Made with whole ingredients and no added processed sugars, this chocolate chia bowl is wickedly good for you.
Make it in 5-minutes the night before, and have breakfast ready for the morning. Sweet.
This recipe was originally published on December 2, 2020 and updated on April 5, 2023 with new hero images, process images, recipe substitutions and step-by-step images.
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Why You'll Love this Chia Bowl
Chia seeds are a great little powerhouse to keep in the kitchen. They are small but nutritionally mighty and a little goes a long way.
Besides using them in puddings, I use chia seeds to thicken sauces like in my tomato spaghetti with olives and lemon and my vegan mushroom pasta. They are that versatile. I always have a jar in my fridge for a quick and easy protein boost.
Are Chia Seeds Really Healthy?
Totally! Chia seeds are a considered a superfood because they are loaded with nutrients and offer a mountain of health benefits.
Source: Harvard School Of Public Health
Ingredients & Substitutions
This chia pudding is made from easy to find ingredients.
Chia seeds. White, black or a combination works here.
Coffee. Coffee enhances the flavour of the chocolate but you can skip it if you don't like coffee.
Dates are a natural sweetener and they help to thicken this chocolate chia pudding but if you don't have any you can add 1 or 2 tablespoons of maple syrup. If your dates are a little "aged", give them a quick soak in warm water before bending them.
Almond butter. You can swap out almond butter for a seed butter or cashew butter. I wouldn't use peanut butter as it will change the flavour completely.
Salt. Always. Just a touch.
Vanilla. For a little depth of flavour.
How to Make A Chia Bowl
You'll find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Honestly, making this chocolate chia pudding is child's play. In 3 easy steps this decadent but healthy bowl is ready for breakfast.
Step 1.Blend the ingredients, except the chia seeds, in a blender.
Step 2. Add the chia seeds and pulse to break them up a little
Steps 3 and 4. Pour the pudding into a jar or bowl and refrigerate for a few hours before serving with fresh fruit and dark chocolate shavings.
Pulsing the seeds with the other ingredients breaks them down a little, making the finished pudding smoother and creamier. A few quick pulses will do the trick.
Variations
The first time I made this chocolate chia bowl, I made it with a Mexican vibe. It goes a little something like this...
A tiny touch of cinnamon (a quarter teaspoon) and the smallest pinch of cayenne pepper recreates the warning flavours of a Mexican hot chocolate.
Otherwise...
FAQs
You can use soy, almond, cashew, coconut...any dairy-free milk you like.
It's subjective, but a quarter cup of milk to every tablespoon of chia seeds results in a thick but still slightly loose pudding. I find this works for both Australian and US measures. If the texture is too thick for your liking after refrigeration, you can stir in a touch more milk to loosen it.
Chocolate chia pudding can be stored, covered, in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. This means you can make a larger batch and enjoy it throughout the week.
I like to give my pudding a quick stir before serving.
You can! You could freeze individual serving sizes in sealed freezer-proof container and freeze for up to 2 months. Pop each in the refrigerate to thaw overnight (6 - 8 hours) to serve.
That's OK. The chia seeds are going to absorb a heap of that liquid and turn in to a thick and wonderful chia pudding.
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Make This Recipe
Chocolate Chia Bowl Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cups dairy-free milk almond or soy
- 2 tablespoons cocoa or cacao
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
- 2 medjool dates pitted and roughly chopped, or maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon freshly made black coffee (optional)
- a good pinch of sea salt
- 4 tablespoon chia seeds
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients, except the chia seeds, in a blender and blend until smooth
- Add the chia seeds and pulse three or four times
- Pour the mixture in to either two bowls or three glasses.
- Cover with foil and place in the fridge to set overnight or for at least four hours.
- Serve with your choice of fresh fruit, dark chocolate shavings, granola or buckinis. For added indulgence, serve with whipped vanilla coconut cream.
Notes
I like to give my pudding a quick stir before serving. Does chia pudding freeze? It does! You could freeze individual serving sizes in sealed freezer-proof containers and freeze for up to 2 months. Pop each in the refrigerate to thaw overnight (6 - 8 hours) to serve.
jacquie says
just wanted to give a shout out to the 15 year and say she is way cool and so does not matter what foodgawker says (not that I know what foodgawker is anyway)
and to the adult - I like the way the blog is now. please keep doing it this way.
and to the bother you enjoy your pudding.
Amanda says
Oh, thanks so much Jacquie. That's so kind of you. I like my fifteen year-old too. She worries too much about what others think but her intentions are good. Stay well and thank you again.
Quite Good Food says
I have to say, I adore your new photography style. It's understated and so lovely, who cares what Foodgawker thinks anyway 😉 keep doing what you're doing, it's fabulous x
Amanda says
Thank you, my sweet friend. x