Chia seeds are a fantastic addition to any diet, as they are rich in fiber, healthy fats, minerals, and protein. However, many of you have shared that you don’t love the texture of classic chia pudding. That’s why I’m excited to share this Cacao Blended Chia Pudding recipe! Blending the chia not only completely changes the texture (trust me, it’s so different!), but it also makes the nutrients more bioavailable, meaning our bodies can absorb more of them.
Combined with antioxidant-rich cacao and berries, this recipe makes a nourishing, protein-rich breakfast or snack, with 20 g of protein per serving. It tastes so indulgent that we’ve even been enjoying it for dessert!
Each serving is also packed with minerals like iron and magnesium, making it a satisfying and wholesome option that keeps you feeling your best!
Why I Love This Recipe
- High-protein, packed with 20 g of protein per serving.
- Great source of fiber with 13 g per serving.
- Rich in antioxidants from cacao powder, which may help lower blood pressure and improve blood flow to your brain and heart.
- Incredibly versatile—perfect for breakfast, a snack, or even dessert, plus you can customize it with various toppings.
- Easy to meal prep and keeps for 4 days in the fridge, so you can batch-prep it for the week.
Ingredient Notes
- Chia seeds: A great source of fiber and ALA omega-3s fatty acids. I always recommend eating them once soaked with water or another liquid, like in this recipe. They absorb a lot of liquid once ingested, so if you’re eating them dry, make sure to consume enough water to avoid digestive discomfort.
- Cacao powder: A true superfood! Packed with flavonols, it may help reduce inflammation and improve heart health and blood flow. It also has positive effects on skin elasticity and wrinkles. Cacao is rich in magnesium and provides a deep, rich chocolate flavor. Cacao is raw and minimally processed, so it has more nutrients than cocoa. Cacao contains some caffeine, so if you’re sensitive, I recommend avoiding it at night.
- Soy milk: A great source of plant-based protein and calcium if you choose a fortified option, which I recommend. It is creamy yet neutral in taste. Each cup contains 8 to 10 g of protein, making it a very convenient and budget-friendly choice to up your daily protein intake.
- Medjool dates: These add natural sweetness without refined sugar. They’re also rich in fiber and minerals like potassium. If using regular dates, soak them in hot water to soften.
- Raspberries: Delicious, sweet, and rich in polyphenols. To increase the antioxidant content of our treat, they pair perfectly with the richness of the cacao.
- Vanilla protein powder: Optional, but it really amplifies the protein content. If you skip it, you can reduce the milk a bit and add vanilla extract for flavor.
How to make this recipe (summary)
Start by adding the cacao powder, protein powder, chia seeds, dates, and soy milk to a high-speed blender. Blend everything until perfectly smooth, ensuring no lumps. Transfer the mixture into jars of your desired size. Let it set for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight, in the fridge to let the chia seeds thicken. Top the chia pudding with dairy-free yogurt, fresh raspberries, and chopped pistachios just before serving. View recipe card below for detailed instructions.
Variations and Tips
- Substitute the soy milk: You can use almond milk or oat milk instead if you prefer. Just keep in mind that different plant-based milks have different nutrient profiles.
- Swap the toppings: Instead of raspberries, try strawberries, blueberries, or even sliced bananas. For the nuts, almonds, macadamia, or walnuts would be delicious as well.
- Make it even higher in protein: Add another scoop of protein powder or some hemp seeds to the pudding mixture.
- Don’t skip the setting time: Let the chia pudding sit for at least an hour, preferably overnight, to get that thick, pudding-like texture.
- Make it ahead: This pudding keeps for up to 4 days in the fridge, making it perfect for meal prep. Just add your toppings right before serving.
- Blend or leave whole: Blending the chia creates a smooth texture and makes some nutrients more bioavailable, but it does not mean there are none if consumed whole. Remember, healthy food is only healthy if you actually consume it, so I invite you to experiment and pick your favorite texture. Some delicious recipes keep the seeds whole: Strawberry Matcha Chia Pudding, Chocolate Pistachio Chia Pudding, Pina Colada Chia Pudding, Banoffee Chia Pudding.
Why You’ll Love This Cacao Blended Chia Pudding TLDR
- Protein-packed
- Rich in fiber
- Antioxidant-rich
- Easy to make
- Perfect for meal prep
Cacao Blended Chia Pudding
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
Pudding Base
- ¼ cup (22 g) unsweetened raw cacao powder
- 1 scoop (30 g) vanilla protein powder - optional – see notes
- ½ cup (85 g) chia seeds
- 2.5 cups (590 ml) soy milk
- 3 Medjool dates - pitted
Toppings
- ½ cup (120 g) dairy-free yogurt - I used soy
- 2 tbsp (15 g) pistachios - roughly chopped
- 1 cup (120 g) raspberries
Instructions
- In a high-speed blender, add the cacao powder, protein powder, chia seeds, Medjool dates, and soy milk. Blend until perfectly smooth.
- Transfer into jars of desired size, and allow to set for at least 1 hour, but preferably overnight.
- When ready to serve, top the pudding with soy yogurt, fresh raspberries, and pistachios. Enjoy!
Notes
FAQ
Yes, it’s naturally gluten-free as long as you use certified gluten-free ingredients.
Yes, simply omit the protein powder and reduce the soy milk by 1/4 cup. You can add 1.5 tsp of vanilla extract to maintain the flavor.
It will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Add toppings just before serving for the best texture.
Freezing chia pudding can change the texture, so I don’t recommend it for this recipe. It’s best enjoyed fresh or refrigerated.
Cacao is raw, minimally processed, and has more antioxidants than cocoa. It’s more bitter, but the health benefits make it worth it!
I make this all the time as a protein-boosting snack. It’s perfect exactly as written–don’t miss out on the pistachios and the raspberries with the chocolate.
So happy you love it Elisa 💚
This was so yummy! Really deserves the name pudding while at the same time keeping the promise of being healthy. Also it kept me full for quite a while without peaks or dips. Thanks for sharing!!!
I’m so happy you loved it Ilona, thank you for your review 💚
Amazing. Thanks
Sorry I waited so long to try this! It’s delicious and a keeper and I haven’t even cooled it in the refrigerator yet!!
So happy to hear that Betty 💚
This was absolutely delicious, thank you!
I really enjoyed this treat!
Thank you Craig! I’m so happy to hear that 🙂
Great receipt, very easy to make and so yummy. Loved it and so did the rest of the family.
Just make sure you have a strong blender so all the chia seeds will be grind well.
So happy you like it Ifat 💚
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
You’re most welcome 🥰
Made this for my meal prep this week. Really tasty, I usually don’t blend the chia seeds but it gave it such a lovely consistency that, I actually prefer it this way. I added some peanut butter drizzle on top of the raspberries and omitted the yoghurr to make it like a choc peanut butter and jam pudding. 🙂 Highly recommend!
Peanut butter sounds like such a good addition! Thanks for sharing Laurie 💚
This was absolutely delicious, thank you!
So happy you loved it! Thank you for your review 🥰
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
You’re most welcome 🥰
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
You’re most welcome 💚
Thanks for the amazing receipt! Just finished with it
So happy you loved it! 🥰
Thank you Sara, you’re very generous & talented!
Thank you so much for the kind words lovely!
This was absolutely delicious, thank you!
I’m so happy to hear that 🥰
This is such a great meal prep breakfast for busy weeks! I’ve been enjoying it with granola, almond butter and fresh berries. Thank you!
Hey Mel, so happy you love it 💚
Love it! Perfect natural sweetness – exactly what I’m looking for! I used almond milk, which matched well with cacao powder.
I’m so happy you loved it Veronica, thanks for sharing 💚
Hello! I’m making this right now and I’m so excited about it! What protein powder do you use? Thanks!
Hope you love it! I used Vanilla Vegan Protein from happy way x
Looks amazing!! Thanks for sharing 🙏
Thank you Sofia 💕
This is so yummy! Do you have nutritional info on it i.e. total calories?
The nutritional info is just under the recipe instruction, click to unveil, we keep them hidden as the numbers do not serve everyone 💚
Do you have the nutrition macros listed for this recipe?
Yes they are just under the recipe instructions; click “nutrition information” to unveil them, we keep them hidden as the numbers do not serve everyone 💚
This is so yummy! My children (1, 3 & 14yrs) devoured it. And it’s perfect for a lunchbox treat at school!
Also, My old blender is on its last legs, I discovered blending the chia seeds first makes the texture smoother
That’s great E, so glad it’s been approved by all the kids! Great tips about blending the chia seeds first, thanks for sharing 💚
Delish!
So happy you liked it!
Very good
So happy you liked it 💚
This is a wonderful recipe. Thank you for sharing. I love the flavor of this recipe just as you wrote it.
Thanks so much Jc, I’m so happy to hear that 💚
Very nice recipe chef 👍👌👏. Thank you for your effort 🌞😎.
So happy you liked it Jasson 🙂
I tried this out and loved it! Thank you for the recipe 😍
So happy you loved it 💕
Hi there. What brand soy yogurt did you use? Thank you!
Kingsland
You’re going to love this Cacao Blended Chia Pudding recipe! Make sure to rate it 5 stars and leave a comment if you enjoyed it!
This looks great! Do you know if you can use chia protein powder instead of chia seeds? Thanks
If it’s just grounded chia seeds yes, but usually, to make a protein powder, the protein is extracted, so it’s a different product. I’ve never seen chia seed protein powder, so I’m unsure of what results you could expect. Would you mind sharing the brand? I would love to take a look!
Thanks for your reply. I think it’s just ground chia seeds?! Here’s a link to the product I’ve come across https://www.grapetree.co.uk/organic-chia-seed-protein-powder-500g
Interesting! The product you sent mentions it’s a by-product of cold-pressing chia seeds, and the oil is removed, I’m not sure what texture that would result in, but would love to know if you give it a go 💚
Did not like this at all. All i could taste was protein powder.
Sorry to hear that! The protein powder used would definitely impact the final recipe. If you’re looking for a new one, I love Happyway vegan protein vanilla, it’s not too strong and goes very well in this 🙂