Chia pudding is incredibly easy to make with just 3 simple ingredients. Prepare it the night before and have a delicious, vegan, healthy breakfast or snack ready the next morning. Try it and you will be hooked!
Ingredients
3 cups unsweetened oat milk (or plant milk of your choosing)*
3/4 cups chia seeds
3 tbsp pure maple syrup
Optional Toppings, such as mixed berries or other fresh fruit
Why You’ll Love This
Chia seeds come with many health benefits, and the best way to consume them is after they’ve soaked. Soaking them in (plant) milk overnight or for at least 4 hours, not only makes them easier for your body to absorb their nutrients, but it also makes for an absolutely delicious pudding! There is seriously no easier way to make any kind of pudding. And I’d argue this is also the easiest breakfast or healthy snack you can make. You basically dump the ingredients and leave it to do its thing. Just a quick stir from you is all it takes! This chia seed pudding recipe is one of my favorites – it uses only a natural sweetener, makes for a filling breakfast or healthy snack, and it’s prepared within less than 5 minutes! As far as easy recipes goes, it really can’t get easier than this!
What Container to Use For Your Chia Pudding
Choose an airtight container or a mason jar to prepare your chia pudding in. If you are mixing all of the ingredients in one big container, then I suggest you use a container with a large diameter, so the chia seeds distribute better. When using a mason jar, I’d do 1/3 of the recipe per mason jar**. If you have too many chia seeds in a large mason jar, they will all just sink to the bottom and lump up. While I do like to make a large batch of this oat milk chia pudding, I have found that doing the amount of this recipe in one container is the largest that will still result in a thick, yet nice and even chia pudding. You can definitely double this recipe, just put it into two different containers!
How To Prepare
Add all the ingredients to your container of choice: 3 cups oat milk, 3/4 cups of chia seeds, 3 tbsp maple syrup. Stir well until all the chia seeds have become wet. Don’t worry, some will keep floating and that’s okay!
Close your container so that it’s airtight and place it into the refrigerator. Cool for at least 4 hours, but overnight for best results.
Once ready to eat, give it another good stir. You might find some lumps. Just stir them and don’t worry about them! If you find the pudding a little thicker than you’d like, you can easily add more milk now, stir and consume immediately. It’s much easier to add more milk to a too-thick pudding, than to thicken a runny pudding!
Transfer some pudding to a bowl and add your favorite toppings.
How To Serve
If you are eating this on the go and already made it in a mason jar, just add your toppings of choice into the jar and enjoy! Otherwise, transfer some pudding into a bowl, and again, add your toppings. That’s seriously all it takes! My favorite topping is a mix of berries – blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. But any fruit can work! Try strawberries, bananas, mangos, apples…You do you! If you’d like this to be more of a dessert, then you can try adding chocolate chips. There are many different toppings to make the pudding extra special, but it’s honestly delicious just on its own too!
Chia Pudding Toppings
Honestly, any fresh fruit will be amazing. Mixed berries are my favorite (blueberries, raspberries and blackberries). Here are some other ideas:
- Strawberries and banana
- Banana and peanut butter
- Apple and almond butter
- Mango and Kiwi
- Apple and almond slices
- And of course: blueberries, raspberries and blackberries
This is by no means a full list of how you can add a little extra to an already delicious chia pudding. There are so many different ways to change up your creamy pudding by varying what toppings you use.
How to Store
Store your 3-ingredient chia pudding in an airtight container for up to one week. You can also freeze it if you find you’re not getting through all of it, but I never have that problem! If freezing, I’d suggest you do so in small jars so that you can thaw one serving portion at a time. Keep in freezer for up to one month.
Other Recipes You Might Enjoy
Just as easy as this chia pudding is my Muesli recipe – Coming Soon!
Another simple breakfast that you can make on a weekend morning is this Healthy 5 Ingredient Banana Pancake Recipe. Double the recipe and freeze some for later!
Q&A
Can You Freeze Chia Pudding?
Yes, you can freeze Chia pudding! Given how incredibly easy it is to make this pudding in the first place, I don’t see much value in meal prepping this only to freeze it. Thawing it will take as long as it does to let it sit in the fridge to begin with, in order for the pudding to thicken. BUT if you’ve meal prepped chia pudding for the week and are realizing you won’t manage to eat it all before the week is up, then YES, you can absolutely freeze it to save it for a later day! In that case, freezing your chia pudding is a great option for avoiding food waste. Place the pudding in an airtight container. The smaller, the better, so you can avoid having lots of air left in the container. (With the exception of glass containers. Give a little bit of room at the top for possible expansion.) Place in the freezer for up to one month. Thaw in the fridge overnight and enjoy the next morning!
You can even freeze most toppings if you’ve already added them to your pudding. The only exception is nuts and seeds because those would lose their crunchiness.
If you, unlike me, want to prep chia pudding in order for it to go straight into the freezer, then you can add all the ingredients, give it a good stir, let it stand for 15 minutes. Stir again and freeze already. No need to have it sit overnight. The chia seeds will do their actual expansion when you thaw the pudding.
Can I use cacao powder in my chia pudding?
Yes, you can use cacao or cocoa powder in your chia pudding and make it a kind of dessert! I suggest you use 2 tbsp of cocoa powder with every cup of milk. So, the above recipe would require 6 tbsp of cocoa powder. For this chocolate version, I’d suggest you add a teaspoon of vanilla extract as well. If the cocoa powder you are using is unsweetened, then you will likely want to add some more maple syrup too. This is a lovely, healthy dessert that will meet your chocolate craving.
What Are The Health Benefits of Chia Seeds?
Chia seeds are high in fiber, which can help you feel full and satisfied after eating. They also contain omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to help promote weight loss, and it’s also beneficial for heart health. Omega-3 fatty acids can help reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure, and improve cholesterol levels. Chia seeds are a good source of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium, all of which are important for bone health. They’re a good source of iron and protein, too! So you can see, the health benefits of eating chia seeds are bountiful! Making this simple chia pudding is a great way to incorporate all those nutrients into your diet.
Can I substitute another milk for oat milk?
Yes, you can use a different kind of milk for this recipe in place of oat milk. Other non-dairy milk options are cashew milk, soy milk, or almond milk. I personally use oat milk because it’s the most environmentally friendly option. And I genuinely love the Oatly full fat oat milk. My toddler drank this too instead of dairy milk once she was about 18 months old, and she too loved it. Whatever type of milk you use, be sure to stick to a plant-based milk to keep this recipe vegan. I prefer to use unsweetened oat milk, but if you are using a sweetened kind, you may want to use less maple syrup in your recipe.
Can My Kid Help Me Meal Prep?
Yes, your child can help you prepare this chia pudding. It’s so simple, though, it will probably be done before your kid even notices you’re doing anything in the kitchen. Even my 2 year old can help by mixing all the ingredients. There really isn’t much more to do!
Notes
*If you are using sweetened plant milk, you may want to test using less maple syrup, given that your milk is already adding sweetness to your pudding.
I absolutely love it with just maple syrup, but if you find you’d like a little something extra, then try adding 1/2 tsp vanilla extract to yours.
**This recipe is actually super easy to convert into different sizes. 1/3 of the recipe is 1 cup oat milk, 4 tablespoons of chia seeds, and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup.
Easy 3-Ingredient Vegan Chia Pudding
This incredibly simple 3-ingredient chia pudding is vegan, healthy and oh so delicious. It only takes 5 minutes to prepare! Come back to it the next morning to find a creamy, sweet pudding ready for your breakfast.
Ingredients
- 3 cups unsweetened oat milk (or plant milk of your choosing)*
- 3/4 cups chia seeds
- 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
- Optional Toppings, such as mixed berries or other fresh fruit
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to your container of choice: 3 cups oat milk, 3/4 cups of chia seeds, 3 tbsp maple syrup. Stir well until all the chia seeds have become wet. Don't worry, some will keep floating and that's okay!
- Close your container so that it's airtight and place it into the refrigerator. Cool for at least 4 hours, but overnight for best results.
- Once ready to eat, give it another good stir. You might find some lumps. Just stir them and don't worry about them! If you find the pudding a little thicker than you'd like, you can easily add more milk now, stir and consume immediately. It's much easier to add more milk to a too-thick pudding, than to thicken a runny pudding!
- Transfer some pudding to a bowl and add your favorite toppings.
Notes
*If you are using sweetened plant milk, you may want to test using less maple syrup, given that your milk is already adding sweetness to your pudding.
I absolutely love it with just maple syrup, but if you find you'd like a little something extra, then try adding 1/2 tsp vanilla extract to yours.
**This recipe is actually super easy to convert into different sizes. 1/3 of the recipe is 1 cup oat milk, 4 tablespoons of chia seeds, and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup.
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