Chunky Monkey Overnight Chia Pudding (Printer-friendly)

Creamy layered chia pudding with banana, cocoa, and peanut butter flavors.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chia Pudding Base

01 - 4 tablespoons chia seeds
02 - 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
03 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
04 - 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Cocoa Layer

05 - 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
06 - 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup or honey

→ Peanut Butter Layer

07 - 2 tablespoons natural creamy peanut butter

→ Banana Layer and Toppings

08 - 1 large ripe banana, sliced
09 - 2 tablespoons dark chocolate chips or cacao nibs, optional
10 - 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts, optional

# Directions:

01 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together chia seeds, almond milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Set aside for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until mixture begins to thicken.
02 - Divide the thickened mixture equally into two bowls. To one bowl, whisk in cocoa powder and maple syrup until fully combined.
03 - In two jars or glasses, layer as follows: spoon half of plain chia pudding into bottom of each jar, add banana slice layer, spread 1 tablespoon peanut butter over bananas, add cocoa chia pudding layer on top, finish with remaining banana slices and optional chocolate chips and walnuts.
04 - Cover jars and refrigerate overnight or at least 6 hours until thickened and fully set.
05 - Remove from refrigerator and serve chilled. Stir before eating if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Zero cooking required, so even on mornings when your brain hasn't woken up yet, you can have this ready to grab.
  • The layers separate a bit overnight, giving you this pleasant surprise of texture and flavor in every spoonful, like a little edible present you made for yourself.
  • It's secretly a great way to sneak nutrition into what tastes like dessert for breakfast.
02 -
  • Don't skip the initial 10-minute rest after whisking the chia seeds, because that's when they start absorbing liquid and thickening, and skipping it will leave you with a runny pudding no matter how long you refrigerate it.
  • Slice your banana right before serving if possible, because banana slices break down and get mushy overnight, and you want that fresh, crisp texture to contrast against the creamy pudding.
03 -
  • If your chia pudding seems too thick after overnight, just stir in a splash more milk to loosen it up, because chia seeds absorb differently depending on temperature and humidity.
  • Make the plain chia pudding base in a big batch and keep it in the fridge for several days, then add different toppings and flavored layers each morning so you're not making the same breakfast twice.
Return