Low-Carb Chia Pudding Recipe (With Flavor Variations)
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I’m gonna come right out and say I’m head over heels for this low-carb chia pudding recipe. Made simple with just chia seeds, milk, natural sweeteners, and your favorite toppings, it’s a guilt-free treat you can love on anytime. Enjoy vanilla today, chocolate tomorrow, and maybe a berry swirl next if you’re feeling fancy. With just 10 minutes of active time, this recipe is a meal prep win you can’t miss.
If you haven’t hopped on the chia pudding train yet, let me just say that now’s the time. I enjoy plenty of keto chia pudding recipes, but it’s important to learn the basics first. Let me show you exactly how to make the base (spoiler: it’s mostly just mix and chill), then let’s explore classic flavor ideas you love. Once you get the base recipe down, the mix-in possibilities are endless.
Texture-wise, this low-carb chia pudding is like tapioca pudding, with its creamy, slimy chia seeds. It’s not too sweet and it makes a refreshing dessert year-round. I love it as a breakfast side, a mid-afternoon pick-me-up, or a light dessert after dinner. Honestly, if meal prep always looked this good, I’d never skip it again.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Short prep time: Blends up in 10 minutes.
- Basic kitchen equipment: All you need is a mason jar, a spatula, and a spoon.
- Texture win: A soft and silky treat with a nice contrast from the seeds.
- Naturally low in carbs: Chia seeds are fiber-packed and low in net carbs, making this ideal for keto or low-carb lifestyles.
- Meal-prep friendly: Prep it the night before and wake up to a chilled, spoonable breakfast that’s ready to grab and go.
- Endlessly customizable
How to Make Low-Carb Chia Pudding
Making this chia seed pudding is so easy; the hardest part is waiting for the seeds to swell and absorb all the liquid. Make it ahead and leave it in the fridge to chill. I usually go about my day or let it sit overnight then I come back to a creamy, dreamy treat ready to enjoy.
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a printable recipe card with a full list of ingredients, measurements, and step-by-step instructions.
Ingredients You Need
For the base recipe
- Milk: Use your favorite unsweetened nut milk like almond milk, coconut, or macadamia, or hemp seed milk.
- Chia seeds: These are highly liquid-absorbent seeds that double in size when soaked in water or milk, creating that creamy, silky-smooth, pudding-like texture. Both white and black seeds work in my recipe.
- Keto sweetener: I recommend using keto maple syrup or your choice of 0-calorie sweeteners like monk fruit sweetener.
- Vanilla extract: For extra warmth and sweetness.
Additional for chocolate version
- Cacao powder: Use 100% organic cacao for an intensely rich chocolate flavor.
Optional toppings
- Whipped cream: Choose a no-sugar-added version to keep it low-carb. Pipe it on top for a fancy, dessert-like finish!
- Strawberries: Fresh berries work best; frozen ones can water down the pudding.
- Nut butter: Add in for a chocolate nut version.
- Cacao nibs: Sprinkle right before serving to keep them crunchy. I make sure I always have some in stock because there are plenty of fun ways to use cacao nibs.
- Peppermint extract: Add in for a mint chocolate version. If you’re a fan of mint chocolate, you’ll love keto peppermint patties, too!
Step-By-Step Instructions
Ready to make your soon-to-be favorite low-carb treat? This simple keto chia pudding recipe comes together in just 2 easy steps. No cooking required, just a quick stir and a little patience while it chills. Whether you’re making a classic vanilla version or going all in with chocolate, the process is the same and super beginner-friendly. Let’s break it down!
Step 1: Mix
Pick your flavor and mix all ingredients in a jar with a tightly fitting lid. Mix well to combine.
Step 2: Chill and serve
Set up the chia pudding overnight in the fridge to allow the chia to swell and the pudding to thicken. For a watery texture, soak the seeds for 2.5 hours or less. Stir the mixture and serve cold.
Substitutions
The beauty in this treat is that you can use ingredients that you love or have on hand. You can make it as light or loaded as you want! Easily swap the ingredients to cater to your diet, too. Here are my recommended substitutions:
- Strawberries: Blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries are ideal alternatives.
- Nut butter: Choose unsweetened, natural nut butter. Sunflower seed butter works for nut-free diets.
- Cacao nibs: Substitute with crushed mint chocolate bars or 88% dark chocolate chips for the same bittersweet crunch.
Expert Tips
- Use a blender for extra creaminess: Not a fan of chia’s jelly-like texture? Toss the seeds into a blender or food processor first to grind them into a fine powder before mixing. This turns the pudding into a smooth, mousse-like treat.
- Start with a bigger bowl: Mixing in a large bowl makes it easier to stir everything together and prevents clumps. Once the pudding has thickened, you can portion it out into jars or containers for grab-and-go meals. Stirring once or twice while it sets helps the seeds stay evenly distributed.
- Thin it out if needed: Chia pudding gets thicker as it sits. If it’s too dense the next day, just add a splash of milk to loosen it up to your preferred consistency.
- Adjust sweetness last: Taste after it’s chilled. Flavors mellow and meld in the fridge, so it’s better to adjust sweetness right before serving rather than adding too much at the start.
- Add nuts and seeds: For extra texture, add coconut chips, nuts like crushed walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, or almonds, or seeds like hemp, pumpkin, sunflower, or sesame.
- Layer it like a parfait: For extra flavor and fun, alternate layers of chia pudding with keto whipped cream, peanut butter or any nut butter, or berries. Perfect for entertaining!
How to Store This Recipe
Low-carb chia pudding is best enjoyed cold and lasts 4 to 5 days in the fridge. It also makes a great meal prep option and can easily be made ahead in bulk. To store properly, simply place the pudding in mason jars or any container with a tight-fitting lid. When ready to enjoy, stir the pudding and add your favorite toppings.
What to Serve with Low-Carb Chia Pudding
For breakfast or brunch, serve it alongside a handful of fresh berries, a few slices of avocado toast or French toast, or a soft-boiled egg for a protein boost. For an indulgent but guilt-free snack or dessert, enjoy it alongside a mini strawberry shortcake or some fudgy keto brownies. Pair it with an herbal tea, coffee, or a low-carb smoothie.
More Easy Pudding Recipes To Try
- Protein pudding
- Key lime chia pudding
- Chai latte chia pudding
- Avocado chocolate pudding
- Thin mint chocolate pudding
Chocolate Chia Pudding With Coconut Milk
Ingredients
Vanilla
- 1 cup nut milk or hemp seed milk
- ¼ cup chia seed
- 2 tablespoons Keto sugar substitute maple or honey, if not keto
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate
- 1 cup nut milk or hemp seed milk
- ¼ cup chia seed
- 3 tablespoons Keto sugar substitute maple or honey, if not keto
- 1½ tablespoons cacao powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional toppings
- 1 cup whipped cream
- ½ cup strawberries sliced
- 2 tablespoons nut butter for a chocolate nut version
- ½ tablespoon cacao nibs
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract for a mint chocolate version
Instructions
Notes
- Not a fan of chia’s jelly-like texture? Toss the seeds into a blender or food processor first to grind them into a fine powder before mixing for a smoother pudding.
- Stir everything in a large bowl for ease then chill in the fridge. Once the pudding has thickened, you can portion it out into jars or containers for grab-and-go meals
- If the pudding is too dense the next day, just add a splash of milk to loosen it up to your preferred consistency.
- Adjust sweetness right before serving rather than adding too much at the start.
- For extra texture, add coconut chips, nuts like crushed walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, or almonds, or seeds like hemp, pumpkin, sunflower, or sesame.
- For extra flavor and fun, alternate layers of chia pudding with keto whipped cream, nut butter, or berries. Perfect for entertaining!
Nutrition & Macros
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, please calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients and amounts used, using your preferred nutrition calculator. Under no circumstances shall the this website and the author be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on the given nutritional information.
The email says “double chocolate mint chip chia pudding”, but the recipe link is for “chocolate chia pudding”. Did I miss the recipe for the mint chip version somewhere in the email? Is the mint part added to taste by the maker, instead of an amount being shown in the recipe? And you use cacao nibs and not sugar free chocolate chips?
Hi Daisy! Thanks so much for reaching out and for catching that, we really appreciate your attention to detail! 😊 The base recipe is for vanilla or chocolate chia pudding, and then, you’re right, the mint flavor is added to taste (usually 1/8 to 1/4 tsp peppermint extract does the trick!). I’ve added this to the ingredient list in teh recipe card for better clarity. And yes, we suggest cacao nibs for a no-sugar-added crunch, but feel free to swap in sugar-free chocolate chips if you prefer something sweeter. Thanks again for your thoughtful questions!