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This Chocolate chia seed pudding is made with coconut milk and cocoa powder and is perfect for a healthy and filling breakfast or snack. Deliciously sweet but good for you, and so easy to make ahead of time! Vegan and gluten-free.
Ditch store-bought pudding. Make this Chocolate Chia Pudding, with chia seeds that expand 9 times in your stomach to help you feel fuller longer. Talk about feel good food for dieting! I make the regular 3-ingredient Chia Pudding on the regular! But sometimes, I love adding cocoa powder to turn this healthy snack into a dessert. It’s rich, decadent and chocolatey, so it always hits the spot!
What are the health benefits of chia seeds
Chia seeds are a superfood because they are loaded with nutrients and have scientifically proven health benefits. Here are the key benefits:
- Loaded with antioxidants, which is an essential part of any healthy diet.
- Good source of high quality protein (more than most plant-based foods) to help you feel satiated.
- High in good fats, like omega 3 fatty acids, more than even salmon!
- Made largely of fiber. In fact, almost all the carbs in chia seeds are fiber. If you’re on a low-carb diet, I think you can pretty much ignore the 12 grabs of carbs in an ounce of chia seeds. That’s because 11 of those 12 grams are fiber!
How do you make chocolate chia pudding
This is based on an older recipe I made, but I adjusted some measurements to double the recipe. And I realized in the process that doubling the recipe in a bowl required less liquid. You can play around with the ratio that makes sense for you. After a few tries, I think I landed on the perfect balance.
To start, you’ll want to sift the cocoa powder so it’s smooth without any clumps.
Next add maple syrup and vanilla extract to the cocoa powder. Mix it until the cocoa clumps with the sweeteners.
Finally, add the coconut milk, followed by the chia seeds. Mix very well. Let it set for a few minutes. Then mix again. It’s important that when you set it in the fridge, there are no clumps of chia seeds. You want them evenly dispersed so they can expand and absorb the liquid equally.
If you think it’s not going to thicken, just wait a few hours and it will look like this! Chia seeds expand up to 9 times! So be patient and allow it to absorb the liquid.
Best part of biting into this chocolate chia pudding for me – the added mini chocolate chips! It breaks up the tapioca consistency and gives a crunchy sweet surprise. Feel free to add other mix-ins like cacao nibs, peanut butter chips or crushed nuts. Or you can reserve that all for the topping the pudding.
Tips for making chocolate chia pudding
- Adjust the ratios to suit your preferences. I like to have a thicker chia seed pudding so I opt for 1:4 chia seeds to milk ratio. In this case though, I added slightly more chia seeds to make it even thicker. If you prefer a thinner version, feel free to use only ¼ cup of chia seeds instead of ⅓ cup.
- Stir multiple times. It’s not enough to just stir the chocolate chia pudding once and then set in the fridge. I recommend to stir it, let it sit for 5-10 minutes and then stir it again, making sure there are no clumps. And then it’s ready to set in the fridge.
- Use a blender to blend the mixture for a smoother consistency. This is especially true if you’re not a fan of the tapioca-like texture of chia seed pudding. It’s not necessary, but it will create a more creamy texture.
- Freeze any leftover chia pudding. Did you know you can freeze chia pudding and thaw it for a few hours or overnight in the fridge? Just make sure to freeze it in individual servings and use a freezer-safe ziplock bag or glass mason jar.
Frequently asked questions
Chia pudding is a perfect option for meal prep and make ahead breakfasts. Make a big batch and it will last for up to 7 days in the fridge, although it is best within 5 days of mixing.
Chia seeds don’t have any flavor, but they take on the flavor of the liquid they are soaked in. I opted for coconut milk in this recipe as it works so well with the cocoa powder. If you would like a lighter snack, you can use water instead, or replace it with dairy, soy or almond milk for a different flavor.
Eating chia pudding for breakfast is a great way to maintain or lose weight. It helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and is high in protein. Chia seeds are an amazing source of fiber, so it will help to keep you full for longer, meaning that those mid morning snacks aren’t quite so tempting!
It’s no secret that the chia seeds have been in the foodie spotlight for a while now, so I’m all about chia seed recipes. This chocolate chia pudding recipe is going to be a great partner for you if you’re dieting or trying to pick smart snacks. It’s so versatile that this basic pudding recipe can be altered to fit your most eclectic pudding desires, whatever those may be!
It’s vegan, gluten-free and filling. And it’s as simple as simple gets with only 5 ingredients and a time to prep of only a couple minutes. Make up a bunch of individual puddings in small wide mouth mason jars, pop ’em in the fridge and have snacks for the kids for the next week!
More chia seed recipes
If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Chocolate Chia Pudding recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!
I created this recipe first on December 7, 2017. I am updating it today to tweak the recipe slightly include improved new step-by-step images and a video tutorial! An ode to the original coconut chocolate chia pudding photo 🙂
Chocolate Chia Pudding
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup coconut milk carton refrigerated kind
- 1/3 cup chia seeds
Instructions
- Sift cocoa powder into a medium deep mixing bowl. Add maple syrup, vanilla extract and pinch of salt. Whisk to combine until smooth.
- Add the coconut milk on top and whisk to combine. Pour the chia seeds on top of the mixture and whisk to combine one more time.
- Cover and refrigerate until the mixture thickens, and becomes pudding like, at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
- Enjoy with fresh coconut whip cream and berries, if desired.
Video
Notes
- Instead of coconut milk, you can use any other plant-based milk or regular milk.
- Replace maple syrup with honey, agave syrup, granulated sugar or another sweetener or choice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Very very tasty
Thank you!
Made this twice now, its amazing! Thanks for sharing! I add raw honey to sweeten
and some peanut butter as well! Its great!!
Thank you so much! That sounds delicious.
This is really good and will help me eat healthier breakfasts. The second time I made this, I added collagen powder and mixed it with the cocoa powder. I didn’t notice any taste difference, so this will add extra protein to this snack/breakfast!
Thank you! I love that!
Can you use Cacao powder?
You can! However, it tends to be more bitter than cocoa powder, so you might need to add more maple syrup depending on your sweetness preference.
Thanks a lot for this healthy recipe.❤️
I’ve tried it with water instead of coconut milk and felt little bitter in taste.Could you please let me know what can be added to increase sweetness in a healthy way.
Have a good day!😄
You’re so welcome! You could add more sweetener like maple syrup. You could also add some mashed fruits like banana!
What can I sub for the chia seeds? Can’t do seeds 🙁
Thanks so much…love your recipes and your personality!!!
Have a great day
I haven’t tried this with a substitute yet, as the chia seeds are a main part of the recipe. So glad you’re loving the recipes! Thank you!!
The 2 tbs of maple syrup have 28 carbs, so not good for those who are on low carb diet.
The taste was great however to me it is way too thick and I had to thin it down the next day once It was already set next time I will do 1/4 cup chia seeds
Thank you! It will be thick because it’s a pudding, but you can definitely adjust the ratios to meet your desired consistency!
I have been looking for a chia seed recipe and yours is the easiest. I’m disabled so I can’t stand very long so this will help me to eat healthy and not have to be in the kitchen for too long. Thanks my friend.
I’m glad you found this recipe quick and easy! You’re welcome!
Thank you for listing your carbs! The chocolate chia pudding is very tasty! It was much thinner than your 3 ingredient chia pudding (I used 1/4 cup so I increased it to 1/3 as you did to thicken it). I enjoyed the chocolate better than the 3-ingredient pudding but that’s only my preference. Thanks for posting these recipes!!
You’re so welcome! You can adjust the ratios to get a thicker pudding if you’d like!
How do you get 32 carbs from this (especially for 1 serving)?
That seems really high. I calculated it from the individual labels
1/3 tbs chia seeds 3 carbs
1 cup almond milk 1 carb
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 3 carbs
2 tbs sugar free maple sugar 3 carbs
Please clarify so that I can calculate insulin properly. Thanks
The majority of the carbohydrates come from the maple syrup, as I did not use sugar free maple syrup.
2 tbsp cocoa powder: 6g carbs
1 tbsp Maple Syrup: 13g carbs
1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract: 0.5 g carbs
1/2 cup Coconut Milk: 0.5g carbs
1/6 cup Chia Seeds: 12g carbs
Hope this helps!
Really easy to make and very yummy! Definitely does the trick for a chocolate fix!
Thank you so much! I love that!
I must admit i was a little skeptical when i read this, but it is so yum! It seriously tastes like chocolate yogo/custard, and i dont have to feel guilty for eating it. Thanks!
Glad you gave it a try! Yay!!
I made the three ingredient recipe and didn’t care for the taste. Can I add the chocolate and other ingredients to those cups already made and get the same result?
Pretty much! Or you can add a bunch of toppings to the three ingredient recipe and mix it in.
Thanks! I added some vanilla and cocoa powder…made a world of difference. Tried the three ingredient version with maple syrup and fresh fruit and found the taste and texture difficult to get down. The chocolate added a richness to it that made it almost enjoyable to eat!
You’re so welcome! The chocolate definitely helps!!
I’m a little confused on the Cocoa Powder…is it just Hershey’s Cocoa (100%cacao)?
The two are very similar! Hershey’s Cocoa powder will still work in this recipe.
Where do I find peanut butter chips ?
In the baking area of the grocery store!
I always know it’s a US site when I can’t find certain ingredients
What ingredients can’t you find? They might be available online!
Oh My Goodness, this is deliciously decadent! It’s like a very rich chocolate tapioca pudding. I haven’t waited 4 hours yet to test. 🙂
I made a few substitutions, as I’ve needed to overhaul my eating habits.
Dark cocoa powder, 1;1 golden monk fruit and unsweetened almond milk.
Yay!! I love that! Let me know once you do taste it!
Made the 3 ingredient last night and needed to eat both. Bought some special edition aqua ball jars I just got at Target and made this chocolate version. Followed but I only had cacao powder so I had to add a bit more syrup to even it out. Its gonna be dark chocolate though. I also made 2 matcha ones. I haven’t made chia in a long time, I forgot how yummy it is, I just need to make a bunch in advance. I have a feeling my toddler will want her own. TY
It’s so versatile in that way! Definitely do!! You’re welcome!
Easy healthy delicious. Gonna make a second batch tomorrow. Shared it with my daughter. So rich and creamy. Added lots a mini chic chips!!!!
Thank you! The more chocolate chips, the better!
Had a nice flavour, perfect amount of sweetness, and I enjoyed the depth of chocolate, but they came out a bit too thick for my liking. I used oat milk instead of coconut milk. Next time I’ll increase the amount of liquid. I made 4 portions out of mine, which was ideal. Thanks for sharing.
It definitely comes down to preference, so increasing the amount of liquid will make it less thick! You’re so welcome!!
Thanks, I loved the recipe. Enjoyed the pudding. Where did you find the cute jars?
You’re so welcome! I got these jars from Weck – it’s linked under the Gadgets & Tools tab of my Shop page.
Made 6 portions with this recipe and it is TO DIE for… trying very hard not to eat 6 portions in one sitting…
I’m so happy to hear that! Yay!!
I LOVE this recipe. Whisking multiple times is the key to success. Thanks so much!
It really is! You’re so welcome!
This is delicious!!! I didn’t see what a serving portion is though.
Thank you! One serving is half of the recipe.
One of my fave healthy sweets! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Yay! You’re so welcome!
Hi. I have a question, can you use Cacao powder instead of Cocoa powder? Thank you.
Yes, you could! However, cacao powder tastes more bitter than cocoa powder, so you may have to adjust the sweetener amount accordingly.
It set up beautifully. I followed the recipe and used coconut milk ans a stick blender before I put it in the fridge. The problem was the taste: this is a very DARK chocolate flavor! I don’t think we will be able to eat it – even with the maple syrup it is quite bitter. I think I will try again with half of the suggested chocolate because I do love the idea of a healthier pudding.
It’s definitely on the darker side of chocolate, but you can adjust the sweetness according to your preferences!
Where do the carbs come on? The maple syrup? Cocoa? I leave out the syrup to make it whole30 approved.
Do you have to use coconut milk for the chocolate chai pudding?
Chia seeds don’t have any flavor, but they take on the flavor of the liquid they are soaked in. I opted for coconut milk in this recipe as it works so well with the cocoa powder. If you would like a lighter snack, you can use water instead, or replace it with dairy, soy or almond milk for a different flavor.
What is the serving size? Would it be a 4 oz Mason jar or closer to 8 oz?
It would probably fit in either mason jar, but I estimate it makes roughly two 4 ounces servings.
Thank you for this easy recipe, I made it using regular milk and added more maple syrup. I was happy that my picky 5 year old enjoyed it and asked me to make it again( he doesn’t eat meat, eggs or cheese). Will be making it again, maybe this time I will try blending it in w blender for smoother texture.
The blender will definitely help! Glad they enjoyed it too!
Looking forward to trying this, thanks. I’m not very skilled in the kitchen, so if you were going to blend it to make it smoother, would that be before or after refrigerating?
It would be before refrigerating. Enjoy!
Thank you! It’s the perfect ratio, I’ve been sharing with everyone I know.
Yay! So glad to hear it!
Just made this for the very first time. Glad I chose this recipe. Delish.
So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you!
This looks delicious, can’t wait to try it!
Hope you like it!
Has anyone tried this with something other than coconut milk? I’d prefer oat, soy or almond.
You can use any other milk. I like the richness of the coconut milk but others work well too!
Yummy and so easy!
Thank you!!
Wanted so much a nutritional desert I could leave in the fridge ready for my kids to grab after school and wow what an amazing simple and delicious desert which they and now all their friends enjoy 😉
Thank you so much for sharing 🙏
So glad to hear it!! Thank you!
Hi!!!! I Just want to tell you that I loooove all your recipes!
I wanted to write for so long! Today I made the chia chocolate pudin!!! It was amazing!!!! My Mom almost take everything
Thank you so much for share all your knowledge and for be so nice and happy!!😊
Saludos desde Ecuador!!!! From the middle of the word!!!!🇪🇨
Yay! That makes me so happy to hear. Thanks so much!
I only have ground chia seeds. How much of the ground product should I use? Thank you.
I think about 3/4 the amount but I’ve never used ground chia seeds before so you may have to adjust the liquid, but give that a try!
Stick with whole seeds! I made the mistake of grinding the chia seeds in my spice grinder (coffee grinder). I made 4 individual servings in little jars & it’s the only batch of chia pudding I didn’t want to eat all in one sitting. The texture was, to me, revoltingly slick & slimy. Stick to the whole seeds, which are more like tapioca.
Getting ready for a challenge and honey and any type of sugars accept for stevia and mink fruit can be used. No honey during this time. I may make this to see what it taste like with monk fruit. Has anyone tried that.
Oh yes, I have tried it and it’s totally fine!!
I am fixing to try this with monkfruit myself (Code Red Challenge by chance?). I figure I can have “pudding” for breakfast tomorrow. Sounds pretty simple to do. Might tweak the amount of sweetener though, not sure it will need 2 T of monkfruit.
Recently diagnosed with diabetes, I have been desperate to find a chocolate pud. This one is fab.
Instead of honey, cocoa and sweeteners:
I made up a half cup of Cadbury’s Options, waited for it to go cold, mixed with
chia seeds and unsweetened soya milk. Made enough for 3 good servings in individual dishes. It was sweet enough for me and totally satisfied my chocolate craving. As a treat, I also cut up a banana and put it on top … great recipe, thank you 😀👍
Oh I’m so happy you’re finding great alternatives to favorite recipes. Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
This is so good! I’m on an elimination diet for three weeks and this has been a great option for fulfilling my chocolate cravings. Made it as you described and topped with berries. Unfortunately it’s so good that my kids are eating it and leaving none for me!
Hahaha, its mommy’s snack!! I’m so glad you liked it and it’s helping with those chocolate cravings!
I don’t see where you mention how much of the mini chocolate chips you used except for the image but I can’t judge how much that is.
Oh, it’s actually not part of the official recipe. I just added it for a little crunch. You can use 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup 🙂
Sorry for asking, should we wash chia seeds before using them? Thanks
There’s no need to wash chia seeds before using them 🙂
Best pudding ever! Very easy to make, and delicious. My daughter loved it! And it turns out exactly like in the description! Very ciocolaty and very, very tasty! Thank you!
Thank you so much for sharing!! So glad your daughter loves it!!
Simply delicious. I did use a sugar substitute (diabetic)and unsweetened almond coconut milk. Since I
Like it a little thicker I added an additional tablespoon of chia. Breakfast time added chopped nuts
Love this recipe and I see a lot of enjoyable desserts in my future
So glad you enjoyed it! It’s the perfect healthy dessert. Thank you!!
Canned Coconut milk or coconut milk from the refrigerator section. they are very different.
Oh sorry, coconut milk from the refrigerator section. I’ll clarify in the post.
when a recipe calls for ‘coconut milk’, it’ll be refrigerated coconut milk. unless it calls for ‘canned coconut milk’, then it’s going to be normal refrigerated coconut milk.
Thank you for that!
Do you blend it before you put it in the fridge to make it smoother or after it’s set please?
If you want to blend the chia pudding, I would recommend doing it before it sets. Although blending it is not necessary, and I didn’t blend it in my pictures or video.
These are absolutely delicious. I made big muffins as well as mini muffins. They are husband and daughter approved.
Yay! Glad to hear it!
Can I use almond milk instead of coconut milk?
Yup, that works!
What is the white stuff on the top please.
It’s grated coconut 🙂
I see the almond milk says to not freeze.
Even though the almond milk says do not freeze, if you mix it with the chia pudding you can still freeze it.
I am adiabetic. Will using maple syrup and coconut milk raise my blood sugar.
The coconut milk should be fine as long as it’s unsweetened. However you may want to opt for no a zero calorie sugar and use less maple syrup and monitor the best time to consume it. You can also sweetened it naturally with some ground cinnamon or fruits. Hope that helps!
So easy to make with a delicious result. I love chia seeds so this is a bonus to enjoy them like this.
That’s so great to hear! Thank you for sharing 🙂
OMG Yass! So good. And I topped mine with whipped coconut cream. Delish!
Yummm! So glad you liked it! Love the whipped coconut cream on top!
Can I substitute honey for the maple syrup? I assume I can since your other recipe calls for honey.
Yes you can! That works 🙂
Super easy and delicious ?
Yay! So glad you liked it! Thank you!
This is delicious! However I did need to add more liquid as the pudding was too dense. I added almond milk, about 1/3 cup, stirred it in and it was perfect. This will be a new standard go to dessert for us.
Oh thank you for the feedback! So happy you enjoyed it and you were able to adjust the liquid to make it less dense. Thank you!
I’m going to the store to buy cocoa powder and more chia seeds!
Yay! Glad to hear it!
I have made this recipe many times and I usually double it. It makes 4-8 oz Mason jars. I will freeze three and have one out for my weekly dessert. It’s one of my favorite recipes plus it’s super easy to make. Thank you Yumna for sharing your recipe.
So glad to hear that you’re loving the recipe and even doubling it! Thanks so much for sharing!!
I love this kind of desserts I can eat without any guilt, greetings from Costa rica
So happy to hear that you enjoyed it! Thank you!
Serving size is 1g? And 237 calories?! This can’t be accurate, can it? My “pudding” came out more like a fudge- after I practically doubled the coconut milk (I used canned).
Sorry that 1g was just in there as default. And unfortunately the coconut milk from a can is much thicker which is why the consistency is more like a fudge. I would recommend regular coconut milk from a carton. Sorry the recipe didn’t work to your liking.
I love this recipe. But there is way more than 12 grams of sugar. 2 tbsp of maple syrup is about 26.5 grams of sugar. Quite a lot actually! Otherwise this is healthy.
The 2 tablespoons of maple sugar is for 2 servings. So if you divide it in half, it’s about 12-23 grams of sugar per serving. The nutrition calculator uses generic ingredients, so it assumed 24g of sugar for the 2 tablespoons of maple syrup. Hope that makes sense!
Hello,
The 1/4 cup of cocoa seems like a lot. Is that measurement accurate ?
Hi there, it seems that way at first but once you mix everything together, it works out well. Keep in mind this is for 2 servings. I’ve just uploaded the 1-minute video for the recipe. It might help to watch it too 🙂 Hope you enjoy it!
Hello. Would you be able to add the cocoa, vanilla and maple AFTER you’ve made chia pudding? I have a batch in my refrigerator now ( just almond milk and chia ) that I usually add to my yogurt. Thx., in advance.
Yes, that would be fine actually. The consistency might be a little different and the taste won’t be as rich, but it would still definitely work!
I believe Maria was asking, are you able to use a can of coconut milk or does it have to be the coconut milk in the carton?
Ohhh…I completely mis-read her question! Thank you for clarifying. Yes, you can use canned coconut!
When I’m substituting the maple syrup with Stevia, do you know the conversion amount?
From what I’ve read Stevia is 300 times sweeter than maple syrup. So 1 teaspoon of stevia is like 3/4 cup of maple syrup. So for this recipe, I would say start with 1/8 teaspoon of stevia and add another 1/8 teaspoon if you’d like. Hope that helps!
Thank you!
I loved this when I made it recently. So did a friend.
So glad you and your friend tried it and liked it! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I used oatmeal milk it’s 100% vegan. It tasted amazing !!
So glad to hear that! Thanks for sharing!
Was wondering what almond milk and coconut milk do you use?
I usually use Califia almond milk or coconut milk but any will work 🙂
Hello!! I was just wondering when you add the coconut milk, can it be the can type?
Thanks
You add the coconut milk right away along with the chia seeds and all the other ingredients. Hope you enjoy it! 🙂