This Chocolate Chia Pudding with coconut milk makes for a delicious and healthy dessert or snack. This recipe is gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free. This chia pudding recipe is also free from nuts and eggs, making it a great, allergy friendly school lunchbox treat.
Chia seeds are tiny seeds that absorb around ten times their weight in liquid! Mixed with the right combination of ingredients, chia pudding can make for a healthy yet indulgent dessert. Chia pudding tastes similar to a chocolate pudding. Pair the delicious pudding like texture with delicious toppings like berries, yogurt and cacao nibs. Or serve topped with my Raspberry Compote.
For more delicious chia pudding recipes you might like to try my Passionfruit Chia Pudding, Raspberry Chia Pudding and Coconut Chia Pudding.
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What You'll Love About Chocolate Chia Pudding
Chia pudding is a delicious way of getting more healthy, essential fatty acids and can make for a healthy breakfast, delicious snack or a simple dessert.
- allergy friendly - this recipe is completely gluten free, dairy free and nut free. Being allergy friendly makes this a perfect snack for school or kindy lunchboxes.
- easy recipe - my chocolate chia pudding takes only 5 minutes to prepare, with minimal equipment needed!
- meal prep breakfasts & snacks - this quick and easy recipe is perfect to meal prep and can be enjoyed as a healthy snack or breakfast.
- great for chocolate lovers - with a rich chocolate flavor, this is a healthy dessert that all of my fellow chocolate lovers will enjoy!
Ingredients Notes & Substitutions
There are just 4 simple ingredients for this chocolate chia pudding recipe! You can find these ingredients at most grocery stores or organic, wholefood stores. Read on to see any notes and possible substitutions for this recipe. All ingredient quantities can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this pst.
- chia seeds - chia seeds are the main ingredient in this recipe and can't be substituted for any other ingredient. You can use white chia seeds or black chia seeds for this recipe, both are nutritionally the same, they just vary in appearance.
- cacao powder - Cacao powder is raw cocoa powder that is typically higher in antioxidants then regular cocoa powder. However, you can also use unsweetened cocoa powder or dutch cocoa powder.
- pure maple syrup - swap for other alternative sweeteners of choice like honey, date syrup, coconut blossom nectar or agave. You can also use coconut sugar or rapadura sugar instead of honey.
- coconut milk beverage - or any other non-dairy milk (plant-based milk) of choice (like oat milk, soy milk, unsweetened almond milk or cashew milk) or dairy milk. I have used coconut milk beverage and not canned coconut milk as it is lighter and not as rich. If you are opting to use a different milk other then coconut milk beverage then you may need to add extra maple syrup, as coconut milk is naturally quite sweet.
Optional Extras
Feel free to top this easy chocolate chia pudding with your favorite toppings. Here are some of my favorites:
- fresh fruit or berries - top with delicious fresh raspberries, blueberries, strawberries or another fruit of choice like banana.
- coconut flakes - toasted coconut flakes add delicious flavor and crunch.
- cacao nibs - cacao nibs add a crunchy texture.
- chocolate chips - stir through dark chocolate chips for a little extra indulgence.
- coconut yogurt - or whipped full-fat coconut milk cream.
- peanut butter - or almond butter, cashew butter or macadamia butter.
Health Benefits of Chia Seeds
There are so many amazing healthy benefits to eating chia seeds. Being a great source of fat, protein and complex carbohydrates, chia puddings help to keep your blood sugar levels stable, which improves concentration, provides sustained energy and reduces sugar cravings.
- healthy fats - chia seeds are an excellent source of plant based omega-3 fat, a healthy fat needed for brain, skin, immune and cardiovascular health.
- protein - these chocolate chia puddings contain 5 grams of protein per serve.
- fibre - with 9 grams of fiber per serve, these chocolate chia puddings will help to keep you fuller for longer and help to stabilise blood sugar levels.
- minerals - chia seeds are a great source of magnesium, calcium, zinc and iron.
How to Make Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding Recipe
To make my easy chocolate chia pudding with coconut milk and for best results, follow my step-by-step instructions below.
Add the chia seeds, milk, cacao powder and maple syrup to a bowl. Whisk continuously until the chia seeds start to absorb the liquid. Whisking will avoid clumps of chia seeds forming in the mixture.
Once the chia pudding is beginning to thicken, divide the mixture between four small jars or glass airtight containers. Place the lids on and refrigerate for around one hour to set.
Before serving, top with your choice of toppings. I love using coconut yogurt and raspberries, but for something a little fun for the kids lunchboxes I top with sliced strawberries and chocolate chips.
Tip: For a smoother texture you can blend the mixture together in a high-speed blender.
📖 Recipe
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Small jars or containers
- Measuring Cups & Spoons
Ingredients
- ½ cup chia seeds
- 2 cups coconut milk beverage other plant based milk alternative like almond milk, oat milk or cashew milk.
- 2 tablespoon cacao powder
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
Optional Toppings
- coconut yogurt
- chocolate chips
- fresh berries
- cacao nibs
Instructions
- Add chia seeds, milk of choice, maple syrup and cacao powder to a bowl. Whisk immediately and continue whisking until mixture is well combined and the chia seeds begin to swell.
- Divide chia pudding between small jars or containers and secure each lid. Transfer to the fridge for another hour at least to set completely.
- Once set top with your choice of toppings such as coconut yoghurt, berries, grated dark chocolate or toasted granola.
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe? Tell us how you went by rating the recipe and commenting below!
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Jack
Super easy to make, this Chocolate Chia Pudding is just the start for many variations. So easy to adjust sweetness to your taste by adding more or less sweetener be that maple syrup or agave or something else you like. The base flavor can be modified easily by substituting peanut butter powder or combining cacao and peanut butter powder or adding fruit at the beginning. I rate this recipe a 4 because it illustrates just how easy it is to make chia seed pudding and could be improved by including notes about how versatile the base recipe is, not just the variety of toppings that can be added. Give this a try as written then let your imagination run free.
Sarah Bell
Thank you so much for your comment. I love hearing the ways that you have adapted the base recipe! Thank you for your feedback, I will add some more tips on variations of the base recipe.