Mexican Chocolate Chia Pudding
Mexican Chocolate Chia Pudding
When you think of chocolate pudding, doesn’t it just take you back to when you were a kid? Did you ever get those individual puddings in your lunch at school? If you did, then you were the kid I was jealous of! My sister and I never got any of the sugary foods… just stone wheat thins with butter. Don’t worry, there were other things in our lunches too, haha! So, I’ve been wanting to make my own version of a chocolate pudding that is also healthy and nourishing. This Mexican Chocolate Chia Pudding definitely hits the spot!
You don’t need any thickeners as the chia seeds do all of the work. The “Mexican” in the title is due to the addition of cinnamon to the recipe. Ever heard of Mexican Hot Cocoa? It’s kind of like that. I love to top it off with homemade whipped cream and chocolate shavings. It really does taste like dessert but this one you can have any time of day. Chia seeds are incredibly good for you, as you probably well know, they are considered a superfood. They’re super high in fibre, omega-3’s and antioxidants and they’re a great source of protein.
You don’t need many ingredients to make this recipe. You probably have it all in your pantry and fridge. It’s only 6 ingredients:
Whole Black Chia Seeds - chia seeds make up the bulk of the recipe and act as a thickener for the pudding.
Hemp Hearts - Hemp hearts add extra protein, nutrients and bulk to the chia pudding.
Nut Milk - I like almond milk, but feel free to use any milk you prefer including any other kind of nut milk, oat milk or regular milk.
Heavy Cream - I love to add a little cream to, well, make it creamier! If you are dairy-free, you can use your favourite alternative.
Liquid Stevia - Chocolate stevia drops are perfect for this recipe because it adds another level of chocolate flavour to the pudding. If you don’t prefer stevia, you can use maple syrup or another type of liquid sweetener. Maybe add 1/4 tsp chocolate extract to up the flavour if you choose!
Cinnamon - The cinnamon is what gives the pudding that distinctive “Mexican Cocoa” flavour. You can adjust the amount to your preference. 1/2 tsp being light and tasteful and 1 tsp giving strong flavour.
This recipe is so good that you could serve it for dessert to your friends or family. The whipped topping and chocolate shavings are sure to impress!
Mexican Chocolate Chia Pudding
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup whole black chia seeds
- 1/4 cup hemp hearts
- 1 1/2 cups nut milk
- 3/4 cup organic heavy cream
- 25 drops chocolate stevia
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- pinch of sea salt
- *optional* whipped cream, for topping
- *optional* chocolate shavings, for topping
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, add the chia seeds, hemp hearts and nut milk and whisk to combine. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes. Whisk again to break up any lumps of chia seeds.
- To the same bowl, add the heavy cream, stevia drops, cocoa powder, cinnamon and salt and whisk until everything is combined and there are no lumps of cocoa powder.
- Refrigerate the pudding for at least 2 hours or overnight to let thicken.
- Divide the pudding into small bowls or jars, top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings and enjoy!