Easy 4-Ingredient Vanilla Chia Pudding Recipe

This 4-ingredient chia pudding is a simple, healthy recipe perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a snack. It’s low in carbs, dairy-free, and packed with fiber, healthy fats, and plant-based protein to keep you full and energized.

Made with just unsweetened plant-based milk, chia seeds, your sweetener of choice, and optional vanilla or cinnamon for flavor, this recipe comes together in minutes and can be prepped ahead for the week.

Whether you’re following a keto, paleo, or vegan lifestyle, this easy chia pudding is a go-to option for something quick, filling, and delicious.

This vanilla chia seed pudding has a rich, naturally sweet flavor that pairs perfectly with all your favorite toppings. It’s incredibly versatile, satisfying, and nutrient-dense, making it an ideal option for a healthy breakfast or snack.

Top it with fresh low-carb fruits, dark chocolate shavings, crunchy nuts, or seeds to add texture, flavor, and extra nutrition. Whether you’re looking for a quick morning meal or a wholesome dessert, this chia pudding will keep you full for hours without any guilt.

Watch my quick step-by-step video below to see how easy it is to make this creamy chia pudding!

Ingredients for Vanilla Chia Pudding

To start making chia pudding, you’ll need a medium bowl, unsweetened plant-based milk (almond milk, coconut milk, chia milk, or any milk you love), a few tablespoons of chia seeds, your sweetener of choice, vanilla extract.

Sometimes I don’t add any sweetener and prefer to sweeten the pudding with toppings such as fresh low carb fruits, sugar-free chocolate chips, or frozen berries.

Here are all the ingredients you’ll need:

• Milk – choose your favorite plant-based milk that’s sugar-free. Almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk, or cashew milk are my favorites.
• Chia seeds – I like to use 3 tablespoons of chia seeds for every cup of milk to make thick and creamy pudding and get the perfect texture.
• Sweetener – Use your favorite sweetener, including low-carb sweeteners, maple syrup, or honey. I love to use monk fruit to keep my chia pudding low-carb.
• Vanilla extract

PRO TIP 1. Coconut milk is naturally sweet, so you don’t have to add too much sweetener. You can use a combo of canned creamy coconut milk (add about 2 heaping tablespoons) and coconut milk for a super creamy pudding.

PRO TIP 2. There’s one trick I want to share with you: using warm milk will hydrate the chia seeds faster! This way, you don’t have to wait at least four hours until it is ready. It will still be liquid, but once the chia absorbs the liquids, it will become very creamy and tasty.

If time isn’t a problem, you can make overnight chia pudding by combining all the ingredients and refrigerating until the next day for the creamiest breakfast. Chia pudding has the best consistency if you allow sitting in the fridge overnight.

How to Make Chia Pudding?

1. When making chia pudding, the essential part is to whisk the seeds into the milk. You should do this step twice: once in the beginning and once after 10 minutes. This will ensure that your pudding has no clumps and it’s creamy.
2. Finally, transfer the gluten-free chia pudding mixture into individual servings in small mason jars and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. It should be enough for the chia seeds to absorb the milk and the sweetener.

Best Toppings for Vegan Chia Pudding

Take your vegan chia seed pudding to the next level with these delicious and wholesome topping ideas. Whether you’re enjoying it for breakfast or as a healthy dessert, these add-ons will boost both flavor and nutrition:

• Fresh Fruit: Top your easy chia pudding with strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or Bananas.
• Nuts and Seeds: Add some crunch and healthy fats. Sprinkle almonds, walnuts, pecans, or your favorite nuts over the chia pudding for extra fiber.
• Granola: Sprinkle a tablespoon of my homemade granola on top of your pudding for extra texture.
• Nut Butter: A drizzle of your favorite nut butter, such as almond butter or peanut butter, adds some extra creaminess to the pudding.
• Chocolate Chips: For a sweet and indulgent touch, add a few sugar-free chocolate chips on top.
• Shredded Coconut: add a subtle coconut flavor and sweetness to your chia pudding.
• Maple Syrup Or Honey: for some extra sweetness.
• Mint: freshly chopped mint adds a fresh flavor to the chia pudding.
• Dried Fruit: Cranberries, raisins, or other dried fruits can add natural sweetness and texture to your chia pudding.
• Cacao nibs: for some extra chocolate flavor and texture.
• Spices: A sprinkle of cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, or other spices adds warmth and depth of flavor to your chia pudding.

How to Make Smooth Chia Pudding

If you’re not a fan of whole chia seeds and find the texture too slimy, I have a solution! 

GRIND THE SEEDS! Yes, you heard right. To make the creamiest chia pudding, use a food processor to turn the chia seeds into a powder. Then add the chia flour to the milk and combine it with the rest of the ingredients. 

This fine chia powder has many uses as it’s a great thickening agent. You have to try my raspberry chia jam and serve it with 90 seconds bread!

How to Store Chia Pudding

Chia pudding is one of the best make-ahead breakfast or snack options! Here’s how to store it properly to keep it fresh and delicious:

• Refrigerator: Store chia pudding in an airtight container or individual jars in the fridge. It’s best consumed within 2–3 days for optimal flavor and texture.
• Meal Prep Tip: Make only as many servings as you plan to enjoy over the next few days. Since it’s so quick to prepare, you can easily make a fresh batch every few nights.

In our house, it rarely lasts more than a day because everyone loves it—but it’s a great option to prep at night and enjoy a ready-to-eat breakfast the next morning.

Is Chia Pudding Keto-Friendly?

Yes, chia pudding is absolutely keto-friendly! In fact, it’s one of the best low-carb options for breakfast or dessert on a ketogenic diet.

Chia seeds are a true superfood—loaded with fiber, plant-based protein, and healthy fats that help keep you full and support stable energy levels. With only about 2g net carbs per tablespoon, they’re perfect for keto.

Beyond being low in carbs, chia seeds are packed with essential nutrients, including:

• Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, and Manganese
• Potassium and Zinc
• Vitamins B1 (Thiamine), B2, and B3 (Niacin)

When combined with unsweetened plant-based milk and a low-carb sweetener, chia pudding becomes a satisfying, nutrient-rich treat you can enjoy without kicking yourself out of ketosis.

Carbs in Chia Pudding

Look at these fantastic macros: 1 oz (2 tablespoons) of chia seed contains:

• Calories: 138 kcal
• Fiber: 10 grams
• Protein: 5 gram
• Fat: 9 grams (5 grams are Omega-3s -> the stuff that’s good for you!)

Other Low Carb Breakfast Recipes you’ll Love

• Fluffy & Thick Keto Pancakes with Coconut
• Low Carb Yogurt – 2 Ingredients | Keto Friendly
• Crunchy Keto Granola Recipe – Only 5g net carbs

Easy 4-Ingredient Vanilla Chia Pudding Recipe

5 from 2 votes

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Prep time 5 minutes mins

Yelds 2 servings

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Description

 

This 4-ingredient chia pudding is a simple, healthy recipe perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a snack. It’s low in carbs, dairy-free, and packed with fiber, healthy fats, and plant-based protein to keep you full and energized.

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 2 cups Almond Milk unsweetened, or Coconut Milk
• 6 tbsp Chia Seeds
• 1-2 tbsp sweetener to taste
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Toppings

• Fresh Berries
• Mint Leaves
• Chocolate Chips
• Coconut Shredded

Instructions

 

• Add all the ingredients to a medium bowl and stir well.
• Put the bowl into the fridge and after 10-15 minutes give it another stir to prevent clumping. This will help the chia seeds gel evenly.
• Top with your favorite low carb fruits, nuts, seeds.Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving.

Calories

140kcal

Total Carbs

11g

Net Carbs

Protein

7g

Fat

8g

Fiber

9g

Sugar

0g

How do we calculate the nutrition info?

These nutrition facts listed are determined using nutrition information from the USDA Food Database. Our nutrition facts are accurate, but if you are using different products, please make your calculations. Net carb count is calculated by subtracting both fiber and sugar alcohols because they don’t raise blood sugar.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword chia pudding

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