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If you’ve never tried chia seed pudding before, you’re in for a treat. (Literally!) It’s similar to overnight oats, in the fact that there’s no cooking involved, and the prep work is a breeze. Just stir a few ingredients together and let them soak overnight in the fridge.
The next morning, you’ll have a creamy, high-fiber breakfast porridge that’s ready to eat right away. It doesn’t get much easier than that!
As someone who’s made a lot of chia pudding over the last 15 years, I’ll share all of my tips and tricks below, so you’ll get delicious results on your first try.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review
“The best recipe for chia pudding. I used oat milk and added raspberries, and was very surprised how well it turned out! Delicious!” – Gail
Chia Pudding Recipe Ingredients
- Chia Seeds. Start with whole chia seeds for the best results. They will plump up overnight, giving you a tapioca-like texture. You can buy white or black chia seeds; the flavor will be the same either way. (Note: If you start with ground chia seeds, the chia seed flavor is much more prominent.)
- Milk of Choice. Any liquid will help thicken chia pudding, so you can use your favorite! Try almond milk for a dairy-free choice, or use soy milk for more protein. Regular cow’s milk will work, too.
- Maple Syrup. This natural sweetener is already in liquid form, so it will blend seamlessly into the pudding. (And it’s vegan-friendly!) You can add more to taste, if needed.
- Vanilla Extract. I love adding a splash of vanilla extract to boost the flavor, but this is optional. Check out the other flavor variations below, too!
How to Make Chia Seed Pudding
Step 1:
To make one serving of chia pudding, start with a 14-ounce jar with a lid. Add 3 tablespoons of chia seeds, 3/4 cup of milk, a tablespoon of maple syrup, and a half teaspoon of vanilla extract, then use a small whisk to stir well.
After you whisk the pudding, let it rest for 5 minutes on the counter, if possible. The chia seeds will start to plump slightly as they start to soak with the milk.
Note: A small whisk mixes chia seeds much better than a spoon. I use one like this for mixing, and it gets a lot of use in my kitchen!
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Step 2:
Once the chia pudding has rested for 5 minutes, whisk the mixture again. This extra step will help prevent large clumps from forming as the pudding soaks overnight, so you’ll wind up with a better overall texture.
Then secure the lid on the jar and place it in the fridge to chill. Chia pudding can be ready to eat in as little as 30 minutes, in case you’re in a hurry, but it will thicken up even more when you let it soak overnight.
Chia Seed Pudding Serving Tips
When you’re ready to eat, remove the jar of chia pudding from the fridge and remove the lid. Give the pudding a stir, then adjust any flavoring to taste. You can add an extra splash of maple syrup, if you’d like additional sweetness, or top it with your favorite fruit for extra texture and flavor.
I love it with fresh berries or sliced banana, and crunchy nuts or a drizzle of peanut butter on top. If you want to try a tested flavor variation, you can also see my pumpkin chia pudding and chocolate chia seed pudding in these photos. They’re so delicious!
Chia Pudding Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons chia seeds
- ¾ cup milk of choice
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- To prepare one serving of chia pudding, add the chia seeds, milk, maple syrup and vanilla extract to a 14-ounce jar with a lid. Use a small whisk or fork to stir well.
- Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes, then stir again. The chia seeds will start to plump during this time, and stirring them again will help prevent large clumps from forming. Then secure the lid and place the jar in the fridge to chill overnight. (Note: You can eat chia pudding in as little as 30 minutes if you're in a hurry, but it will thicken even more overnight.)
- When you're ready to eat the pudding, remove it from the fridge and give it a stir. Add any toppings you love, such as fresh berries or nuts, and it's ready to eat right away. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days, if you want to make more than one jar.
Notes
Nutrition
Chia Seed Pudding Flavor Variations
You can change the flavor of your chia pudding for every day of the week, if you’d like to. Be sure to start with the base recipe above, then add these toppings for a different flavor profile. Or try my Matcha Chia Pudding, for another variation.
Chocolate Peanut Butter
- 1 tablespoon cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
Whisk well; the cacao powder will eventually blend in as you stir. For this variation, you may want to add an extra 1/2 tablespoon of maple syrup, to help counteract the bitterness of the chocolate. Garnish with a few chocolate chips, if you like.
Lemon Blueberry Chia Pudding
- 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- the zest of half a lemon
Mix well, and then store the jar in the fridge. The blueberries will thaw overnight in the fridge.
Carrot Cake Chia Pudding
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- Pinch of cloves
You can top this pudding with shredded coconut, walnuts, sliced pineapple, or any other additions you love.
Zucchini Bread Chia Pudding
- 1/2 cup shredded zucchini (no need to peel)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
Mix well, and add any toppings you enjoy, like chopped walnuts or pecans.
Peanut Butter & Jelly Chia Pudding
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- 1/2 cup frozen raspberries (or 1 tablespoon raspberry jam)
This combination is one of my favorites! The frozen raspberries will thaw overnight in the fridge, and add the perfect “jelly” flavor without added sugar. Or try using chia seed jam, which is fast to prepare and naturally sweetened, too.
If you try this chia seed pudding recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it!
Will this recipe work with ground Chia? That is all I have right now.
That should work, but the texture will be different than using whole chia seeds. I hope you’ll enjoy it either way!
If you want to use chia powder instead of seeds, how much powder would the recipe require?
I wanted a thicker texture, so I did as the recipe suggests and mixed all the ingredients and let chill overnight. I used soy instead of almond milk and brown sugar instead of maple syrup. In the morning, it tasted good, but was way too runny, so I added about two tablespoons of tapioca starch and heated it on the stove in a saucepan constantly stirring over medium heat until it was the consistency I wanted and…. SHAZAM! It turned into an amazing tapioca pudding. 😁 I know I made a lot of changes, but I wouldn’t have known where to start without this recipe, so thank you thank you thank you for the new breakfast staple!
I tried the chia pudding, used a maple syrup awaken Farms no calories per a 1/4 of a cup. This pudding is delicious.
I’m allergic to almonds- do you think this would work with another type of milk?
Yes, I think any milk will work in this recipe.
Just stuck this in the fridge for the morning! I used half a banana in place of the syrup and also threw in some protein powder. I’ve never blended it so I’m excited to try it!
For almond milk, I’ve been getting store-bought forever and recently tried making my own. The most cost effective (and great-tasting) version I’ve found is to blend 6 cups of water with 1/3 cup of natural almond butter. Throw in some cinnamon and honey and it tastes like the real thing (not as thick, however).
Thanks so much for the recipe!
This is delicious! For those having a hard time blending, try using chia powder!
I add chia seeds to oats for ‘overnight oats’…love the texture they add. I may have to try this too! Looks delicious!
Replace the maple syrup with stevia or lakanto and you have a Body Ecology breakfast! This is so exciting. Thank-you so much for the recipe. I’ve been trying to find BED foods that I can enjoy for breakfast and I think I finally found one. Plus, it’ll help suppress the sugar cravings! I probably wont have such a stressful morning avoiding my beloved fruity pebbles now lol. Thanks again.
I finally figured out how to make this perfectly (and so that my 5 year old and 3 year old eat it enthusiastically) … use half whole fat coconut milk and half water, blend with frozen bananas and add cinnamon. Thank you, Megan!
I’m so glad they both love it!