumps just stir again with a fork before enjoying.
- If your chocolate chia seed pudding is too thick, add a splash of milk and stir. I like my chocolate pudding to fall off the spoon and that is what this recipe makes.
- You can also make chia pudding in a mixing bowl and then distribute between jars.
FAQs
Any milk works for this recipe! Dairy milk or plant based milk. Just do not use canned coconut milk, it is too thick.
I find that I love my chocolate chia pudding with a 1:3 ratio. That is 3 tbsp of chia seeds per 3/4 cup of milk. You may find that this is too runny for your preference! It’s easy to thicken with an additional 1 tbsp of chia seeds. Add them, stir and wait to thicken.
Alternately, see below how to make blended chia pudding and that will also thicken it further.
Yes, gently pulse one time until combined. Let sit for 10 minutes. Pulse again. Just don’t process too long because chia seeds will start grinding.
Chocolate chips, raspberries, blueberries, coconut flakes or a drizzle of peanut butter. You may also love it served with healthy fruit salad!
How Long Will It Last?
You can prepare and refrigerate cacao chia pudding for up to 5 days. I love to meal prep it in individual mason jars!
When ready to eat, give your pudding another good stir. Sometimes you might have lumps due to gulps of air in-between the chia seeds and that’s OK.
You can freeze chia pudding for a make ahead option as well! Just thaw as needed for a feel good treat anytime.
More Chia Seed Recipes
- Chocolate banana chia pudding
- Brown rice pudding
- Banana chia pudding
- Mango chia pudding
- Matcha chia pudding
- Coconut chia pudding
- Strawberry chia pudding
- Healthy overnight oats
Chocolate Chia Pudding
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup any milk from a carton
- 2 tsp maple syrup or honey
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 – 4 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tbsp cacao or cocoa powder
Instructions
- To a Mason jar or any container with a tight lid (I prefer glass), add milk, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Then add chia seeds and cacao powder. It's important to add ingredients in the order listed in the recipe, liquids first.
- Whisk well or stir vigorously with a fork until cacao powder is well combined with the rest of ingredients. Let sit for 10 minutes and stir again.
- Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- When ready to eat, stir well again. Some lumps are OK, just stir well. The thickness and sweetness can be adjusted to your taste.
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Coconut milk: If using coconut milk, make sure it’s from the carton and not a thick coconut milk from a can.
- Consistency: For a thick consistency pudding use 4 tbsp chia seeds, for soup like consistency (pictured) use only 3 tbsp (my favorite).
Congrats, Olena, on your fabulous cooking blog!
What is the ratio of ingredients if I want to make 6 servings in a mixing bowl then put in mason jars?
It might be easier just to put the individual servings in the 6 mason jars and mix that way, or you can just take the ingredients and times by 6, you will need quite a large bowl!
I made this it was delish. I put T tablespoons of chia cut up fresh straw berries 4 diced up, and small dark chocolate morses 1 table spoon.
That sounds delicious!
I make these Chocolate pods once a week for my family for breakfast! I put fresh fruit on top. They love it!
Thank you
So amazing to hear Joan!
Can I use original sweetened almond milk instead of unsweetened?
Yes, just note that the result will be sweeter and the nutritional information listed will be different. Can’t wait to hear how you like it!
I made a chia jam recipe from you a year or so ago and I just wrote down the ingredients and vague directions. Now I can’t find it on your site at all. I have it as “clean eating chia jam”. I used strawberried when I made it and it was amazing. I think it’s just in the blender, no cooking. Do you still have that recipe somewhere. Thanks.
Hi Sandi, the recipe is now in the archives but we will send it over to you. 🙂
Love it! After it is set I take about 1/3 of the recipe and put it in a small Pyrex glass bowl. On top of that I spread some strawberry jam, but raspberry would be excellent as well. On top of that I smooth over some plain yogurt. Today I topped the yogurt with a little more jam and on top of that some frozen blueberries (still a little frozen). Delicious!!!
I am a chia seed newbie! I followed the recipe as written except I replaced the maple syrup with 2 tsp of a Stevia sweetener. The consistency was nice. I did warm it up and add a few dark chocolate chips for added sweetness since the Stevia didn’t sweeten it as much as the syrup would have. Syrup spikes my blood sugar so I try to to use that. I would definitely make this again! I warmed it up a bit so the chips would melt and added blueberries. Delicious!!
Sounds so yummy with the dark chocolate chips. Thanks for taking the time to send this great feedback Ruth Anne!
Soooo good! Used my blender the first time and I got a more pudding like texture. 2nd time I mixed it up just like the recipe and it was more drinkable than pudding. But tastes great either way. Will keep making it with different milk variations. Thanks
So great to hear this Janice!
So happy to find this! Thank you! I use really good quality vanilla extract (steenbergs UK) I use full fat filtered organic cows milk and my kids LOVE this too!
So happy to hear this Rebecca!
I made this recipe and tried it several hours after…I ended up eating the whole serving without waiting at least the recommended 6 hrs, it was so good I could not wait. Olena, I just discovered your website and it almost seems too good to be true: recipes of my family’s heritage made healthier and adjusted to be done in the instant pot! It is literally my dream come true!!! I am still learning ways to find easy ways to make healthier meals for my family amidst our very fast paced, busy lifestyle and I finally see it being realistic with your recipes! Your cookbook is a gem and has forever changed the way my family will eat! Thank you!
Hi Nina! Your comments made my day. I really appreciate it and am so happy your family enjoys my recipes!