Indulge in this creamy banana chia pudding recipe as a make-ahead breakfast or easy snack! This chia pudding recipe is naturally sweetened with bananas and just a hint of pure maple syrup for the perfect flavor combo.
Whip it up in just five minutes and then let the chia seeds to their job and enjoy a delicious cup of comfort the next day.
Chia seed pudding recipes are a staple when it comes to busy mornings.
Whip them up ahead of time and pop them in the fridge. The next morning you’ll have a healthy breakfast or quick snack ready to go (these meal prep breakfast ideas are wicked too).
This banana chia pudding especially is a hit with kiddos who love the comforting flavor of banana and cinnamon.
And the best part for moms is that there’s 19 grams of protein in each serving! Learn more about the benefits of a high protein diet and why you want to amp it up!
As a Certified Nutrition Coach, this banana chia seed pudding is a well-rounded snack for moms and kids because it’s:
- Dairy-free, gluten-free, and paleo
- Easy to make
- Great for busy days
- Loaded with healthy fats
- High in protein (19 grams per serving)
- Can be made into a snack or dessert
Ingredients You’ll Need
Bananas: the riper the better for this chia seed pudding as you want the bananas to be as sweet as possible. This is the case for this banana protein pudding too.
Dairy-free milk: unsweetened almond milk works well for this banana chia pudding recipe but we tend to use homemade hemp milk the most.
Vanilla extract: the better the vanilla the more intense the flavor will be. That’s why we use Madagascar vanilla the most.
Collagen powder: responsible for the high protein in this recipe! Collagen powder is different than protein powder and is amazing for helping your gut (learn about the differences between collagen and protein powder as well as natural foods high in collagen to help keep you young).
Maple syrup: trust me on this, use the real stuff. The flavor is so much more delicious!
Chia seeds: thee are one of the top foods I think every toddler should have in their diet they’re so good! Learn more about how to eat more chia seeds.
How To Make It
- In a blender, combine the bananas, vanilla, milk, and maple syrup. Blend until mostly smooth.
- In a bowl, mix the chia seeds, cinnamon, and collagen powder.
- Pour the banana mixture into the chia seeds and mix well.
- Let sit for five minutes and then mix again.
- Portion into a jar and pop in the fridge for 24 hours.
Step By Step Photos
Important Teaching Tips
Once portioned into the jar, you can easily add in your fruit or mixings on top before it sits. However, they do become soggy sometimes. Personally, I prefer to add any extra toppings I want right before eating.
You can either mix the chia pudding ingredients in a bowl and then portion them into a jar, or you can add the ingredients into a jar and shake it to combine them.
The longer chia seed pudding sits, the more liquid it absorbs (the thicker it gets) for up to twenty-four hours.
Don’t skip double-mixing the chia pudding! It’s the number one hack to make sure that your dairy-free chia pudding comes out smooth and creamy and not clumpy.
Though you can use mashed banana and then mix the remaining ingredients together, it doesn't taste as smooth as it does if you blend hen ingredients.
Likewise, coconut milk does work in place of almond milk (or even if you do a half almond milk and half coconut milk) but it also jacks the calorie intake up a lot. Made sure to use canned coconut milk though if you do decide to use it (it makes the banana chia pudding crazy indulgent!).
Topping The Banana Chia Pudding
You can make this banana chia seed pudding into anything you want by the way you top it!
If using it as a snack, stick with fresh fruit (banana slices work nicely!) and homemade protein granola.
But, if making it into a dessert, anything goes. We’ve used any of the below and it turns out great every time!
Choosing Collagen Powder
It’s no surprise that these chia pudding is made with collagen powder!
All the protein without the bloat.
I use collagen powder for amping up protein and boosting gut health.
Learn about the difference between collagen and bone broth as how to increase protein intake.
Honestly, as a busy mom collagen powder just makes it easy to eat more protein and not feel like I’m living off chicken and eggs.
And more protein means more energy, more natural beauty, and feeling your BEST.
Plus, in recipes like this, you can sneak protein into your kids as it’s one of the purest sources.
I grab my collagen from Perfect Supplements because they source their collagen from pasture-raised (grass-fed) cows. So, I trust it.
Grab some collagen powder and use code mamabear10 to save some money.
Easy to mix, this collagen powder adds a protein punch to anything you pair it with. Made from pasture-raised (grass-fed) cows there are no pesticides, hormones, or filler agents. Just put collagen protein. Use code mamabear10 to save money on your next order.
Fast, crave-worthy snacks that hit your protein goals (without tracking or extra cooking time).
Frequently Asked Questions About Chia Pudding
Protein chia pudding will last roughly three days in the fridge if stored in an airtight container.
Without anything else added, the best chia pudding ratio is about 3 tablespoons of chia seeds to half a cup of liquid. However, when adding in collagen powder to the recipe, you’ll want to increase the liquid a bit so that you maintain the best consistency.
Chia seed pudding is loaded with plant-based protein as well as omega three fatty acids. Though it is higher in calories, it can be a great addition to a healthy diet so long as you keep your macronutrients in check for your goals.
It’s not common but like anything else, chia seeds can go bad. If you want to extend the life of your chia seeds, store them in a sealed jar in the fridge. Stored like that, chia seeds should last at least a year unless liquid gets into the jar as you use it. You’ll know your chia seeds have gone bad if they start to clump together. Otherwise, I wouldn’t worry about it.
Other Chia Pudding Recipes
- Chocolate chia pudding
- Coffee chia pudding
- Lemon protein chia seed pudding
- Peanut butter protein powder chia pudding
Other Dairy Free & Gluten-Free Snack Recipes
- Overnight cookie dough protein oats
- Cookies and cream protein shake
- Peanut butter and jam protein balls
- Chocolate chip protein powder muffins
- Chocolate fudge protein balls
- High protein cookies
- Chocolate protein fluff
- Easy, no-bake vanilla protein bar
- High protein snack recipes
Banana Chia Seed Protein Pudding
Video
Ingredients
- 1 Banana ripe
- 1 cup Dairy-free milk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 3 tbs Collagen powder
- ½ cup Chia seeds
- 1 tbs Maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon optional
Instructions
- In a blender, combine the bananas, vanilla, milk, and maple syrup. Blend until mostly smooth.
- In a bowl, mix the chia seeds, cinnamon, and collagen powder.
- Pour the banana mixture into the chia seeds and mix well.
- Let sit for five minutes and then mix again.
- Portion into a jar and pop in the fridge for 24 hours.
Notes
- Once portioned into the jar, you can easily add in your fruit or mixings on top before it sits. However, they do become soggy sometimes. Personally, I prefer to add any extra toppings I want right before eating.
- The cinnamon is optional, it adds amazing flavor but does change the color of the chia pudding. I personally just dust the top with it.
- You can either mix the chia pudding ingredients in a bowl and then portion them into a jar, or you can add the ingredients into a jar and shake it to combine them.
- The longer chia seed pudding sits, the more liquid it absorbs (the thicker it gets) for up to twenty-four hours.
- Don’t skip double mixing the chia pudding! It’s the number one hack to make sure that your dairy-free chia pudding comes out smooth and creamy and not clumpy.
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Shelby S says
This is my odlest daughters favorite flavor! It's so naturally sweet and I love that I can make a few and have them ready in the fridge.