This delicious vanilla keto chia pudding is full of healthy fat and fiber. Find out how quick and easy it is to make a simple treat out of these healthy seeds that you can use for breakfast, grab and go snack cups, or dessert all week long.
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Chia seed pudding is a fantastic breakfast, snack, and even dessert option. It’s sugar free with a net carb count of 4, easy to meal prep for the week ahead, and totally versatile.
There are so many low carb chia pudding recipes out there, too. Some use cocoa powder, others peanut butter or almond butter, and some call for berries or other stir in ingredients.
This is a super easy recipe that uses vanilla and coconut milk to make your chia seed pudding keto compliant while still having a rich and creamy flavor. The best part? Not only is it delicious, but you can literally make it for the week in less than 10 minutes.
Simply mix them with your favorite low carb milk (like the full fat coconut milk used here), sweetener, and flavoring. That’s it!
Are Chia Seeds Healthy For The Keto Diet?
Chia seeds have been getting a lot of positive press lately. They are quite the super food and make a perfect addition to the low carb diet because they are all fiber (source).
These seeds help control blood sugar levels by slowing the conversion of starches to sugar and they are packed with omega-3. The complete protein in chia seeds helps raise energy levels and many people find they curb hunger to help lose weight.
While they are a trendy superfood, they sure do deliver the goods: healthy fat, beneficial for blood sugar, low carb, and energy infusing. It’s not hard to understand why they’ve become such a big deal!
How To Use Chia Seeds
While these nutritious little seeds are perfect for making keto breakfast pudding, they do so much more, too!!
As A Substitute For Fat
You can even use chia seeds as a substitute for fat when baking to reduce calories and add fiber. They have no taste so they can be added to food without changing the flavor.
Chia Gel For Thickening
In addition to keto chia seed pudding, the seeds can be can be mixed with water to create a gel. Chia gel is made by mixing 9 parts water to 1 part chia seeds.
The gel can be kept in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. It makes a great addition to smoothies and yogurt, but it can also be used when cooking and baking.
This low carb flax bread uses the gel in the recipe. It can also be added to hot cereal like such as low carb oatmeal or low carb porridge recipes as a thickener.
And if you add the gel to scrambled eggs, they’ll be fluffier. Plus you’ll have added some extra protein and healthy fat to your plate.
Egg Substitute
You can also make chia “eggs” by combining a tablespoon of chia seeds mixed with 2 tablespoons of water and letting them soak. As they do, they create a gel. This is the basic recipe, but some add a bit more water so it’s not as thick.
If you have egg sensitivities this is a great option for low carb baking recipes.
Of course, there’s always a little experimenting involved when trying to do egg free baking. I’ve had a lot of failures over the years and psyllium husks have worked best for me in low carb recipes.
How To Make This Simple Keto Chia Seed Pudding Recipe
This pudding is simple to prepare and super filling. Plus, you’re getting a healthy does of omega-3 fats which helps get the right balance of fatty acids into your body.
So how simple is it, exactly? All you do is combine one of the low carb milk alternatives with the seeds and a little sweetener. Then let the mixture sit for about 3 minutes before stirring them again.
After that, put them into single serve mason jars for easy grab and go snacks! Or you can leave them in a large container and spoon out your portion.
Keep your chia blend in the fridge, air tight, and it will become like a thick pudding in about an hour. They’ll last several days to a week which is why they are so ideal for make ahead food prepping.
Having healthy keto options ready to reach for is what keeps you on track even when temptation hits!
Chia Pudding Add Ins
If you’re looking for ways to jazz up your pudding so that you can make it for the week and still enjoy something different each day, the possibilities are pretty great.
You can sprinkle on unsweetened coconut, crushed almonds, and sugar free chocolate chips for an almond joy inspired pudding.
Add some raspberries or blueberries (or both!) if fresh fruit is in season.
The strawberry sauce that is usually used on cheesecake would also be a delightful topping!
You could also sprinkle it with some pumpkin pie or apple pie spices to give it just a hint of autumn.
Stir in a spoonful of sugar free dehydrated peanut butter and maybe add some Lily’s chocolate for a chocolate peanut butter treat (one of my favorite combos – check out this keto chocolate peanut butter shake)!
This pudding is fabulous all on its own, but it’s also a great base to make up for meal prep for the week and touch up for a treat when you’re craving one.
Simple Keto Chia Seed Pudding Recipe
Adding it to your daily routine is sure give you energy as well as give you a healthy dose of protein and omega-3. If you haven’t made this treat yet, what are you waiting for?
Interested in more keto friendly desserts made with chia seeds to get more omega-3s into your diet? Check out these recipes:
- Strawberry Almond Milk Pudding is perfect for breakfast too!
- Matcha Green Tea Pudding is a great way to change things up.
- Healthy Pumpkin Pudding can be enjoyed all year long.
- Chocolate Chia Pudding can be a nice afternoon treat.
And if you haven’t tried it yet, I highly recommend making some low carb jam with the seeds. It’s super simple and tastes great with my keto bagel recipe.
What’s your favorite way to use these healthy low carb seeds?
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Simple Chia Seed Pudding – Vanilla
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup full fat coconut milk or unsweetened almond milk (see note)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 4 packets stevia or equivalent low carb sweetener to taste
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup chia seeds see note
Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl until well blended.
- Let sit for a few minutes and then stir it again.
- Cover an place in refrigerator until thick like pudding.
Notes
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Nutrition
Additional Info
Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Unauthorized use of this material without written permission from Lisa MarcAurele is strictly prohibited unless for personal offline purposes.
Single photos may be used, provided that full credit is given to LowCarbYum.com along with a link back to the original content.
Lisa MarcAurele has been creating low carb recipes since 2010. She enjoys experimenting in the kitchen to create low sugar foods that taste like high carb favorites!
Kierston says
Can I use hemp milk? Great video thank you.
Lisa MarcAurele says
Any type of milk should work.
Wilma Michel says
Yum Yum Yum. Love this recipe.
Ashlynn Eckert says
This was delicious!! I added vanilla bean paste in for vanilla extract and wow great recipe! ❤️
Ale Mesol says
Great recipe! I was wondering if you have tried grinding the seeds? Do you think the consistency will be the same?
Lisa MarcAurele says
I did that with my chocolate chia pudding and I didn’t like the texture.
Tracy says
Delicious! I put a big fat blackberry dropped in the middle of each pudding bowl!
robyn huston says
Love this recipe ! its the best!
Vanessa says
Can you suggest what I can substitute for the heavy cream that is not dairy? Would a coconut cream work? I am trying to adjust my recipes for a modified autoimmune diet that my doc is wanting me to try.
Lisa MarcAurele says
If you can use a coconut milk beverage, it may work better as the fat in the cream gets hard in the fridge. Or, if allowed, there a coconut milk based creamer that uses only 5 simple ingredients made by So Delicious. I don’t remember all the ingredients so not sure if it fits AIP.
June says
Mine came out partially clumpy. Unsure why.
Lisa MarcAurele says
Did you stir it occasionally as it was setting? That usually helps.
Heather says
This has become one of my favorite breakfast recipes!
Jessie Davis says
Thank you for this recipe. It is absolutely wonderful. I love it. Taste like Tapioka pudding. I tried many Chia Puddings and they were yucky but this is a keeper. I usedGentle sweet from trim healthy momma and worked perfectly. I alsogot 4 servings as indicated.
Thanks again….
Tina says
I did not get 4 servings of one cup. I got a total of two cups. Should I use less seeds? Very good though!
Lisa MarcAurele says
It could be closer to 4 half cup servings. But the recipe should give 4 servings.
Anet Roper says
This is the BEST recipe for chia pudding. Since giving up carbs, 6 months ago, I’ve been looking for a breakfast to replace oats porridge. This has met my requirements, and then some! LOVE IT!
Anita says
Fabulous I use monk fruit for the sweetener and whipped little extra heavy whipping cream to top off. This truly made it feel like a dessert.
Lisa says
Delicious! (I add cinnamon too) Thank you!
Lisa MarcAurele says
You’re welcome! Enjoy the chia pudding.
Tonya says
Loved this recipe my new favorite breakfast and dessert!
Natalie says
What can I use instead of heavy cream?
I have tried whipping cream but it didn’t gel.
I can’t seem to find heavy cream in Canada.
Lisa MarcAurele says
Is there double cream? Whipping cream should work as well. I’ve even made it with almond milk and coconut milk. It’s the chia seeds that get it to gel so add a little more chia if needed.
Ash says
Personally I use whipping cream with this recipe, no problem. But here’s some info I came across regarding availability of different MF percentages of cream in Canada when I was doing my own research: https://www.chowhound.com/post/buy-heavy-cream-361082?page=4
SHIRLEY says
ABSOLUTELY DELICOUS!
HEATHER KING says
Is this coconut milk in the carton or the can? Thank you
Lisa says
I like to use the unsweetened in a carton, but you can use canned.
Leah says
I love this but instead of the heavy cream I use Greek yoghurt and no sweeteners. Top with fresh strawberries and blueberries and a few pieces of granola and it’s totally delicious and filling.
Lisa says
No sweeteners is always best if the sweetness from fruit is enough.
Joleen says
I’m curious about the serving sizes. I doubled the recipe for meal prepping, but I don’t have enough for even four cups, which is what one batch makes. I used a measuring cup to measure it out. Wondering what I did differently to get less?
Lisa says
I get about 3/4 to 1 cup for each serving.
Aleaxandra says
Made this last night, as I was looking for a replacement to my morning overnight oats. I love it! Used the Almond Milk and added a few blueberries, all I can say is YUM! Can’t wait to try the pumpkin one. Thank you
Lisa says
Chia pudding is perfect for breakfast!
Rosann Bays says
Terrific!!!l
Simple and fast!!! Did what one of the followers did below by using 3/4 heavy cream, 13.5oz of coconut milk and increasing the Chia Seeds to 1/2. Then, added the 2 Tbl of Cocoa Powder, followed by Tasters Choice instant coffee about about 2-3 Tbl. Used Monk Fruit as the sweetener.
By adding the strong coffee with the chocolate it was fabulous when you want to change it up a bit…
Thanks so much for the recipe!
Lisa says
I’ll have to give that version a try as well. Sounds amazing!
Susan says
I’m actively searching for breakfast ideas, since going low carb. Eggs are great, but I don’t want them every day. I’m a big lover of yogurt and then I found your recipe.
I used almond milk, so you do need to add about 2 tbsp extra of the chia seeds.
Tried the pudding and, wow! Love it! Unfortunately, I can’t use artificial sweeteners, so I did add regular sugar, about 2 tsp. Winner, winner Chia Seed Pudding! Also, I added some frozen blueberries on top.
Lisa says
Have you tried monk fruit sweetener? It’s natural based and you only need a small amount of the liquid or powdered extract.
Teresa says
Or what about Stevia? It’s natural.
Lisa says
Stevia is a good choice.
Rosann Bays says
It’s great with Monk Fruit!
Lisa says
My most favorite sweetener!
Melissa says
Stevia is not an artificial sweetener so you might be able to use that – artificial sweeteners give me a migraine but I’m fine with stevia.
Terri Iverson says
If it’s 2g of net carbs, why in the “Nutrition Facts” box it reads Carbs 8g & 4g of fiber. Would that not be 4g net carbs?
Lisa says
The 2g net carbs was based on an older calculation so that has been removed.
Gabi says
Dear Lisa,
after searching and reading all about the Keto Diet these past 2 days, I was delighted to come across your site as well. The Chia Vanilla Pudding was the first recipe I made from your collection, and it was fantastic. Your directions were clear, and super easy to follow. You are bookmarked, and I am looking forward trying more of your recipes.
Thank you,
Gabi
PS: I used the Almond-milk version, plus 1/2 cup chia seeds. The pudding was ready in 1 hr.
Lisa says
Thanks Gabi! Glad you enjoyed the chia pudding.
Pam says
How much sweetener if using swerve?
Lisa says
I’d try a tablespoon. But, you may want to start with a teaspoon and add more to taste.
Andreana says
Hello! I tried this recipe and I used swerve confectioners sugar. I may have used either a tablespoon or tablespoon and half of swerve. It ended up tasting really bad- poison taste/ barley seed taste. I’m thinking I put too much sweetener? Any recommendations on a good sweetener (brand name and amount) for a recipe like this?
Lisa MarcAurele says
I find Swerve has an odd taste and some of that is the erythritol. I prefer using a mix of liquid stevia and liquid monk fruit in my pudding so there’s no erythritol. The liquid sweetener extracts are easier to use than the extract powders as you can measure by drops which allows adding small amounts at a time.
BRomo says
This is a great recipe! Easy and great for a quick breakfast. Thanks!
Lisa says
You’re welcome! It certainly does make a satisfying breakfast.
Ian says
Love this recipe more than other chia seed puddings I’ve found. For extra kick added two tbsp of dark cocoa powder and two tsp of chipotle chili powder
Also not too hard to scale up to a full 13.5 oz can of coconut milk – heavy cream to ~3/4 cup and chia to ~1/2 cup
Lisa says
I must give the chocolate and chipotle a try!
Kamal Nasser says
This is so good. Thank you!
marguerite lindemann says
do you think it would work with regular milk. I don’t like the taste of coconut milk.
Lisa says
Of course!
Alison says
So when the recipe calls for 1/3 cup chia seeds, is that the chia seed gel or just chia seeds
Lisa says
Just the seeds.
Melissa says
So I recently started eating low carb (keto) and came across your recipe. I had just gotten a big bag of chia seeds and needed ideas for how to use them. Your recipe is perfect! So yummy and quick to make. I do a double batch in a large bowl so I can have it ready for whenever. I also added cinnamon to mine (makes it taste sweeter to me) and occasionally top it with fruit.
It’s the perfect breakfast, dessert, snack, whatever! I eat it frequently since it’s fairly low in carbs and pretty good for me. Tastes like a guilty treat without the guilt. Thank you so much for this!
Lisa says
You’re welcome Melissa! I used to eat chia pudding every morning when I restarted low carb.
Kc says
Ok finally tried this recipe. EXACTLY as listed. omggggggg it is absolutely fantastic. It reminds me of tapioca pudding. Thank you for this. Look forward to more.
KcM says
Ok not sure if my post got sent so I’m trying again. Can I use regular cow milk with this, issues with coconut.
Lisa says
You can.
KcM says
Can I use regular cow milk? I have a hard time with coconut.
Lisa says
You can. Any milk or a mix of heavy cream and water works.
Jamie says
Approx how much is in the stevia packets, I’d like to use the erythritol/monk fruit sweetener I have on hand and just wondering how much to use. Thanks!
Lisa says
It’s about a teaspoon or two of comparable sugar sweetness.
Jodi says
Based off the box it looks like each packet of Stevia is 1 gram.
Shelly says
How many tsp of xylitol should I use? Thank you~
Lisa says
It depends on your taste. One packet is usually about 1 tsp so I’d try 4 teaspoons and adjust from there.
Mckell says
Soooo good! My very picky hubby even liked it. He wanted to try it in chocolate, so I added 2 oz of a 100% cocoa bar, which added a few extra carbs, but it was delicious!
Lisa says
Happy you both liked it. Chia pudding is a regular breakfast item for me.
Tigra says
ER MERH GERD! This is yummy, did 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 1/3c chia seeds 2 tsp vanilla and 4 packs of pyure and 1/8t of salt..like recommended and boy this is sure a good fatty treat. I could def use the extra fiber and it will help when I want a treat. Thank you for sharing this.. I topped with a few raspberries too.
Lisa says
Raspberries are a wonderful way to top the pudding off.
Trish says
I just put chia seeds into cream and add a few frozen raspberries YUM
Stacey Allison says
This was delicious, however, I think I used the wrong coconut milk. I just grabbed a carton of “unsweetened” coconut milk (Silk brand) but there were only 4 grams of fat per serving. Did I buy the wrong coconut milk? At first, I wasn’t sure if I needed the cartons from the refrigerated section of the store or the cans of coconut milk from the Asian food aisle. It looks like some people used the cans.
Anyway, it was still very good but after 3-1/2 hours, it was just starting to get a little firm (another reason I think I used the wrong coconut milk). It tasted very much like tapioca pudding as some have mentioned. This is an excellent and very simple recipe and a good way to use those healthy chia seeds.
We’ll be making this regularly but I’d sure appreciate your advice regarding the coconut milk. Thank you.
Lisa says
It’s best to use the full fat coconut milk for at least part of the recipe. If you want to cut back calories, use the carton kind or make a blend of both.
Stacey Allison says
I’m guessing the full-fat coconut milk has some sort of reaction with the chia seeds. I’ve done it both ways now and both versions are good. Thanks for the advice, Lisa. I make this every other day and we love it.
ChaCha says
Can’t find calorie count for my recipe of chia pudding. 1/3c chia seeds 1-1/2c of 2% milk can you help me please? And how much is my serving?
Lisa says
Try plugging that in to MyFitnessPal.
Gryfalcon says
This recipe was awesome. It reminded me of a combination of rice pudding, tapioca pudding or Boba drinks. Because I love rice pudding so much, I added a bit of cardamom to the recipe to get that special flavor.
Lisa says
I’ve been thinking about how this would taste as a sup to rice pudding. I may have to experiment with it.
Katie says
Do you use the whole can of coconut milk (cream and the water) or just the cream?
Lisa says
I typically use the coconut milk in a carton for this one.
Karen says
Can you please tell me which coconut milk in the carton you get? I bought the lite coconut milk in the cans as I didn’t know which to get. Thank you can’t wait to make this.
Lisa says
I like So Delicious, but the cans work in this recipe too.
Lacy says
I forgot mix it first. The seeds really need the liquid.
Lisa says
Yes. The seeds need the liquid to form the chia gel.
Tasha says
What are you supposed to mix first? I thought you put it all together & mixed it?
Lisa says
You basically mix everything together. Order isn’t that important.
Cindi says
Would it work to use coconut cream instead of the heavy cream?
Lisa says
It should. But, coconut cream does tend to get pretty hard in the refrigerator so you may need to set it out a bit before eating.
Susan B says
Yes
Alli says
How long would this keep in the fridge? Looking to maybe double the recipe and portion it all out for breakfasts throughout the week. Thank you!
Lisa says
It will last at least a week.
Carolyn says
Delicious! Thank you so much!
Lisa says
You’re welcome Carolyn!
Emily @latherliftrepeat says
I halved the recipe and used coconut cream instead of milk. Holy moly was that decadent! Tasted like a bad-for-you desert I’d get at a restaurant, but totally keto friendly!
Lisa says
I’ve never tried this with coconut cream. Now I’m curious to check it out.
Eileen says
I used 1/2 coconut (full fat) milk and 1/2 almond milk plus the cream. Almond milk has 2g carbs-2g fiber in 8 oz. one can of coconut milk says 2g carbs in 1/4 cup. The other can says 2g carbs in 1/3 cup. Want to keep carbs down so I can add some berries
Lisa says
The almond milk I use has 1g per cup. So using all almond milk cuts it back a little.
Elyse says
Hi! How much sweetleaf stevia drops would you say for this? Thank you in advance.
Lisa says
I’d say about 20 drops.
Annika Leisure says
I calculated all the ingredients listed and this recipe appears to in fact be 300 calories per serving.
All of the calories of the ingredients listed combined = 1200 divided by 4 servings is 300kcal.
Lisa says
I believe it was calculated using the lower calorie coconut milk beverage.
Annie says
Were you able to get four, 1 cup servings out of this like the recipe states? I wasn’t. It was more like four half cup.
Linda says
Wondering if I am able to use Chia seeds due to diverticulosis.
Lisa says
I’m not familiar with that. I’d have to check with a doctor or research it online.
TLBoyd says
No you cannot. These seeds would cause a flare up.
Pat Walls says
Probably not, seeds set my mom’s diver into space! You don’t want to be on those potent antibiotics unless you absolutely have to!
Mary says
I make my pudding with strong coffee and half and half (although heavy cream would be great too). I use sugar free syrups for sweetener (like salted caramel-so good)! I also add a few tablespoons of sugar free chocolate chips plus the chia seeds. So delicious!!!
Lisa says
I must give that a try. Sounds so yummy!
Melanie says
When making this what is better . the Almond milk or coconut milk full fat?
Lisa says
I find it best made with the highest fat milk you can get.
Vivian says
This is so amazing, especially with a few strawberries on top. Can you give me the net carb amount?
Lisa says
It’s about 3-4 grams net carbs
Amy Beth says
Hello! I made this will Almond Milk and Heavy Cream. I ended up using 1.2 cup chia seeds to get it to thicken up. Recommend using 1/2 cup if you use almond milk. So delicious! I love it.
Satisfies the sweet tooth and missing oatmeal.
Lisa says
Thanks for the tip!
Alexia says
Do you warm it up at all to get the oatmeal feeling? I don’t know how well it would heat up due to the heavy cream.
Lisa says
No. I don’t warm this up. I prefer it chilled.
Pam Smith says
I’m making this for my niece who has gestational diabetes. Her dietitian is recommending an extremely low fat diet. Can I use all almond milk?
Lisa says
It will affect taste, but it’s perfectly fine to lower the fat with almond milk.
Susan Burns says
I make this recipe often, but do change it a bit. First, I use a whole can of full-fat coconut milk, plus 1 cup of heavy cream. All I could taste was vanilla the first time I made it, so I only use 1 tsp. per (roughly) doubled recipe. Then I add powdered erythritol (Swerve) to taste, and add between 1/2 and 2/3 cups chia seeds. I also like to add 1/2 cup of cocoa powder. Cocoa is bitter, so it requires additional sweetener. My son complains about the lack of real sugar in it, but it turns out really yummy. Sometimes I give in and put some maple syrup in it, but right now I’m trying to stay in the ketogenic range for carbs. Thanks for a good recipe!
Lisa says
Thanks for sharing your recipe Susan! I’ll have to give it a try with high fat coconut cream.
Wendy says
I made this up early this afternoon, but it’s still not thickening up (about 6 hours later). How long should it take to thicken? I gave it a good stir when I checked it a few minutes ago, in case that’s the problem, but I’m wondering if I should do something else to it. What do you think? I’m looking forward to having this!
Lisa says
It should thicken within 15 minutes. If not, you’ll need to add more chia.
TLBoyd says
I noticed this too, as I made it with unsweetened almond milk and only two tablespoons of chia seeds per 10 oz of Almond milk. I added 1/4 teaspoon of Xanthium Gum and put the mixture in my nutrabullet and pulsed it twice. It thickened up so much that I added a couple of more Oz of coconut milk to fill up the mason jar. I didn’t see this recipe before I made it, so I’m thinking of going back and adding a couple of tablespoons of heavy whipping cream for added fat. The mixture should be perfect by morning. I added the vinilla extract, some Vanilla cream Stevia, Swerve and Xylitol. I think this will be my new favorite dessert.
Jayme says
Oh my gosh!!! Made this today to have with supper! If I could give it 10 stars I would! This was absolutely wonderful. I used coconut milk (full fat) and cream. Thank goodness I doubled the recipe! Now we have to try to control ourselves and not eat it all at once. I put a little in a plastic dish and placed in the freezer to see how that would work also. Thank you for this absolutely heavenly treat – Jayme
Lisa says
So glad you enjoyed it. It’s one of my favorite work day treats!
Laura says
Can you tell me your EXACT recipe with ingredients and servings as well. I’m now to this and it looks so good but I’m ignorant when it comes to Keto still.