Transform simple ingredients into nutrition-packed Coconut Chia Pudding. It’s a perfect kids breakfast or snack that parents will enjoy too!
I’m always looking for easy homemade breakfast and snack options that are nutritious and that the kids and I both like—this Coconut Chia Pudding is a favorite option. We’ve been making this recipe for years and love topping it with all sorts of fresh fruits.
Chia pudding—chia seeds are soaked in a liquid and they turn into a sort of a thick gel (which I realize sounds odd, but it’s what happens!)—is packed with healthy fats, fiber, and some protein.
It has a pleasant thick texture that’s similar to the consistency of pudding. And it’s a yummy way to offer up calcium to kids. (I also have a Chocolate Chia Pudding, if that sounds more appealing.)
(You may also like Coconut Rice or Coconut Chips if you are a coconut fan like I am!)
Table of Contents
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Ingredients You Need
To make this Coconut Chia Pudding recipe, you’ll need to have the following ingredients on hand.
- Canned unsweetened coconut milk (full fat or light): This adds coconut flavor and fats to the recipe (which helps us stay full). It also creates the creamy base, along with the yogurt.
- Whole-milk plain Greek yogurt (or nondairy equivalent): To mix into the coconut milk and add calcium. The thickness helps create the creamy base to the recipe. To make this vegan, use nondairy yogurt or additional coconut milk.
- Chia seeds: These thicken the mixture into a pudding-like consistency as they soften (their crunch goes away) and are a good source of beneficial fats, including omega-3 fatty acids, and fiber.
- Maple syrup: For a little sweetness, I add maple syrup. You can also do honey for kids over age 1 or another preferred sweetener.
- Vanilla extract: This adds another subtle flavor that works nicely with the coconut.
TIP: We like to top ours with fresh fruit such as berries like blueberries, raspberries, or diced strawberries for additional flavor, but that’s optional.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at the basic method in this Coconut Chia Pudding recipe so you know what to expect. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full specifics.
- Add the ingredients to a bowl.
- Stir together to make a mixture that has the seeds evenly distributed and without any clumps.
- Add to airtight containers and store in the fridge to allow the chia seeds to plump and absorb the liquid.
- Top with fruit, granola, or any other desired toppers and serve.
TIP: Note that this is meant to be served cold.
Frequently Asked Questions
This easy snack has a load of healthy omega fatty acids, plus protein and yummy flavor. So yes!
I like to store it for 3-5 days in airtight containers.
Sure! Use your favorite nondairy Greek-style yogurt.
Product We Love
Wee Sprout Storage Jars
These jars come in two sizes and are so great for storage.
How to Store
Store the Coconut Chia Pudding in the fridge in airtight containers for up to 3-5 days. This is best served cold out of the fridge, so it’s perfect to make ahead and eat throughout the week.
(This is one of my favorite postpartum snacks since it is filling and satisfying.)
Best Tips for Success
- Use canned coconut milk for the best coconut flavor in this chia seed pudding.
- If your yogurt is lumpy and not stirring up well, use a whisk to make a smooth mixture.
- You can make this a little smoother by blending the mixture up in a blender before popping it into the fridge or using ground chia seeds.
- Store in individual snack cups, a mason jar, or another storage container.
- Add unsweetened coconut flakes for more coconut flavor.
Related Recipes
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Quick Blueberry Chia Seed Jam
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How to Make Overnight Oats
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Easy Quinoa Pudding
I’d love to hear your feedback on this recipe if you try it, so please leave a rating and comment below!
Favorite Coconut Chia Pudding
Ingredients
- 14.5- ounce can coconut milk (full-fat or light)
- 1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup chia seeds
- Fresh fruit, shredded coconut, granola, sprinkles, or jam, as desired.
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a medium bowl except the toppers. Stir together to make a smooth mixture.
- Add to airtight containers (I like to do small snack-size ones but you can do one larger container, too) and store in the fridge for at least 2 hours and up to 3-5 days.
- Serve cold topped with desired toppings.
Video
Notes
- Store in the fridge in airtight containers for up to 3-5 days.
- Dairy-free: Use nondairy Greek-style yogurt.
- Use canned coconut milk for the best coconut flavor.
- Use regular milk if you’re not into coconut.
- You can make this a little smoother by blending the mixture up in a blender before popping it into the fridge or using ground chia seeds.
- If your yogurt is lumpy and not stirring up well, use a whisk to make a smooth mixture.
- Top with fresh fruit, granola, or other desired toppers.
Nutrition
This post was first published February 2020.
That’s the only chia pudding I like. I top it with mango or blueberries. Love it.
Greetings from Germany.
Could I add whey protein before storing in the refrigerator or should I do that before eating it? Thanks!
I’d mix it in when you’re making the recipe. Enjoy!
What do you do with the coconut cream layer in the can? It is hard to mix in. Thanks!
My daughter can’t have regular milk and yogurt. Could I use something else? Coconut milk yogurt is what she normal eats. Or do you suggest something else perhaps?
You can use coconut milk yogurt
maybe I just have a high alcohol content extract, But the taste was really strong through the yogurt. I wouldn’t wanna give it to a baby
If the very minimal amount in vanilla extract is a concern, you can buy alcohol-free vanilla. Enjoy!
I’m excited to make this! Can you freeze this in airtight containers?
I bet you can!
Such an easy recipe to make with kids and for kids! Mine love with peanut butter and strawberries on top
Love this recipe! My tweaks are that I divide it into four larger jars. I have had better results using Thai Kitchen’s coconut milk versus a generic brand (I used Target’s brand, and it was much thicker, which I didn’t care for). I also put half a cup of frozen wild blueberries in the bottom of the jar before putting the chia pudding on top. They defrost in the fridge and are perfect when it’s time to eat the pudding. I often put some unsweetened coconut on top. I love these for breakfast!
Blueberries on the bottom! Brilliant!
This was so easy and so delicious! It tasted so decadent – I enjoyed it as my own snack too!
The flavor is great and it’s so so simple, but I’m wondering if it’s turning out super thick for anyone else? Was hoping for a more “pudding” consistency, it turns out almost solid.
same for me, it was too thick.
I had better results with Thai Kitchen coconut milk. When I used another brand, the coconut milk was much thicker and so the pudding was far too thick for my taste. So now I stick with Thai Kitchen.
I use regular whole milk yogurt instead of Greek and sometimes add milk before serving.
Hi, can you add blended frozen fruit to the mix before setting, to sweeten and flavour, or must you add fresh fruit only when it’s ready to eat? Thanks
You can do frozen fruit before setting, sure.
I don’t want to rate this yet because I wonder that I did something wrong. It never set up for me and the chia seeds settled at the bottom or the top, so when I stirred it all together, they were in large clumps and kind of terrible to eat. I followed the recipe and substituted regular milk for the coconut milk, as suggested. Should I have used less than 14 ounces of milk, maybe? Help! I can tell it’s going to be great, if I can figure out what I need to adjust. Thanks for the help.
Hi- did the seeds plump at all? I wouldn’t think using regular milk would have caused that to happen since the seeds absorb much of the liquid to help make the thicker texture.