Oat milk chia pudding is a healthy snack or breakfast high in fiber, omega-3 healthy fats, and plant-based protein. This easy recipe is made with just a few simple ingredients and is highly customizable!
Chia seed pudding is an easy breakfast option for busy mornings. It requires nothing fancy, just a mason jar (or some type of airtight container) and about 2 minutes of meal prep.
Similarly to overnight oats, you place them in the fridge overnight, and by the next day, the chia seeds will have absorbed the liquid and plumped up. Once you make the base recipe, you can include any add-ins of your choice or your favorite toppings.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ridiculously easy - you barely have to do anything. Just mix, throw it in the fridge, and forget about it until the morning.
- Versatile - switch out the toppings and flavorings for endless variations (ideas below).
- Doubles as a healthy dessert - add miso caramel or other toppings to make it more indulgent.
- Make ahead - make a large batch to have breakfast already covered for the week.
What Are Chia Seeds?
Chia seeds are tiny, oval-shaped seeds that are native to Mexico and Guatemala, and are black or white in color. They're chock full of fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, plant-based protein, and various vitamins and minerals making them a nutritional powerhouse.
What sets chia seeds apart from other seeds though is their ability to absorb liquid. When the seeds are mixed with a liquid, they plump up and form a gel-like consistency.
This means they can be added to a variety of things such as my 10-minute blueberry chia jam, as well as added to baked goods, smoothies, oatmeal, and pancakes, or used as a vegan egg substitute.
Ingredients
For this easy chia pudding recipe you'll need:
- Chia seeds - I used white chia seeds because I had them on hand, but black chia seeds also work great!
- Oat milk - this makes for a super creamy chia pudding.
- Sweetener of choice - I recommend using pure maple syrup or infused-simple syrup.
- Vanilla extract - for extra flavor.
Ratios
When it comes to the ratio of chia seeds to liquid, it's really all about personal preference. Because chia seeds expand when added to a liquid, you'll need a high ratio of liquid to chia seeds.
And depending on the type of milk you use, you may need to add more liquid. For example, canned coconut milk is much thicker than non-dairy milk in a carton.
If you prefer a thicker consistency, stick to a ratio of 4 parts liquid to 1 part chia seeds, which is the ratio used in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. If you prefer a thinner consistency, add up to ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) more liquid.
How To Make Oat Milk Chia Pudding
Step 1. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the oat milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
Step 2. Add the chia seeds (and any other add-ins) and whisk until there are no clumps.
Step 3. Tightly cover the bowl or transfer the mixture to two small jars with lids. Store in the fridge for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight to allow the pudding to thicken.
Step 4. Top with your favorite fruit, homemade granola, raspberry compote, dukkah, etc.
Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make this oat milk chia seed pudding using what you already have? Here are some ideas...
- No oat milk? - use another type of milk such as rice milk, unsweetened almond milk, cashew milk, soy milk, etc.
- No vanilla extract? - could also use almond extract.
- No liquid sweeteners? - you can also use brown sugar or coconut sugar, but they don't mix in as well.
- Add-ins - peanut butter, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, protein powder or collagen, fresh berries or any kind of fresh fruit, ground cinnamon, etc.
Variations
- Chocolate chia pudding - add cocoa powder to the milk
- Chocolate banana chia pudding - add cocoa powder to the milk and top with banana slices.
- Matcha chia pudding - tastes like a matcha latte in pudding form.
- Strawberry shortcake chia pudding - add fresh strawberries or strawberry compote to the bottom, and crushed graham crackers on top.
- Piña colada chia pudding - use coconut milk and top with coconut shreds or flakes and pineapple.
Frequently Asked Questions
The key to good chia seed pudding is whisking. Using a spoon to stir it just won't cut it. The whisk is what really helps to distribute the chia seeds throughout the milk, otherwise, you get big clumps of seeds in your pudding.
Raw honey doesn't mix well in cold liquids and just settles at the bottom. Use it to drizzle as a topping instead of mixing it into the pudding itself.
Store oat milk chia pudding in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for no more than 5-7 days.
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Oat Milk Chia Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 cup oat milk or substitute
- ½ tablespoon maple syrup plus more to taste, if desired
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons chia seeds
- pinch of salt
Toppings
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the oat milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
- Add the chia seeds (and any other add-ins: see notes for ideas) and whisk until there are no clumps.
- Tightly cover the bowl or transfer the mixture to two small jars with lids. Store in the fridge for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight to allow the pudding to thicken.
- Top with your favorite fruit, granola, raspberry compote, dukkah, etc.
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