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    June 26, 2021

    Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

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    If you love chocolate and you love pudding, this chocolate chia seed pudding is for you. It's a great sweet treat that will satisfy your chocolate cravings while providing some nutritional benefit! This recipe only requires 5 ingredients - chia seeds, a milk of your choice, chocolate protein powder, vanilla extract, and a sweetener of your choice. Once mixed together and left in the fridge overnight, the chia seeds soak up most of the milk, forming a thick and creamy pudding-like texture. The chocolate protein adds protein (obviously) but also a sweet, chocolatey flavor. This chocolate chia seed pudding will be one of your new favorite desserts that requires little preparation!

    Jar of chocolate chia seed pudding on a plate with a peanut butter drizzle.  A spoon of pudding to the left of the jar.  A purple flower and bowl of chia seeds in the background.

    We gotta talk about texture

    We have to warn you - chia seed pudding has a different texture to it. The seeds soak up the majority of the liquid, which causes them to soften. But a gelatinous "gel" forms around each seed, which will still have a slight crunch to it. This is how the "pudding" is formed! Chia seed pudding isn't silky smooth like traditional pudding because of the individual seeds. However, there is a trick to get it smoother if certain textures weird you out! Simply put all of the ingredients into a blender and blend on high for 1-2 minutes. Then let the mixture sit in the fridge overnight. Boom! You will have a smoother chia seed pudding 🙂

    A spoon of peanut butter and chocolate chia seed pudding on a plate next to a jar of pudding.

    Our favorite way to eat this chia seed pudding is plain with a (heavy) drizzle of peanut butter or mixed in with plain Greek yogurt to add extra protein! This is a great meal prep recipe because you can make a big batch at once and eat it throughout the week as an easy grab-and-go breakfast.

    Recipe FAQ

    How can I make this even more chocolatey?!

    Each protein powder will have a different level of chocolate intensity. If you can't get enough of the rich chocolate flavor, add 1-2 tsp of unsweetened cocoa powder!

    What kind of milk should I use?

    Whichever you prefer! This recipe will work with any type of milk, from cow's to almond to oat.

    What kind of sweetener should I use?

    We use honey but any type will work! Keep in mind that more solid sweeteners (table sugar, brown sugar) may not be absorbed as well as liquid sweeteners, such as honey and real maple syrup.

    Do I even need sweetener?

    Nope! It's all based on personal preference. If you want this pudding less sweet, decrease the amount of sweetener used or omit altogether. Sometimes protein powders can be pretty sweet on their own so you may not need sweetener!

    How do I make this chia seed pudding smooth?

    Chia seed pudding does have a different texture to it. If you prefer a smoother pudding, blend all of the ingredients together in a blender for 1-2 minutes and that should crush up the seeds into a smoother texture!

    Is chia seed pudding healthy?

    Yes, it provides nutritional benefits that traditional chocolate pudding does not. However, "everything in moderation" is so true here! Scroll down to read more about the health benefits of this chocolate chia seed pudding 🙂

    Jar full of chia seed pudding on a plate with a drizzle of peanut butter and spoon of pudding to the left.  A purple flower in the top left corner and bowl of chia seeds in the top right.

    Health benefits & other flavor ideas

    Chia seeds are full of fiber, omega 3 fats, and a small amount of protein. The combination of all of these nutrients make this chia pudding a satisfying snack! You can even decrease the amount of added sugar by omitting the sweetener and reading the nutrition facts label on your protein powder (remember to pick a third party tested protein powder - read more about that in this post!).

    If you aren't a big chocolate fan, vanilla protein powder will work just as well! Or any flavor you prefer. We love adding peanut butter powder (you can leave this out of the recipe below if you'd prefer) to ours to give it a peanut butter cup vibe. You can mix in any nut butter, crushed nuts, chocolate chips, dried fruit, sliced banana, diced apple, etc. - the add-ins are limitless! If you try this recipe, please rate and review it below. We also love connecting on social media, so tag us @theperfectpear8 so we can see what you created!

    Jar full of chocolate chia seed pudding on a plate with a spoon of peanut butter next to it.  A bowl of chia seeds is to the right of the jar and a purple flower in the background.
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    Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

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    If you love chocolate and you love pudding, this chocolate chia seed pudding is for you. This recipe only requires 5 ingredients - chia seeds, a milk of your choice, chocolate protein powder, vanilla extract, and a sweetener of your choice. This chocolate chia seed pudding will be one of your new favorite desserts that requires little preparation!

    • Author: Lauren
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Total Time: 5 minutes
    • Yield: 1 ½ cups 1x
    • Category: Breakfast, Desserts, Snacks
    • Cuisine: American

    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 ¼ cup milk of choice
    • 3 ½ Tbsp chia seeds
    • 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
    • 1 tsp sweetener of choice
    • ¼ tsp vanilla extract
    • 1 Tbsp peanut butter powder

    Instructions

    1. In a mason jar or medium bowl, shake or whisk ingredients.
    2. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for at least 3 hours.
    3. Add desired toppings & enjoy!

    Notes

    • Optional toppings: chocolate chips, sliced banana, crushed nuts, sliced almonds, drizzle of nut butter
    • Keep in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: ½ cup
    • Calories: 171
    • Sugar: 6
    • Sodium: 140
    • Fat: 7
    • Saturated Fat: 1
    • Unsaturated Fat: 6
    • Trans Fat: 0
    • Carbohydrates: 15
    • Fiber: 7
    • Protein: 12
    • Cholesterol: 0

    Keywords: chocolate pudding, chia seed pudding, chia gel, chia seed gel, chia pudding, healthy dessert ideas, chia seed pudding recipe, chocolate pudding recipe, healthy snack ideas, healthy dessert recipes, dessert recipes, chocolate recipes

    Did you make this recipe?

    Please comment below & let me know what you thought. I'd also love if you shared a photo on Instagram and tagged me @theperfectpearr so I can see! And don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to the Perfect Pear newsletter to get new recipes delivered straight to your inbox!

    More Breakfast & Brunch

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    • No Bake Brownie Bites with Sea Salt
    • Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Bread
    • Stovetop Apple Butter Recipe
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    Hi! I'm Lauren. As a dietitian, my goal is to provide you with nutrient-dense recipes that taste good with a sprinkle of indulgent recipes because I'm all about balance.

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