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 15 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.
- Smooth texture: If you don’t have a Vitamix-style high-speed blender, blend the dry chia seeds first for about a minute until you get a super fine powder. Ensure your blender is completely dry for this step; otherwise, the chia seeds will start swelling. You can also soak the dates in warm water for 20 minutes, then drain. Then add the rest of your ingredients to the blender as per the recipe and blend until super smooth. This helps you get a perfectly smooth texture and avoids any grainy feel.
- 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, or Matcha Blended 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
Equipment
Ingredients
Pudding Base
- ¼ cup (40 g) unsweetened raw cacao powder
- 1 scoop (30 g) vanilla protein powder - optional – see notes
- ½ cup (80 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 to jars of the desired size and let them set in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, but preferably overnight.
- When ready to serve, top the pudding with soy yogurt, fresh raspberries, and pistachios. Enjoy!
Notes
Then, add the remaining ingredients to the blender according to the recipe and blend until smooth. This helps you get a perfectly smooth texture and avoids any grainy feel. Medjool Dates: Medjool dates are sweeter and juicier than regular dates. If using regular dates, soak them in hot water for 5 minutes. Protein Powder: If you wish to skip the protein powder, add 1.5 tsp of vanilla extract and reduce the milk by 1/4 cup. This will reduce the protein content by 5 g per serving. Raspberries: Since raspberries tend to get mushy quickly when in contact with other ingredients, I recommend adding them just before eating for the best texture. If you wish to add toppings in advance, I’d suggest using strawberries instead. Storage: Keeps for 4 days in the fridge.
Video
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!
Hi, Can I swap the soy milk for unsweetened almond milk? And can I swap the dates for Monk fruit sweetener? I am looking to make this sugar and soy free. I would be grateful for a response. Many thanks
Absolutely, both will work 🙂
Love it so much! Made a big batch with extra chocolate protein powder and topped with soy crisps for even more plant protein! 😍
Holy cow this is absolutely creamy and scrumptious. I like, but don’t love chocolate, so I used half the cacao powder and it came out fantastic. I also used regular skim milk. I will be making this again!
So happy you loved it Susan, thank you for sharing your tips 💚
Is this Cocoa blended Chia pudding deserts suitable for children? Also, could dates be replaced with normal honey or manuka honey? Many thanks
Hi Izzy, I would probably skip the protein powder for kids 🙂 You can use any sweetener you like!
Creamy, rich and chocolatey! All while being HRALTHY!!!
So happy you loved it!!
I tried this recipe & although it tasted good, mine was runny (definitely not pudding texture). I have been keeeping my chia seeds in the fridge so they would stay fresh.
Hi Cindy, the protein powder and blender used might affect the overall texture. If you’d like a bit thicker, I would recommend adding a bit more chia seeds to the next batch, that should fix it 🙂 Let me know how you go 💚
I am not a fan of soy milk, so can I substitute another plant based milk in this recipe?
Thanks!
Absolutely, any neutral tasting milk will work 💚
Do you think the dates are important to the texture? I was thinking about using stevia or allulose to sweeten instead.
I think you can absolutely make it work with stevia if it’s a little too thin to your liking, add some more chia seeds 🙂 Let us know how you go 💚
A super easy way to make Thai extra nourishing is to blend in some organic shelled hemp seeds – some medicinal mushroom powder and a little spirulina. In total powerhouses and the cacao hides the flavour of the mushrooms and spirulina.
Thank you for sharing your additions Lucy! Sounds lovely 💚
Can’t wait to make this! I’m not a fan of protein powders so I appreciate your variation you shared without it. What are your thoughts on substituting almond flour?
I think that could be a great idea to add some extra fiber, minerals, and healthy fats 🙂. It would also be delicious! You may need to adjust the milk slightly for consistency. Let me know how you go 💚
Do you have the calories/ nutrition info for this
Click “nutritional information” under the recipe instruction to unveil, we keep them hidden as numbers do not serve everyone 🙂