This delicious Vanilla Chia Pudding is rich, creamy, and so easy to make. This gluten and dairy free pudding is perfect for a quick breakfast, snack, or treat. Try topping it with your favorite fruit, granola, and nut butter!

Easy Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding

I’m not really a sweets for breakfast kind of girl (team savory all the way), but if there is one sweet-ish recipe that I can pretty much always eat for breakfast, it’s chia seed pudding.

There was a time, a few years ago that I thought chia seed pudding was just plain weird. You know those recipes you see online that only food bloggers would make and eat, but the actual normal public wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole? Yea…that was what I thought of all the chia seed pudding recipes I saw online.

Watch How to Make This Recipe

But, after seeing my ten thousandth chia seed recipe in a cookbook one Saturday morning, I finally decided to give it a try and see for myself. I was convinced I would hate it. I was pleasantly surprised by how wrong I was. It was absolutely delicious. Now, chia seed pudding is one of the tools in my quick healthy breakfast arsenal that I rely upon heavily. And when I say heavily, I mean it.

At least a couple of times a month, I prep a big batch of chia seed pudding to eat throughout the week. Even though I work from home and have the flexibility of being able to cook whenever I need to, I don’t want to spend all of my time in the kitchen. Having a healthy option that I can grab and quickly put together makes my life so much easier and I’m willing to bet it could help you, too!

What Are Chia Seeds?

Chia seeds are tiny black oval seeds that come from the plant Salvia hispanica which is a plant related to the mint plant. They have the ability to absorb high amounts of water and fat which makes them a great option to thicken sauces and can also be used as an egg substitute. When you add chia seeds to liquid like water or nut milk, they bloom and can create a gel or delicious chia seed pudding.

What are the Health Benefits of Chia Seeds?

Chia seeds are a great source of fiber and have over ten grams in ounce. They are also an excellent source of omega-3 healthy fats which are a great addition to your healthy diet. They are also rich in antioxidants, iron, and calcium.

Chia Seed Pudding Ingredients

Nut Milk: You can use whatever nut milk you love to make this recipe. I love combining almond milk with full fat coconut milk for a thick and creamy chia pudding. Another great option is cashew milk.

Nut Butter: Any nut butter you love will work here! Peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, or any mixed nut butter will work. Be mindful that if you use peanut butter, the chia pudding will have a peanut butter flavor to it.

Vanilla Extract: The vanilla extract helps to give the chia seed pudding that delicious vanilla flavor. If you do not want too much vanilla flavor you can scale back the amount.

Maple Syrup or Honey: These are used to sweeten your chia seed pudding. Personally, I like to use just one tablespoon of sweetener but feel free to use two or even three if you like things a bit sweeter. You can also leave the sweetener out completely and allow the fruit to sweeten the pudding.

How to Make Chia Seed Pudding

Step One: Whisk together all of the ingredients except the chia seeds

Step Two: Add the chia seeds and whisk again until well combined.

Step Three: Pour the mix into a storage container and place it in the refrigerator. After twenty minutes, give it another stir to make sure everything is evenly combined.

Step Four: Leave the chia pudding in the fridge overnight. In the morning give it a good stir and then top it with berries, your favorite granola, and even a little nut butter if that’s your thing. Enjoy!

The Best Chia Pudding Toppings

Topping the chia seed pudding is my favorite part! Because this is a vanilla chia seed pudding, there are so many delicious toppings that you can use. Here are a few of my favorite toppings:

fresh berries like strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries
sliced bananas or apples
nuts and seeds like toasted almonds, chopped peanuts, or cashews
your favorite granola
shredded coconut
a spoonful of creamy nut butter like cashew butter, peanut butter, or almond butter

How to Store

You can store the chia seed pudding in an air-tight container in the fridge for two to three days. Store it without the toppings or fruit and add them to the pudding when you’re ready to eat!

More Delicious Meal Prep Breakfast Recipes

I hope you give this Vanilla Chia Pudding a try! This makes a quick and easy breakfast or snack that everyone will love!

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