Ok, hear me out on this one: I know that you don’t normally think ‘decadent’ when you hear the words ‘blended chocolate chia pudding.’ However, I truly hope to prove you wrong with this absolutely delicious, addictive snacky dessert that honestly tastes like chocolate pudding. It is so easy to make and endlessly customisable for different dietaries. This is my new snack obsession and I hope it will become yours too.
Blended chocolate chia pudding
This blended chia pudding is a little more dessert adjacent than other recipes I have seen online. It uses bloomed cocoa powder to start things off with a rich, chocolate flavour. Your choice of milk is added along with optional vanilla bean extract and salt for flavour development.
The pudding is sweetened with maple syrup, but there’s also the option to add in some melted dark chocolate. This adds richness and a depth of chocolate flavour but can also help firm up the pudding in the fridge.
This blended chia pudding is low FODMAP in the right serves, nut free, gluten free, grain free and easily dairy free/vegan. It makes a delicious snack or higher fibre dessert that tastes far more decadent than you would expect (I promise!)
FODMAP notes
Both black and white chia seeds DID have a low FODMAP threshold of 28g per serve. This is approximately 2 Australian tablespoons, but for accuracy it is best to weigh them. Since I started writing this post, Monash have changed the threshold to 24g per serve. They don’t list an upper threshold.Monash have deleted a lot of their upper FODMAP thresholds at the time of writing and they removed the upper threshold for chia seeds.
The entry used to specify that 48g serves or approximately 4 tablespoons contains high amounts of fructans.
Cocoa is a bit of a contentious issue in the FODMAP world, it would seem. Monash currently have it listed as low FODMAP in 8g serves per person, which isn’t a lot. They don’t have an upper threshold or specify which FODMAP it contains. However, FODMAP Everyday says that they used to list it as low FODMAP in serves of up to 200g.
FODMAP Everyday points out that cocoas vary dramatically in their fat to carbohydrate ratios. To be low FODMAP, you want to choose a cocoa with a high fat content and low carb content.
I suspect there is a similar issue at play with chocolate in the app. Even dark chocolate says it exceeds lactose in small serves, while many dark chocolate brands don’t contain lactose. I seem to be fine with chocolate but if you aren’t, it’s an optional ingredient anyway.
Choose a low FODMAP milk to help keep the FODMAP content down. This could be lactose free milk, rice milk, macadamia milk, etc.
Ingredient notes for your blended chocolate chia pudding
I have used both light and dark chia seeds in testing of various blended chia puddings and both perform similarly.
I love Dutch processed cocoa for the rich and deep chocolate flavour and colour. Regular cocoa also works and gives a slightly less ‘dark chocolate’ flavour.
Maple syrup is my sweetener of choice here for ease and for depth of flavour. It has a lovely caramel taste and is already liquid which means it incorporates easily. I have not tested any sugar alternatives.
The melted chocolate is optional but it does add a real richness to the pudding. I use 70% dark chocolate which doesn’t contribute too much sweetness but it does add richness. I have also tested 45% dark chocolate which had more of a sweet pudding flavour which was delicious. You can use anywhere from 50-100g (or even experiment with more).
If you’re using different (ie sweeter) variety of chocolate, I’d recommend adding a conservative amount of maple syrup and then adding more if needed. I haven’t tested any coconut oil based, sugar free or otherwise different styles of chocolate and can’t speak to how they might work.
Tips for your blended chia
You don’t need an expensive blender to make blended chia. You do, however, need a high powered one. I use a NutriBullet for this. I daresay that something like a food processor used to make nut butters wouldn’t blitz the chia seeds sufficiently to be nearly undetectable. That’s the aim of the game, so be sure to use something with sufficient power.
Don’t leave your chia mix sitting around on the bench before blending. Add all the ingredients and blend straight away. We don’t want the chia to have time to swell up or they will become harder to blend. It might put a strain on the motor of your machine.
If you’re using a NutriBullet, give it a chance to breathe in between blending. When I bought my machine the sales assistant told me that hers had exploded while blending soup and ever since I have been so paranoid. The blended chia heats up quickly (particularly with the melted chocolate option) so air it out between blending. There’s no air vent in a NutriBullet so steam builds up easily.
Flavour suggestions
You already know that I’m going to harp on about how a sprinkle of salt makes a world of difference to chocolate desserts. It brings out flavour, adds flavour complexity – you name it. But what are some other ways to add flavour to this blended chocolate chia pudding?
- A little splash of espresso also helps build chocolate flavour
- Vanilla bean paste or extract never goes astray
- I have been very into almond extract lately (NB: if you need this to be nut free, buy a specifically nut free almond extract. They do exist; they are almond flavoured rather than made with almonds. But be 100% sure you are buying a nut free product).
- A splash of peppermint extract for the festive season
- Heck, a splash or rum, amaretto or your preferred festive liquor for the festive season
More gluten free dessert recipes
- Gluten free sticky date pudding (with a vegan option)
- Panna cotta with agar agar (easily lactose free)
- Lactose free creme caramel
- Low FODMAP chia pudding
- Grain free self saucing chocolate pudding
Blended chocolate chia pudding
Ingredients
- 30-40 g cocoa powder Dutch processed or regular
- 200 g boiling water
- 100-125 g maple syrup 4-5 Australian tablespoons to your tastes
- 250-500 g milk of choice see notes
- Pinch of fine salt
- Squeeze of vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract optional but adds depth of flavour
- 100 g chia seeds black or white
Instructions
- Have your high speed food processor and jars for decanting the pudding ready to go.
- Put the cocoa powder in a medium/large mixing bowl and pour over the boiling water. Whisk to combine and bloom all of the cocoa, breaking up any lumps.
- Add all the ingredients except for the chia seeds and whisk to combine. Taste and adjust according to your preferences.
- The cold milk should have cooled the mixture down sufficiently to be hand comfortable. This is important if you are using a blender without a steam valve (ie a Nutribullet) as you don’t want to blend anything hot in those, lest they explode with the pressure. If the mixture isn’t hand comfortable, set it aside for 5 minutes to cool.
- Add the chia seeds and whisk them in briefly. Working with a bit of speed, pour the mixture into the food processor. Blend until smooth and pudding like in consistency.
- In my Nutribullet, I like to open the lid once or twice during blending and I generally blend it for about 2 double cycles.
- Once smooth, pour the mixture into your jars. I generally make 4 large puddings, but you could also add some berries or banana and stretch it further.
- Allow the pudding to cool before placing the lids on and putting them in the fridge. They have a loose pudding consistency straight away but thicken up a little more in the fridge.
- Eat within a few days.
Notes
- You can play around with how much milk you add to these puddings. 250g makes more of a mousse like dessert, whereas 500g makes more of a soft pudding texture. I prefer using more milk just because it’s helpful when eating chia seeds, but see what you prefer.
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