Chocolate Coconut Almond Berry Chia (Printable)
Protein-packed chocolate chia pudding with coconut, toasted almonds and fresh berries — chilled, nutritious start.
# List of ingredients:
→ Chia Pudding Base
01 - 1/3 cup chia seeds
02 - 1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk (carton or canned)
03 - 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
04 - 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
05 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
06 - Pinch of sea salt
→ Protein Boost
07 - 2 scoops chocolate or vanilla protein powder (plant-based or whey)
→ Almond-Coconut Topping
08 - 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
09 - 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted
→ Berry Layer
10 - 1 cup mixed fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
→ Optional Garnishes
11 - Dark chocolate shavings
12 - Extra berries
13 - Fresh mint leaves
# Steps:
01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together chia seeds, coconut milk, cocoa powder, protein powder, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and sea salt until thoroughly combined and smooth.
02 - Allow the mixture to rest for 5 minutes, then whisk again vigorously to break up any clumps that may have begun forming.
03 - Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight until the mixture thickens to a rich, pudding-like consistency.
04 - While the pudding chills, toast the sliced almonds and shredded coconut in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown and fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
05 - Remove the chia pudding from the refrigerator and stir well. Spoon half of the pudding into the bottoms of serving glasses or jars.
06 - Arrange a generous layer of mixed fresh berries over the first layer of chia pudding in each glass.
07 - Divide the remaining chia pudding among the glasses, layering over the berries. Sprinkle with toasted almonds and coconut, then garnish with dark chocolate shavings, extra berries, and fresh mint leaves as desired.
08 - Serve immediately while cold, or return to the refrigerator until ready to enjoy.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It genuinely tastes like a chocolate mousse but fuels your body like a proper meal, which feels like getting away with something.
- The layers make it look like you spent ages on presentation, but the fridge does almost all the work for you.
02 -
- Skip the second whisk after five minutes and you will find unpleasant gelatinous lumps throughout your pudding, which no amount of stirring later can fully fix.
- Toast the coconut and almonds with your full attention because they cross from perfectly golden to bitterly burnt in roughly fifteen seconds of distraction.
03 -
- Use a mason jar for the pudding and you can whisk, chill, and serve all in the same container, which means exactly zero extra dishes to wash.
- The single best upgrade you can make is using full fat canned coconut milk instead of carton, because the creaminess level jumps from pleasant to absolutely silken.