Keto Chia Pudding

A basic recipe with every kind of flavor variation

By
Ariane Resnick
headshot for ariane resnick
Ariane Resnick
Ariane Resnick is a special diet chef, certified nutritionist, and bestselling author who takes great joy in shattering the image of what, and how, nutritionists eat.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/8/21
Keto Chia Seed Pudding

Firn / Getty Images
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 15 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 2 cups
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
326 Calories
29g Fat
13g Carbs
6g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 326
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 29g 37%
Saturated Fat 15g 73%
Cholesterol 67mg 22%
Sodium 86mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 13g 5%
Dietary Fiber 8g 29%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 1mg 4%
Calcium 193mg 15%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 156mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

There's a reason why so many of us turn to chia pudding for a quick, and delicious, and nutrient-dense dessert. Chia seeds are great source of energy and omegas. They expand so much in liquid that you can make a satisfying, low-carb dessert out of a small quantity of them. A half-cup serving of this pudding has about ten carbs; that's on the higher end for a keto food, but it's incredibly low for a dessert.

This pudding requires no cook time, with only a few minutes of active prep. It keeps well in the fridge for up to a week. If you'd like to make a larger quantity, the recipe batches up seamlessly. We've offered an assortment of variations and uses for it, as it works with many other flavors and also as a component for other desserts.

Both heavy whipping cream and full-fat coconut milk work as the thickening liquid for this chia pudding. You can choose which one based on your preferred taste—both will offer a rich mouthfeel, mild flavor, and intense creaminess.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the chia seeds and water. Stir well and let sit for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice during that time.

  3. Add the cream or coconut milk, salt, vanilla, and sweetener to the bowl with chia seeds. Stir thoroughly to combine.

  4. Transfer to containers. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Variations

Because chia seeds are so mild in flavor, this recipe stands up well to nearly any flavor variation, and can be used as a dessert component. Try one of the following for a keto chia pudding that isn't plain vanilla.


  • Chocolate: Add 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1 additional teaspoon sweetener, and 1 additional tablespoon cream or coconut milk.
  • Lemon: Add 1 teaspoon lemon extract, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and substitute 1 tablespoon of the water for lemon juice. This variation will only work if you're using coconut milk, as it will curdle heavy cream.
  • Butterscotch: Add 1 teaspoon butterscotch extract, and use brown Swerve as the sweetener.
  • French Vanilla: Use 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and add the scrapings of 1/2 a vanilla bean.
  • Cheesecake: Fold in 1/2 cup whipped cream cheese, and add 1 additional tablespoon sweetener.
  • Pistachio: Add 1/2 teaspoon pistachio extract and 2 tablespoons finely chopped pistachios.
  • Pumpkin Spice: Use brown Swerve as the sweetener, and add 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and 1 tablespoon pumpkin puree.
  • Red Velvet: Add 1 teaspoon cocoa powder and natural red food coloring, drop by drop, to achieve the desired bright red color.
  • Almond: Add 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, and top with slivered almonds.
  • Berry Parfait: Layer 1/2 cup pudding and 1/4 cup berries, layering twice, ending with berries on top.
  • Trifle: Layer 1/2 cup chia pudding, 1/4 cup berries, and one small slice of keto chocolate cake, layering cake and pudding twice and ending with cake on top.