Are you looking for a healthy chocolate recipe to satisfy that sweet craving? This Overnight Chocolate Chia Pudding is sure to make you happy. And the best thing is, with chia seeds, almond milk, and dates, this pudding is good for you, too!
So I’ve been wanting to make chia pudding forEVER.
I mean, what’s not to love about rich, dark chocolate, high-protein chia seeds, and sweet dates? Plus, I love how easy it is to make – and to have these babies waiting for you in the fridge the next morning is as good as it gets.
Because I’ve been trying to stay away from processed sugars like granulated white sugar or brown sugar (see this post for more on that), I’ve been enjoying finding new ways to sweeten my food. Easy, healthy, and unprocessed sweeteners like real maple syrup and honey are great, but I wanted an even richer, sweeter option for this overnight chocolate chia pudding.
So, I chose dates. Dates are an amazing sweetener and have such a luscious, thick, and creamy texture when you puree them. They give the chia pudding a rich depth of flavor like no other.
That being said, if you don’t have access to dates (or a blender to puree them), you could easily get by with maple syrup or honey.
So, originally, I made this overnight chocolate chia pudding to have as a healthy breakfast. But, it’s also a delicious dessert or high protein snack. It just gets better with time, too – so I highly recommend using airtight containers for individual portions.
To serve, I made a quick topping with plain Greek yogurt and maple syrup and tossed in a few fresh raspberries. Not only is it beautiful and vibrant, but it’s also delicious and healthy.
A real winner of a healthy recipe, if you ask me, and I’m soooo glad I finally got around to making it!
ARE CHIA SEEDS GOOD FOR YOU?
Chia seeds are superstars and add so much nutrition to the pudding, along with giving this breakfast (or dessert!) a nice creamy thickness. Chia seeds add:
- Fiber (2 tablespoons of chia seeds have almost 10 grams of fiber)
- Protein
- Minerals like iron and zinc
- Omega-3s
WHAT GOES IN OVERNIGHT CHOCOLATE CHIA PUDDING?
When you see what goes into this overnight chocolate chia pudding, you’ll see just how scrumptious it’s going to be – not to mention, how easy it is to make!
- Almond milk
- Pitted dates (they make the pudding so rich!!)
- Black chia seeds
- Cocoa powder
- Cinnamon
- Vanilla extract
- Plain Greek yogurt as a topping
- Fruit, like raspberries
- Extra toppings can be granola, coconut, peanut butter, nuts, and more
MILK OPTIONS FOR OVERNIGHT CHOCOLATE CHIA PUDDING
This easy and versatile overnight chocolate chia pudding recipe can work with just about any type of milk. You can swap the almond milk for these options:
- Coconut milk
- Cashew milk
- Oat milk
- Soy milk
- Hemp milk
- Dairy milk
HOW TO MAKE OVERNIGHT CHOCOLATE CHIA PUDDING VEGAN AND DAIRY-FREE
While the recipe itself is both vegan and dairy-free, it’s the plain Greek yogurt topping that needs to be switched out. In its place, you can use coconut cream or non-dairy cream as a yummy topping.
HOW TO STORE OVERNIGHT CHOCOLATE CHIA PUDDING
Overnight Chocolate Chia Pudding can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. As a matter of fact, this decadent and delicious chocolate pudding is even better a few days after it’s first made. The flavors have a chance to blend and if possible, it tastes even richer ← Yum!
You can also put the overnight chocolate chia pudding in small mason jars as a convenient grab and go option for the mornings when you are rushing to get out the door.
CAN YOU FREEZE OVERNIGHT CHOCOLATE CHIA PUDDING?
You can freeze overnight chocolate chia pudding in an airtight container for up to two months. Thaw it in the fridge for 6 to 8 hours. You will find that the consistency is different than it was before the pudding was frozen. However, the incredibly chocolatey flavor is just as decadent!
CAN YOU BLEND OVERNIGHT CHOCOLATE CHIA PUDDING?
My recipe calls for a mixing of the chia seeds, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and vanilla extract into the already blended dates and almond milk. But, you can most definitely blend the entire recipe if you like! The result will be just as satisfyingly good, just smoother. Blending removes the texture of the chia seeds.
MORE HEALTHY OVERNIGHT CHIA PUDDING RECIPES
Chia pudding is just the best! And the nice thing is, the flavor possibilities are endless. Here are my favorites:
- Banana Chia Pudding
- 5 Best Chia Pudding Recipes
- Dark Chocolate Mint Chia Pudding
- Matcha Chia Pudding
Chocolate Chia Pudding
Overnight Chocolate Chia Pudding
Ingredients
For The Pudding:
- 1 1/2 cups original almond milk
- 6 dates pitted
- 1/3 cup black chia seeds
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For The Topping:
- 2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp real maple syrup
- Optional: fresh raspberries and/or mint leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Add the milk and dates to a blender and puree until smooth.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combined the blended mixture with the chia seeds, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and vanilla extract and stir to combine.
- Cover the mixing bowl with saran wrap or (more preferably) pour into 4 individually-sized air-tight containers and place in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least 5-6 hours, to allow the chia seeds to absorb the liquid.
- When ready to eat, make the topping by combining the greek yogurt and maple syrup in a small mixing bowl.
- Place a dollop of the topping on each serving and garnish with fresh raspberries and mint leaves, if desired.
Video
Nutrition
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The post Overnight Chocolate Chia Pudding | So Rich and Decadent, You’d Never Guess It Was Good For You! appeared first on A Sweet Pea Chef.