This Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding recipe is the real deal — vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, full of so much sweetness it’ll knock your socks off…and did I mention chocolate?!? It tastes JUST LIKE super sweet chocolate milk. You’d NEVER know it’s super healthy by it’s taste… :P The best kind of dessert!

About Dates as a Sweetener

I have to say, dates are my favorite sweetener in the whole wide world. Why? Because they are an all-natural source of sugar that grows right on a tree. Just remove the pit, blend them up, and you’ve got the sweetest, most natural tasting wonderfulness ever. Yeah, that’s right. :P

But the reason that I love these more than say agave nectar, honey or maple syrup is that they are a WHOLE FOOD! That’s right. They are just the entire fruit, just as they would come off the tree…and super ripe. So they’re super sweet.

The best part is: they come with all the fiber that nature intended, so you don’t get the glycemic load, or sugar rush that comes with having a regular old processed sweetener. Not to mention all the amazing phytochemicals that come along with all that other goodness! You really can’t go wrong with using dates as a sweetener…except of course unless you eat too many of them!

Just remember, they make such a good sweetener, that you want to be careful not to eat too many…they’re just like having any other dried type of fruit: super calorie dense. So use them sparingly…but love them while you’re using them! :D

What Kind of Blender Should I Use?

Not gonna lie: a high-speed blender works the best for blending dates. I personally have a Vitamix and swear by it, though I’ve heard great things about Blend-Tecs as well. But the things is, you want a high-speed/high-power blender because it will really pulverize those dates. You’ll get all the sweetness as if you had used honey or maple syrup, but you’ll be including the fiber as well.

Win-win!

However, if you don’t have a blender like this (yet! please consider it!)…then you can get by with a regular blender, but you should soak the dates in the almond milk first for a while (30 minutes or more) to soften them up real good. Then you might even have a bit of chunks, but it’ll still be yummy!

What Are Chia Seeds? So Nutritionally Dense!

So chia seeds aren’t just for chia pets anymore!

Chia seeds are a super nutritionally dense seed that contains some really amazing nutrition:  Just one ounce of chia seeds, about 2 tablespoons, has 4.7 grams of protein, 10 grams of fiber, and 23% of your magnesium RDA and 17% of your calcium RDA!

They’re very filling and nutritious, and every time I have this as a dessert, it’s just so so so filling. Just try not to overdo it on portion size, cuz like…it’s pretty calorie dense, but great for a small treat! :D

How to Eat This Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

This is kind of comparable to a tapioca pudding type recipe. When you eat it, you’ll notice the jelly like seeds that you crunch down on a bit. It’s a super awesome texture — you’ve gotta try it out!

You can use this dessert as a snack in between meals for a nice sweet-tooth crushing kick, or you can use it as a dessert after your meal. try it yourself and see just how delicious AND filling it is!

Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding VIDEO

Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding Recipe (vegan+dairy-free!)

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

 

Author: cheri

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 3 medjool dates, pitted (or 5-6 deglet noor dates)
• 1 cup non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened almond)
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder (or raw cacao)
• ¼ cup chia seeds

Instructions

1. In a high-speed blender, blend the first 3 ingredients until a smooth and creamy chocolate milk consistency is achieved.
2. In a small bowl, add the chia seeds and pour the chocolate mixture over top. Stir to combine well, ensuring no lumps in the chia seeds. Let the mixture sit for at least 15 minutes up to overnight refrigerated to soak up the almond milk and create a pudding consistency.
3. Note: if you are using the harder deglet noor dates with a regular blender, soak the dates in the almond milk for at least 30 minutes before starting to get them blended as smooth as possible.

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