Chocolate Matcha Chia Seed Pudding

Get ready to tantalize your taste buds with a nutritious and delicious layered chocolate matcha chia seed pudding! If you're a fan of matcha seed pudding or chocolate chia pudding, you're in for a real treat. This easy chocolate matcha recipe combines the best of both worlds to create a symphony of flavors that is simply irresistible.

Decadent cocoa and antioxidant-rich matcha green tea are blended separately with non-dairy milk and nutrient-packed chia seeds, and then layered up in a parfait. It’s cool, creamy, energizing and keeps you feeling satiated for hours. Top it with fresh fruit, nuts and homemade coconut whipped cream for a lightly sweet guilt free treat.

This healthy pudding is perfect for a quick make ahead breakfast, an afternoon snack, or a post-workout treat. With just 10 minutes of preparation, you can have breakfast ready for the entire week!

This post has been sponsored by Fraser Tea. Thank you for supporting the brands that help Healthy World Cuisine bring more delicious recipes your way. 

Jump to:

• Healthy Breakfast or Snack
• Ingredients
• Flexible Ingredients
• Step by Step Instructions
• Tips for Storing
• Delicious Topping Ideas
• Recipe Tips
• Variations
• What Milk is Best for Keto Diet?
• Matcha vs Regular Green Tea?
• Ways to Use Matcha
• Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
• More Easy Breakfast ideas
• Chocolate Matcha Chia Seed Pudding

Healthy Breakfast or Snack

• Easy Meal Prep! The chocolate and green tea chia pudding lasts for 5 days in the refrigerator, if stored in a sealed covered container. Perfect for busy work or school breakfasts and for healthy snacks on the go.
• Chia seeds are packed with protein, fiber, and antioxidants to help you feel satiated, provide cardiac protection and keeps the gastrointestinal system running smoothly. Yep- we had to go there – helps you poop!
• Vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free just like our Spicy Chocolate Chai Pu-erh Chia Pudding and Lemony Lavender Chia Seed Pudding.
• Calming caffeine boost! Organic Matcha Green Tea has a higher dose of L-theanine which is an amino acid that calms the nervous system, so you feel more focused and alert without the caffeine jitters.
• Chocolate cravings sorted!

Ingredients

Chia seeds, either black or white, can be used in this chocolate matcha chia seed pudding recipe and in our strawberry banana pancakes. Both black and white chia seeds have a nutty flavor. However, black seeds are more common, have a slightly higher protein level and are somewhat cheaper than white. Chia seeds contain mucilage which is a high fiber soluble fiber. When the chia seeds are placed in the dairy free milk, they magically absorb the liquid and form a gel-like pudding. 

Matcha Green Tea Powder – We used Fraser Tea^® Ceremonial Matcha Organic Green Tea in our matcha chia pudding layer. It’s a premium high grade matcha from Japan with a bright green color and vibrant earthy vegetal flavor. We love the quality of Fraser Tea^® products, the organic difference, and the superior customer service. You can also use culinary types of matcha like vanilla, raspberry, or blueberry matcha but it will not be as bright green.

Unsweetened Cocoa or Cacao powder adds a deep rich deep flavor to the chocolate chia seed pudding layer of the parfait. We used Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa powder, but you can also use a high-quality organic cacao powder. 

Flexible Ingredients

Non-Dairy Milk or dairy of choice – We used almond milk to keep this recipe a keto friendly option. However, you can also use coconut milk, oat milk, regular dairy milk but they have higher fat, calorie and carbohydrate levels compared to almond milk.

Vanilla extract – optional but it does add a secondary dimension of flavor. If you are trying to cut down on any added sugar, it helps. 

Maple syrup or sweetener of choice – To keep this chia seed pudding vegan, we chose maple syrup. If you want to make this recipe keto friendly or lower in carbs – use a sweetener alternative of choice like monk fruit or stevia. We find that we can reduce the amount of sweetener needed by adding a few fresh berries on top to garnish. If you plan on mixing your chia seed matcha pudding in the blender or food processor to make it smooth, add a teaspoon or two of jujube paste or Medjool date paste. You can enjoy the natural sweetness of dates without spiking your glucose (sugar) levels.

Step by Step Instructions

You will be making a matcha chia seed pudding and a chocolate chia seed pudding and then layering them into a parfait cup.

• In 2 separate bowls add 1 cup of milk in each. Then, add in ½ teaspoon of vanilla in each.

• Add 4 tablespoons of chia seeds into each bowl.
• Sift 2 teaspoons of Ceremonial Matcha Organic Green Tea into one of the bowls.

• Then, sift 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder or cacao powder into the other.
• Add maple syrup or other sweetener alternatives of choice into each.
• Stir well until well incorporated.

• Layer a spoonful or 2 of chocolate chia seed pudding into containers. Then top with the matcha chia seed pudding. Repeat until the process to fill the containers.
• Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight and enjoy.

Tips for Storing

Chia seed pudding can be covered with an airtight lid and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, according to the USDA.  We like to use small jelly mason jars with lids so you can see the layers in the pudding. You can even add the toppings before storing them.  However, it is best to hold off on the nuts or seeds until just serving to keep it fresh.

Delicious Topping Ideas

1. Fresh fruit - sliced strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries are good lower carb options. You might also like to try mango, kiwi or even bananas.
2. Nuts and Seeds - chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts, easy roasted pepitas or sunflower seeds.
3. Unsweetened Coconut either grated or flakes pairs lovely with both matcha and chocolate.
4. Cacao Nips or Dark and/or White Chocolate Dairy Free Chips - for a touch of indulgence.
5. Coconut Whipped Cream – non-dairy and extra creamy makes this chocolate matcha chia seed pudding taste like a dessert.
6. Jam or fruit compote - spoon on some raspberry, strawberry refrigerator jam, or blueberry compote for a burst of fruity goodness
7. Spices and Sprinkles like warming cinnamon, extra matcha or unsweetened cocoa powder
8. Granola - for some extra crunch and texture. This is not a low calorie or low carbohydrate option.
9. Maple syrup or date syrup for a touch of sweetness. If you do not need to follow a vegan diet, honey works well too.
10. Nut or Seed Butters like unsweetened almond, cashew, sunflower or roasted pumpkin seed butter.

Recipe Tips

• Sift the matcha and unsweetened cocoa to remove any clumps before adding it to the milk.
• Use a fork and whisk and mix the cocoa powder and green tea powder in the chia seed milk mixture. The matcha and cocoa powder will float to the top of the milk at first. After mixing, all the chia seeds will be coated, and the mixture will start to thicken.
• Choose a high quality matcha that is vibrant green and has a smooth earthy umami flavor for the best tasting matcha chia seed pudding.
• It's important to note that chia seeds will continue to absorb liquid and thicken over time, so you may want to add more milk or non-dairy to the pudding after it has been refrigerated for a few hours.

Variations

• Enjoy your chia pudding warm! There is nothing like a warm and cozy breakfast to start the day. In addition, it is better for your gut health and spleen qi health. Yes, you heard us right! You can heat up the chia seed pudding in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds at a time until toasty warm.
• Make a blended chia pudding. Blend the ingredients together in the food processor or mixer before refrigerating to make it a smoother and creamier texture.
• Add whipped topping and make a chia berry pudding. Try berries like strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries between the layers for a gourmet parfait.
• Make a keto chocolate chia pudding by substituting maple syrup with stevia, monk fruit or your preferred sweetener alternative.
• If you want to serve chocolate and chia matcha pudding as a dessert, try substituting ½ the non-dairy milk with full fat canned coconut milk for a rich and creamy bite.

What Milk is Best for Keto Diet?

For a keto diet, it's best to choose milk or non-dairy alternative that is lower in carbohydrates. We do not follow any strict diets at HWC Magazine but instead try to choose healthy options and avoid dairy because that causes us tummy woes.  The nutrition calculation for chocolate and matcha chia seed pudding cups are using almond milk.

The number of calories and fat content will change depending on the kind of non-dairy you choose. Here is a chart outlining the basic caloric content of 1 cup (240 ml’s) of the common unsweetened dairy free milk options using the Very Fit Well nutrition calculator. Please note that each brand of non-dairy milk varies in their nutritional facts.

Non-Dairy Milk	Calories	Carbohydrates	Fat	Protein	Fiber
Almond	40	2 grams	3 grams	1 gram	1 gram
Coconut	45	2 grams	4.5 grams	0 grams	1 gram
Oat	100	17 grams	2.0 grams	3 grams	3 grams
Soy	80	4 grams	4.0 grams	7 grams	1 gram
Hemp	70	1 gram	5 grams	3 grams	2 grams

Matcha vs Regular Green Tea?

Matcha is different from regular green tea even though they come from the same Camellia sinensis plant.  Farmers cover the tea leaves during the last few weeks before harvesting and then grind the whole leaves into a fine matcha powder.  This special process increases the amount of chlorophyll which makes it bright green and increases the antioxidants and health benefits. Early Spring is the start of the harvest season for premium ceremonial grade matcha.

When preparing regular green tea, you only extract a portion of the nutrients by steeping the leaves in water and drinking the resulting tea. On the other hand, consuming matcha involves ingesting the entire tea leaves, which have been ground into a fine powder and are packed with antioxidants.

Ways to Use Matcha

Matcha is a versatile ingredient that can be used in many ways. Add it to baked goods like Sakura Shortbread Matcha Cookies or Matcha White Chocolate Brownies  to add color and flavor to cakes, cookies, and other treats.

Think outside the matcha latte box! Matcha green tea powder adds a unique flavor and a boost of antioxidants to smoothies. Simply add 1-2 teaspoons of matcha powder to your favorite smoothie recipe or try it in our Matcha Banana Strawberry Ice Cream Cups.

Elevate your morning meal with Healthy Vegan Matcha Pancakes or delectable Baked Matcha Lemon Glazed Donuts and savor the soothing energy of matcha.

Did you know that you can use matcha as a seasoning in savory soup broths, salad dressings or even over roasted vegetables? Sprinkle a little on Matcha Red Bean Energy Balls for a healthy energy packed treat.

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

More Easy Breakfast ideas

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