Chocolate Protein Chia Seed Pudding with Greek Yogurt
This protein chia pudding is creamy, delicious and deceivingly healthy. Made with Greek yogurt, chocolate protein powder and chia seeds, this pudding is a rich and decadent dessert or even breakfast treat for anyone wanting to up their protein intake.
Chia seeds are little seeds with incredible nutrition. They’re a great way to get extra protein, fiber, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. They’re virtually flavorless but act as a thickening agent when they expand and absorb water.
The pudding needs to set overnight in order to thicken so make it the night before and have it ready to go the next day. Add homemade granola, chocolate chips, fresh fruit and whipped cream for a evening treat.
If you’re loving the idea of pudding for dessert, try my protein pudding and cottage cheese dessert bowls.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- 18 grams of protein.
- 8 grams of healthy fats and 7 grams of fiber.
- Simple ingredients.
Ingredients and Substituions:
These are the main ingredients and substitutions for this chia seed protein pudding. See the recipe card below for the full ingredients list and instructions.
- Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk: dairy milk or any plant-based milk. Soy milk, coconut milk or oat milk are great options.
- Chocolate Protein Powder: I use PEScience and love it for the taste and texture, use code OHSNAP to save. A whey casein protein powder has dairy-milk protein so it will yield a thicker pudding than a vegan protein powder, so you may need to adjust milk ratio if using others. You can also use vanilla protein powder to make this a vanilla pudding.
- Cocoa Powder: or cacao powder which is slightly more bitter than cocoa powder.
- Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt: use full fat for a more creamy texture.
- Honey: or pure maple syrup.
- Chia Seeds: the chia seeds make the pudding thick while adding fiber, protein, omega 3’s and essential amino acids.
Variations
- Add cacao nibs, hemp seeds or fresh berries.
- Top with a drizzle of your favorite nut butter such as almond butter or low calorie peanut butter syrup and homemade granola prior to serving.
- Try chocolate protein pudding for a version without chia seeds.
Dietary Modifications
- This recipe is gluten-free as written.
- For dairy-free, use a plant-based yogurt and dairy-free protein powder.
How to make this protein chia pudding (a step-by-step visual guide):
Step 1: combine everything in a jar
Add the almond milk, chocolate protein powder and cocoa powder to a mason jar or airtight container (image 1). Shake until the protein powder has fully combined into the almond milk, without any lumps remaining (image 2). If needed use a frother to completely blend.
Add the Greek yogurt, honey and chia seeds to the jar (image 3). Shake until the yogurt is fully combined (image 4). Place the jar in the refrigerator or split into 2 separate containers to make individual servings.
Step 2: let set overnight
Let set in the fridge for 24 hours. Give it a good stir and add your desired toppings before enjoying.
Expert Tip!
Whey casein blend will result in a thicker pudding. If using a non-dairy powder, you’ll need to lower your milk to ½ cup as they don’t thicken as well. You can also up chia seeds to 4 Tbsp.
Recipe FAQs
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. It’s best when eaten after 24-48 hours after combining ingredients.
Yes! Whey casein blend will result in a thicker pudding. If using a non-dairy powder, you’ll need to lower your milk to ½ cup as they don’t thicken as well. You can also up chia seeds to 4 tbsp. Use any flavor you like. If not going with chocolate, omit the cocoa powder.
The texture and consistency will depend on your protein powder. I suggest PEScience because it consistently makes puddings, shakes and smoothies velvety and smooth. If your pudding is too thin, add more chia seeds. If too thick, add more milk. It may take some trial and error with thickness as it will take 24 hours to fully thicken.
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If you make this recipe, please leave a rating and/or comment! Tag me on Instagram @ohsnapmacros, I love hearing from you!
Protein Chia Seed Pudding
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Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk 180 ml
- 1 scoop chocolate protein powder PEScience
- 1/2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt 56g
- 2 tsp. honey 14g
- 3 Tbsp. chia seeds
Topping Ideas
- fresh fruit
- cacao nibs
- nuts
- granola
Instructions
- Add the almond milk, chocolate protein powder and cocoa powder to a mason jar or sealable container. Shake until the protein powder has fully combined into the almond milk, without any lumps remaining. If needed, use a frother to completely blend.
- Add the Greek yogurt, honey and chia seeds to the jar. Shake until the yogurt is fully combined. Place the jar in the refrigerator or split into 2 separate containers to make individual servings. Let set in the fridge for 24 hours.
- When ready to enjoy top with additional greek yogurt and your toppings of choice.
Notes
- Whey casein blend will result in a thicker pudding. If using a plant-based protein powder, you will need to lower your milk to ½ cup as they do not thicken as well or up chia seeds to 4 tbsp.
- Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary with substitutions.
I don’t love chia seeds pudding but adding the cocoa powder and a little honey is key! This is a great recipe to get healthy fats and fiber!
Totally! The chia seeds really just help thicken it to pudding consistency. So glad you tried it and liked it!
Awesome