This Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding is packed with nutritious ingredients and full of rich, creamy flavor. Blended for smoothness, with chia seeds to thicken it perfectly.
Try our vanilla version (non-blended) Chia Seed Pudding next!
Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding
Chia seeds are amazing — not just for their health benefits but also because they can thicken other foods. They’re great for making a creamy, rich chocolate pudding without using eggs or cornstarch.
If you want to enjoy the benefits of chia seeds but don’t like their bumpy texture, Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding is the perfect recipe. It’s super smooth, thick, deeply chocolatey, and packed with healthy ingredients.
Ingredients
- Macadamia nut milk: Unsweetened almond or cashew milk also work well.
- Chia seeds: You can find them in the health, bulk, or baking aisles.
- Dutch-process cocoa powder: Dutch-process cocoa is key for a deep, rich flavor. Hershey’s ‘Special Dark’ is an easy-to-find choice.
- Pure maple syrup: Honey can work, but it is a bit stronger.
- Salt and vanilla: Salt and vanilla bring out and balance the flavors.
Topping Ideas
This Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding is great on its own, but here are a few topping ideas to add extra flavor:
- Fresh fruit: Try strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, or bananas.
- Nuts: Add chopped dry roasted almonds, pecans, or cashews.
- Nut butter: Almond, peanut, or cashew butter for a nutty twist.
- Whipped cream: Coconut or regular whipped cream adds a rich final touch.
- Chocolate shavings: Use a peeler to add chocolate curls from a bar.
Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding Tips
- Blend until smooth: A strong blender will blend it in one go, but a less powerful one may need blending a few times to smooth the mixture.
- Allow time to set: After making it, let it sit for a few hours to thicken as the chia seeds set.
- Make ahead: Make them the night before and chill overnight for a thick, super flavorful pudding. Plus, chocolate makes breakfast better!
Storage
- Store your Chocolate Chia Pudding in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. Add toppings right before serving for optimal freshness and texture.
More Make-Ahead Breakfast Recipes
- Brownie Batter Overnight Oats with almond butter
- Chocolate Granola with chocolate chips and nuts
- Homemade Granola Bars with almonds
- Peach Overnight Oats with fresh peaches
- Soft-Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars with chocolate chips
Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding
Well blended for a luxuriously smooth texture, this Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding is sweet, creamy, and packed with nutritious ingredients.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup plant-based milk see note 1
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- 2 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder see note 2
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup see note 3
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Toppings as desired see note 4
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients, except for optional toppings, to a small blender. Blend until completely smooth; this may require running the blender multiple times. Once smooth, use a spatula to transfer the mixture into airtight containers or jars.
- Refrigerate the pudding for at least 2 hours; it’s best after 8 hours, so I like to leave it overnight. The pudding will keep in the fridge for 5–7 days.
- Enjoy as is or add some toppings such as fresh fruit, coconut whipped cream, and dark chocolate shavings.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: While any plant-based milk works, my favorite is macadamia nut milk. Unsweetened vanilla almond or cashew milk are also great choices.
Note 2: For flavor purposes, it’s important to get Dutch-process cocoa powder, which has a much richer and more robust flavor than plain cocoa powder. Hershey’s sells a “Special Dark” cocoa powder, which is a Dutch-process cocoa powder readily available at most grocery stores.
Note 3: Not to be confused with pancake syrup, pure maple syrup is a natural sweetener that adds the perfect amount of sweetness to the chocolate chia pudding. While honey is usually an acceptable substitute, I found the flavor to be a little overwhelming when testing, so I recommend sticking to maple syrup. Taste and add more for a sweeter dessert!
Note 4: You can use any desired toppings such as fresh fruit, coconut whipped cream, and dark chocolate shavings.
Storage: Keep pudding in the fridge for 5–7 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 213kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 233mg | Potassium: 233mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 16IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 209mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
One of my favorite recipes. I’ve made it a lot and it always turns out great. I love it with fresh raspberries and a little grated dk chocolate on top. I sometimes have it as a dessert but usually for breakfast.
Delish! So glad you’ve been enjoying! Thanks Sarah! 🙂
Hi. Sounds great but where does the definitely unhealthy trans fat come from? I’d like to omit that. Thanks.
This sounds great! How long does it stay in the fridge? Thinking of making a few days worth of breakfast ahead of time!
This pudding is delicious!!!!! I can’t believe it’s made with chia seeds & nut/plant milk. So happy you shared it! Thank you!
Yay!! So happy you tried it and enjoyed it! Thanks Corrina 🙂