5-Ingredient coconut chia pudding, superb joy

Honestly, if your mornings feel like a frantic scramble, I totally get it. For years, my breakfast was whatever junk food I could find before diving into spreadsheets. But I promise you, finding joy in a simple, soul-satisfying start can change everything. That’s why I’m pushing this recipe on you today: The Ultimate Creamy 5-Ingredient Coconut Chia Pudding Recipe. Seriously, just five ingredients stand between you and the best coconut chia pudding you’ve ever made. It sets up while you sleep. It’s ridiculously creamy. It’s where I find my pure cooking joy now, knowing something spectacular is waiting for me in the fridge. If you want to know more about how I got back to loving the kitchen, check out my journey over at About Me.

Why This Creamy Coconut Chia Pudding Is Your New Favorite Overnight Healthy Breakfast

If you’re looking for a true winner in the world of make-ahead meals, this recipe is it. We’re talking about the perfect overnight healthy breakfast that tastes like you spent serious time on it, but honestly, it takes five minutes of effort. That rich, dreamy texture is exactly what makes people ask me how I get my creamy chia pudding so good. It’s all about the ratios and the technique, friends! This is the foundation of my entire healthy meal prep breakfast routine now because I just mix it up, pop it in a jar, and forget about it until morning. You deserve effortless, delicious mornings.

The Secret to Achieving Perfect Coconut Chia Pudding Texture

The absolute key to avoiding sad, sludgy pudding is using the right ratio—stick to about one cup of liquid for every quarter cup of seeds. Then, you *must* double-whisk! That first mix gets everything incorporated, but the second whisk after five minutes ensures those seeds don’t clump up on the bottom. That little bit of effort guarantees you end up with a truly creamy chia pudding that feels luxurious, not gritty. Trust me on the double-whisk!

Gathering Ingredients for Your Simple Coconut Chia Pudding Recipe

I absolutely love recipes where the ingredient list is shorter than my to-do list, and this is one of them! This entire base recipe for our coconut chia pudding relies on just five core items. That’s it! You don’t need a ton of complicated stuff to make something that feels like a tropical treat. You can find inspiration for plating ideas over at my simple chia pudding guide, but first, we need to make sure we get the texture right here at the start.

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Ingredient List for Coconut Chia Pudding

The magic truly hinges on using full-fat canned coconut milk. Don’t grab the carton type you use for coffee—we need that good, thick stuff straight from the can for that decadent texture. You’ll need one cup of that luxury coconut milk, a quarter cup of chia seeds, a tablespoon of your favorite sweetener (I use maple syrup, but you can swap it out!), half a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract for depth, and just a tiny pinch of salt to bring all those sweet coconut notes forward. That’s the foundation for perfection!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Easy Pudding Recipe

Okay, now that we have our gorgeous ingredients ready, let’s make this happen! Making this pudding is less like cooking and more like assembling something beautiful. Seriously, there’s zero heat involved, which means you can do this anytime! If you want to see how I apply similar easy techniques to other treats, check out my guide on an easy pudding recipe collection. But for this one, just follow these quick steps, and you’re golden.

Mixing and Resting the Coconut Chia Pudding Base

First things first: Dump everything—the seeds, the full-fat coconut milk, the maple syrup, vanilla, and that little pinch of salt—into your bowl or jar. Now, grab that whisk and go at it! You need to whisk vigorously for a full minute to break up any seed clumps. Then, let it chill out on the counter for about five minutes. Set a timer! That resting period is crucial, then you whisk or shake it *again* really well. This two-part mixing process is what truly makes this a fantastic make ahead pudding!

Chilling for the Ultimate Creamy Chia Pudding

Once you’ve done that second, enthusiastic mix, toss a lid on your jar or cover that bowl and move it straight into the fridge. Forty hours is the bare minimum you should wait, but honestly, if you can let this hang out overnight, you’ll thank me later. That time in the cold is where the chia seeds work their thickening magic. Come morning, you’ll pull out a genuinely thick and wonderfully creamy chia pudding that’s ready to eat.

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Adapting Your Coconut Chia Pudding for Dietary Needs

One of the best things about a simple chia pudding recipe is how easily it flexes to fit whatever you’re eating this week! This foundational recipe is inherently vegan chia pudding recipe-friendly and completely dairy free dessert ideas approved, thanks to that glorious canned coconut milk. But I know a lot of you are dialing in your macros, so let’s talk about making this fit stricter plans. If you’re looking for ways to adapt other recipes to fit your needs, I shared a few great swaps in my vegan pumpkin pie recipe!

Making Low Carb or Keto Chia Pudding

If you’re aiming for a keto chia pudding, swapping out the maple syrup is the simplest move you can make right now. Maple syrup has natural sugars, which isn’t ideal for keto counts, so just use a few drops of liquid stevia or monk fruit sweetener instead. It sweetens things up perfectly without impacting your carb goals. Check out my post on keto pumpkin bread for more of my favorite low-carb swaps!

Serving Suggestions for Your Coconut Milk Pudding

The base of this coconut milk pudding is already fantastic—creamy and lightly sweet—but toppings are where we can really have some fun and lean into that tropical vibe! I always think about what I have on hand that will add texture contrast. You don’t want everything to be soft, right? For a great vanilla coconut pudding experience, try this: first, toasted coconut flakes add a wonderful crunch and intensify that coconut flavor. Second, fresh berries like raspberries or sliced kiwi bring a nice pop of color and tartness.

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If you’re feeling like making this a real dessert, a drizzle of melted dark chocolate over the top is never a bad idea. Or, if you want to stick to the healthy theme, maybe some chopped macadamia nuts. I’ve shared some of my favorite ways to top things like moist coconut cakes, and these ideas work perfectly here too. Presentation counts, even when it’s just for you on a Tuesday morning!

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Tips for Success When Making Coconut Chia Pudding

If you follow the main recipe, you’ll get great results, but I always want you to feel 100% confident tweaking things just how you like them. Remember, this is supposed to be a joy, not a science test! If you pull your pudding out and you realize it’s just a tiny bit thicker than you prefer, don’t panic. You can usually stir in an extra splash or two of cold coconut milk until it hits that perfect, spoonable consistency. Conversely, if it feels too runny, that usually means you need to let it sit longer.

This is also where you realize this is more than just breakfast; it’s a power-packed, nutrient dense snack you can grab any time of day. If you’re interested in jazzing up simple things like bowls, check out some of my topping ideas I use for sweet potato toast—many of those same fresh elements work beautifully here too!

Storage and Make Ahead Pudding Instructions

This is honestly my favorite part about this coconut chia pudding—it thrives on being prepared ahead of time! You can totally use this as your go-to make ahead pudding for a busy week. I find that the texture is absolutely perfect if you let it sit overnight in the fridge, but if you need to plan further out, it stays wonderfully creamy for three to four days sealed up tight in individual quick breakfast jars. I generally don’t recommend freezing it, though. While it won’t technically ruin it, the freezing and thawing process can sometimes mess with that luxurious, creamy texture we worked so hard to achieve.

If you’re batch prepping your healthy food for the week, this is a dream recipe. For more inspiration on planning ahead your healthy meals, you can check out my guide on easy egg muffin meal preps!

Frequently Asked Questions About Coconut Chia Pudding

Can I use regular milk instead of canned coconut milk?

Oh, you certainly *can* use regular milk, but I have to warn you, you won’t get that signature creaminess! The high fat content in canned, full-fat coconut milk is what makes this recipe feel almost like a decadent dessert and less like watery seed mush. If you use skim milk or almond milk, you’ll end up with a lighter, almost watery chia pudding. It still works as a dairy free dessert idea if you use almond or soy, but for the *ultimate* creamy texture, trust the can!

How long can I keep this make-ahead pudding in the fridge?

I find this coconut chia pudding tastes best when eaten within three days, but it’s totally safe for four or even five days if stored in sealed quick breakfast jars. The seeds keep absorbing moisture, so the texture might get firmer the longer it sits. If that happens, just stir in a teaspoon of extra coconut milk or water before eating to loosen it up again!

Do I absolutely have to add the sweetener?

Nope, you don’t *have* to, but I really suggest it! The chia seeds themselves don’t have much flavor, and the canned coconut milk can be quite rich. A tiny bit of maple syrup or sweetener balances everything out so it doesn’t taste bland. If you’re trying to keep the carbs super low, just use a few drops of stevia like we talked about earlier. It stops the pudding from tasting flat, that’s for sure.

Is this truly a good keto option?

It’s a fantastic base for a keto chia pudding, provided you make that sweetener swap we discussed! Since the main ingredients are high-fat coconut milk and high-fiber chia seeds, the macros work perfectly once you eliminate the maple syrup. It’s an easy way to pack fiber and healthy fats into a low-carb diet without resorting to processed snack bars. If you have any other recipe questions, feel free to reach out on my contact page!

Nutritional Information for This Recipe

I always like to share the numbers because knowing exactly what you’re fueling your body with is important, especially when you’re making something this healthy! As I always note over on my site disclosure page, these figures are always estimates. They are calculated precisely based on using the five core ingredients listed—chia, full-fat coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt—and divided into two equal servings.

This coconut chia pudding is naturally rich in healthy fats and fiber, which is why it keeps you feeling full until lunch! Here’s the breakdown for one serving:

• Serving Size: 1/2 of recipe
• Calories: 280
• Fat: 22g
• Saturated Fat: 18g
• Carbohydrates: 20g
• Fiber: 12g
• Protein: 7g
• Sugar: 8g
• Sodium: 110mg
• Cholesterol: 0mg

See? Pretty fantastic for such an easy recipe that works perfectly as a healthy meal prep breakfast!

The Ultimate Creamy 5-Ingredient Coconut Chia Pudding Recipe

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Make this incredibly creamy coconut chia pudding using only five simple, healthy ingredients. This dairy-free, gluten-free recipe sets up overnight, making it the ultimate make-ahead breakfast or nutritious snack.

• Author: purejoyalex
• Prep Time: 5 min
• Cook Time: 0 min
• Total Time: 4 hr 5 min
• Yield: 2 servings 1x
• Category: Breakfast
• Method: No Cook
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

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• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or preferred sweetener)
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

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Instructions

1. In a medium bowl or a jar with a lid, combine the chia seeds, coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt.
2. Whisk or shake the mixture vigorously for about one minute to break up any clumps of chia seeds.
3. Let the mixture sit on the counter for 5 minutes, then whisk or shake again thoroughly. This second mix prevents the seeds from settling at the bottom.
4. Cover the bowl or seal the jar and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until the pudding thickens to a creamy consistency.
5. Serve cold. Top with fresh berries, toasted coconut flakes, or sliced banana for extra flavor.

Notes

• For a lower-carb or keto chia pudding, substitute the maple syrup with a few drops of liquid stevia or monk fruit sweetener.
• If you prefer a thinner pudding, increase the coconut milk by 1/4 cup. For a thicker, almost solid pudding, use 3/4 cup of coconut milk.
• This recipe is naturally vegan and gluten free. It works well for healthy meal prep, providing a nutrient dense snack option.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/2 of recipe
• Calories: 280
• Sugar: 8
• Sodium: 110
• Fat: 22
• Saturated Fat: 18
• Unsaturated Fat: 4
• Trans Fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 20
• Fiber: 12
• Protein: 7
• Cholesterol: 0