A step-by-step guide on how to make chia pudding, a delicious and healthy breakfast, snack, or dessert made in just 5 minutes with 4 only ingredients.
This chia pudding is the best one I've tried so far! It's sweet, healthy, nutritious, and life-changing. Besides, it has such a satisfying creamy texture.
It's an extremely convenient go-to breakfast recipe because you can prepare it the night before so that it is ready in the morning and is made in no time.
Feel free to use any kind of non-dairy milk you have on hand and please customize it with your favorite toppings. You're going to love it!
This is a quick and easy breakfast idea perfect if you're new to plant-based eating, or just looking for plant-based recipes.
It can also be a great snack or even dessert, and although you can eat it all year long, I've included it in my Veganuary recipe collection because of how delicious and simple it is.
If you're looking for more quick and easy vegan breakfast ideas, you should take a look at my tofu scramble, vegan protein shake, and vegan mug cake.
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🌟 You’ll love this recipe because it is
- Made with only 4 ingredients you can find at your local grocery store.
- Ready in just 5 minutes.
- Extremely easy to make.
- A delicious, super healthy breakfast (or snack, or dessert).
- Perfect to eat on the go and you can make it the night before!
🧾 Ingredients
- Unsweetened non-dairy milk: I used homade coconut milk.
- Maple or agave syrup.
- Vanilla extract: although this is an optional ingredient, it will make your chia pudding taste even better.
- Chia seeds: this is the main ingredient, so you can't replace it with anything else. Both white and black chia seeds are a good choice.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
🔪 Instructions
Step 1: Add the wet ingredients to a mixing bowl (plant milk, syrup, and vanilla extract) and whisk until well combined.
Step 2: Incorporate the chia seeds and whisk again.
Step 3: Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
Step 4: When ready to eat, stir well, serve, and top with your favorite toppings.
📋 Substitutions & variations
- Feel free to use any type of milk. However, I like to use milk with high-fat content, like coconut milk or any kind of nut milk.
- Full-fat canned coconut milk can be too high in fat for this recipe, homemade coconut milk or reduced-fat coconut milk are better choices.
- I like to use unsweetened milk and then the sweetener, but feel free to use milk that is already sweetened. In that case, you may want to omit or reduce the amount of sweetener.
- Maple or agave syrup is my sweetener of choice for this recipe, but pretty much any sweetener is okay.
- Make it sugar-free by omitting the sweetener and also by using unsweetened non-dairy milk.
- Make it more fun by adding your favorite ingredients or toppings like cocoa powder, matcha powder, nut butter, fresh fruit, dried fruit, spices, or whatever you want!
🍽 Equipment
To make this recipe you'll need:
- Measuring tablespoons and measuring cups (or a scale) to weigh your ingredients.
- A large mixing bowl and a whisk for mixing all the ingredients.
❄️ Storage
- Refrigerator: store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Freezer: follow the recipe and wait for 15 minutes until it has taken on a gel-like texture, transfer it to an airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month.
- Thaw: to thaw just transfer to the refrigerator the night before. If it's not entirely defrosted, leave it on the counter for 10-15 minutes before serving. Give it a good stir and enjoy.
💭 Expert tips
- Mix the chia seeds with the wet ingredients really well to break up any clumps, or you'll find some hard and dry seeds, instead of soft and creamy.
- Some recipes call for stirring it every 5 or 10 minutes, but if you give it a good stir at the beginning it will turn out perfectly well.
- If your chia pudding isn’t thick enough, add more chia seeds and let the mixture sit a bit longer.
- I like chia pudding texture, but if you don't, try to blend it in a high-speed blender. Besides, you can serve it right away and don't need to wait at least 2 hours.
- Using non-dairy milk that is high in fat will make it creamier.
- Although I would avoid using full-fat coconut milk as I think it's too high in fat, which can result in an extremely thick pudding that isn't easy to digest.
❓Recipe FAQs
It is a delicious, creamy, sweet, and satisfying breakfast, snack, or dessert recipe made of chia seeds and milk, among other ingredients.
It's packed with lots of nutrients, antioxidants, fiber, and protein. It really is extremely healthy!
Because chia seeds contain several components that, when eaten as part of a balanced plant-rich diet, may prevent the development of various chronic diseases.
They are high in omega-3 fatty acids and fiber, but also a great source of protein, calcium, phosphorus, and zinc.
Studies have shown a beneficial effect on cardiovascular health, and they can beneficially affect cholesterol levels, weight loss, and increased satiety as well.
I like to use 2 tablespoons of chia seeds for every ½ cup of milk (120 ml), which makes 1 serving, but feel free to add more or fewer chia seeds depending on how thick you like it.
There are so many options out there, but some of my favorite ones are fresh fruit, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, dark chocolate, and jam.
Or even a little bit of coconut butter or almond butter!
Yes, you can! Just store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. If adding fresh fruit as a topping, I would add it ideally just before serving, or at least the night before.
🍩 More vegan breakfast recipes
⭐️ Did you like this step-by-step guide on how to make chia pudding? Please consider giving it a 5-star rating and comment below!
📖 Recipe
How to Make Chia Pudding
Ingredients
- 2 cups unsweetened non-dairy milk of your choice, I used homemade coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons maple or agave syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
- ½ cup chia seeds
Instructions
- Add the wet ingredients to a mixing bowl (plant milk, syrup, and vanilla extract) and whisk until well combined.
- Incorporate the chia seeds and whisk again.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
- When ready to eat, stir well, serve, and top with your favorite toppings.
Video
Notes
- Feel free to use any type of milk. However, I like to use milk with high-fat content, like coconut milk or any kind of nut milk.
- Full-fat canned coconut milk can be too high in fat for this recipe, homemade coconut milk or reduced-fat coconut milk are better choices.
- I like to use unsweetened milk and then the sweetener, but feel free to use milk that is already sweetened. In that case, you may want to omit or reduce the amount of sweetener.
- Maple or agave syrup is my sweetener of choice for this recipe, but pretty much any sweetener is okay.
- Make it sugar-free by omitting the sweetener and also by using unsweetened non-dairy milk.
- Make it more fun by adding your favorite ingredients or toppings like cocoa powder, matcha powder, nut butter, fresh fruit, dried fruit, spices, or whatever you want!
- Refrigerator: store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Freezer: follow the recipe, wait for 15 minutes until it has taken on a gel-like texture, transfer it to an airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month.
- Thaw: to thaw just transfer to the refrigerator the night before. If it's not entirely defrosted, leave it on the counter for 10-15 minutes before serving. Give it a good stir and enjoy.
Gail says
Hi , this looks great!
Could you add vegan protein powder to this?
Could you incorporate the cocoa powder, instead of just putting it on top?
Thanks
Iosune says
Hi Gail! Yes, you can add protein powder or cocoa powder at the beginning or just before serving 🙂
LM says
Confusing. The title says five minutes but later it says refrigerate overnight or at least two hours, without explaining the difference. 🙁
Iosune Robles says
Hi! Time doesn't include the cooling time, sorry!
LM says
Thank you for explaining. It hadn't occurred to me that it needed time to cool. 🙂
Simon says
I made this with Vanilla Essence by mistake + Almond milk.
It turned out to be mild but tasty. The lighter dose of vanilla meant the nuttyness of the Almond still came through.
Will make it again!
Iosune says
Hi Simon! Hope you enjoy it next time 🙂
Diane says
Iosune, I was never a big fan of chia pudding, but this one is wonderful. Iused cocout milk light, will make my own next time, topped it with strawberries, some juice a touch of maple syrup. Delicious
Iosune says
Hi Diane! I'm so happy to hear that 🙂 Thanks for your comment!
Cynthia says
can you use black chia seeds?
Diane says
Cynthia, I used black chia seeds and it turned out great. I've only seen them in black here.
Iosune says
Hi Diane! Thanks a lot for your comment 🙂
Iosune says
Hi Cynthia! I used black chia seeds 🙂
Donna says
This is really easy and you can dress it up so many ways! I used almond milk when I made it last night, then for breakfast this morning I added fresh strawberries, banana, Ezekiel cereal and a little cinnamon, it was delicious.
Iosune says
Hi Donna! Sounds so good 🙂
Nancy Burford says
What a delicious treat that can be made so quickly. I made this with soy milk and substituted the maple syrup with date syrup. I also added some cinnamon.
Iosune says
Hi Nancy! Sounds great 🙂 SO glad you enjoyed it!