This chocolate Chia Pudding with Greek Yogurt is a creamy, chocolatey make-ahead breakfast that feels indulgent but keeps you full, satisfied, and energized all morning.
For more healthy breakfast recipes, check out our apple chia pudding, oil-free banana oatmeal muffins, Greek yogurt chia pudding, and apple cinnamon overnight oats.
A Creamy Chocolate Breakfast That Keeps You Full All Morning
Some mornings, Louise and I wake up craving something a little more indulgent — chocolatey, creamy, and comforting — but we still want a breakfast that fits into a balanced, feel-good routine 🍫. That’s exactly where this Chocolate Chia Pudding with Greek Yogurt comes in.
It tastes like dessert, yet it’s protein-rich, fiber-rich, and deeply satisfying, thanks to the combination of Greek yogurt, chia seeds, and cocoa powder. This is a healthy chocolate breakfast that keeps you full and energized, without feeling heavy or overly sweet.
We love that it’s also a make-ahead breakfast. You stir everything together the night before, let it chill, and wake up to a creamy, spoonable pudding that’s ready to enjoy straight from the fridge 🥣. No cooking. No morning stress.
Ingredients
Full ingredients and substitutions are in the recipe box below.
- Chia seeds: The fiber-rich base that thickens the pudding naturally and makes this a true high protein chia pudding when paired with yogurt. Substitute white or black chia seeds interchangeably.
- Greek yogurt: Adds creaminess, protein, and structure. Use plain full-fat for richness, or low-fat Greek yogurt or Skyr for even more protein and a lighter feel.
- Milk: Helps loosen the mixture and makes it spoonable. Any milk works, including almond, soy, oat, or dairy, making this an easy fit for a no cook breakfast.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Gives deep chocolate flavor without added sugar, creating a naturally creamy chocolate chia pudding. Substitute cacao powder for a more intense, slightly bitter taste.
- Honey or maple syrup: Gently sweetens without overpowering the chocolate. Swap with agave syrup or date syrup.
- Vanilla extract: Optional, but it rounds out the chocolate flavor. You can substitute vanilla powder or simply skip it.
- Cinnamon or orange zest: Adds warmth and brightness. Cinnamon keeps it cozy; orange zest makes it feel fresh and Mediterranean-inspired — both are perfect for an easy chia pudding recipe you’ll want on repeat.
How to Make Chocolate Chia Pudding
Step 1: Mix the Creamy Base
Add the Greek yogurt, milk, cocoa powder, honey, cinnamon, and vanilla to a bowl. Whisk well until smooth and fully combined. Take a moment here — this is where the flavor starts. Mixing the cocoa thoroughly ensures a rich chocolate chia pudding with cocoa powder, without bitter pockets.
Step 2: Add the Chia Seeds
Whisk in the chia seeds and keep stirring for about 30 seconds. Be a little vigorous. This helps prevent clumps and allows the chia seeds to thicken evenly, giving you a smooth, spoonable texture later.
Step 3: Chill Until Thick and Creamy
You can leave the mixture in the bowl or divide it into small jars for individual portions. Cover and refrigerate overnight. As it rests, the pudding thickens naturally and turns into a satisfying healthy dessert for breakfast.
Step 4: Stir and Serve
Before serving, give the pudding a quick stir to loosen it up. Enjoy it cold, just as it is, or add toppings like fresh berries, banana slices, nuts, peanut butter, or a drizzle of honey for extra flavor.
Tips
- Whisk really well when adding the chia seeds so they don’t clump and the pudding thickens evenly.
- Use thick yogurt for the creamiest texture. Greek yogurt makes this an especially satisfying chocolate chia pudding with more protein than just milk.
- Let it rest long enough. An overnight chill gives you the best texture and allows the chia to hydrate properly.
- Stir once after 10 minutes if you remember. This small step helps prevent seeds from settling at the bottom.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely. Use a plant-based yogurt and milk. The texture will be slightly lighter but still delicious.
Yes. Cocoa powder gives a deep chocolate flavor without making it overly sweet, which is why this works so well as a healthy chocolate chia pudding.
It stays fresh for up to 4 days, making it great for planning breakfasts ahead.
Fresh berries cut through the richness but we also love it with banana slices, nuts, peanut butter, whipped cream, or a drizzle of honey all pair beautifully.
More Easy Breakfast Recipes
- High fiber muffins without oil
- Sheet pan eggs and veggies
- Sweet potato oatmeal muffins
- Healthy Oil-Free Granola
- Protein apple muffins
- Oatmeal pancakes
- Greek scrambled eggs
- Protein banana bread without oil
If you tried this Chocolate Chia Pudding recipe or any other recipe on our blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it goes in the comments. We love hearing from you!
Chocolate Chia Pudding with Greek Yogurt (High-Protein Breakfast)
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons chia seeds
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder unsweetened
- 1 cup Greek yogurt sub low-fat Greek yogurt or Skyr for more protein
- 1 cup milk any
- 2 – 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon or grated orange zest (optional)
Instructions
- Mix 1 cup Greek yogurt, 1 cup milk, 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, 2 – 3 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a bowl until smooth and lump-free. Take a moment to fully dissolve the cocoa so the pudding tastes evenly chocolatey.
- Add 4 tablespoons chia seeds and whisk well for about 30 seconds. This helps prevent clumps and ensures the pudding thickens evenly.
- Chill the mixture in the fridge, either in the bowl or divided into jars, overnight.
- Stir and serve cold. Give it a quick stir before eating and add toppings like fresh berries, banana, nuts, peanut butter, or a drizzle of honey if you like.
Notes
- Chia seeds → White or black chia seeds (use interchangeably)
- Greek yogurt → Full-fat Greek yogurt, low-fat Greek yogurt, or Skyr
- Milk → Almond milk, soy milk, oat milk, or dairy milk
- Unsweetened cocoa powder → Cacao powder (deeper, slightly bitter chocolate)
- Honey or maple syrup → Agave syrup or date syrup
- Vanilla extract → Vanilla powder or omit entirely
- Cinnamon or orange zest → Swap cinnamon for cozy warmth, or orange zest for a fresh, Mediterranean vibe
- Whisk like you mean it → Thorough mixing keeps chia seeds from clumping and ensures even thickening
- Go thick with yogurt → Greek yogurt delivers the creamiest texture and boosts protein
- Give it time → An overnight rest creates the best consistency and fully hydrated chia
- Stir once, win big → A quick stir after 10 minutes prevents seeds from sinking to the bottom
Nutrition
Hi! We are Nico & Louise
We’re here to share delicious, easy, and healthy plant-based recipes (vegetarian & vegan) 🌿✨.
Welcome to our blog, we are glad you are here.
I made this recipe exactly as specified using the lower amount of honey and added some walnuts on top. It was delicious! I am looking forward to making it again in the summertime when the fresh strawberries are in at the Farmer’s Market! I can hardly wait!
This is so decadent but healthy and light. I didn’t even add honey but just added some mandarin pieces on top and it’s already sweet enough. Lovely with nuts too 🙂
That sounds so wonderful! Love the mandarin addition — fresh fruit works so well here. So glad you enjoyed it,
Best, Louise
I like the idea, somehow I haven’t thought of adding cocoa powder to my oatmeal (I added cinnamon though, really good). I have a question – aren’t 4 tablespoons a bit too much? As I’ve read 1-2 tablespoons is the recommended daily amount. Thanks!
Great question, Andi. The 4 tablespoons are for the whole recipe, not per serving.
If you’re making just one portion, 1–2 tablespoons is absolutely perfect 🙂 You can always adjust to taste as well—cocoa is very forgiving.
All the best, Louise
Love your receipes, quick,easy, and so good. Have u written a cook book yet?
Thank you so much, Cecilia—that really means a lot ❤️
So, no cookbook just yet, but it’s something we’ve been thinking about. Fingers crossed for the future!
All the best, Louise