Creamy, delicious, and easy to make! This protein chia pudding is swirled with creamy peanut butter and topped with chocolate chips. 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.
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 hangry.
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.
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).

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.
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).
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 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
Unleash Your Energy
The ultimate roundup of high-protein snack recipes for hectic lifestyles.
Trying to lose weight postpartum and not feel ravenous was frustrating with my first.
It took a whole other pregnancy for me to realize that eating more protein was the “secret” solution.
Unfortunately, living off eggs and chicken breasts sucked after a while.
The solution? I started creating high-protein recipes that tasted more like dessert to help boost my intake.
Say goodbye to mid-day slumps, slow metabolism, and constantly feeling hungry.
I gave the protein bars to a friend of mine with a gluten allergy; I usually can't give her the food I make so I saved these for her. She absolutely loved them, she said most of the protein bars she eats are way too dry but these were great! - Ste
The Protein Power Snack Ebook for busy moms has sixteen, easy-to-make recipes all with 17 grams of protein or more. Many of them can be made ahead of time for grab-and-go days!
They’re the secret to helping you stay energized, enjoy what you eat, and meet your goals.
Plus, a two-day meal plan to show you how to eat over 100 grams of protein per day.. and not hate food. This is what I have all my clients start with.
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)
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.
Video
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
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Nutrition

nancy
yummy. this protein chia pudding with peanut butter just hits the spot and keeps me full
fitasamamabear
Glad you love it!
Gen
Perfect for our crazy mornings. These are really tasty, easy to prep in advance - everyone loves them!
fitasamamabear
Having it in the fridge and ready to go makes life so much easier!
Kris
All the flavors here taste so good together and it is really hard to believe it is so protein-packed. This will be my go-to late-night treat from here on out! 🙂
fitasamamabear
Ohh it would make an amazing bedtime snack, didn't even think of that!
Sage Scott
This looks like the perfect recipe for me as I adopt a (partially) vegan lifestyle forced on my by a stinking tick bite. I have heard a lot about chia pudding, but haven't made any yet. And I do love peanut butter!
fitasamamabear
Oh no! Sorry to hear about the tick bite, that's really scary. I hope this hits the spot for you, I do have a few others that are completely vegan if you need them 🙂
Ksenia
This made for a great breakfast on a busy morning! Kid and I loved it.
fitasamamabear
Always a hit when kids approve!
Relle
Always looking for ways to get protein in. This sounds lovely.
fitasamamabear
You and me both, definitely a bonus when it tastes good!
Matej @ CookWeWill
Now this looks like something my wife would enjoy. She recently discovered Chia and is obsessed with it 🙂 Let me make it for her tonight.
fitasamamabear
Haha honestly chia seeds can do so much!! Hope she loves it 🙂
Sonia
Great breakfast for busy mornings. It just became one of my favorites.
fitasamamabear
Happy to hear it, peanut butter for the win!