Banana Chia Seed Pudding

This Banana Chia Seed Pudding is delicious, has an uber-creamy consistency, is completely gluten-free, and can be made dairy-free too. It takes all of 5 minutes to make and can be stored in the fridge for up to a week!

For more fruity bowls and smoothies, have a look at my breakfast and drinks sections. You should also try my MANGO CHIA SEED PUDDING WITH COCONUT MILK.

Banana Chia Seed Pudding Ingredients

Bananas – The bananas give the pudding a super creamy texture and a sweet flavor. For this Chia Seed Pudding, I would suggest you use the ripest bananas you can find. The riper the banana, the sweeter the pudding will be. If your bananas are not as ripe, you can always increase the amount of maple syrup from 1 tablespoon to 2-3 tablespoons. Also, check out my guide on top Signs Your Bananas Have Reached Peak Ripeness.

Blueberries – Blueberries are naturally sweet so they add a natural burst of sweetness to the pudding while also adding some texture.

Chia Seeds – Chia seeds are the main ingredient of this pudding. These hard little seeds absorb the milk and expand after a few hours and become soft morsels creating a thick and creamy texture. There are both white and black varieties of Chia seeds available and you can use either as these don’t have any taste and absorb the flavors of the other ingredients.

Milk – Milk is the liquid of choice for this pudding and you can use any kind of milk you want. I used whole milk for this recipe. However, you can use dairy-free milk such as almond or coconut milk to make this pudding as well.

Maple Syrup – Maple Syrup adds a little sweetness to the Banana Chia Seed Pudding. You can also use Honey or Agave Nectar if you don’t have Maple Syrup.

Banana Chia Seed Pudding Variations

The basic recipe for my banana chia seed pudding only requires sliced banana, fresh blueberries, chia seeds, and milk.

This creates a very basic (but still delicious) flavor profile that is easily customizable. So, here are some of my favorite variations that keep this recipe fresh and exciting!

Vegan Banana Blueberry Chia Pudding

You can use any kind of milk that you’d like for this chia pudding, even cow’s milk.

But to make it truly vegan, you HAVE to use plant-based milk. There are MANY tasty options to choose from including soy milk, oat milk, rice milk, coconut milk, and almond milk.

Just remember to use unsweetened plant milk so your chia pudding isn’t too sweet. The fresh or frozen blueberries, ripe bananas, and maple syrup all add sweetness.

Chocolate Blueberry Chia Pudding

You can add a tablespoon of cocoa powder to the mixture and garnish the banana chia pudding with cacao nibs for an extra chocolatey flavor. Not only is this delicious, but actually adds nutrients too!

Protein Powder Blueberry Chia Pudding

For those wanting a better pre- and post-workout drink, add a little bit of protein powder to the chia seed pudding recipe.

This is also an opportunity to play around with flavors. For example, use a vanilla extract-infused powder or peanut butter protein product.

A Creamier Banana Chia Pudding

You can change the texture of your banana chia pudding by substituting the milk with Greek yogurt or a non-dairy alternative.

If you don’t want to use yogurt, add nut butter instead. Something like creamy almond butter works wonders and is easy to find these days.

A Fruitier Chia Pudding Recipe

You’re already using ripe bananas and fresh blueberries, so why not add a couple more fresh fruits?

You can try peaches, apricots, pears, raspberries, strawberries, and mango. Don’t forget to add a little bit of lemon zest to help balance the sweetness of the fresh fruit.

How Long Should You Let Chia Seeds Soak?

Even though chia seeds will absorb the milk in no time, you still need to give them time to develop their traditional gel-like consistency. It’s best to let the chia seed pudding sit in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight if possible.

Tips for Making Chia Seed Pudding

When you add milk to the chia seed pudding, let it sit for 5 minutes before stirring. For a nicer consistency, you should stir your pudding a few times before placing it in the fridge.

Stirring the pudding distributes the chia seeds evenly and allows them to absorb the milk better. In addition to this, stirring also prevents the seeds from clumping together.

You can always blend the pudding in a blender if you want a super-smooth texture. The blender will crush the ingredients creating a pudding that has a velvety smooth texture.

How To Store Leftover Banana Blueberry Chia Pudding

I’m fairly confident you won’t have any leftover banana chia pudding, but if you do, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.

Chia pudding stores incredibly well and you just have to check it for signs of spoilage before eating it.

It’s best to store your creamy pudding in a glass container that’s odor-free and stain-free.

Can You Freeze this Chia Pudding Recipe?

You definitely can freeze chia puddings, but I highly advise against it.

The process of freezing and thawing completely ruins the texture and consistency of the blueberry chia pudding. It’s not worth it.

Plus, the chia pudding recipe is already so quick and easy to make and lasts quite some time in the fridge.

More delicious Breakfast Recipes

• BLUEBERRY AND KIWI BREAKFAST BOWL
• PLANTAIN PANCAKES
• Creamy Cuban Puffed Wheat Milkshake!