The best Chia Seed Pudding I’ve ever tried! Perfectly sweetened with a nice hit of citrus and splash of vanilla. Top this pudding with your favorite fresh fruits and a sprinkle of shredded coconut!
Chia Seed Pudding comes together ridiculously quick and is so easy to make — simply add everything to a jar and give it a good stir. in a few hours it will be ready to enjoy! Or make it the night before for a quick, on-the-go breakfast.
Love nutritious, make-ahead breakfasts? Us too! Try these Overnight Oats or Energy Bites next!
Chia Seed Pudding
I’ll start off this post with a disclaimer that because of texture reasons, this chia pudding is not for everyone. That said, it is hands down the best chia pudding I’ve ever had. It took me a while to get on board with the texture of chia pudding, but once I did, I spent a few weeks perfecting the flavors and sweetness of it so that my entire family would like it and eat it for breakfast. I’m happy to report I’ve got the husband and 2 of the 3 kiddos on board. 🙂
While the texture is off-putting to some, I’ve honestly come to love (even crave!) it. It’s like a thick and creamy tapioca pudding texture. For this recipe, I also throw some oats into the mix to add some additional texture and chew.
Quick Tip
If you end up making Chia Seed Pudding and can’t get on board with the texture, blend it up into a smooth vanilla pudding instead! Blend in a high-powered blender and then chill until cold.
So what makes this chia pudding special? We add in some old-fashioned oats, the zest of a mandarin orange (so much flavor!), and the right amount of natural sweetener. I’ve found a lot of chia puddings simply lack sweetness, which I think is a must for a great pudding. Pure maple syrup is a great natural sweetener that boasts many health benefits and adds the perfect balance to the chia and oats in this recipe.
How to make Chia Seed Pudding
- Combine oats and chia seeds. These two ingredients form the base of the pudding and will grow, expand, and thicken to create that tapioca-like texture.
- Add maple syrup, salt, vanilla extract, and orange zest. These are all the flavor components of the pudding!
- Pour in the milk. The milk will get mostly absorbed with oats and chia seeds.
- Give everything a good stir, cover, and refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight.
- Stir once again and then top with your favorites — see ideas below!
Topping Ideas
We like fresh berries, shredded coconut, and an extra drizzle of maple syrup best on our Chia Seed Pudding. Here are some other ideas:
- Fresh fruit: Pick what you love most: chopped strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, chopped banana, kiwi, or mandarin orange slices.
- Nuts and/or seeds: Dry-roasted and lightly salted sliced almonds, pecans, or cashews would be delicious. Pepitas would also make a nice topping!
- A handful of granola (We love this almond granola.)
- Puréed fruit: Purée some berries with milk and swirl through the mixture for an intensely fruity Chia Seed Pudding.
- A drizzle of nut butter: Add almond butter, peanut butter, cashew butter, or any of the other options for a hit of protein plus flavor.
- Plenty more ideas here!
Ingredients
- Chia seeds. The star of the show here! Health food sections, bulk food sections, the baking or spice aisle, or bulk food bins are all places you may find chia seeds in your grocery store.
- Old-fashioned oats. This isn’t typically an ingredient found in chia seed pudding, but it’s a must-have for our recipe! It adds more chew and texture. Be sure to use old-fashioned, not quick or steel-cut oats.
- Pure maple syrup. Not to be confused with pancake syrup, pure maple syrup is a natural sweetener and it adds the perfect amount of sweetness to the pudding!
- Salt and vanilla. These two ingredients intensify and balance the flavors in this pudding.
- Zest of Mandarin orange. Using a microplane (like this one), zest only the very outside orange part of the Mandarin (Cutie® or Halo® oranges). Avoid the white pith of the orange — this is bitter.
- Macadamia nut milk. While any plant-based milk works here, our personal favorite is macadamia nut milk and unsweetened vanilla almond milk is a close second.
Storage
- Chia seed pudding will last about 4-5 days in an airtight container in the fridge. It’s such a great candidate for meal prepping breakfasts or snacks for the week!
Chia Seed Pudding FAQs
I prefer Chia Seed Pudding to be fairly thick, but more on the creamy side. The consistency can vary greatly depending on the milk used.
To thicken the pudding more, add more chia seeds and let sit for about 30 more minutes in the fridge.
To thin the pudding, add a splash more milk
As part of a healthy eating plan, Chia Seed Pudding is helpful because it contains 5 grams of fiber per tablespoon; fiber is linked to aiding in digestion and weight management.
It’s creamy, satiating, and packed with protein and fiber. Chia seeds have become very popular lately because of their many health benefits.
Chia seed pudding will last about 4-5 days in an airtight container in the fridge. It’s such a great candidate for meal prepping nutritious breakfasts for the week!
Not necessarily! They’re great to add to energy balls or to top a smoothie with. That said, soaking chia seeds does maximize their benefits.
It can be, but you’ll need to modify the recipe a bit. Chia seeds fit into the Whole 30 guidelines. Nut milk fits, also. But added sweeteners don’t, and neither do oats. So if you keep those things in mind, you can create a pudding that is very compliant. See more at the official-whole30-program-rules.
More nutritious breakfast options
- Yogurt Bowl with eight flavor variations
- Pumpkin Overnight Oats with ground cinnamon
- Parfait with fresh fruit and homemade granola
- Peanut Butter Protein Shake thick and creamy
- Oatmeal Bars with dark chocolate chips
Chia Seed Pudding
Equipment
- Covered container
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1 cup macadamia nut milk or your preferred milk
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 Mandarin orange
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/16 teaspoon salt
- Toppings as desired see note 1
Instructions
- Zest the Mandarin orange to get 1/2 teaspoon of zest. Combine the orange zest with all of the remaining ingredients in a covered container. Stir to combine. Cover tightly and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight, until it thickens to the desired consistency.
- When ready to enjoy, stir the pudding again and top with desired toppings. If you'd like the pudding to be thicker, add additional chia seeds and chill for another 30 minutes; if you'd like it thinner, add a splash of milk.
- If you end up making this pudding and can't get on board with the texture, blend it up into a smooth vanilla pudding instead. Blend in a high-powered blender and then chill until cold.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
