3 Ingredient Chia Pudding

How to make chia pudding – a healthy snack, breakfast, or dessert loaded with protein, fiber, and omega-3s! Including the perfect chia pudding ratio, how-to, variations, and FAQs for the ultimate guide to chia seed pudding!

What is Chia Pudding?

Along with overnight oats, chia pudding is my favorite meal prep breakfast, snack, and dessert. Simply combine chia seeds, milk (dairy or non-dairy), and sweetener, mix, and leave them to thicken. The result is a light and creamy chia seed pudding with the consistency of tapioca. And, you can top it with all your favorite toppings and enjoy it throughout the week!

Not only is it quick and easy, but this chia pudding recipe is extremely versatile and nutritious too. Eating it provides a wonderful boost of energy (perfect for breakfast or the mid-afternoon snack). It will help keep you satiated for longer, and packs in fiber, protein, and omega-3s.

Plus, with your choice of liquid and sweetener, you can easily adapt the recipe to various dietary requirements. This includes gluten-free (which it is naturally), dairy-free, vegan, keto, whole30, refined sugar-free, etc. I’ve also included options for chia pudding with yogurt instead of milk and a simple method for a protein chia pudding! However, it all starts with just three base simple ingredients!

The Ingredients

• Chia Seeds: There are white and black chia seeds. You can use either (or a mix of both).
• Milk: You can use the dairy or non-dairy milk of your choice, including:
  • Coconut milk (canned or homemade)
  • Almond milk
  • Cashew milk
  • Soy milk
  • Hemp milk
  • Oat milk
  • Pistachio milk
  • Rice milk.

Note that chia pudding with canned coconut milk will be thicker and creamier than other milk varieties. Perfect for those who want the most decadent option!

• Sweetener: I love to use a drizzle of maple syrup, but you could use:
  • Honey (or vegan dandelion honey)
  • Agave syrup
  • Brown rice syrup
  • Date syrup or date paste
  • A sugar-free sweetener: Like monk fruit sweetener, stevia, erythritol, etc. (for keto chia pudding).
• Vanilla: (optional) I love to add a small amount of vanilla extract (or vanilla powder) for a subtle dessert-like flavor.

You could also add a teeny pinch of salt to enhance the various other flavors within the vanilla chia pudding. However, that’s 100% optional and not something I usually do. My favorite combination is coconut milk chia pudding with maple syrup.

Recipe Variations

While there are many ways to add flavor, here are just a few base recipe variations based on diet, etc.

• Keto chia seed pudding: Coconut milk chia pudding with monk fruit sweetener would be my favorite option. However, you can use a selection of milk options, including almond milk, cashew milk, soy milk, or even pea-based milk. Also, use a keto-friendly sweetener like erythritol, monk fruit, xylitol, or stevia. Adjust the amount to taste.
• Whole30 chia pudding: Use homemade almond milk, coconut milk, or cashew milk and sweeten with date paste or unsweetened applesauce or mashed banana.
• Vegan chia seed pudding: Use any non-dairy milk + any sweetener other than honey.
• Protein chia pudding: Add ½ scoop (2-3 Tbsp) of protein powder to the base vanilla flavored chia seed pudding. You can use plain protein powder or a flavored option.
• Chia seed pudding with yogurt: Use half yogurt (Greek yogurt, coconut yogurt, almond yogurt, soy yogurt, etc.) and half milk. You’ll get a chia yogurt pudding that’s thick, creamy, and has even more protein.

Once you have the “base” recipe sorted, there are practically endless possibilities for flavor variations. With the addition of fruit, cocoa powder or chocolate, nut or seed butter, matcha, etc.

How to Make Chia Pudding?

Once you know the correct ratio, it takes just a couple of simple steps to prepare this easy recipe in practically seconds.

What is The Perfect Chia Pudding Ratio?

Having experimented with several ratios over the years, this is the one that I return to time and time again:

1 1/2 Tablespoons Chia seeds + 1/2 cup milk of your choice. 

With chia seeds absorbing up to 10x their weight in liquid, this ratio is creamy without being overly thin or thick.

If you prefer a thicker pudding, use 2 tablespoon chia seeds per ½ cup of milk. Either way, you’ll only need a few tablespoons of chia seeds to prepare a week’s worth!

The Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Add all the chia seeds and milk to a cup, bowl, or jar and mix well. Then add the vanilla extract and sweetener and stir once more.
2. Then, set it aside in the refrigerator to thicken for a minimum of 30 minutes, but 2 hours is the optimal amount. I prefer to make it the night before.

Give the mixture another good stir 5-10 minutes after setting it aside for the best results. This will help you avoid clumps of chia seeds.

You can blend the chia pudding before serving it for a more traditional pudding, mousse-like texture. I usually do so after thickening, but you could do it before too.

Serving Recommendations

My favorite part about meal-prepping multiple jars of this easy chia pudding is thinking of all the different toppings I can enjoy with them. These include:

• Fresh fruit: Berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, etc), peaches, plums, chopped apple, pear, banana slices, etc.

You could also puree your favorite fruit and swirl it into the vanilla chia seed pudding for a super simple way to add flavor. I like to add them right before serving.

• Dried fruit: A sprinkle of raisins, dried blueberries, apricot, dates, etc.
• Nuts/Seeds: Like this omega seed blend, candied nuts or seeds, almonds, walnuts, etc.
• Seed or nut butter: Add a drizzle of your favorite seed or nut butter (like almond butter, cashew butter, or even this coffee peanut butter). It will add healthy fats and creamy richness to the recipe.
• Jam: Dollop or swirl a spoonful of jam into the pudding. This healthy date caramel would also make for a delicious treat.
• Sprinkles: i.e., coconut flakes, cacao nibs, granola, puffed quinoa, chocolate chips, etc.
• Spices: A pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, chai spice, cardamom, etc.
• Spirulina: Boost the health benefit and achieve a fun oceanic effect.
• Smoothie: My favorite breakfast combination was always to prepare overnight chia pudding topped with a small amount of thick and creamy smoothie.

How Long Does Chia Pudding Last?

You can store it in the fridge, covered, for 5 days, making it perfect as a meal-prep breakfast or snack.

You can also freeze it for up to 1 month! Allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight before enjoying.

I like to meal prep it in mason jars with lids for simple, mess-free storage.

Top FAQs

Recipe Tips and Notes

• Adjust the sweetness: According to personal taste.
• If it doesn’t thicken: This usually only happens if you have old chia seeds. Certain ingredients can also affect their ability to thicken (like orange juice or other ingredients with a certain pH level).
• For a thicker chia seed pudding: Add another ½ tablespoon of seeds per portion and leave it a further 30 minutes (at least) to thicken. Or thicken it with yogurt.
• For a thinner pudding: Add a little more milk of your choice.
• Adjust the texture: If you aren’t a fan of the tapioca pudding style texture, you can blend the mixture in a blender (or possibly food processor). Then you’ll get more of a smooth, creamy pudding-like, mousse texture.

More Chia Seed Recipes

• Lemon Chia Fresca
• Mango chia bowl
• How to make a chia egg
• Healthy Omega seed mix
• 5 Seed Butter (spread)
• 5-Seed protein powder

If you try this 3 ingredient base chia pudding recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!