Looking for a super easy recipe for chia pudding? You found it. It's simple, delicious and especially nutritious and packed with benefits. Try it with maple syrup, fruits, cocoa, milk... experiment (you can find 15 combos below)!
Or try my cappuccino chia pudding. It tastes like cappuccino (duh) and it's the quickest breakfast you can make!
This easy chia pudding recipe is for you if...
I've been trying to maintain my morning routine for years, but reality is some days I'm soooo lazy and I just cannot wait to get up and have breakfast. I never skip it, it's my peaceful moment [I simply need some time to settle in the morning]. Are you the same?
My go-to breakfast is usually oatmeal: a pan, four tablespoon of oats, some water or milk, fruit, a piece of chocolate, max 10 minutes and I'm done. What if I am extremely lazy and I don't want to make myself oatmeal? That's when chia pudding comes in handy...
This recipe for chia pudding indeed is perfect for you if you want to always have breakfast but maybe you always run out of time in the morning. Indeed this is something you can prepare a day in advance, or the evening before. No excuses.
Or maybe you're looking for something nutritious and packed with benefits, that is also delicious. Please note I am not here to fool you: this is not as delicious as eating a croissant. Duh, no need to explain that. But if you add a bit of sweetness to it, it can really be satisfying. It's the ideal afternoon snack too!
It's not for you if...
I am not a doctor, but just know that seeds like these are not recommended for those with diverticulosis or other gut problems. If you're not sure you can have them, please consult a professional.
What is chia pudding?
Time to stop presuming I know what this is, and explain instead: when you combine chia seeds and a liquid, the latter is absorbed and the seeds develop a gel-like coating that makes the mixture thick. So it's not really a pudding, but it looks like, because of the thickness.
Chia pudding recipe ingredients
I swear - again - this is truly one of the easiest (and still healthy and quick) recipes you can make. You'll only need:
- Chia seeds. These seeds are an excellent source of fibers, vitamins, antioxidants and minerals. They're also a great source of omega 3. Just remember that usually 1-2 tablespoons per day is enough. Do not eat too many.
- Milk. Choose your favorite: you can make it vegan, using soy milk or other plant milk. Or just regular regular cow milk.
- Sweetener. You can use how much you want (without adding too much though). Honey, agave/maple syrup, a bit of raw brown sugar...
How to make it
It's extremely quick, it comes together in no time (less than 5 minutes + chilling).
1. Combine into a jar
Add chia seeds to the milk, possibly into a jar with lid, close and shake to avoid chia clumps. If you don't have a jar, use a tall glass, then stir well with a spoon and cover with plastic wrap.
2. Let chill then serve
Now let it chill into the fridge at least 30 minutes or overnight. Serve it with your favorite toppings (listed below).
To make my cappuccino chia pudding instead:
- Add seeds and cocoa powder to the milk, into the jar, then close and shake well.
- When you're about to serve it, first pour the espresso into the glass, then add the pudding on top. Slightly warm up your milk and froth it. (I use an electric milk frother like these). Pour the foam onto the pudding and serve.
Topping ideas
Now comes the fun part. A chia pudding with nothing on is like plain tofu, in my opinion: tastes like nothing. Here's some topping ideas and combinations:
- Fruit jam (I love it to add sweetness)
- Fresh fruit (banana, berries, apples...)
- Vegan yogurt, yogurt or greek yogurt
- Toasted coconut
- Dark chocolate (or also milk/white chocolate. Dark choc. has more benefits)
- Nuts (hazelnuts, walnuts, peanuts...) or nut butters
Combinations ideas:
- Peanut butter and jam
- Peanut butter and banana
- Hazelnut butter and cocoa powder
- Hazelnut butter and melted chocolate
- Hazelnut butter and chocolate chunks
- Cocoa powder and banana
- Cocoa powder, chocolate chunks and strawberries/raspberries
- Apples sautéed with maple syrup and cinnamon
- Blueberries sautéed with cardamom
- Figs and chocolate
- Orange and chocolate (photo below - click here for the recipe)
- Pear, ginger and chocolate
- Honey and peach/apricot
- Peach, blueberries and vanilla
- Pumpkin purée, cinnamon, nutmeg
- ...
I could keep going and give you dozens of ideas. Just experiment with combos!
Pro tips
- Stir. I recommend that you go and stir your chia pudding every once in a while, so you really make sure it doesn't form clumps. For example, if you let it chill for 30 minutes, stir it after 15. If you let it chill overnight, make sure you stir it at least once after shaking it with the jar (30 minutes later) and before going to bed;)
- Use it to enrich other breakfasts. Chia pudding is also great if you wanna combine it with oatmeal (add it while cooking) and smoothies, for extra benefits.
- Meal prepping. Prepare this at the beginning of the week, and you'll have at least 4-5 snacks-breakfasts guaranteed. Add toppings only right before eating.
- Containers. Use whatever you have on hand. Mason jars (find them here), weck jars (find them here - my favorite!) or just glasses with a silicon lid on top (here).
What consistency should chia pudding be?
At first, right after mixing, chia pudding looks runny. Don't worry, it takes time for chia to absorb the liquid. After at least 30 minutes, you should be able to notice that the mixture gets thicker and thicker.
How long does it last? How do I store it?
Store it into a closed jar(s) into the fridge. This is great for meal prepping because you can prepare more and it lasts for days (I would say max 4-5). When you're ready to serve, enrich it with your favorite toppings. If the pudding is too thick after a few days, simply add more liquid before serving.
Now, go and grab some chia seeds and make this for tomorrow's breakfast!
If you make this recipe, please be sure to give it a rating and leave a comment! It would make me so happy! 🙂
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Easy Recipe For Chia Pudding
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons Chia seeds
- 1 cup Soy milk or other plant milk - (dairy milk is also good) - about 200 g
Toppings for my cappuccino chia pudding recipe:
- 2 teaspoons Unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 Espresso
- (enough) Soy milk to froth
Topping ideas: (one or more - example: banana and PB)
- Fruit jam
- Fresh fruit (banana, berries, apples...)
- Vegan yogurt, yogurt or greek yogurt
- Toasted coconut
- Dark chocolate
- Nuts (hazelnuts, walnuts, peanuts...) or nut butters
- Spices (vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom...)
Instructions
To make chia pudding:
- Add chia seeds to the milk into a jar with lid, stir well (or close and shake) to avoid chia clumps.
- Let it chill into the fridge at least 30 minutes or overnight.
To make my cappuccino chia pudding:
- Add chia seeds and cocoa powder to the milk then close the jar and shake.
- When you're about to serve it, first pour the coffee into the glass, then add the pudding on top. Slightly warm up your milk and froth it. (I use an electric milk frother like these)
- Pour the foam onto the pudding and serve.
In love with simple breakfasta? Try strawberry oatmeal (amazing all year long, made with frozen strawberries), or coffee oatmeal!
© Healthy Little Cravings – Roberta Dall’Alba.
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Layla says
Finally found the perfect post with all the explanations!
Roberta says
Hi Layla! You made my day, I spend so much time writing detailed posts!:) Glad you found it useful