Overnight Chocolate Chia Pudding
Stir, chill, done — chia seeds swell into a thick chocolate pudding overnight. High in fiber and omega-3s, sweetened only with maple. A make-ahead breakfast or dessert.
Why you'll love this recipe
- One of the most-requested recipes here
- Not one spoon of refined sugar
- No baking required
- Makes enough for 4
- Easy, with clear steps and nothing fussy
What you'll need
Everything here is a real ingredient you can find in a normal shop. Nothing artificial, no powders pretending to be sugar. Here is the full list, with the quantities I actually use.
- 1/3 cup (55 g) chia seeds
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) milk of choice
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla, pinch salt
- To top: berries, banana, cacao nibs
How to make it
Whisk cocoa, maple, vanilla and salt with a splash of the milk to a smooth paste.
Whisk in the rest of the milk, then the chia seeds.
Wait 5 minutes, then whisk again to break up clumps (this is the trick to smooth pudding).
Cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight.
Stir, divide into 4 glasses, and top with fruit and cacao nibs.
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Storage
Keep it covered in the fridge and it will hold for three to four days. If you are making it ahead, hold back any fresh topping until just before you serve so nothing goes soft. Most of these freeze well too, wrapped tight, for up to three months.
Questions about this recipe
Is Overnight Chocolate Chia Pudding really made without refined sugar?
Yes. All the sweetness comes from pure maple syrup - there is not one spoon of white sugar in it. That is the whole point of how I cook.
Do I need to bake Overnight Chocolate Chia Pudding?
No baking at all. It sets in the fridge, so you do not need to turn the oven on - which makes it an easy one for a hot day.
How long does Overnight Chocolate Chia Pudding keep?
Kept covered in the fridge it holds for three to four days. Most of these freeze well too, wrapped tight, for up to three months - hold back any fresh topping until just before serving.
How many does Overnight Chocolate Chia Pudding make?
This makes enough for 4. It scales cleanly, so use the 1x / 2x / 3x buttons on the recipe card if you need more or less.
Overnight Chocolate Chia Pudding
Stir, chill, done — chia seeds swell into a thick chocolate pudding overnight. High in fiber and omega-3s, sweetened only with maple. A make-ahead breakfast or dessert.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup (55 g) chia seeds
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) milk of choice
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla, pinch salt
- To top: berries, banana, cacao nibs
Instructions
- Whisk cocoa, maple, vanilla and salt with a splash of the milk to a smooth paste.
- Whisk in the rest of the milk, then the chia seeds.
- Wait 5 minutes, then whisk again to break up clumps (this is the trick to smooth pudding).
- Cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Stir, divide into 4 glasses, and top with fruit and cacao nibs.
