chia seed pudding recipe with oat milk : cocoa black licorice

Looking for the perfect chia seed pudding recipe made with oat milk? This cocoa black licorice chia seed pudding is what you’ve been waiting for!

Quick and easy chia seed pudding, made with chia seeds, oat milk, maple syrup, and vanilla. Flavored with cocoa, sea salt, strawberry, and a touch of anise, which creates that incredible, unique black licorice flavor!

This chia seed pudding recipe is made with oat milk, packed with nutrients, and is perfect for a grab-and-go breakfast or a healthy vegan dessert.

Easy Chia Seed Pudding Recipe

WHAT ARE CHIA SEEDS

Chia seeds are seeds that come from the plant Salvia Hispanica, which is actually a member of the mint family. For most, people first heard the words chia when those quirky little chia pets hit the market…”cha cha cha chia!”. Since then, chia seeds have become a popular ingredient…and for good reason!

Turns out, chia seeds are actually an excellent addition to your diet! These babies are packed with omega-3 fatty acids. Chia seeds are also a great source of protein, iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and fiber!

With their abundance of nutrients, including chia seeds in your daily routine is definitely a good idea. You can toss them on salads, blend them into smoothies, or sprinkle them over yogurt. But my personal favorite way to eat chia seeds is turning them in to chia seed pudding! 

PERFECTING THE RATIO FOR CHIA SEED PUDDING RECIPE WITH OAT MILK

Turing chia seeds into chia seed pudding is incredibly easy. It’s all about the ratio of chia seed to liquid. As a rule of thumb, you want to combine 2 tbsp of chia seeds with 1/2 cup of liquid per serving. This gives your chia seed pudding a perfect thickness and consistency. You will also add sweetener and flavor, but that will vary depending on preference.

HOW DOES CHIA SEED PUDDING THICKEN

Adding chia seeds to liquid allows them to do their magic and turn liquid into pudding. To put it simply, when chia seeds are soaked in liquid they become very gelatinous. This gelatinous state allows chia seeds to thicken the liquid they are immersed in. In about 20 minutes, this will turn liquid into a pudding-like consistency.

HOW TO MAKE CHIA SEED PUDDING RECIPE WITH OAT MILK

Making chia seed pudding takes very little effort and and contains only a few simple ingredients. For a basic, plain chia seed pudding, simply combine 2 tablespoons of chia seeds with 1/2 cup oat milk, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1/4 tsp vanilla extract and a pinch of sea salt. Stir ingredients until evenly combined, pop it in the fridge and allow it to thicken. You can allow the chia pudding to thicken for as little as 20 minutes. However, if you allow it to sit for longer it will thicken more.

That’s it! That’s how to make chia seed pudding with oat milk!

WHAT BRAND OF OAT MILK SHOULD I USE FOR CHIA SEED PUDDING RECIPE WITH OAT MILK?

There are many brands of oat milk out there. But I always reach for Oatly. This brand of oat milk is sooooo delicious! The consistency and flavor is perfect. I usually go for the original, but any of their varieties will work for this chia seed pudding recipe with oat milk.

OAT MILK ALTERNATIVES FOR CHIA SEED PUDDING RECIPES

Not into oat milk or simply don’t have it? No problem!

For chia seed pudding with oat milk, you can substitute any plant-based milk you desire and it will yield similar results. Instead of oat milk, you can use rice milk, coconut milk, soy milk, unsweetened almond milk, or cashew milk. Just keep the ration of liquid to chia seed the same and your chia pudding will work!

HOW DO I ADD FLAVOR TO CHIA SEED PUDDING?

We’ve talked about the basic recipe of chia seed pudding with oat milk. But flavoring your chia seed pudding is the exciting part!  For this chia seed pudding recipe, you will be creating a uniquely delicious black licorice flavor.

Oh black licorice. I’ve never met a Candy that brings up more of a passionate opinion. You either absolutely hate it, with a scowl flashing across your face every time it’s even suggested. Or YOU LOVE IT! And, like my partner, can’t pass by a bag of black licorice without it ending up in her shopping cart…despite the other three bags we already have at home. 

The flavor of black licorice is super unique and actually pairs wonderfully with many things.  My favorite companions to the black licorice flavor is definitely chocolate, sea salt, and berries….in this case strawberry. So naturally all of these things needed to make an appearance to create the perfect black licorice chia seed pudding.

WHAT IS LICORICE?

So licorice is actually a root that comes from the bean or legume family. The candy, licorice, is often flavored by the extract that comes from the root. For this recipe, you will not use actual licorice or licorice extract, however. Instead you will be using anise extract!

Anise extract is much easier to find on store shelves, or may even already be in your cabinet. It has a very similar flavor as licorice, making it the perfect substitute for this chia seed pudding recipe!

SWEETENERS FOR CHIA SEED PUDDING WITH OAT MILK

When it comes to making chia seed pudding, my sweetener of choice is usually maple syrup. I just love the flavor or consistency of it. But the choice is yours! You can swap out maple syrup for agave syrup, stevia, or brown sugar. The liquid sugars have a bit of a better consistency, however. If you go with brown sugar, or any other type of granulated sugar, it may not break down as well and will add a bit of texture to your chia seed pudding.

TOPPINGS FOR CHIA SEED PUDDING RECIPE WITH OAT MILK

You can top your chia seed pudding with pretty much anything you desire. But here’s some ideas to get you started.

TOP YOUR OAT MILK CHIA PUDDING WITH GRANOLA

This is one of my favorite options for topping chia seed puddling. Granola adds a TON of flavor and texture to your chia pudding. It also helps bulk up your chia seed pudding recipe and helps you keep fuller for longer.

TOP YOUR OAT MILK CHIA PUDDING WITH FRUIT

When it comes to fruit as a topping, you have a lot of options. You can go with fresh fruit or frozen fruit! I personally find fresh fruit the best, but certain times of the year, frozen just makes more sense. I personally love to top mine with berries to add a bit of a tart kick. I go with mangos or bananas when I’m looking for a sweeter topping.

Since this chia seed pudding recipe already has strawberries in it, using strawberries as the topping is an obvious choice. But a variety of berries would be delicious as well!

TOP YOUR OAT MILK CHIA SEED PUDDING WITH NUTS, SEEDS, OR NUT BUTTERS 

Nuts, seeds, and nut butters can be a perfect topping for chia seed pudding with oat milk. They will bring extra texture, flavor, nutrients, and healthy fats to your chia pudding. Try adding toasted almonds or macadamia nuts to this chia seed pudding, your taste buds will thank you!

TOP YOUR OAT MILK CHIA PUDDING WITH VEGAN WHIPPED CREAM

You can make you chia pudding with very little sweeteners OR you can add a bit more to it for a little fun! I love adding a little bit of vegan whipped cream to my chia pudding…even for breakfast. Vegan whipped cream adds very little sugar and calories, but it does make your chia pudding extra special!

HOW TO CHIA PUDDING WITH OAT MILK A DESSERT

For this chia seed pudding recipe, you will add 1 tablespoon of maple syrup as your sweetener. If you are really looking to go light on sugar, you can always bring your maple syrup down to 1 teaspoon instead. 

I feel like 1 tablespoon is perfect to balance most flavors of chia seed pudding with oat milk, but if you want to make your chia pudding to more of a dessert, add a bit more! Start with an extra 1/2 tablespoon of maple syrup and adjust if needed.

You can also turn your chia pudding into a dessert with the right toppings. I love topping my chia puddings off with vegan whipped cream, fresh fruit, toasted coconut, or even chocolate chips and sprinkles! Sky is the limit!

CHIA SEED PUDDING IS GREAT FOR MEAL PREP

Chia pudding with oat milk makes the perfect grab-and-go breakfast and snack. You can make a nice batch of these and store them in your fridge for 3-5 days. You can freeze chia seed pudding for several weeks as well, making prepping ahead even easier!

HOW TO STORE YOUR CHIA SEED PUDDING MADE WITH OAT MILK

My personal favorite way to store chia pudding is in little mason jars. This is a simple, effective, and adorable way to store you chia pudding. 

First of all it makes mixing your chia pudding easier. If you use a mason jar you can skip stirring and simply tightly seal the lid and shake your chia pudding until evenly distributed.

Mason jars allow you too have an air tight lid over your chia pudding, which will allow the batch to last longer. 

If you don’t have mason jars you can use any container or cup of your choosing. Just do your best to seal your container for optimal freshness.