We are in the thick of pumpkin season. And we are celebrating with pumpkin chia pudding! Super creamy, full of pumpkin spice, and tastes just like pumpkin pie! Except no baking is required.
If you are not familiar with chia seeds, they are small white or black edible seeds with a mild and slightly nutty flavor. They are crunchy as it, but my favorite way to use them is making chia pudding. When soaked with liquid, they absorb the liquid, soften, and turn into a pudding-like consistency. The texture is thick and creamy, almost like a tapioca pudding.
I like to enjoy this pumpkin chia seed pudding for breakfast, a snack, or after dinner as a healthy dessert. It makes for easy meal prep and feel free to even double the recipe to have some on hand all week!
Why we love this pumpkin pie chia pudding
- tastes just like pumpkin pie without all the baking and is lightly sweetened!
- packed with fiber – each serving has 8 grams of fiber
- loaded with vitamins and minerals – full of vitamin A needs, vitamin K, manganese, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus to name a few
- macro-balanced – a good balance of carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats for stable blood sugar and energy levels
- great for meal prep – make a batch at the beginning of the week for an easy and healthy snack or dessert
Is chia seed pudding good for you?
Chia seed pudding is a great healthy and nutrient-dense snack to add to your diet. Chia seeds are filled with omega-3 fatty acids, loaded with antioxidants, and full of protein, fiber, iron, vitamin K, and calcium. And chia seeds are super absorbent – they can absorb up to 9x their weight in water. Mixed with fruit, spices, and liquid, chia seed pudding can make a filling and satisfying food.
Ingredients
- pumpkin puree
- pecans – toasted and then blended into the pudding that really elevates this chia pudding to taste like pumpkin pie
- almond milk
- pumpkin pie spice
- maple syrup – for a touch of sweetness
- collagen – optional, but gives it a little more protein
- salt – just a pinch to help bring the flavors together
How to make pumpkin chia pudding
- Toast the pecans. Heat a small skillet over medium-low heat and let it get hot, about 30 seconds. Add pecans and toast for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until golden brown. The toasting step is optional, but I find it adds great flavor and is so easy to do.
- Blend ingredients. Add almond milk, toasted pecans, pumpkin, collagen, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, and salt to a high-powered blender or food processor. Process until smooth and all ingredients are combined, about 1 minute.
- Let rest. Transfer to a medium-sized resealable bowl or large jar. Whisk in chia seeds until thoroughly combined. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.
- Enjoy! Eat as is or top with desired toppings. Enjoy!
How long should chia seeds soak for pudding?
When making chia seed pudding, it doesn’t take that long for the chia seeds to start absorbing liquid. Usually, 2-3 hours is enough for the chia seeds to absorb the liquid and form a gel-like consistency, but you can let them sit longer, up to overnight. Although, the more time you give the chia seeds to absorb the liquid, the thicker it gets.
Storage
- refrigerator – store in a sealable airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Substitutions or additions
- pecans – walnuts or almonds would work well instead of pecan. Leave out the nuts or substitute with sunflower seeds to make it nut-free. You can use a tablespoon or two of nut butter if you don’t have nuts on hand.
- milk – any kind of milk will work (cashew milk, coconut milk, oat milk, or even whole milk).
- maple syrup – honey will work instead of maple syrup. Add more if you want it sweeter.
- pumpkin pie spice – a combination of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves will work instead of pumpkin pie spice. You will need 1 1/2 teaspoons total.
And here are some additions:
- boost the protein – add in more protein or even flavored protein powder.
- vanilla extract – add a teaspoon for a little more vanilla flavor.
More healthy pumpkin recipes
- pumpkin chocolate chip protein muffins
- pumpkin protein bars
- vegetable and pumpkin quiche
- paleo pumpkin protein pancakes
- pumpkin pie butter
- pumpkin pie milkshake
If you love quick and easy meals and want to learn how to build a balanced bowl, check out our FREE How to Build a Balanced Plate Guide!
Pumpkin Chia Pudding
ingredients
- 1/4 cup raw pecans (30 grams)
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 1/2 cups almond milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 serving unflavored collagen (optional)
- pinch of sea salt
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- optional toppings: whipped cream, fresh fruit, nut butter, cinnamon…
instructions
- Toast the pecans. Heat a small skillet over medium-low heat and let it get hot, about 30 seconds. Add pecans and toast for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until golden brown. The toasting step is optional, but I find it adds great flavor and is so easy to do.
- Blend ingredients. Add almond milk, toasted pecans, pumpkin, collagen, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, and salt to a high-powered blender or food processor. Process until smooth and all ingredients are combined, about 1 minute.
- Let chill. Transfer to a medium-sized resealable bowl or large jar. Whisk in chia seeds until thoroughly combined. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.
- Enjoy! Eat as is or top with desired toppings.
Suzanne says
This looks so good! What a fun way to enjoy pumpkin in a healthy way!
Kelly says
Yes, it really is! Thanks Suzanne!
Diana says
Love this! I make it for breakfast as a parfait layering homemade granola and plain Greek yogurt. So nutritious, delicious I want to add to a roundup of my favorite pumpkin breakfast recipes 😁 So glad I found your website and a fellow FNPT
Kelly says
Yum, that sounds so so good! Glad you enjoyed it Diana and happy to have you here!
Teresa says
I loved this! I liked how it wasn’t super sweet, so a healthy dessert option!
Kelly says
Glad to hear it! We love it as a healthier dessert too!!
Kelly says
Hi LS! There are a bunch of Whole30 compliant almonds milks, you just need to make sure you get the unsweetened vanilla or plain kind. Some off the top of my head are Kirkland (from Costco), Silk, Almond Breeze, Califia, and New Barn. The recipe was a guest post on my friend’s blog. It is linked above, but here is is again – https://hungrybynature.com/pumpkin-pie-chia-pudding/ – hope that helps!
Jo says
Hi, do u think coconut milk would work as I can’t have almond milk. Many thinks…fingers crossed!
Kelly says
Hi Jo! Yes, I think that would be amazing and make it even more creamy! Let me know how it goes!
Kelly says
Hey Patti! The actual recipe is linked on my friend’s blog as that is where I did the post. Here is the link – https://hungrybynature.com/2016/10/pumpkin-pie-chia-pudding/ – hope you enjoy!
Mike Conner says
The link doesn’t work.
Kelly says
Hi Mike! I added the recipe above – hope that helps!
Kelly says
Glad you found it! I hope you enjoy Cindy!
Cindy Emmerson says
No link to the recipe and no ingredients. I am going to wing it tho – I am the only person needing GF, so I can figure it out. Thank you for sharing the idea – I get pumpkin pudding for my Thanksgiving dinner 🙂
Brenda says
Great recipe! I’ve made pumpkin chia pudding before but added very ripe banana as sweetener and subbed pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon, etc. With the banana, I also used less almond milk.
Kelly says
That way sounds good! I do enjoy banana but stayed away from it in this since sometimes I feel like it can overpower other flavors. I’m glad you enjoyed this way too!