The chocolate chia pudding is a healthy yet indulgent treat, perfect for breakfast or for a sweet break during the day, when you’re craving something delicious without too much guilt. As you may already know, the chia seed pudding – or chia pudding – is a recipe now beloved by those following a balanced diet, rich in fiber and low in refined sugars. The chia seed pudding should be prepared a few hours in advance (better yet the night before), so the chia seeds have plenty of time to absorb the liquid and transform into a creamy, enveloping consistency. No wonder it’s also known as overnight chia pudding. For the chocolate chia pudding, I used cow milk and unsweetened cocoa, but if you prefer a completely plant-based dessert, you can opt for almond, coconut, or soy milk. Once ready, to make it even more delicious, I added coarsely chopped 85% dark chocolate. The result? A rich and intense pudding, perfect to enjoy as is or to enrich with fresh strawberries, raspberries, or crunchy nuts.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Affordable
- Rest time: 12 Hours
- Preparation time: 1 Minute
- Portions: 2People
- Cooking methods: No cooking
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 249.20 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 21.17 (g) of which sugars 10.39 (g)
- Proteins 7.96 (g)
- Fat 16.69 (g) of which saturated 6.67 (g)of which unsaturated 9.01 (g)
- Fibers 7.88 (g)
- Sodium 9.00 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 140 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for 2 servings of chocolate chia seed pudding
If you are celiac, make sure the unsweetened cocoa, dark chocolate, and plant milk have the “gluten-free” label.
- 1.06 oz chia seeds
- 0.76 cups milk (dairy or plant-based)
- 0.35 oz unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1.06 oz 85% dark chocolate
- 2 strawberries (for garnish)
Tools
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Container glass
- 1 Teaspoon
How to make chocolate chia seed pudding
To prepare the chocolate chia pudding, start by placing the unsweetened cocoa in a glass container. Add a little bit of milk (1) and start stirring with a teaspoon to completely dissolve the cocoa in the milk (2).
Gradually add the rest of the milk, stirring continuously to avoid lumps (3). Then add a teaspoon of maple syrup (4). Depending on your taste, you can increase or decrease the amount to make the pudding more or less sweet.
At this point, add the chia seeds (5) and mix well. Let it rest for 15 minutes, then stir vigorously again to break up any lumps (6). Cover the container with a lid and let it sit overnight.
The next morning, the chia seeds will have absorbed the milk and formed a thick mixture (7). Coarsely chop the chocolate with a knife (8). Again, depending on your taste, you can use a more bitter or sweeter chocolate; I used an 85% dark.
Add the chopped chocolate to the pudding (9) and mix thoroughly to distribute it evenly throughout the mixture (10).
Divide the pudding into two bowls and garnish with your choice of fruit: strawberries or raspberries are great, but so are chopped hazelnuts or pecans. You can serve the chocolate chia pudding for breakfast or as a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack.
Storage
The chocolate chia pudding keeps in the fridge for 2 or 3 days, stored in an airtight container.
Tips and Variations
If you prefer a smoother texture or are bothered by the seeds, you can blend the chia pudding after it has rested overnight (and before adding the chopped chocolate). For a richer flavor, you can add half a teaspoon of instant coffee to the milk and cocoa.
