Creamy, delicious, and easy to make! This Peanut Butter Protein Chia Pudding is swirled with creamy peanut butter, topped with chocolate chips, and packs 19 grams of protein. Prep it ahead for a make-ahead breakfast or snack that you'll actually enjoy.
Mornings can get chaotic fast, and when that happens, it’s easy to grab whatever snack is closest, even if it doesn’t leave you feeling great. That’s one reason I love this peanut butter chia pudding because with just five main ingredients, it’s an easy make-ahead breakfast or quick snack that actually keeps you full (peek these other protein chia pudding recipes to help with this too!).
As a mom of three, having simple, high-protein options ready in the fridge makes busy mornings so much easier. This chia pudding is actually the kind of recipe I lean on most from the Rise and Chill Breakfast E-Book, which includes 26 high-protein meal prep breakfasts plus a 5-day quick start guide to help take the chaos out of busy mornings
Why You'll Love The Recipe
Meal prep: Protein chia pudding is prepped in about 10 minutes and stays fresh for 3-4 days in the fridge, making it the perfect high-protein snack to meal prep in advance (just like coffee chia pudding)
Creamy: The texture of the chia pudding comes out thick from the protein powder but not gritty; actually it's creamy.
Flavor: For all the peanut butter lovers out there, this chia pudding is packed with a maple-sweetened peanut butter taste.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chia seeds: These little powerhouses are one of the three foods 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 diet benefits and easy swaps).
- Peanut butter: You want to use natural peanut like my no oil peanut butter. If using store-bought, 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!
- Vanilla protein powder: Ideally, 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).
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Topping The Protein Chia Pudding
This chia seed pudding tastes amazing as is (just like this lemon 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!).
Mix-ins: Add granola with cinnamon, coconut chips, or chopped nuts for added crunch.
Toppings: Make it dessert-like by adding Whole30 whipped cream or coconut milk caramel sauce.
Chocolate peanut butter: Use a chocolate-based protein powder or add 1 tablespoon of raw cacao powder to the mix.
How To Make Peanut Butter 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!
Expert Tips
The kind of protein powder you choose can and will affect the texture and flavor of the protein chia seed pudding. Originally, this recipe was made with a vegan protein powder, which tends to absorb a lot of liquid.
If you plan to use whey protein or collagen powder, I would scale back the liquid to roughly ¾ cups of milk, as they don't absorb as much.
I recently switched to beef isolate protein powders for health reasons. You can use them here, but they tend to create a "stickier" texture.
The longer the chia seed pudding sits, the more liquid it absorbs (the thicker it gets) for up to twenty-four hours.
Storing: Store the protein chia seed pudding in the fridge in an airtight jar for up to 3-4 days. Do not freeze it as it won't thaw well.
Troubleshooting Tips
Not absorbing: Know that the older chia seeds absorb less liquid than 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.
Peanut Butter Protein Chia Pudding FAQs
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.
Chia pudding is meant to be enjoyed cold as a refreshing, creamy breakfast or snack.
Chia seeds are little powerhouses when it comes to nutrition. They have a ton of benefits, and because they create a gel when mixed 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-3s, give a hefty dose of calcium, which is especially important if you're dairy-free (read more tips on eliminating dairy), and bump up your protein as they have a unique blend of amino acids
More Peanut Butter Recipes You'll Love
Peanut Butter Protein Chia Pudding (Dairy and 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"
Nutrition
Eden says
This peanut butter protein powder chia pudding is so creamy, rich with just the right amount of sweetness. I topped mine with some crunchy granola and it was the snack for my busy afternoon. Yum! Can't wait to experiment with different toppings next time!
fitasamamabear says
Omg I love anything topped with granola haha
Lily says
Rich, creamy and definetely healthy puddings! I love that this is vegan-friendly and gluten-free, and I've been loving anything chia seeds so far so this recipe was just perfect!
fitasamamabear says
Chia seeds just make everything so creamy!
Grace says
I’ve just started my fitness journey so I’m always on the lookout for guilt-free snacks.
Loved this quick, easy and protein-packed snack! I’m really crazy about peanut butter so I added a little bit more than recommended.
fitasamamabear says
Peanut butter is a life staple in my house haha
Krisha says
This chia pudding is so creamy and delicious! And the peanut butter-chocolate combo is perfection. My kids enjoyed them too. It's such an easy and tasty breakfast and I just know that I'll be making this again and again.
fitasamamabear says
Best flavor combo ever!
Pearl says
My kids loved this! Creamy texture, peanut butter yumminess, and the little ones were obsessed with the chocolate chips. Plus, I'm thrilled they're getting a protein boost without realizing it. Mom wins!
fitasamamabear says
I love when kids approve!
Freda says
I love all kinds of chia puddings, but it's especially delicious with this trifecta of maple, PB and chocolate! The protein boost really keeps me from getting into trouble with snacks in the hours before or after dinner.
fitasamamabear says
Honestly it's like the best flavor combo lol
Nicole says
Delicious! I used plain protein powder and just added a little bit of vanilla extract and they were perfect. Great recipe!
fitasamamabear says
Glad you loved it!
Sonia says
Great breakfast for busy mornings. It just became one of my favorites.
fitasamamabear says
Happy to hear it, peanut butter for the win!
Matej @ CookWeWill says
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 says
Haha honestly chia seeds can do so much!! Hope she loves it 🙂
Relle says
Always looking for ways to get protein in. This sounds lovely.
fitasamamabear says
You and me both, definitely a bonus when it tastes good!
Ksenia says
This made for a great breakfast on a busy morning! Kid and I loved it.
fitasamamabear says
Always a hit when kids approve!
Sage Scott says
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 says
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 🙂
Kris says
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 says
Ohh it would make an amazing bedtime snack, didn't even think of that!
Gen says
Perfect for our crazy mornings. These are really tasty, easy to prep in advance - everyone loves them!
fitasamamabear says
Having it in the fridge and ready to go makes life so much easier!
nancy says
yummy. this protein chia pudding with peanut butter just hits the spot and keeps me full
fitasamamabear says
Glad you love it!