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At a glance
- What it is: A single-serving chia pudding recipe that you can make ahead in a jar and top with fruit when you’re ready to eat
- What makes it special: A hint of cinnamon and cardamom, plus the tiniest bit of sweetness from maple syrup, make my version of chia pudding feel a little bit elevated without being complicated
- How to make it: Combine the chia seeds, milk, and flavorings in a small, lidded jar, shake until completely mixed, and then pop it in the fridge for a few hours or overnight
Why you’ll love this recipe
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t an early convert to chia pudding. I really love nutritious food that also tastes great, but when a recipe smacks of HEALTH FOOD, I get nervous about the implications.
That said, about a year ago, I was looking for a few easy ways to get more fiber, and I realized that chia pudding is not only a super efficient way to do that, it can also be truly delicious. I developed this recipe to have:
- A great, creamy texture
- Just enough sweetness
- An elevated flavor profile with hints of cinnamon and cardamom
- The quickest and easiest possible method
Hope you love it as much as I do.
What you’ll need
Here’s a peek at the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe.
- I always have Silk unsweetened soy milk in my fridge, since it’s my go-to for coffee, smoothies, and the occasional late-night bowl of cereal. It’s creamy and fairly neutral-tasting and has quite a bit of plant-based protein, and it works really well for chia pudding. You can use any dairy or plant-based milk that you prefer.
- Chia seeds are native to Central America and were a staple food for Aztecs and Mayans dating back 5,000 years. They’re nutritional powerhouses, with lots of dietary fiber, protein, Omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Learn more here.
- Pure maple syrup adds a hint of earthy sweetness. You don’t need much. I’ve called for 1/2 teaspoon, but you can easily customize it to your personal taste.
- Tiny pinches of ground cinnamon and especially ground cardamom elevate the flavor profile to something truly special. Depending on its variety and freshness, cardamom can be very strong, so don’t overdo it.
Video: How to make chia pudding
How to make it
Here’s an overview of what you’ll do to make a chef-worthy jar of chia seed pudding. You can see the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post, and get all the details in the recipe card below.
- Add all the ingredients to an 8-ounce jar.
- Stir until ingredients are well-distributed.
- Place the lid on the jar and shake for 30 seconds.
- Refrigerate for at least four hours, preferably overnight, before topping with fruit and serving.
Expert tips and FAQs
The flavor profile of this chia seed pudding works beautifully with any fruit that I can think of, from berries to bananas to stone fruits to melon to tropical fruits. I’ve pictured it here with a personal favorite, diced summer nectarines.
Yes, this is a great make-ahead recipe. It needs at least four hours in the fridge to develop a pudding-like consistency, and I try to make it the night before when possible. If you’re into meal prep, it’s a quick and easy recipe to batch for a week of breakfasts or snacks.
I keep my chia seeds in the freezer, where they’ll easily last a year or more without degrading in flavor or nutritional profile.
You might also like
- Got a big bag of chia seeds in the freezer? You might also like my flexible recipe for a Chia Seed Smoothie.
Summarize & Save This Content On
Chef-worthy Chia Pudding
Equipment
- 1 8-ounce lidded jar
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsweetened soy milk
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- ½ teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
- 1 tiny pinch ground cardamom
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to an 8-ounce jar.
- Give it a really good stir until the seeds and spices distribute well and the liquid starts to thicken a little.
- Place the lid onto the jar and shake well for 30 seconds.
- Refrigerate for at least four hours. I like to leave it overnight when possible.
- Just before eating, give it a stir and top with fruit.
Notes
- I always have Silk unsweetened soy milk in my fridge, since it’s my preferred milk for coffee. It’s creamy and naturally high in protein and works really well for chia pudding. You can use any kind of dairy or plant-based milk that you like.
- The flavors of this pudding work well with more or less any fruit. I’ve pictured diced nectarine, but berries, banana, other stone fruits, or tropical fruits could all work beautifully.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
