Creamy Warm Chia Pudding

Looking for a warm, comforting breakfast that’s not oatmeal? This warm chia pudding consists of only 5 ingredients is ready in 15 minutes. It’s the perfect breakfast for days on which you are craving a warm, comforting bowl of breakfast!

Chia seed pudding has become a super popular breakfast in the last couple of years and I can see why. They are nutritious, high in healthy fats and fiber and really easy to prepare. Chia seeds themselves have quite a neutral taste. However, combined with some fresh fruit or other delicious toppings they make a nutritious breakfast, snack or even healthy dessert that's packed with flavor. 

For more vegan chia pudding recipes check our Vegan Salted Caramel Chia Pudding, Raspberry Chocolate Chia Pudding, or Apple Cinnamon Chia Pudding.

What is Chia Pudding?

Chia seeds have the ability to absorb a lot of liquid compared to their size. When mixed together with milk (or water), they expand in size, and form a gel-like consistency. That's why it's called chia pudding. 

Chia seeds are really versatile because they don't have a strong taste on their own. Hence the flavor combinations you can create using chia seeds are endless! While most chia pudding recipes are meant to soak overnight and served cold, this one shows that you can just as easily create a warm, cozy breakfast using chia seeds.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It only requires 5 minutes of prep time.
• Chia Seeds are a great source of omega 3-fatty acids! The mixed berries add some additional vitamins and antioxidants.
• It's gluten-free (completely grain-free), dairy-free, vegan and refined sugar free.
• It includes some extra protein (coming from the chia seeds and the soy yoghurt).

Ingredient & Substitution Notes

• Frozen Berries: For this recipe I used a frozen mixed berries that consisted of blueberries, raspberries, red currant and blackberries. You can use any berries mix you like. You could also use fresh berries if you wanted but using frozen ones makes it a whole lot easier. They also come in really handy during winter when there's no fresh berries available. 
• Plant Milk: You could use any dairy-free milk of your choice. For sweet recipes, I usually like oat milk because it’s naturally sweeter than other types of plant milks and great in sweet recipes. Alternatively, you could also use soy, almond or cashew milk. Even coconut milk would work.  
• Yoghurt: I used unsweetened soy yoghurt but you could use any yoghurt of your choice. A berry yoghurt would add some additional great flavor for example. 
• Maple Syrup: Instead of maple syrup you could also use honey (not vegan) or any other preferred sweetener such as brown sugar or coconut sugar. The amount will vary depending on personal preference and also on what type of berries you use (if they are naturally sweeter or not). 

How to Make Warm Chia Pudding

This vegan chia pudding recipe requires minimal ingredients (5 in total) and no cooking skills whatsoever. All you'll need as an equipment is a small saucepan. The best part is that it's ready in no more than 15 minutes!

Step 1: Cook berries + mix in chia seeds

Start by adding water and frozen berries to a small pot. Heat over medium heat and let simmer for a couple of minutes or until berries are soft.

Take berries off the heat, add chia seeds and give them a good stir using a whisk or a spoon. 

Step 2: Add the rest of the ingredients

Now it's time to add your plant milk, maple syrup and yogurt. Give the mixture a good stir  and let sit for about 10 minutes. This allows the chia seeds to fully absorb the liquid and thicken.

Once the chia seeds are thickend taste and adjust sweetness. If you prefer your chia seeds to be even thinner, gradually add more milk. If you prefer them to be hotter, gently reheat the whole mixture on the stovetop.

Serve with your toppings of choice!

Variations & Add-Ins

To make this an even more nutritious breakfast, we added mixed berries along with some plant yogurt. It doesn't need to stop here though! You could try adding more flavors by adding different spices and ingredients. Below you'll find a few suggestions:

• Cacao Powder: Berries and chocolate make an amazing flavor blend- you can't go wrong by adding a teaspoon of cacao powder. 
• Cinnamon: I love adding cinnamon to my breakfast bowls, especially during the colder months. Feel free to replace it with nutmeg or other winter flavors of your choice. Make sure to only add a tiny pinch though, the flavor shouldn't be overpowering!
• Vanilla Extract: Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract for some subtle vanilla flavors!
• Apple Puree: Could either be added additionally or also act as a natural sweetener instead of the maple syrup. 
• Mashed Banana: Similar to the apple puree, if you're after a sugar-free breakfast, try adding some mashed banana instead of the syrup.

Topping Ideas

Similar to oatmeal recipes, adding toppings is where the fun and real flavor comes into play! Feel free to add any toppings of choice, we list a couple of our favorites below:

• Fresh Berries: Make a great addition to this recipe! You could use any fresh fruit you like though.
• Caramelized Banana: Another one of my favorite winter toppings. Add maple syrup and some slices of banana to a small saucepan and let simmer until banana is caramelized. 
• Granola: Adds some amazing texture. Both store-bought and homemade work just fine. Check out this Cinnamon Maple Granola for a homemade recipe idea!
• Nuts & Seeds: Such as walnuts, brazil nuts or almonds are my go to nuts. They taste amazing in combination with pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds. 
• Nut Butter: I love adding a big scoop of homemade almond butter on almost any breakfast bowls. It adds some additional protein and flavour. Alternatively you could use peanut butter or any other nut butters of choice.
• Chocolate Chips: Is there any breakfast bowl that doesn’t benefit from adding chocolate chips? 😉 Choose vegan chocolate to keep this recipe vegan!
• Coconut Flakes: Toasted or raw, both would make a great topping!
• Dried Fruits: Try adding some dried raisins, cranberries or dried cherries.

Storage

• Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. 
• Reheat: Gently reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. You might need to add 2-3 tablespoon of milk or water as the chia seeds thicken even more the longer they soak.

FAQs

More Chia Seed Recipes

• Vegan Salted Caramel Chia Pudding
• Apple Cinnamon Chia Pudding
• Pear & Almond Butter Chia Pudding
• Almond Milk Overnight Oats
• Overnight Oats with Water