Chia Seed Pudding (gluten free & vegan)

Chia Seed Pudding is such a versatile breakfast or snack, that can be mixed and matched all kinds of berries, fruits, nuts, nut butters & more!! All you need is the basic chia seed to milk ratio and you're set for success.

This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill. All opinions are my own.

Jump to:

• Why I love this recipe!
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Ingredient Swaps
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Top tip
• Related Recipes
• Chia Seed Pudding (gluten free & vegan)
• Questions & Reviews

Why I love this recipe!

I was inspired to share my take on Chia Seed Pudding since it has become such a staple as part of my meal prep, as a Personal Chef in NYC. I have a client that loves all sorts of variations of chia seed pudding, and through making it for her I realized how simple it is to tweak and adjust to make something like new every time.

Chia Seed Pudding is great as a breakfast recipe, served with some coffee or even on its' own. With 6 grams of protein per tablespoons of chia seeds, this makes for such a well rounded breakfast on its' own.

Ingredients

The ingredients for this pudding are extremely simple, only needing chia seeds & milk of choice. The other ingredients (berries, nuts, nut butters) are totally optional and are able to be mixed and matched however you like.

• 4 Tablespoons Chia Seeds - I love using the Bob's Red Mill brand! It's always at my local grocery store and works so well in this recipe.
• 1 cup milk of choice - Oat Milk & Coconut Milk are my absolutely faves! An oat milk chia seed pudding is incredible. You can even make a cashew milk chia seed pudding which is wonderful. If you prefer a dairy milk, use whole milk instead.
• Sweetener of choice - I like to use Maple Syrup or Honey in chia pudding for some added sweetness. Feel free to omit if you don't want to add sugar.
• Vanilla Extract - Optional, but recommended. Vanilla extract in chia pudding adds extra depth of flavor.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Whisk together the chia seeds and milk of choice. Optionally add a sweetener (maple syrup or honey) and vanilla extract.

Set chia seed pudding in the fridge for 15-30 minutes, in the bowl, and give a quick stir every 5-10 minutes until thickened.

Next, choose your berries, nuts, toppings & nut butters! You don't need to include all the options, but choose 1-2 items to add to your final chia pudding jar and it will add so much flavor and great texture.

Hint: The longer the chia seed pudding sits in the fridge the thicker it will get. So feel free to prep the pudding in the morning and then assemble with berries & the other add-ons in the afternoon or night. This way the pudding will be super thick and it will layer really nicely in a jar.

Ingredient Swaps

If you know how to make the recipe with alternative ingredients, go for it! Just stick with the chia seeds & milk.

• Berries - I used berries here but feel free to make chia pudding with mango, kiwi, or any other fruit
• Almonds/Coconut Flakes - I made mine with sliced almonds & toasted coconut flakes, but feel free to swap for toasted walnuts, pecans or any other nut or seed of choice.
• Almond Butter - I used almond butter because it's my favorite, but you can swap for peanut butter, sunflower butter or any other creamy nut butter.

I'm sharing these basic recipe ideas, but feel free to practice & then get even fancier and make a Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding like this one!

Variations

Here are just some ideas of hoe to spruce up your chia pudding!

• Mango & Coconut - Use blend ½ fresh mango with 1 cup coconut milk and use that for the base of the chia seed pudding. Once pudding is set, layer with fresh mango & coconut chips
• Strawberry Shortcake - Blend 1 cup fresh strawberries (without greens/stems) with 1 cup oat milk and use that for the base of the chia seed pudding. Once pudding is set, layer with fresh strawberries & sliced almonds.
• Peanut Butter - Blend 2 tablespoons peanut butter with 1 cup oat milk or cashew milk, and use for the base of the chia seed pudding. Once pudding is set, layer with blueberries crushed peanuts.

Equipment

There is NO special equipment for this recipe, I promise. All you need is a bowl, a whisk (or a fork if you don't have a whisk) and some measuring cups/spoons. That's all!

Storage

I love to store these Chia Seed Pudding creations in mason jars. You can also reuse glass jars from your home that you previously purchased food in. I'm thinking, jam jars, coconut oil jars, or even glass mayo jars. Reuse what you have at home before buying new.

If you don't have any jars on hand, don't worry! You can simply store the chia pudding in smaller containers for the perfect breakfast portion.

You can keep chia pudding in the fridge until 5 days. If storing with fresh fruit, I'd recommend eating within 3-4 days.

Top tip

The best tip I have for you is to be creative and add to your chia pudding the types of fruits/nuts/etc that you actually enjoy!! Don't add strawberries just because it's healthy, if you're not a strawberry fan. You get what I mean? Make this something you'll enjoy eating in the morning and look forward to.

Related Recipes

Have you tried this recipe? Consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? Or, consider following me on Facebook or Instagram! Thanks for visiting.