Creamy, delicious, and easy to make! This protein powder chia pudding is swirled with creamy peanut butter, topped with chocolate chips and packs in 19 grams of protein. Whip it up ahead of time for a make-ahead breakfast (or snack) and gain some fuel from something that tastes like dessert!
Busy days just got better.
Scrambling around in the morning or reaching for random snacks mid-afternoon just puts you further and further away from your goals.
You need something protein-packed to kick off your day. Learn more about the benefits of a high protein diet and why you want to amp it up!
So, have this protein powder chia pudding on hand so that what you grab is healthy!
As a Nutrition Coach, protein chia pudding is a go-to for me because it’s:
- Prepped in just five minutes
- Dairy-free, gluten-free, paleo, and vegan
- Easy to grab and munch on
- Delicious
- 19 grams of plant-based protein
Having high-protein snacks on hand keeps me full (which in turn keeps me sane!). so, learn how to rock your meal prep and make this protein powder chia pudding (and this coffee chia pudding) part of your routine!
Ingredients You’ll Need
With just five main ingredients, this protein chia pudding is an easy one to whip up. You can use it as a make-ahead breakfast or a quick snack to curb the angry (peek these other protein chia pudding recipes to help with this too!).
Chia seeds: these little powerhouses are one of the three foods I think every kid should have in their diet. They’re that good! And a little chia seeds go a long way. Make sure to grab whole chia seeds though and not ground.
Dairy-free milk: we use homemade hemp milk but any almond milk or dairy alternative will work (learn more about dairy-free swaps).
Peanut butter: you want to use natural peanut and make sure it’s a fresh-ish jar. This helps it blend into the other protein chia pudding ingredients easier. Love peanut butter? Check out these protein peanut butter cups and gluten-free peanut butter recipes too!
Maple syrup: a hint of maple syrup for sweetness! Grab the real stuff and enjoy the smoky flavor.
Vanilla protein powder: you need a plant-based protein powder for this chia seed pudding recipe to help absorb the liquid (learn more about how to choose protein powder for your goals).
Benefits Of Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are little powerhouses when it comes to nutrition. They have a ton of benefits and because they create a gel when mized with water, they have a fun texture too. They can:
- Increase your fiber intake to out your gut
- Slow digestion helps keep you full longer
- Improve brain health through their omega three's
- Give a hefty dose of calcium which is especially important if you're dairy-free (read more tips on eliminating dairy)
- bump up your protein as they have a unique blend of amino acids
How To Make Protein Chia Pudding
- In a bowl, mix together all ingredients until combined.
- Let sit for 3-5 minutes and then mix again.
- Portion the mixture into a jar.
- Top with chocolate chips (if using) and tighten the lid.
- Let sit for 4 hours or overnight.
- Enjoy!
Step By Step Photos
Important Teaching Tips
The kind of protein powder you choose, can and will affect the texture and flavor of the protein chia seed pudding (learn more below).
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.
Storing The Protein Chia Seed Pudding
Chia pudding is best stored in a covered jar or airtight glass container in the fridge.
Like this, it will last 3-4 days.
Do not freeze chia seed pudding as it doesn't retain it's creamy texture.
Crucial Products
This protein chia pudding is made with Genuine Health Protein Powder.
Because this protein powder is fermented, it absorbs a lot of liquid. If you use a vegan protein powder that is not fermented, you will have less creamy chia pudding. You may want to reduce the liquid by 1-2 tablespoons.
Likewise, Genuine Health protein tends not to be an overly sweet powder. If your protein powder is super sweet, adjust the maple syrup as needed (and add more almond milk if you take away syrup).
Learn more about how to choose a protein powder for your goals.
That said, though vanilla protein is used, you can use chocolate protein powder to change the flavor of the chia pudding easily enough.
Topping The Protein Chia Pudding
This chia seed pudding tastes amazing as is (just like this lemon protein chia seed pudding)! However, you can make the recipe more indulgent if you need an extra kick in the morning (or mid-afternoon!).
You can add your toppings into the jar before you store them, but know that they will become “soft”.
- More peanut butter
- Crunchy granola
- Chocolate chips
- Homemade dairy-free caramel sauce
- 2-minute coconut whipped cream
- Toasted pecans
Troubleshooting Tips
Not absorbing: know that the older chia seeds are the less liquid they will absorb. This could be why your chia pudding is coming out too runny.
Clumpy: it's crucial that you mix the protein powder chia seed pudding, let it sit for 5 minutes, and then mix it again. This makes it so that the chia seeds don't sink and sit on the bottom making super clumpy pudding.
Texture: when it's ready if you find it too runny add in a teaspoon more chia seeds, mix, and let it sit. This will thicken it up slightly. Likewise, if it's really thick you can always add a dash more milk to thin it out.
Picky eater hack: sometimes the texture of traditional chia pudding throws people off. The gel. Solve this by blending the chia pudding before letting it sit and you'll have a texture more similar to regular pudding.
Fast, crave-worthy snacks that hit your protein goals (without tracking or extra cooking time).
Frequently Asked Questions About Protein Powder Chia Pudding
Whey protein powder and vegan protein absorb liquid very differently. Though it may work, you would need to decrease the amount of liquid in the chia pudding recipe to have it result in a creamy texture.
Changing the flavor of the protein powder is a great way to switch up the flavor of the chia pudding! Play around with making chocolate chia seed pudding, caramel, or something fun like birthday cake if you have it.
Protein chia pudding will last roughly three days in the fridge if stored in an airtight container.
Other Vegan Recipes You'll Enjoy
- Chocolate protein fluff
- Veggie quinoa wrap
- Homemade snickers
- Vegan protein cookies
- Vegan burrito bowl
- How to make a magic shell (3 flavors)
- Peanut butter protein ice cream
Other High-Protein Snacks You'll Love
- Energizing protein shakes
- Collagen donuts
- 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
Peanut Butter Protein Chia Pudding (dairy & gluten-free)
Video
Equipment
- 1 Small jar
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Chia seeds
- 3 tbs Vegan vanilla protein powder
- 1 cup Almond milk
- 1 tbs Peanut butter natural
- 3 tbs Maple syrup
- 1 tbs Chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix together all ingredients until combined.
- Let sit for 3-5 minutes and then mix again.
- Portion the mixture into a jar.
- Top with chocolate chips (if using) and tighten the lid.
- Let sit for 4 hours or overnight.
Notes
- The kind of protein powder you choose, can and will affect the texture and flavor of the protein chia seed pudding.
- The recipe makes one super large serving or two mini servings (snack size!).
- 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 the protein chia pudding recipe sits, the more liquid it absorbs (the thicker it gets) for up to twenty four hours.
- Store leftover protein chia seed pudding in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Meghan says
This recipe is SO creamy and the flavor is so good! I meal prepped these for breakfast this week, and they saved me all week long. No more skipping breakfast for me!
fitasamamabear says
Happy you love it!
Gwen says
I swapped out the vanilla protein powder for chocolate. Chocolate and peanut butter is my "go-to" flavor and having a chia protein pudding is the best. This was yummy!
fitasamamabear says
Mmm such a tasty combo!
Padma says
Chia seeds are my new favourites. The peanut makes this so delicious nutty and creamy. Love it!
fitasamamabear says
Happy you love it!