Blended Chocolate Chia Pudding

Say goodbye to the tapioca-like consistency of traditional chia pudding! For silky smooth chocolate chia seed pudding, simply blend all the ingredients and chill in the fridge. This vegan breakfast (or snack) is both delicious and healthy with 14g of protein and over 15g of fiber per serving!

I've always loved chia pudding and honestly don't mind the texture of it at all, but I can't say the same for my kids. They expect pudding to be smooth and creamy, simple as that. In the past when I've served them my thick chia pudding made with coconut cream (which IMHO is amazing), they never even gave it a chance.

So how did I get them to finally start begging me to make a nutritious chia pudding loaded with plant-based protein and fiber? Two things: cocoa powder and a blender!

I came to this by essentially merging two existing recipes on the blog. My kids are huge fans of this no-cook chocolate pudding (blended), and I already know how well chocolate masks the chia flavor from this high-protein chocolate chia seed pudding recipe (not blended). Therefore, the solution seemed clear - combine elements from both recipes to create this lusciously smooth chocolate chia pudding!

Ingredients

I only use a handful of ingredients in this recipe, all of which you likely already have on hand. I typically use almond butter but you can swap this out for your nut butter of choice.

The Importance of Cocoa Powder

One of my versions while recipe testing was without cocoa powder, and wow did that teach a lesson! When blended with plain vanilla, the chia seeds have a strong bitter taste and turn into a muddy brownish color that looks totally unappetizing. Between the aesthetics and the taste, this one was easily scrapped.

But when blended with cocoa powder, the chocolate flavor overpowers the chia seeds and the pudding becomes a rich, chocolatey brown that looks as good as it tastes. Therefore, if you're making a blender pudding, I definitely recommend making it with chocolate!

How to Make Blended Chocolate Chia Pudding

This recipe seriously could be get any easier - simply throw everything into a high-speed blender and you're done!

I like to serve it with coconut whipped cream and fresh raspberries. It also pairs amazingly well with my homemade granola.

For best results, I recommend chilling the pudding before serving. You could enjoy it right away, but it will be a little runny and warm from the blending. When chilled for even just an hour or two, the pudding will cool and thicken up. I find it best to chill overnight as the chia seeds will start to gel and thicken further!

Easy to Make Adjustments

Blender recipes are the simplest to tweak because all you need to do is add a bit more of what you need and blend again. Add more maple syrup for additional sweetness or more cocoa powder for a deeper chocolate flavor (more cocoa powder will thicken the pudding more too).

And if you're looking to boost the protein even further, feel free to throw in some protein powder or use a high-protein milk such as hemp seed milk or soy milk.

Storage and Meal Prep

This pudding will last for 4-5 days in an airtight container. Use an appropriate size that fills the pudding to the top so it doesn't trap as much air.

And let's talk about meal prep! Making this chia seed pudding takes just 5 minutes, yet it makes 3 servings that can be enjoyed across 3 days. There is nothing quite like the feeling of grabbing a nutritious pre-made breakfast from the fridge on a busy morning!

Why I Love Chia Seeds

In addition to being a complete source of plant-based protein, chia seeds also provide fiber, omega-3s, calcium, iron, magnesium and many antioxidants. I add two tablespoons of it to my morning smoothie literally every day, and will even make this lemon chia water anytime I'm traveling!