Chocolate Chia Seed Protein Pudding

An easy and filling recipe, this chocolate chia seed protein pudding is high in fiber and protein and a perfect breakfast option you can prep ahead for busy weekday mornings!

Last week I shared my beloved super seed oatmeal and today I’m chatting all about chocolate chia seed protein pudding. Breakfast is king in our house always and apparently the blog is reflecting that sentiment these days!

Okay so chia seed pudding — what’s the deal!? Why do people love this stuff so much? For me it comes down to three main things:

The texture: Think tapioca pudding but chewier, grittier and more earthy
The nutrition: Chia seeds are nutritional rock stars with lots of fiber, healthy fats and plant-based protein
The versatility: It’s hard to get sick of chia seed pudding when you can change it up in so many different ways through toppings, protein powder flavors, spices and more

Today’s recipe for chocolate chia seed protein pudding was born out of my love for the mason jar chia seed pudding I shared on the blog many moons ago. (Okay, it was only four years ago — hellooo 2018! — but it feels like I’ve lived 10,000 lives since then. #motherhood)

This chocolate chia seed protein pudding came to life when I found myself looking for ways to transform my chia seed pudding into more of a meal. Though the original chia seed pudding recipe is high in fiber and protein and quite filling on its own, this recipe functions as more of a meal for me, especially when I top it with a generous drizzle of nut butter and fresh berries. It’s a fantastic weekday morning breakfast option since preparing it in a mason jar makes it perfectly portable for crazy mornings when I’m corralling three young boys in an effort to get out the door by 7:30 a.m.

This recipe also lends itself well to meal prep and I’ll often make three or four jars of it at a time since it keeps well in an air-tight mason jar in the fridge. Anything to make life a little easier, right!?

Here’s everything you need to make this recipe:

Chia Seeds: But you already knew that!
Non-Dairy Milk: Or regular milk! Your choice! I love unsweetened vanilla almond milk most in this recipe.
Ground Flaxseeds: A hidden gem + boost of healthy fats you cannot taste but that greatly contributes to a creamier texture and slightly nutty flavor
Chocolate Protein Powder: This MUST be one you enjoy! Protein powders are not all the same (nutritionally or flavor-wise) so find one you love with good ingredients to use in this recipe. Some of my personal favorites: Active Stacks Chocolate Protein Powder, Afterburn Chocolate Whey Protein (Burn Boot Camp’s protein powder), NOW Foods Organic Creamy Chocolate Pea Protein (<– FYI my code PBFINGERS gets you 20% off anything from NOWFoods.com)
Cocoa Powder: Because who doesn’t want MORE chocolate flavor?!
Pinch of Salt: To bring out the flavaaa
Maple Syrup/Honey: Not necessary but an option for those who want a little extra sweetness! Ryan like the chia pudding better this way!

If you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! And, as always, thank you for trusting me enough to give my recipes a try and for leaving a rating if you have a moment to do so! I appreciate it more than you know. Enjoy!!!