Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Pudding

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Pudding is the ultimate healthy treat! It’s a great source of fibre, calcium and healthy fats, and when it’s topped with chia jam, caramelized bananas and granola, it’s sure to satisfy your sweet tooth!

It’s finally April and spring is in the air. Okay, it might be a bit premature to say that since it snowed last night. But we’ve been having some sunny days and warmer temperatures, so I’m declaring it spring!

So with that declaration, you’d think I’d be sharing recipes for green salads, asparagus and lemon dishes, all the things that conjure up images of spring. Those recipes are definitely coming, but since the other day was National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day (I know, there is truly a day for everything!), I was inspired to share this recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Pudding.

I started eating chia pudding a few years ago when I was looking for something a little different to eat in the mornings that would fill me up but wasn’t the usual toast, smoothie or oatmeal bowl. And chia happens to be a superfood that’s filling and works well in so many recipes.

Why is chia so good for you?

Chia seeds are dense with nutrients, which means a little goes a long way. They’re a great source of vitamins and minerals, like calcium and iron, and they’re also high in fibre, protein and omega-3 fatty acids. For instance, a 30 gram serving (3 tbsp) has 11 grams of fibre and 6 grams of omega-3 fatty acids. So these little seeds pack a nutritional punch!

With all these benefits, it’s no surprise that chia seeds have gained in popularity in recent years. They’re often an ingredient in smoothies and smoothie bowls, but they can also be sprinkled on cereals and yogurts or baked into pancakes, muffins and granola bars. They absorb water and plump up, so they also work really well in puddings and jams, which happens to be my favourite way to use them. 😉

How do you make chia pudding?

A general rule of thumb is that for every 1 cup of liquid, you add about 1/4 – 1/3 cup of chia seeds. I like my chia pudding thick, so I usually go with 1/3 cup. I normally use almond milk, but you can also use cow’s milk, coconut milk or cashew milk. For taste, I like to add maple syrup or honey, or you can even add some puréed fruit. For this Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Pudding, I added maple syrup, cocoa and peanut butter.

Once, you’ve settled on your ingredients, just whisk it all together and refrigerate for a few hours until the chia seeds have plumped and absorbed the liquid. If you don’t like the texture of the chia seeds, you can blend all the ingredients in your blender, which grinds up the chia seeds a bit. The result will be a pudding with a finer texture.

Assembling this Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Pudding

This Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Pudding is best enjoyed with many, many toppings!

• Triple Berry Chia Jam is a must! Any kind of jam that is refined sugar-free will work. I just always have a jar of this triple berry goodness stored in the fridge. The tart taste of the berries pairs well with the cocoa and peanut buttery pudding.
• Since I’m also a huge fan of banana with peanut butter, I usually add a few banana slices to this pudding. And, if I have time, I caramelize the bananas with a bit of coconut sugar. So good!
• Shredded coconut is also a great topping, and if it’s toasted coconut, all the better.
• I love to sprinkle on a bit of granola. I usually have some Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola on hand, but any kind will work. We’re just looking for that crunch factor here, so even if you wanted to add some chopped nuts or seeds, that would work too.
• Lastly, and this is totally optional, but if I’m feeling decadent, I usually melt a bit of peanut butter to drizzle on top. Honey would be awesome too!

And that’s it. This delicious little pudding parfait is all yours to devour! 😉

Hope you get a chance to make this loaded Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Pudding. If you do, I would love to hear about it in the comments below, or see some pics on Instagram! Just tag @crumbtopbaking if you want to share your creation. And if you love chia pudding, you might also want to check out this recipe for Cherry Chia Pudding, because cherry season is just around the corner! 😉

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Pudding

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 7 reviews

• Author: Leanne
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 4 hours (includes time for pudding to thicken)
• Yield: 2 servings
• Category: Snacks; Breakfast; Desserts

Print Recipe

Save Recipe Recipe Saved

---

Description

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Pudding is the ultimate healthy treat! It’s a great source of fibre, calcium and healthy fats, and when it’s topped with chia jam, caramelized bananas and granola, it’s sure to satisfy your sweet tooth!

---

Ingredients

For the pudding:

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/3 cup chia seeds
• 2 tbsp natural peanut butter (smooth and salted)
• 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
• 1 tbsp maple syrup

Optional toppings:

• Any kind of refined sugar free chia jam (suggested recipe in notes)
• Caramelized banana slices (instructions in notes)
• Granola, nuts and/or seeds
• Unsweetened toasted coconut
• Melted peanut butter
• Honey

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Making the pudding: Add all the ingredients to a bowl and whisk until combined. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours, or overnight, until the chia seeds have plumped and the pudding has thickened. The pudding will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days.
2. Assembling the pudding: Divide the pudding into 2 dishes, and top with desired toppings. Enjoy!

 

---

Notes

1. Using 1/3 cup of chia seeds will create a thick pudding. If you don’t like your pudding thick, just reduce the amount of chia seeds.
2. If you don’t have salted peanut butter, you can use smooth natural peanut butter and add a pinch of salt to the pudding.
3. To make the triple berry chia jam, add 1 cup each of blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries (fresh or frozen) and 1 tbsp. of maple syrup to a small sauce pan. Cover and bring to a low boil. Simmer until the fruit has softened. Mash the berries and stir in 4-6 tbsp. chia seeds (depending on desired thickness of jam). Remove from heat and let sit for 20 minutes covered. Store in the fridge and enjoy within 2 weeks.
4. To caramelize the banana, slice one medium-sized banana and spread the slices out on a pre-heated, greased frying pan. Sprinkle on 1/2 tsp coconut sugar. Sauté the banana slices for 3-4 minutes, turning over at the mid-way point. The banana slices are done when they are slightly softened and the coconut sugar has melted. I avoid using a banana that is overly ripe as it will be too sweet and mushy when caramelized.