This overnight dark chocolate chia seed pudding is a delicious breakfast or dessert option! Topped with berries and cream, it’s a decadent non-dairy treat!

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Perhaps I’ve been living under a rock, but I hadn’t heard of chia seed pudding until recently. With all of the “new year, new you” recipes and posts circulating on the internet, chia seed pudding entered my radar.

I was a bit perplexed, because all I knew about chia seeds is the fact that they can be used for Chia Pets.

As it turns out, chia seeds are touted for lots of health benefits–they’re supposed to be a good source of antioxidants, Omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, etc. So I was curious how people are making pudding with seeds. Naturally, I did some research.

It turns out that the seeds, when exposed to water, create a gelatinous substance that gives the mixture a pudding-like texture. I knew that I would need to add some flavor to this mixture for it to be palatable, so I opted for dark chocolate (of course).

The result was surprisingly tasty! I served this dark chocolate chia seed pudding layered with berries and some cream (I used the ReddiWip whipped coconut milk cream, which is low in calories but delicious!), and I’ve been eating it for breakfast almost every morning.

Now, I do like my sweets, and as such, there is some sugar in this pudding, in the form of maple syrup and the sugar in the almond milk and coconut cream. So don’t go nuts eating the whole batch in one sitting. 🙂 But overall, it is a decently healthy breakfast or dessert, and it’s certainly better than many other options!

More Easy Homemade Breakfast Ideas:

How to Make Overnight Dark Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

The process is really quite simple. You’ll add some dark chocolate almond milk, dark cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Special Dark), chia seeds, maple syrup, salt, and vanilla to a mixing bowl or large measuring cup.

I used my immersion blender to mix everything, but you could also just use a whisk to combine everything well.

Allow the mixture to chill in the refrigerator for at least a few hours, but I just let mine chill overnight.

When ready to serve, scoop some of the chilled dark chocolate chia seed pudding into a serving dish and top with some berries (I just use frozen berries that I thaw in the microwave, so they have a little juice with them) and some cream, if desired. I also like to add a small sprinkle of mini chocolate chips on top! 🙂 If you want this to be vegan, just also be sure your chocolate chips are vegan.

Notes and Adaptations for Dark Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

You can customize ingredients! If you don’t care about being vegan or dairy-free, you can use regular milk and regular whipped cream. If you need it to be gluten-free, make sure your chocolate chips are gluten free, if using.
The resulting texture of the pudding is similar to tapioca pudding. If the texture bothers you, I’ve read that you can use a high-powered blender to combine everything prior to refrigeration, which will grind up the chia seeds and result in a smoother texture.
Use whatever toppings you like! Sliced bananas and almonds, berries and cream, hazelnuts and coconut shavings, etc. would all be tasty options!

Recommended Equipment

Mixing Bowl
Immersion Blender or Whisk – for combining ingredients
High-Powered Blender – if you want to grind the seeds for a smoother texture

I haven’t experimented with different flavors yet, but these are some other chia seed pudding options that look tasty!

Yield: 4 servings

Easy Overnight Dark Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

Name: Easy Overnight Dark Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding
Prep time: 2 min
Total time: 3 h 2 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate almond milk; 1/4 cup dark cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Special Dark); 4 Tbsp maple syrup; 1/2 cup chia seeds; 1/4 tsp vanilla extract; small pinch of salt; Toppings as desired (I used thawed frozen berries, ReddiWhip non-dairy Coconut Milk cream, and miniature chocolate chips)

This overnight dark chocolate chia seed pudding is a delicious breakfast or dessert option! Topped with berries and cream, it's a decadent non-dairy treat!

Prep Time 2 minutes

Additional Time 3 hours

Total Time 3 hours 2 minutes

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups dark chocolate almond milk
1/4 cup dark cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Special Dark)
4 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 cup chia seeds
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
small pinch of salt
Toppings as desired (I used thawed frozen berries, ReddiWhip non-dairy Coconut Milk cream, and miniature chocolate chips)

Instructions

In a mixing bowl, add all ingredients except for the toppings.
Use an immersion blender or whisk to combine all ingredients well.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator to chill, preferably for at least 3-5 hours or even overnight.
When ready to serve, scoop chilled pudding into serving dishes and top with berries and cream and chocolate chips (or other toppings, as desired).

Notes

You can customize ingredients! If you don't care about being vegan or dairy-free, you can use regular milk and regular whipped cream. If you need it to be gluten-free, make sure your chocolate chips are gluten free, if using.
The resulting texture of the pudding is similar to tapioca pudding. If the texture bothers you, I've read that you can use a high-powered blender to combine everything prior to refrigeration, which will grind up the chia seeds and result in a smoother texture.
Use whatever toppings you like! Sliced bananas and almonds, berries and cream, hazelnuts and coconut shavings, etc. would all be tasty options!

Adapted from Minimalist Baker