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Home » Recipes » Breakfast » Chia Seed Pudding

Dec 20, 2019(updated June 23, 2022)

Chia Seed Pudding

4.36 from 74 votes
By Dani Spies
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This post may contain affiliate links.

The best Chia Seed Pudding recipe in 4 different delicious flavors, so you never get bored! Chia pudding is an easy, satisfying breakfast that is nutritious and delicious. Choose from Chai, Green Matcha + Coconut, Banana-Strawberry, and Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding.

small jars filled with different types of chia seed pudding

When I’m looking for a delicious, nutritious breakfast or snack, I turn to green smoothies, a simple açaí bowl, or this satisfying chia seed pudding. It’s a breeze to make, adult and kid-friendly, easy to grab-n-go and packed with protein and fiber.

This chia seed pudding recipe is awesome because it satisfies my sweet tooth, and fuels my body with good-for-you ingredients. It’s made with all-natural ingredients, tastes great, and can be thrown together in minutes.

Make it before bed and let it set up in the fridge overnight and you’ll wake up to a tasty breakfast in the morning! Enjoy my basic recipe for chia pudding, plus 4 ways to change up the flavor.

chia seed pudding in small glass jars

What Is Chia Pudding?

Chia seeds are edible seeds that come from a desert plant that happen to be jam-packed with nutritional goodness. They are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, carbohydrates, protein, fiber, antioxidants, and calcium AND they happen to make a delicious pudding.  

When chia seeds are mixed with a liquid (milk, in this case) they plump up and thicken the milk into a smooth and creamy pudding-like consistency.

What Does Chia Pudding Taste Like?

Chia seeds have no flavor and will take on the flavor of whatever add-ins you’re using. As for the texture, chia pudding is like a thick, creamy tapioca pudding, if you just mix the chia seeds with your milk. If you’re looking for a smooth pudding texture you can blend the mixture in a high powdered blender until smooth. The longer you leave the pudding sitting in the refrigerator, the creamier it will get!

chocolate chia seed pudding topped with strawberries

Ingredients Needed:

This chia pudding recipe only requires 3 ingredients, plus optional mix-ins! Here’s what you need:

  • Chia seeds – You’ll need 2 tablespoons of chia seeds. Once they soak in the milk, they will expand in size and become gelatinous. The texture of the mixture will become creamy and smooth, just like actual pudding. 
  • Milk – I like to use almond milk for this chia seed pudding, but feel free to use any milk variety that you prefer.
  • Sweetener – 1 tablespoon of maple syrup sweetens the pudding perfectly! However, you can swap the maple syrup with any favorite sweetener – honey, stevia, or monk fruit.
  • Mix-ins – Chia seeds will take on the flavors of whatever you mix with them to make an amazing pudding that you get to customize! The options for what ingredients to flavor your chia pudding with are endless! In the recipe card below, I’m sharing how to make four different tasty recipes – chai, matcha + coconut, banana strawberry and chocolate. Yum!

How to Make Chia Seed Pudding

Not only is the ingredient list short and sweet, but making the recipe is a breeze! For full, printable instructions, reference the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Here’s a quick rundown of how to make chia seed pudding:

  1. Prep – Combine all ingredients in a small jelly jar or a wide-mouth mason jar. You can really use any container with a lid, so you can store the pudding in the fridge without worrying about it spilling.
  2. Cover + chill – Once all ingredients are thoroughly stirred together, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. The longer the pudding sits, the thicker it will get! Letting it sit for at least 12 hours will yield the best results.
  3. Enjoy – Once the chia pudding is nice and thick, remove it from the fridge and give it a good stir. You can add a bit more milk, depending on the consistency you like. Taste and add more sweetener or any other ingredient that you want.
stirring chia seeds into milk

Customize Your Chia Seed Pudding

The 4 flavor suggestions listed in the recipe card are simply guides. Feel free to just make the base recipe and then add any other favorite ingredients or change your chia pudding up to your taste preference. Some fun mix-in and topping ideas: are fruit, nuts, and granola.

  • Fresh fruit – berries, banana, peaches, mango, apple
  • Nuts – almonds, walnuts, pecans
  • Nut/seed butter – peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, coconut butter, sunflower seed butter
  • Granola or cereal
  • Other ideas – Feel free to change up the spices, add vanilla extract, shredded coconut, mix in a fun jam or spread
strawberry banana chia seed pudding in a glass jar

Tips 

Here are a few tips that might be helpful when making chia seed pudding:

  • I like to make this pudding with unsweetened almond milk, but you can use any type of dairy or nondairy milk. Coconut milk is another favorite of mine.
  • My sweetener of choice is maple syrup, which keeps the recipe all-natural and vegan. You can swap out the maple syrup with stevia, honey, monk fruit or agave.
  • If you’re not a fan of the seedy texture that chia pudding has, try blending the pudding in a food processor or blender after it’s set up to puree the chia seeds.

Is Chia Pudding Good for You?

Yes! Chia seeds have many health benefits as well as the fruit, toppings, and other ingredients used to make your chia seed pudding recipe. Here are some of the awesome health benefits of chia seeds:

  • Great source of omega-3 fatty acids
  • High in fiber
  • Plant-based protein
  • Good source of calcium, iron and antioxidants
  • You can even use chia seeds as an egg substitute. If you are looking for an egg alternative for baking, chia seed eggs typically work great. Here’s a great tutorial for how to make a chia egg from Minimalist Baker.
matcha coconut chia seed pudding in a glass jar

Storage Recommendations

This chia seed pudding recipe is the perfect breakfast to meal prep! It will keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days. For best results, store chia pudding in a sealed airtight container. I like to portion the pudding into individual servings for a quick breakfast or snack option on the go.

Can You Freeze Chia Seed Pudding?

Surprisingly, yes! Chia pudding freezes very well for up to about 3 months! You can freeze it in freezer-safe jars or containers, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight when you’re ready to enjoy it and it will maintain great texture and flavor. If the pudding hasn’t completely thawed just leave it on the counter for 5-10 minutes. Give it a stir and enjoy! This freezer method works great for those of you that would like to meal prep chia pudding, but don’t want to eat the same thing days in a row.

4 glass jars lined up with chia pudding

Give this healthy treat a try and you’ll be making it on repeat! It’s great for a snack, breakfast or even dessert.

More Delicious Treats:

  • Blueberry Lemon Oatmeal Muffins
  • Matcha Berry Protein Smoothie
  • Pumpkin Chip Energy Bites
  • Peanut Butter + Jelly Energy Bites

If you make this delicious chia seed pudding, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how it turned out. Your feedback is so helpful for me and our Clean & Delicious community (thank you!).

chai chia pudding
Print Recipe
4.36 from 74 votes

Chia Pudding (4 Flavors!)

See above for different chia pudding flavors.
Course: BREAKFAST, DESSERT, DIET, KITCHEN BASICS, meal prep, sweet things
Cuisine: American, gluten free, low carb + keto, vegan
Author: Dani Spies
Prep Time5 mins
refrigeration4 hrs
Total Time4 hrs 5 mins
Servings: 1 servings
Calories: 201kcal

Ingredients

Base recipe

  • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk or your favorite milk
  • 2 tbsp. chia seeds
  • 1 tbsp. maple syrup or your favorite sweetener

Chai Chia Pudding

  • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk or your favorite milk
  • 2 tbsp. chia seeds
  • 1 tbsp. maple syrup or your favorite sweetener
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • tiny pinch cardamon + ground cloves
  • 2 tsp. chopped raisins

Green Matcha + Coconut Chia Pudding

  • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk or your favorite milk
  • 2 tbsp. chia seeds
  • 1 tbsp. maple syrup or your favorite sweetener
  • 1 tsp. green matcha powder
  • 2 tsp. shredded coconut

Banana Strawberry Chia Pudding

  • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk or your favorite milk
  • 2 tbsp. chia seeds
  • 1 tbsp. maple syrup or your favorite sweetener
  • 2 tbsp. chopped banana
  • 2 tbsp. chopped strawberries
  • dash of cinnamon

Chocolate Chia Pudding

  • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk or your favorite milk
  • 2 tbsp. chia seeds
  • 1 tbsp. maple syrup or your favorite sweetener
  • 1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
  • dash of cinnamon

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in a small jelly jar or a wide mouth mason jar. Any container with a lid works great.
    combining chia seeds with milk in a glass jar
  • Stir to thoroughly combine ingredients, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. The longer the pudding sits, the thicker it will get! Letting it sit for at least 12 hours will yield best results.
    stirring chia seeds with milk
  • Once the chia pudding is nice and thick, remove it from the fridge and give it a good stir. You can add a bit more milk, depending on the consistency you like. Taste and add more sweetener or any other ingredient that you want.
    plain chia seed pudding in jar

Notes

Storage: This chia seed pudding recipe will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days. For best results, store chia pudding in a sealed airtight container. I like to portion the pudding into individual servings for a quick breakfast or snack option on the go.

Nutritional information

Chai Chia Seed Pudding: 
Calories: 223; Total Fat: 9.5g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Carbohydrate: 29.7g; Fiber: 9.8g; Sugars: 16.5g; Protein: 6.8g
Green Matcha + Coconut:
Calories: 242; Total Fat: 11.5g; Saturated Fat: 11.5g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Carbohydrate: 27.3g; Fiber: 12.2g; Sugars: 12.1g; Protein: 8.7g
Banana Strawberry Pudding:
Calories: 236; Total Fat: 9.5g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Carbohydrate: 32.6g; Fiber: 10.6g; Sugars: 16.8g; Protein: 7.1g
Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding:
Calories: 217; Total Fat: 11g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Carbohydrate: 27.4g; Fiber: 10.5g; Sugars: 11.9g; Protein: 7.5g

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 169mg | Potassium: 120mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 9g | Calcium: 353mg | Iron: 2mg

Breakfast, Gluten Free, Low Carb + Keto, Recipes, Vegan, Video

About Dani Spies

Dani Spies is the founder and host of Clean & Delicious; a weekly cooking show on YouTube and a healthy eating blog that celebrates real, whole foods! She takes a holistic approach to health and wellness and is loved for her approachable, down to earth style both in and out of the kitchen.

Learn MoreWork With Me

Reader Interactions

Yum! I love this recipe.

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    If you loved this recipe please leave a comment and star rating below. Questions are also welcome. Cheers!

    Recipe Rating




    Comments

  1. Emilie says

    August 7, 2017 at 5:48 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Dani, I mixed up the chocolate chia pudding yesterday and it’s in my fridge right now, just waiting for me to gobble it up when I get home from work tonight. I can’t wait!!

    Reply
  2. Emilie says

    September 11, 2017 at 3:04 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Dani, I have to comment again how much Mike and I enjoy these chia puddings. When I tell him I’m making some, he always requests the Chai option. He loves raisins and the spice combo makes him very happy. Of course, my favorite is the chocolate, but I just tried the Green Matcha and Coconut. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was a very good combination.
    Thank you for all the “love” you put into every recipe. : )

    Reply
  3. Raquel says

    October 21, 2017 at 9:04 am

    5 stars
    Hi Dani,
    I made your chocolate chia pudding. I added black currents and coconut for flavor. I also added collagen gelatin as a thickener,
    It was delicious!
    I enjoy cooking healthy meals for my family! I love watching your videos to get new ideas!
    -Raquel 🙂

    Reply
    • Dani says

      November 6, 2017 at 9:42 am

      5 stars
      That sounds great! Thanks so much for sharing.

      Reply
  4. Veena says

    October 23, 2017 at 12:42 am

    5 stars
    I looove coconut so instead of matcha I added a tablespoon of unsweetened dried coconut with full fat coconut milk and it was deeelicious! Thanks Dani for sharing your amazing recipes

    Reply
  5. Connie says

    March 19, 2018 at 8:33 pm

    5 stars
    Where do you get your full fat coconut milk

    Reply
    • Dani says

      March 20, 2018 at 5:24 am

      5 stars
      You should be able to buy it at most grocery stores. It comes in a can:)

      Reply
  6. LILLY DERAS says

    April 5, 2018 at 9:31 pm

    5 stars
    THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS DELICIOUS RECIPE

    Reply
    • Dani says

      April 15, 2018 at 7:42 am

      5 stars
      It’s my pleasure. So glad you enjoyed!

      Reply
  7. Stephen says

    April 8, 2018 at 4:57 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Dani.
    I have a question so the banana strawberry chia pudding it says that it needs to be refrigerated 4 hour and 5 days dose that mean 4 hour ready to eat and can be stored up to 5 day or dose that mean I have to wait 5days and 4hour to consume it? From stephen

    Reply
    • Dani says

      April 15, 2018 at 7:45 am

      5 stars
      Hi Stephen, sorry for the confusion. They need to sit for a minimum of eight hours before they are ready to eat!

      Reply
  8. Trisha says

    May 1, 2018 at 7:51 am

    5 stars
    Wow just discovered this after seeing Meghan markle makes chia pudding each week.. looks delicious will make one later today.

    Reply
    • Dani says

      May 1, 2018 at 11:57 am

      5 stars
      Awesome! Enjoy.

      Reply
  9. Kathy says

    June 21, 2018 at 6:28 am

    5 stars
    Made this today. It was in the fridge overnight. But it’s runny – not a pudding or yogurt consistency but a drink consistency. I followed the directions exactly. I will have to do a web search to see what went wrong. Disappointed

    Reply
    • Dani says

      June 29, 2018 at 10:02 am

      5 stars
      Hmmm, that’s weird. Did you use whole chia seeds?

      Reply
  10. Ann says

    July 8, 2018 at 1:08 pm

    5 stars
    I have used coconut milk in the recipe and I find it to taste like sour milk. Is that just the flavor of chia seeds?

    Reply
    • Dani says

      July 17, 2018 at 10:33 am

      5 stars
      Interesting! I have no idea! Is there any chance that any of your ingredients were bad?

      Reply
    • Janet says

      May 15, 2019 at 7:39 pm

      5 stars
      I eat a Keto like diet. What can I use I place of the syrup that’s low carb?

      Reply
      • Dani says

        May 22, 2019 at 2:13 pm

        5 stars
        You can try using stevia or erythritol in place of the syrup.

        Reply
  11. Kim says

    August 10, 2018 at 10:14 pm

    5 stars
    Dani;
    Hi,your chia seed pudding recipes look so good and tastey.I am a type 2 diabetic and i am lactose intolerant,and i am going to copy down your 4 chia seed pudding recipes and then i am going to try these pudding recipes at home after i go grocery shopping and then i will let you know what i think of your puddings and how much i love eating them.I use coconut milk,cashew milk,almond milk,natrel milk,fruit,yogurt,avocado,dragon fruit,chia seeds,almond paste,pumpkin puree,protein powder,stevia powder in my healthie smoothies,but I am not sure about using these ingredients in chia puddings.
    I heard that chia seeds are healthy,and it will help to lower blood sugar and lose weight.
    I am a chocolic but since being diagnosed with diabetes in january 2012 i had to cut out my sweet treats and chocolate and other baking recipes that had sugar in them.
    I love tropical,chocolate,pumpkin smoothies,and i would like to try making and eating your healthy chia seed pudding recipes.
    What chia seed pudding recipes do you recommend that i make at home?
    Kim

    Reply
    • Dani says

      August 16, 2018 at 11:30 am

      5 stars
      I don’t think you can wrong with any of them Kim! I say pick whichever sounds the most delicious to you and then go for it! Can’t wait to hear your thoughts.

      Reply
  12. michelle says

    November 5, 2018 at 8:42 pm

    5 stars
    Can I use ground/sprouted flax/chia seed mix? Or for this to gel, must it be only whole chia seeds? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Dani says

      November 8, 2018 at 1:04 pm

      5 stars
      That may work – just be sure its ground up first.

      Reply
  13. Kelly says

    December 15, 2018 at 10:19 pm

    5 stars
    Hi. Is honey or agave syrup an option to replace maple syrup?

    Reply
    • Dani says

      December 28, 2018 at 4:02 pm

      5 stars
      Yes. Both will work!

      Reply
  14. Ursula Melia says

    April 28, 2019 at 7:14 am

    5 stars
    Hi Dani, I made a variation of these puddings today by adding lots of chia seeds to home made apple and plum stew and then mixing it with vegan ready made raspberry joghurt. That also tasted really nice. Thank you for all your great videos. They give me lots of ideas to play with using what I have at home. Though I will try the chocolate chia pudding next week, it just sounds too tempting!!!

    Reply
    • Dani says

      May 2, 2019 at 12:05 pm

      5 stars
      Apple and plum stew sounds fabulous! So glad you are enjoying all of the videos. I look forward to hearing what you think of the chocolate chia pudding 🙂

      Reply
  15. Cathy Schmidt says

    January 20, 2020 at 7:26 am

    5 stars
    I am not a fan of whole chia seeds, they always seem to get stuck in my teeth. Can you ground the seed and then add the milk or with that not allow the consistency of pudding?

    Reply
    • Dani says

      January 23, 2020 at 1:44 pm

      I have tried that and really don’t like the consistency of the end result. I honestly would not recommend it.

      Reply
  16. Vivek Roy says

    May 19, 2021 at 1:26 am

    chia seed pudding recipe in 4 different?? ways amazing i will try all of them. thanks to your hard work.

    Reply
  17. Susan Day says

    March 13, 2023 at 11:34 am

    5 stars
    The chocolate chia pudding is so delicious. I made mine with unsweetened chocolate almond milk and, it was extra chocolatey. Yummy!!!

    Reply
    • Dani Spies says

      March 13, 2023 at 12:00 pm

      That’s my favorite too!! So glad you enjoyed it, Susan! Thanks for letting me know.

      Reply

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