This delicious vanilla chia seed pudding recipe is full of healthy fat and fiber. Find out how quick and easy it is to make a simple treat out of these healthy seeds that you can use for breakfast, grab and go snack cups, or dessert all week long.
This keto friendly pudding is a fantastic breakfast, snack, and even dessert option. It’s sugar-free with a net carb count of 4 grams, easy to meal prep for the week ahead, and totally versatile.
There are so many variations of the recipe out there, too.. Some use unsweetened cocoa powder like my chocolate version, others peanut butter or almond butter, and some call for berries or other stir in ingredients.
This is a super easy recipe that uses vanilla and coconut milk to make your chia seed pudding keto compliant while still having a rich and creamy flavor. The best part? Not only is it delicious, but you can literally make a big batch for the week in less than 10 minutes.
Simply mix them with your favorite milk of choice (like the combination of full-fat coconut milk and heavy cream used here), sweetener of choice, and flavoring. That’s it!
Ingredients
There's only five simple ingredients needed to make this chia pudding recipe. You'll find all the exact ingredient amounts in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. Here you'll get some additional information about each one used.
Chia Seeds
These tiny little seeds release a thickening gel when mixed into liquid which makes them the perfect ingredient for keto pudding! They are quite the super food and make a perfect addition to a low-carb diet because they are all fiber and good fat. White chia seeds look best in a vanilla pudding, but you can use the regular black ones too.
Milk Base
It doesn't matter what type of milk you use. I recommend using full-fat coconut milk for dairy-free but unsweetened almond milk will work well too. For a richer pudding, I like to mix in heavy cream for part of the liquid.
Sweetener
The sweetener you use in your chia seed pudding is totally up to you. The first time I made it, I used a few packets of stevia but any of the many keto-friendly sweeteners will do and the amount should be adjusted to your own taste.
Vanilla Extract
I like to make a vanilla flavored pudding so I add in some extract. But you can definitely change up the flavor to whatever you are in the mood for. Try a different flavor extract or mix in some lemon zest to change the taste.
Salt
Adding salt isn't essential for the recipe but I find just a dash really ups the flavor.
Please note: Check out the recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients used to make this low-carb recipe.
Quick Tips
- Whip it up after it sets to incorporate some air. It turns into a pretty thick pudding after sitting a while in the refrigerator. Putting it in a mixing bowl and beat it with an electric mixer will fluff it up.
- Adjust seeds or liquid. The amount of chia seeds or liquid can be adjusted as needed to achieve the desired thickness. If it's too thin, add more seeds. If it's too thick, stir in a little more milk.
Instructions
This pudding is simple to prepare and super filling. Plus, you’re getting a healthy does of omega-3 healthy fats which helps get the right balance of fatty acids into your body.
So how simple is it, exactly?
Combine
All you do is add your low-carb milk alternative, the chia seeds, your preferred sweetener, and any added flavoring to a large mixing bowl and give it a good stir. Then let the mixture sit for about 3 minutes before stirring it a second time.
Chill It!
After the ingredients have been well combined, you'll need to chill the mixture. You can divide it into single serve mason jars for easy grab and go snacks. Or you can leave it in the mixing bowl as long as you cover it well.
Keep your chia blend in the fridge and it will have a pudding-like consistency after a couple of hours.
Serving Suggestions
If you’re looking for ways to jazz up your chia seed pudding so that you can make it for the week and still enjoy something different each day, the possibilities are almost endless.
You can sprinkle on unsweetened coconut, crushed almonds, and sugar-free chocolate chips for an almond joy inspired pudding.
Add some raspberries or blueberries (or both!) if fresh fruit is in season.
A strawberry sauce or keto granola would also be delightful toppings!
You could also sprinkle it with some pumpkin pie or apple pie spices to give it just a hint of autumn.
Chocolate Chia Pudding Option
Stir in a spoonful of sugar-free dehydrated peanut butter and maybe add some sugar free chocolate for a chocolate peanut butter treat (one of my favorite combos – check out this keto chocolate peanut butter shake)!
This healthy pudding is fabulous all on its own, but it’s also a great base to make up for meal prep for the week and touch up for a treat when you’re craving one.
FAQs
Before getting to the full recipe, here's some answers to questions people often have about the recipe.
The seeds themselves have a neutral flavor so the taste of the pudding comes from the other ingredients you use. If you don't add the vanilla extract, it will taste like a sweet version of the type of milk you use.
It will last several days to a week which is why chia seed pudding is ideal for make ahead food prepping. Having healthy snack options ready to reach for is what keeps you on track even when temptation hits!
Chia seeds help control blood sugar levels by slowing the conversion of starches to sugar and they are packed with omega-3. The complete protein in chia seeds helps raise energy levels and many people find they curb hunger to help with weight loss.
While these nutritious little seeds are great for making the perfect breakfast pudding, they can also be used as a thickener for low carb oatmeal or low carb porridge recipes The seeds can also be mixed with water to create a gel for smoothies and yogurt. The gel is also useful for cooking and baking. I use the gel in my low-carb flax bread recipe. And if you add the gel to scrambled eggs, they’ll be fluffier.
Other Related Recipes
Interested in other keto friendly desserts made with chia to get more omega-3s into your diet? You'll find more chia seed recipes listed below:
- Strawberry Almond Milk Pudding is perfect for breakfast too!
- Matcha Green Tea Pudding is a great way to change things up.
- Healthy Pumpkin Pudding can be enjoyed all year long.
- Chocolate Chia Pudding can be a nice afternoon treat.
And if you haven't tried it yet, I highly recommend making some low carb jam with the seeds. It's super simple and tastes great with my keto bagel recipe.
What’s your favorite way to use these healthy low carb seeds?
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Recipe
Chia Seed Pudding (Vanilla)
Ingredients
- ½ cup heavy cream or other low-carb milk
- 1 cup full fat coconut milk or unsweetened almond milk (see note)
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 4 packets stevia or 2 to 3 tablespoons sugar substitute to taste
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup chia seeds see note
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl until well blended.
- Let sit for a few minutes and then stir it again.
- Cover and place in refrigerator until thick like pudding.
Notes
Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart
Nutrition
Additional Info
Notes on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Copyright
© LowCarbYum.com - Unauthorized use of this material without written permission is strictly prohibited unless for personal offline purposes. Single photos may be used, provided that full credit is given to LowCarbYum.com along with a link back to the original content.
First published on April 28, 2011. Last updated on September 12, 2019, with new images and additional recipe information.
Mckell
Soooo good! My very picky hubby even liked it. He wanted to try it in chocolate, so I added 2 oz of a 100% cocoa bar, which added a few extra carbs, but it was delicious!
Lisa
Happy you both liked it. Chia pudding is a regular breakfast item for me.
Tigra
ER MERH GERD! This is yummy, did 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 1/3c chia seeds 2 tsp vanilla and 4 packs of pyure and 1/8t of salt..like recommended and boy this is sure a good fatty treat. I could def use the extra fiber and it will help when I want a treat. Thank you for sharing this.. I topped with a few raspberries too.
Lisa
Raspberries are a wonderful way to top the pudding off.
Trish
I just put chia seeds into cream and add a few frozen raspberries YUM
Stacey Allison
This was delicious, however, I think I used the wrong coconut milk. I just grabbed a carton of "unsweetened" coconut milk (Silk brand) but there were only 4 grams of fat per serving. Did I buy the wrong coconut milk? At first, I wasn't sure if I needed the cartons from the refrigerated section of the store or the cans of coconut milk from the Asian food aisle. It looks like some people used the cans.
Anyway, it was still very good but after 3-1/2 hours, it was just starting to get a little firm (another reason I think I used the wrong coconut milk). It tasted very much like tapioca pudding as some have mentioned. This is an excellent and very simple recipe and a good way to use those healthy chia seeds.
We'll be making this regularly but I'd sure appreciate your advice regarding the coconut milk. Thank you.
Lisa
It's best to use the full fat coconut milk for at least part of the recipe. If you want to cut back calories, use the carton kind or make a blend of both.
Stacey Allison
I'm guessing the full-fat coconut milk has some sort of reaction with the chia seeds. I've done it both ways now and both versions are good. Thanks for the advice, Lisa. I make this every other day and we love it.
ChaCha
Can’t find calorie count for my recipe of chia pudding. 1/3c chia seeds 1-1/2c of 2% milk can you help me please? And how much is my serving?
Lisa
Try plugging that in to MyFitnessPal.
Gryfalcon
This recipe was awesome. It reminded me of a combination of rice pudding, tapioca pudding or Boba drinks. Because I love rice pudding so much, I added a bit of cardamom to the recipe to get that special flavor.
Lisa
I've been thinking about how this would taste as a sup to rice pudding. I may have to experiment with it.
Katie
Do you use the whole can of coconut milk (cream and the water) or just the cream?
Lisa
I typically use the coconut milk in a carton for this one.
Karen
Can you please tell me which coconut milk in the carton you get? I bought the lite coconut milk in the cans as I didn't know which to get. Thank you can't wait to make this.
Lisa
I like So Delicious, but the cans work in this recipe too.
Lacy
I forgot mix it first. The seeds really need the liquid.
Lisa
Yes. The seeds need the liquid to form the chia gel.
Tasha
What are you supposed to mix first? I thought you put it all together & mixed it?
Lisa
You basically mix everything together. Order isn’t that important.
Cindi
Would it work to use coconut cream instead of the heavy cream?
Lisa
It should. But, coconut cream does tend to get pretty hard in the refrigerator so you may need to set it out a bit before eating.
Susan B
Yes
Alli
How long would this keep in the fridge? Looking to maybe double the recipe and portion it all out for breakfasts throughout the week. Thank you!
Lisa
It will last at least a week.
Carolyn
Delicious! Thank you so much!
Lisa
You're welcome Carolyn!
Emily @latherliftrepeat
I halved the recipe and used coconut cream instead of milk. Holy moly was that decadent! Tasted like a bad-for-you desert I'd get at a restaurant, but totally keto friendly!
Lisa
I've never tried this with coconut cream. Now I'm curious to check it out.
Eileen
I used 1/2 coconut (full fat) milk and 1/2 almond milk plus the cream. Almond milk has 2g carbs-2g fiber in 8 oz. one can of coconut milk says 2g carbs in 1/4 cup. The other can says 2g carbs in 1/3 cup. Want to keep carbs down so I can add some berries
Lisa
The almond milk I use has 1g per cup. So using all almond milk cuts it back a little.
Elyse
Hi! How much sweetleaf stevia drops would you say for this? Thank you in advance.
Lisa
I'd say about 20 drops.
Annika Leisure
I calculated all the ingredients listed and this recipe appears to in fact be 300 calories per serving.
All of the calories of the ingredients listed combined = 1200 divided by 4 servings is 300kcal.
Lisa
I believe it was calculated using the lower calorie coconut milk beverage.
Annie
Were you able to get four, 1 cup servings out of this like the recipe states? I wasn't. It was more like four half cup.
Linda
Wondering if I am able to use Chia seeds due to diverticulosis.
Lisa
I'm not familiar with that. I'd have to check with a doctor or research it online.
TLBoyd
No you cannot. These seeds would cause a flare up.
Pat Walls
Probably not, seeds set my mom's diver into space! You don't want to be on those potent antibiotics unless you absolutely have to!
Mary
I make my pudding with strong coffee and half and half (although heavy cream would be great too). I use sugar free syrups for sweetener (like salted caramel-so good)! I also add a few tablespoons of sugar free chocolate chips plus the chia seeds. So delicious!!!
Lisa
I must give that a try. Sounds so yummy!
Melanie
When making this what is better . the Almond milk or coconut milk full fat?
Lisa
I find it best made with the highest fat milk you can get.
Vivian
This is so amazing, especially with a few strawberries on top. Can you give me the net carb amount?
Lisa
It's about 3-4 grams net carbs
Amy Beth
Hello! I made this will Almond Milk and Heavy Cream. I ended up using 1.2 cup chia seeds to get it to thicken up. Recommend using 1/2 cup if you use almond milk. So delicious! I love it.
Satisfies the sweet tooth and missing oatmeal.
Lisa
Thanks for the tip!
Alexia
Do you warm it up at all to get the oatmeal feeling? I don't know how well it would heat up due to the heavy cream.
Lisa
No. I don't warm this up. I prefer it chilled.
Pam Smith
I'm making this for my niece who has gestational diabetes. Her dietitian is recommending an extremely low fat diet. Can I use all almond milk?
Lisa
It will affect taste, but it's perfectly fine to lower the fat with almond milk.
Susan Burns
I make this recipe often, but do change it a bit. First, I use a whole can of full-fat coconut milk, plus 1 cup of heavy cream. All I could taste was vanilla the first time I made it, so I only use 1 tsp. per (roughly) doubled recipe. Then I add powdered erythritol (Swerve) to taste, and add between 1/2 and 2/3 cups chia seeds. I also like to add 1/2 cup of cocoa powder. Cocoa is bitter, so it requires additional sweetener. My son complains about the lack of real sugar in it, but it turns out really yummy. Sometimes I give in and put some maple syrup in it, but right now I'm trying to stay in the ketogenic range for carbs. Thanks for a good recipe!
Lisa
Thanks for sharing your recipe Susan! I'll have to give it a try with high fat coconut cream.
Wendy
I made this up early this afternoon, but it's still not thickening up (about 6 hours later). How long should it take to thicken? I gave it a good stir when I checked it a few minutes ago, in case that's the problem, but I'm wondering if I should do something else to it. What do you think? I'm looking forward to having this!
Lisa
It should thicken within 15 minutes. If not, you'll need to add more chia.
TLBoyd
I noticed this too, as I made it with unsweetened almond milk and only two tablespoons of chia seeds per 10 oz of Almond milk. I added 1/4 teaspoon of Xanthium Gum and put the mixture in my nutrabullet and pulsed it twice. It thickened up so much that I added a couple of more Oz of coconut milk to fill up the mason jar. I didn't see this recipe before I made it, so I'm thinking of going back and adding a couple of tablespoons of heavy whipping cream for added fat. The mixture should be perfect by morning. I added the vinilla extract, some Vanilla cream Stevia, Swerve and Xylitol. I think this will be my new favorite dessert.
Jayme
Oh my gosh!!! Made this today to have with supper! If I could give it 10 stars I would! This was absolutely wonderful. I used coconut milk (full fat) and cream. Thank goodness I doubled the recipe! Now we have to try to control ourselves and not eat it all at once. I put a little in a plastic dish and placed in the freezer to see how that would work also. Thank you for this absolutely heavenly treat - Jayme
Lisa
So glad you enjoyed it. It's one of my favorite work day treats!
Laura
Can you tell me your EXACT recipe with ingredients and servings as well. I'm now to this and it looks so good but I'm ignorant when it comes to Keto still.