Creamy, rich, and sweetened with fruit! This chocolate chia pudding is a great make-ahead breakfast recipe or energizing snack. 8 grams of plant-based protein, no dairy, and all the indulgence of a chocolate treat.
Chia seed pudding is loaded with healthy fats and this chocolate banana version is a rich flavor that you can't say no to.
Customize your chia pudding every time by adding new toppings to it and enjoy the benefit of plant-based protein and quality fuel!
As a Certified Nutrition Coach, chia seeds are one of the three foods I think every child (and mama) should have in their diets.
However, my clients love this chocolate chia pudding with bananas because it's:
- Super creamy and indulgent
- Easy to whip up
- Dairy-free, gluten-free, paleo, vegan, and has a whole30 swap if needed
- A simple breakfast or midday snack
Benefits Of Chia Seeds
- Chia seeds are high in healthy fats, fats that specifically promote fighting inflammation.
- They also contain a pretty good amount of protein
- Their fiber intake is high.
Chia seeds are a powerhouse of nutrients! Learn more about easy ways to get more chia seeds into your diet.
Ingredients You'll Need
Banana: the more ripe your banana is the better! This chocolate chia pudding is a great way to use up any extra bananas on the counter (though freezing them and making protein ice cream is wicked too!).
Unsweetened almond milk: any non-dairy milk will work in this recipe. We use homemade hemp milk the most or a blend of hemp and coconut milk to make it ultra-creamy.
Cacao powder: not to be confused with cocoa powder (learn the differences between cacao and cocoa). Cacao powder is loaded with calcium, antioxidants, and more.
Maple syrup: adding a bit of extra sweetness for a pick-me-up. Make sure to use real maple syrup and not a man-made one.
Vanilla extract: if you can opt for pure vanilla as it will give much more flavor!
Chia seeds: we like to use black chia seeds. Make sure to grab the whole seed though and not the ground ones!
Step By Step Photos
How To Make Chocolate Chia Pudding
- Combine half a banana, cacao, and all wet ingredients in a blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into a bowl and whisk in the chia seeds.
- Let sit in the fridge for four to six hours. This allows the seeds to absorb the mixture and thicken resulting in a pudding-like consistency.
- When ready to eat, top with banana slices and enjoy!
Whole30 Variation
As is, the chocolate chia pudding is not Whole30 approved because of the maple syrup.
However, you can easily make it whole30 by eliminating the maple syrup. That said, this does affect the sweetness slightly. Either enjoy the chia pudding as more of a dark chocolate flavor or use a bit more of the banana to sweeten it (mix it into the chocolate chia pudding after it has set).
Alternatively, you can top the chia pudding with whole30 coconut whip cream which would sweeten it naturally as well.
Making Perfect Chia Pudding Every Time
If you find that your chia pudding tends to clump to the bottom and leave the liquid on top, there’s a solution for that!
Whisk up your chocolate chia pudding and ten minutes later, go whisk it again. Because the seeds absorb so quickly this makes it perfect every single time.
This chocolate chia seed pudding is best made the night before (like this coffee chia pudding) and left to sit in the fridge until ready to eat. In a sealed container it will last up to two days in the fridge.
If you need to portion the pudding out for toddlers, make sure to divide the chia seeds up before you mix in the liquid. Otherwise, the consistency between the dishes will be different.
Hack: want to amp up the protein in the recipe? Add in a scoop of collagen powder and make it a post-workout snack!
Toppings
One of the fun ways to make this chocolate chia pudding from a snack to a dessert is to top it with your favorites!
- Homemade granola
- Paleo chocolate chips
- Coconut whip
- Drizzled almond butter
- Homemade dairy-free caramel sauce
Let your kids pick and choose their favorite toppings to make them unique every time. Want more of a protein-packed snack? Give this chocolate protein pudding a go this week too!
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Frequently Asked Questions About Chia Seed Pudding
Though chia pudding is a healthy, fueling snack, it is also high in calories. Likewise, this chocolate banana chia pudding recipe is also high in carbohydrates.
While it is healthy, depending on your diet allotments this may not be the best choice for you. If you’re following a low-carb diet, this recipe makes be challenging for you to fit in.
For some people, chia pudding feels too slimy for their preference. To avoid this, blend the chia seeds with the other ingredients. This makes the chia pudding come out much more smooth (though sometimes not as thick)
Chocolate chia pudding is a wonderful snack for toddlers! Young kids need more calories per pound of bodyweight than we do as adults and they also need a ton of healthy fats. Healthy fats help keep kids full and satiated but they also help boost brain development. This chocolate chia seed pudding has a balance of healthy fats, plant-based protein, and carbohydrates. Thus, it makes a great toddler snack. One thing to note though is that chia pudding isn’t the best for super young toddlers (infants, baby-led weaning, etc). Because chia seeds create a gel with water it can be hard to swallow for super young babes if it’s thick.
Any non-dairy milk will work in chia pudding it may just alter the texture a bit. Chia pudding with oat milk will be creamier than a recipe with almond milk. However, the nut milk one will have a healthier fat profile. Use what you have on hand.
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 Dairy-Free Recipes & Tips
- 4 tasty ways to enjoy chia seeds
- Peanut butter protein powder chia pudding
- Flourless protein brownies
- 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
- High protein pancakes
- Yogurt protein pancakes
- Chocolate protein fluff
- Easy, no-bake vanilla protein bar
- High protein snack recipes
Dairy-Free Chocolate Chia Pudding With Banana
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 banana split in half
- 1 cup almond milk
- 3 tablespoons cacao powder
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup separate 2 and 1
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup chia seeds
- 2 tablespoon chia seeds
Instructions
- In a powerful blender, combine half the banana, cacao. Vanilla and two tablespoons syrup. Pour in the almond milk.
- Blend until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into a bowl and whisk in the chia seeds.
- Let sit in the fridge for four to six hours. This allows the seeds to absorb the mixture and thicken resulting in a pudding-like consistency.
- Remove from fridge and stir in the last tablespoons of syrup as well as the second half of the banana.
Notes
- This chocolate chia pudding is best made the night before and left to sit in the fridge until ready to eat. In a sealed container it will last up to two days in the fridge.
- If you need to portion the pudding out for toddlers, make sure to divide the chia seeds up before you mix in the liquid. Otherwise, the consistency between the dishes will be different.
- Almond milk or oat milk works best for the chia seed pudding.
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Nutrition
Breakfast has never been so simple.. or healthy! This chocolate chia pudding recipe is sweet, creamy, and full of nutrients to start off the day.
Thanks to some tasty superfoods it's not only chocolate-based but it will get your body and mind jumped up and ready for the day ahead.. and there's no cooking required. Win!
Shelby
Love it! I’m always looking for healthy dessert alternatives, and this is going to make the list.
fitasamamabear
It's yummy! Chocolate and banana are a great combo!
Molly @ Strong Girl Wellness
I've been adding chai seeds to just about anything lately! But to be honest, the recipe had me at chocolate 😛 Excited to try this out!!
fitasamamabear
Haha yup we're chocolate fiends too. Like addicted 😀
Emily
We love chia pudding and bananas! Might have to have this as a snack today (:
fitasamamabear
It's a great combo.. and chia seeds kick butt!
Liane
Yummy, I love chia seeds! I have all the ingredients, definitely going to try this today 🙂
fitasamamabear
Yup chia seeds kick butt 😀
Shauna
The recipe lists 1/4 cup chia seeds as well as 2 tablespoons chia seeds.. Do I add both amounts?
fitasamamabear
Hey Shauna,
Yup you need both of them! Enjoy 🙂
Donny
I love decadent recipes that are secretly healthy. This was such a fun breakfast!
fitasamamabear
They are definitely the best kind of recipes lol
nancy
tasty and so satisfying without too much sugar. I love it since i am not a big fan of overly sweet desserts.
fitasamamabear
Same here, I like the rich dark chocolate flavor!
Janessa
Yum! This chia pudding is so creamy. I think it might be my new favourite treat.
fitasamamabear
It's definitely one of mine!
jennifer
Loved it, all the things I love . . . . gobbled mine up for breakfast!!! Great fuel for any time of the day!
fitasamamabear
Haha it's a tasty way to kick off the day!