Fudgy Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding
Prep this fudgy chocolate chia seed pudding ahead of time for a decadent, but nutritious breakfast loaded with fiber. Comes together easy in just one bowl and can be enjoyed with some optional zesty granola clusters.
Ever since I’ve made this mango chia seed pudding, my thoughts on chia seed pudding have changed. And if anything, it has made me more excited to play with flavors because flavor is a big determining factor of my enjoyment of food as I’m sure it is the same for you.
So if you’ve been apprehensive like I’ve been, sometimes it’s helpful to change it up. This fudgier take on chocolate chia pudding is a new favorite.
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding
- Easy to put together. While it looks like it should take more effort to make, you just need 5 minutes to mix together the chia pudding ingredients and time for it to gel.
- Great to make ahead. Both the chia pudding and the nutty granola can be made ahead of time for an easy grab and go breakfast option.
- Chocolatey! This recipe uses a number of techniques to help get as much chocolate flavor out of this dish as possible including a helpful blooming technique that is quick to do.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chia Seeds: You can use black or white chia seeds.
- Hot Coffee: Make sure the liquid you choose is hot. If not a fan of coffee or wish to reduce the caffeine, swap for equal amounts hot milk or hot water.
- Cocoa Powder: For the best flavors, opt for good quality Dutch-processed cocoa powder. It’s richer in flavor and can help make those chocolate flavors more intense.
- Chocolate Chips: Helps to give the pudding a little more fudginess. You can add more or less based on your preference.
- Maple Syrup: Since we aren’t cooking anything, I recommend using a liquid sweetener. Feel free to swap for agave syrup.
- Milk: My preferred plant based milk to use is unsweetened soy milk, but you can use any plant milk you prefer.
- Yogurt: My go to plant based yogurts are Forager Project, Kite Hill and Siggi’s Plant Based line. If you don’t have access to yogurt, using equal amount of the thick cream from canned full fat coconut milk works great as well.
- Nut Mix: I used a combination of almond slices, pistachios and cacao nibs. Feel free to swap the nut combo. You can also make this nut free by swapping the nuts for sunflower seeds and pepitas.
- Lemon: Use fresh as we need the zest. Can work with orange zest and lime zest as well.
How to Make Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding
In a medium sized bowl, add your cocoa powder and hot coffee and vanilla. Whisk it together to remove clumps then add the chocolate chips and whisk until fully melted.
When melted, add the milk, yogurt, maple syrup, and salt then whisk together. Fold in the chia seeds, let it sit for 5 minutes. Whisk it again, cover and allow to set for 20 minutes in the fridge.
To make the nut granola, preheat the oven to 350F and add the almonds, pistachios, and cacao nibs to a parchment lined baking tray. Top with syrup, lemon zest, and salt. Mix evenly and then press the mixture together into a single layer and roast in the oven for 5-8 minutes until golden. Allow to cool and break into clusters.
Serve and divide portions of the chia pudding as desired. Serve with the clusters and enjoy.
Expert Tips
- To avoid the chia seeds from clumping, stir your chia pudding after it has set for 5 minutes and then store in the fridge. This will help break up clumps before the seeds fully swell and settle in the mixture.
- For extra protein, use a high protein plant based milk like soy milk or pea protein milk. You can also use a high protein plant based yogurt in the recipe and add extra to top your chia pudding with when serving.
- The heat from the coffee should help melt the chocolate chips. If they don’t fully melt, place the cocoa powder mixture into the microwave for 30 seconds to reheat the liquids and help melt the chocolate.
- The nutty granola is optional, but highly recommended! You might think adding lemon zest for this topping sounds odd considering that we are pairing it with chocolate, but it is so good! This combination is very much inspired by Nibble Chocolate and their chocolate lemon truffle. Citrus flavors help bring out really beautiful floral notes in the chocolate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chia seeds are highly nutritious. They provide heart and gut protective soluble fiber, a significant amount of omega 3s, and antioxidants. A lot of the fiber in chia seeds has been associated with feeling more satisfied with a meal, helping reduce cholesterol and aiding in digestion.
Yes! You can divide the chia pudding up into individual jars or containers then store in the fridge for up to 5 days. The nutty granola can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.
Blooming is a culinary term that is associated with heating something up to enhance the flavors of. When it comes to cocoa powder, the best way to bloom and maximize its chocolatey flavors is to mix it with a hot liquid before using it in a recipe. Some hot liquids that are great to bloom cocoa powder in include water, coffee, milk, oil and even butter. The key is to heat them before adding to the cocoa. Heating it will also help make it much easier to dissolve your cocoa.
Your chia seeds might be expired or old especially if they have been sitting in your pantry for a long time. Older chia seeds don’t expand as quickly and may even sink more in the liquid, making it more difficult for it to gel properly.
Make this caffeine-free by heating up equal amounts of your milk of choice and mixing it with the cocoa powder. The heat will still help to bloom and intensify the flavors in your cocoa making it taste more chocolatey.
How to Serve
Portion out your chia seed pudding then top with the granola clusters for some added crunch. To aim for more protein, use a soy or pea based milk and a higher protein vegan yogurt like Siggi’s to maximize on protein.
I also love to add some additional high fiber fruit like raspberries or banana on top of the pudding for an extra boost.
More Prep In Advance Vegan Breakfast Ideas
- Make Ahead Savory Vegan Breakfast Jars
- Easy Apple Pie Overnight Oats
- Fudgy Chocolate Baked Oats
- Vegan Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins
- Chocolate Cherry Granola
Fudgy Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Refrigeration Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2–3 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: One Bowl
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Prep this fudgy chocolate chia seed pudding ahead of time for a decadent, but nutritious breakfast loaded with fiber. Comes together easy in just one bowl and can be enjoyed with some optional zesty granola clusters.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Dutch processed cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup hot coffee
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp dark chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup unsweetened soy milk
- 1/4 cup unsweetened plant based yogurt
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/3 cup chia seeds
Nut Granola
- 2 tbsp almond slivers,
- 2 tbsp pistachios, chopped
- 2 tbsp cacao nibs
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- Zest of half a lemon
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, add your cocoa powder and hot coffee and vanilla. Whisk it together to remove clumps then add the chocolate chips and whisk it to melt it.
- When melted, add the milk, yogurt, maple syrup, and salt then whisk together. Fold in the chia seeds, let it sit for 5 minutes. Whisk it again, cover and allow to set for at least 20 minutes in the fridge.
- To make the nut granola, preheat the oven to 350F and add the almonds, pistachios, cacao nibs to a parchment lined baking tray. Top with syrup, lemon zest, and salt. Mix evenly and then press the mixture together into a single layer and roast in the oven for 5-8 minutes until golden. Allow to cool and break into clusters.
- Serve and divide portions of the chia pudding as desired. Serve with the clusters and enjoy.
Notes
To avoid the chia seeds from clumping, stir your chia pudding after it has set for 5 minutes and then store in the fridge. This will help break up clumps before the seeds fully swell and settle in the mixture.
For extra protein, use a high protein plant based milk like soy milk or pea protein milk. You can also use a high protein plant based yogurt in the recipe and add extra to top your chia pudding with when serving.
The heat from the coffee should help melt the chocolate chips. If they don’t fully melt, place the cocoa powder mixture into the microwave for 30 seconds to reheat the liquids and help melt the chocolate.
The nutty granola is optional, but highly recommended! You might think adding lemon zest for this topping sounds odd considering that we are pairing it with chocolate, but it is so good! This combination is very much inspired by Nibble Chocolate and their chocolate lemon truffle. Citrus flavors help bring out really beautiful floral notes in the chocolate.
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, then let me know what you thought in the comments below! And if you loved it, don’t forget to rate it too. Feel free to follow on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for the latest nutrition tips and recipe videos.
★ Catherine
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Wow this is incredible. I want to eat this everyday! Nothing else to say other than I will be making this regularly.