Coconut milk chia pudding is a luscious treat that's as healthy as delicious! This recipe combines nutrient-rich chia seeds with coconut milk's creamy tropical flavor. Perfect for breakfast, snacks, or a guilt-free dessert, it requires just a handful of ingredients and minimal prep time.
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Chia puddings are on weekly rotations in my home. While I am a huge fan of classic chia pudding and chocolate chia pudding, this coconut chia pudding is special since it's inspired by one of my favorite candy bars, Almond Joy!
In this easy recipe, sweet and creamy coconut milk creates a base that transforms the chia seeds into a pudding-like consistency.
It's a healthy and delicious make-ahead recipe that will make you feel like you are on a tropical island. Enjoy it with fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, chocolate chips, or high-protein granola. Let's get started!
Why We Love This Recipe
Here's why we love this coconut milk chia pudding recipe:
- A simple 5-minute preparation creates a healthy meal prep breakfast or snack for the week.
- Chia seeds are nutrient powerhouses packed with omega-3 fatty acids, protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
- Feel-good treat: Each serving contains 11 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein, and 9 grams of fat (includes omega-3s!)
- Easy to customize with endless possibilities based on your topping and mix-in choices.
Ingredients - Notes & Substitutions
The key ingredients in this pudding are chia seeds, coconut milk, and sweetener of choice. Here's a bit more detail about what we need:
- Chia Seeds: Pick white or black chia seeds. Find them in the breakfast aisle of your grocery store, or purchase them online.
- Coconut Milk: Light coconut milk creates a balanced consistency that is not too thick or thin. Plus, the light version lowers the overall calorie count.
- Sweetener: Maple syrup is my preferred sweetener, but honey works too. For a sugar-free variation, skip it or use monkfruit maple syrup.
- Toppings: Give it color with assorted fresh berries, or tropical fruits like mango, pineapple, or banana. Add a crunch factor with nuts and seeds, or make it more decadent with dark chocolate chips (my preference).
Scroll to the recipe card for a detailed list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Chia Pudding With Coconut Milk
Here are the step-by-step instructions and photos for how to make coconut milk chia pudding:
Step 1: Mix Chia Seeds and Coconut Milk
Add chia seeds to a mason jar or small bowl. Now add light coconut milk and maple syrup. Using a fork, give it a good mix to combine everything. Wait 5 minutes then stir again to break the chia seed clumps.
Texture Tip
Stirring for a second time is crucial as this breaks up any chia seed clumps. Skipping this step will prevent the chia clumps from absorbing the coconut milk, resulting in a lumpy texture.
Step 2: Soak
Close the mason jar lid or cover tightly using food storage wrap. Now set it in the refrigerator for at least an hour, up to overnight. The chia pudding will get thicker the longer it sits.
Step 3: Finish with Your Favorite Toppings
When ready to consume, add a splash of water or coconut milk if it appears too thick. Top with your choice of mixins and enjoy (suggestions listed below).
Serving Suggestions
This chia seed pudding with coconut milk makes for a healthful breakfast or snack. My family enjoys this tropical recipe in the following ways:
- Fresh Fruit: Keep the carb count low with low-sugar fruits like strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries. Or, bring out the vacation vibes with pineapple, mango, bananas, or papaya.
- Nuts / Seeds: Add healthy fats and crunch with toasted walnuts, almonds, cashews, or sunflower seeds.
- High Protein: Swirl in almond or cashew butter, top with Greek yogurt, or add texture with high protein granola.
- Dessert: Top it with coconut whipped cream and mini chocolate chips (go for sugar-free chocolate chips if you want to keep it low-sugar or sugar-free).
How to Store
Store coconut milk chia pudding in a large airtight container or mason jar for up to 5 days.
The chia mixture will naturally thicken over time, so add a splash of coconut milk or water to thin it out. Reserve the toppings until you are ready to enjoy.
Freeze: Transfer the chia pudding to individual, freezer-safe airtight containers. Freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw for at least 6 hours, or overnight, before enjoying.
Flavor Additions & Variations
Here are some popular flavor enhancements for coconut chia seed pudding:
- Coconut Lover: Add a dash of coconut extract and top with toasted coconut flakes.
- Citrus: Add a teaspoon of lemon or orange zest to add some zing.
- Extract: Give it a little oomph with vanilla or almond extract.
- Coconut Manna: Add 1-2 tablespoons of coconut butter for a rich, velvety texture.
- Full-Fat Coconut Milk: Full-fat coconut milk creates more of a richer, creamier dessert-like texture, but by all means, go for it!
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Coconut Milk: I prefer light coconut milk so the pudding doesn't get too thick. This also reduces the calorie count as compared to full-fat coconut milk.
- Sugar-free: For a sugar-free, lower-carb variation, skip the maple syrup altogether, or use monkfruit maple syrup instead.
- Low glycemic toppings: Top this chia pudding with assorted berries including blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, or raspberries due to their low glycemic index.
- Chocolate chips: These are another great choice for topping. Use sugar-free chocolate chips if you want to keep this pudding sugar-free.
- Protein-boost: To add a protein boost to this chia pudding, stir in 1 tablespoon of vanilla-flavored protein powder per serving or top with 1 to 2 tablespoons of a high-protein granola.
Frequently Asked Questions
One serving of coconut chia pudding is 6 grams net carbs (15 grams carbs - 9 grams fiber).
My favorite is Trader Joe's Light Coconut Milk. If you want to use full-fat coconut milk, Trader Joe's and Native Forest are both great brands.
Yes, chia seeds and coconut milk are naturally gluten-free, making this pudding a great option for those with gluten sensitivities.
More Chia Pudding Flavors
These are all part of the Breakfast Recipes Collection:
📖 Recipe
Coconut Milk Chia Pudding
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Video
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1 cup light coconut milk see notes
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
Topping Choices (optional)
- fresh berries
- assorted nuts and seeds almonds, walnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, etc.
- 2 teaspoons chocolate chips regular or sugar-free (optional)
Instructions
- Add chia seeds to a mason jar or small bowl. Now add light coconut milk, and maple syrup. Using a fork, give it a good mix to combine everything. Wait 5 minutes then stir again to break the chia seed clumps.
- Close the mason jar lid or cover tightly using food storage wrap. Now set it in the refrigerator for at least an hour, or up to overnight. The chia pudding will get thicker the longer it sits.
- When ready to consume, add a splash of water or coconut milk if it appears too thick. Top with chocolate chips, berries or nuts, and enjoy it for breakfast or snack.
Notes
- Coconut Milk: I prefer to use light coconut milk so the pudding doesn't get too thick. This also reduces the calorie count as compared to full-fat coconut milk.
- Sugar-free: For a sugar-free, lower-carb variation, skip the maple syrup altogether, or use monkfruit maple syrup instead.
- Berries: I like to top this chia pudding with assorted berries including blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, or raspberries due to their low glycemic index.
- Chocolate chips: These are another great choice for topping. Use sugar-free chocolate chips if you want to keep this pudding sugar-free.
- Protein-boost: To add a protein boost to this chia pudding, stir in 1 tablespoon of vanilla-flavored protein powder per serving or top with 1 to 2 tablespoons of a high-protein granola.
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