Chia Pudding 101

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If you’ve ever made overnight oats, think of chia pudding as its minimalist cousin—no grains, just chia seeds working their magic in milk and sweetener.

The best part? You mix it up once, let it chill, and wake up to a silky, creamy pudding that feels indulgent but is actually pretty good for you.

Recipe Info

This recipe is:

• Super simple. Three ingredients, one stir, fridge time, and you’re set by morning.
• Meal-prep friendly. Scale to four jars (or more) and breakfast is sorted for days. Change up toppings each morning to keep things fun.
• Totally flexible. Swap in plant-based milk if you’re dairy-free, tweak the sweetness or flavor however you like, and pile on fresh fruit or granola for texture.

Making chia pudding for the first time? Read the ingredients notes, step-by-step instructions, and tips. If you’re familiar with the recipe, feel free to jump to the recipe card.

Ingredients and Substitutes

• Chia seeds. These absorb liquid and gel up, transforming your mix into pudding—no cooking required. Give them a good stir to avoid clumps.
• Milk of choice. Dairy, almond, oat, soy, coconut—use what you love or have on hand. I usually go for dairy or oat.
• Sweetener. Honey is my go-to, but maple syrup or any liquid sweetener works just as well.

Step-by-Step: How to Make Chia Pudding

1. Combine and stir. In a jar or bowl, mix chia seeds, milk, and sweetener. Really stir—no one wants seed clumps.

2. Give it two more stirs. After 3–5 minutes, stir again. Repeat once more after another 3–5 minutes. This keeps seeds from sinking or floating and ensures an even gel.

3. Chill. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.

4. Top and enjoy. Scoop, then add fruit, granola, nuts—or eat it plain.

Variations

Meal Prep

This is a meal-prep superstar. Just multiply the ingredients by the number of servings you want:

• Mix everything in one big bowl, stir twice, then divide into jars
• Or measure each jar separately from the start—dealer’s choice

Tips for batch-making:

• Add granola right before eating to keep it crunchy
• Toss on berries the day you plan to eat (they’ll only last a few days)
• Switch up toppings for variety

Vegan

Making chia pudding vegan is super simple:

• Choose a plant-based milk option. Oat, soy, coconut, or almond milk are all viable options. Use whatever you have on hand.
• Use a vegan sweetener. Maple syrup or any vegan-friendly liquid sweetener is a great choice here.

High-Protein

The base recipe is isn’t protein-packed, but we can easily fix that. Here’s what to add:

• Greek yogurt. Stir in ¼ cup (60 g) non-fat Greek yogurt before serving for about 6 g extra protein.
• Protein powder. Whisk a scoop of your favorite protein powder into the milk before adding chia and sweetener. If the powder is already sweetened, taste first and adjust honey or syrup accordingly.

If you’re really after protein, simply add both.

Tips

• Adjust sweetness. When making this base for the first time, taste the milk and sweetener base before mixing in the chias. Add more sweetener if needed (or less next time around if it’s too sweet). Also, adjust the sweetener accordingly if you’re using sweetener milk or protein powder.
• Adjust texture. If it’s too thick, stir in more milk. Too thin? Mix in a couple of tablespoons of thick yogurt or, if you have the time, add another half tablespoon of chia seeds and let it sit for an extra 30 minutes.v

Topping Ideas

• Fruit. Fresh berries, sliced banana, mango chunks, or stewed apples.
• Crunch. Granola, chopped nuts, or cacao nibs.
• More protein. A spoonful of nut butter or a dollop of Greek yogurt.
• Sweet finish. A drizzle of maple syrup, honey, or even melted dark chocolate.

Flavors

Here’s the list of chia pudding recipes I published. You’ll find all the various flavors there.

Storage

Chia pudding keeps well in the fridge for 3–4 days. Store it in a sealed container and it’s ready whenever you need it.

Similar Recipes to Try

Looking for more? Check out the following recipes:

• Overnight Oats. One of the most popular sweet breakfast options that’s quick, easy, and meal-prep friendly.
• Baked Oats. Another oats base, this time baked in the oven. Delicious and with good macros.

Basic Chia Pudding

This creamy chia pudding is a no-fuss breakfast or snack you prep in minutes. With just three ingredients (and no cooking), it’s an easy and customizable way to start your day.

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Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Refrigeration Time: 3 hours hours

Total Time: 3 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chia Pudding, Healthy Breakfast, Meal Prep, Protein Breakfast

Servings: 1 jar

Calories: 266kcal

Author: Marcin Skrzypiec

Equipment

• Kitchen scale

Ingredients

• 2.5 tablespoons chia seeds 30g
• 2/3 cup milk 160g
• 2 teaspoons liquid sweetener 14g, Let sit 3–5 minutes, stir, then let sit another 3–5 minutes and stir again

Instructions

• Mix everything well. In a jar or bowl, stir together the chia seeds, milk, and sweetener. Stir thoroughly—like, really stir—so you don’t end up with clumps of seeds.
  2.5 tablespoons chia seeds, 2/3 cup milk, 2 teaspoons liquid sweetener
• Rest and stir, twice. After 3-5 minutes, give it another good stir. Repeat after another 3 to 5 minutes.
• Refrigerate. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
• Top and eat. Grab a spoon and enjoy as-is, or top with fruit, granola, nuts, or whatever you have on hand.

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Notes

• Nutritional estimates are based on oat milk and honey.
• Resting and stirring twice before refrigeration is crucial to prevent clumping.

Nutrition

Calories: 266kcal | Carbohydrates: 35.1g | Protein: 6.7g | Fat: 12.5g | Fiber: 12.3g

Tried this recipe?Comment below or tag your snaps @definitelynotachefblog or #madewithdnac!

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