This blended chocolate chia pudding transforms ordinary chia seeds into a luxuriously creamy, dairy-free mousse that even chia skeptics will love! Unlike traditional chia pudding's tapioca-like texture, this version is smooth, rich, and deliciously decadent. With just three simple steps—soak, blend, and chill—you can create a healthier chocolate sweet treat that gives fancy dessert shop vibes.
There’s chia pudding, and then there’s chia pudding—and this decadent chia mousse is most definitely the latter.
While I’m a fan of chia pudding in all its forms, classic chia pudding has a distinct, tapioca-like texture that you either love or hate. This silky version is a game-changer, especially for those who have tried chia pudding and weren’t sold on the texture.
It’s more a dessertthan a breakfast (unlike my energising matcha chia pudding, a perfect way to kick off the AM). Featuring blended melted dark chocolate, vanilla, and a touch of cacao powder, it’s smooth, rich, and deliciously indulgent. The perfect vegan chocolate mousse substitute to add to your kitchen repertoire (along with this crowd-favourite avocado chocolate mousse!).
As a Registered Nutritionist, I’m a mega fan of the small but mighty chia seed. Gram for gram, they’re rich in dietary fibre, plant-based omega-3s, and protein, making these tiny powerhouses a nutritious addition to any dish—whether a creamy dessert, sprinkled over salad, or transformed into a fruity spread to smear over toast (like this super easy homemade raspberry chia jam).
The Ingredient Lineup
Chia seeds (whole, black or white). Either colour will do the trick.
Almond & coconut milk. Coconut milk for silkiness, almond to keep it light. Oat milk works as a good sub for almond milk.
Dark chocolate (70% cocoa). For complex chocolate flavour and a decadent texture. You can use chips, chunks, or a chopped up dark chocolate bar (as I did). A higher cocoa percentage keeps it rich, without being too sweet.
Pure maple syrup. A natural, plant-based sweetener that complements the chocolate notes. It also keeps this dessert vegan for my plant-based pals!
Cacao powder. To boost the chocolate intensity and flavour. It’s less processed than cocoa powder, has richer taste and more antioxidants. You can sub in cocoa powder, but you may need to adjust quantities for the right flavour balance.
You’ll also need the basics: vanilla extract (such an underrated ingredient—you know when it’s missing!), and a pinch of salt (I used flakey sea salt, but any salt works). Both help balance and intensify the flavours.
Let’s Make: Blended Chia Pudding
Mix the chia seeds with the almond milk and coconut milk. Stand for 30 minutes at room temperature, stirring occasionally.
Break the chocolate into squares and melt until smooth (either over simmering water or in 30-second microwave bursts).
Into a blender, add the soaked chia seeds, melted chocolate, maple syrup, cacao powder, vanilla and salt.
Blend until silky smooth and thick. Pour into ramekins or small serving bowls. Refrigerate for two hours to set.
Kitchen Tips
The secret to a silky-smooth chia pudding lies in three easy steps: soak, blend, and chill. Each are key for achieving a creamy, dreamy consistency.
First, soak the seeds to soften. Let the chia seeds sit in the milk at room temperature for 30 minutes, occasionally stirring to prevent clumping. They’ll plump up and soften, making them easier to blend into a silky texture. Room temperature is key, as we’ll be adding melted chocolate to it next, and if the chia seed mix is cold the chocolate may harden.
Then blend well, ideally with a high-speed blender. Depending on your machine’s strength, this might take anywhere from 30 seconds to a few minutes. After blending it should look noticeably smooth, though this will depend on your blender’s strength.
Finally, chill the pudding—it’s where the magic happens! Once blended, the pudding will have a wobbly runny consistency, akin to a thick smoothie. Place in the fridge for a few hours for the flavours to meld and the pudding to firm into a thick and decadent mousse. As the ingredients cool, the chocolate and coconut milk will solidify, creating a thick, rich texture.
Cooking from Australia? 🇦🇺 Aussie tablespoons are larger than the standard measure used in NZ, the US, and the UK. While N&T recipes use the standardised tablespoon measure (1 Tbsp = 3 tsp = 15ml), in Australia, a tablespoon is 4 tsp or 20ml. For absorbent ingredients like chia seeds, this small difference can have a big impact on texture. The easiest way to measure? Just use 9 teaspoons of chia seeds—this equals the 3 standard tablespoons needed in this recipe.
Serving & Storage
Serve as is, or garnish with a dollop of yoghurt, coconut yoghurt or whipped cream, fresh berries and dark chocolate shavings.
Keep refrigerated until ready to eat, ideally in an air-tight container (I put my little pottles into a Tupperware storage box). You can prep ahead a day in advance.
Thanks for reading! Looking for more fun and nutritious ways to get through your bag of chia seeds? Try this vibrant blueberry and orange chia seed jam.
Add the almond milk, coconut milk and chia seeds into a bowl. Mix together. Let stand for 30 minutes (no less!), mixing a few times in the first ten minutes to stop the chia seeds from clumping together.
Melted the dark chocolate. You can do this baine marie style (a method of heating food by placing it in a heat-proof container that sits overtop a larger pan of hot water on the stove) or in the microwave—I do the latter.
Into a high-powered blender, add the soaked chia seed mix, maple syrup, cacao powder, vanilla and salt. Using a spatula, scrap out every last bit of chocolate into the blender.
Blend on a high speed until it looks silky smooth. My Vitamix takes about 30 seconds, others might take more or less time.
Divide between two serving bowls and place in the fridge for two hours (or overnight) to thicken.
Notes:
* Using an Australian tablespoon? 🇦🇺 Note Aussie Tbsp are 20ml (4 tsp) rather than the standard 15ml (3 tsp) used in NZ, UK and US. For best results, measure out 9 Australia standard teaspoons of chia seeds, rather than using 3 Australia standard tablespoons.
Leave a Comment & Rate this Recipe
If you enjoyed this dish, please consider giving it a star rating when you post a comment. Star ratings help others discover my recipes online (and your reviews make my day! 🙂 ). Happy cooking and baking. Danijela x
Leave a Comment & Rate this Recipe
If you enjoyed this dish, please consider giving it a star rating when you post a comment. Star ratings help others discover my recipes online (and your reviews make my day! 🙂 ). Happy cooking and baking. Danijela x
4 Comments
Delicious! So creamy, the tips really helped. Thanks.
Such a pleasure, thanks for giving the recipe a try 🙂
We really enjoyed this. Great texture and flavour. Thanks for the recipe.
Woohoo, awesome. So glad you enjoyed it! I like the texture of this one too – very mousse-like! 🙂