A lemon chia seed pudding that's energy-boosting with 10 grams of protein in each serving! It's perfect to prep ahead, with only 5 ingredients, the fresh lemon and coconut make this sooo creamy and delicious.
As an active mom, I love food prepping these chia puddings on the weekend and having them ready in the fridge for a good, high-protein breakfast or snack with the kids. This recipe brings back good memories of tapioca pudding my mom would make us over a couple of days as a child (different ingredients but similar taste!). For another chia seed recipe, try these raspberry chocolates!
Jump to:
- Ingredients for lemon chia puddings
- Danika's chia seeds nutrition insight
- How to make lemon chia pudding
- Chia seed to milk pudding ratio
- FAQ
- Tips & troubleshooting for easy chia pudding
- A video of how I meal-prepped lemon chia puddings
- Other snacks to make with chia seeds
- Easy Lemon Chia Pudding
- Danika Vanderpyl, C.H.N
Ingredients for lemon chia puddings
- Chia seeds: Black or white chia seeds will work for this recipe. Chia seeds are also super delicious in smoothies; try this tropical coconut smoothie!
- Can of full-fat or premium coconut milk: Coconut milk in a carton will not work as you need the full fat from the top of a can to make the creamy whipped cream-like topping. I use the Thai Kitchen brand or Cha's from Costco.
- Lemon: You will need a fresh lemon as you will use the zest and juice for this lemon pudding. In a pinch, you can use lemon juice from a bottle and skip the zest, however, to make this full of flavor, I recommend a fresh lemon! Choose an unwaxed and organic lemon to ensure it's free of chemicals. Another thing you can do is soak the lemon in a solution of produce soap and water.
- Milk: Use oat milk, coconut milk, almond milk, cashew milk, cow milk, or whatever milk you like to use!
- Sweetener: I like to use maple syrup or honey, however, you can also use monk fruit or stevia for a low-sugar option.
See recipe card for quantities.
Danika's chia seeds nutrition insight
These tiny black seeds were eaten by Native Americans who dwelt in the deserts and mountains as an endurance food. It is said that Aztec warriors consumed chia seeds for an energy boost.
Chia seeds are high in fiber, antioxidants, protein, calcium, iron, magnesium, and vitamin C, to name a few of the key nutrients. They are super incredible as a source of omega-3 fatty acids, next to flaxseeds.
Chia seeds can relieve constipation and help with bowel movements. These seeds can reduce nervousness, treat insomnia, and improve mental focus.
You can buy these seeds from the healthy aisle in your grocery store, online, or at the health food store. Keep these seeds in a sealed container away from heat sources. They do have a long shelf life (even up to 2 years); however, to ensure these seeds last longer and to prevent the seeds' oils from going rancid, store chia seeds in the fridge.
Chia seeds are a great ingredient to add to smoothies, salads, lemonade, or granola!
This information was gathered from Prescription for Dietary Wellness by Phyllis A. Balch and The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia by Rebecca Wood.
How to make lemon chia pudding
Follow these step-by-step photos from my kitchen to make your own easy lemon chia pudding in 6 steps.
Remove the zest from the lemon on a zester or grater, and juice your lemon. You will add the zest to the chia seeds in the jars and anything remaining can be used as a garnish.
Remove the coconut cream from the top of the can of coconut milk and place it in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of honey. Stir well, then cover and place this in the fridge.
In a glass measuring cup that can measure at least 2 cups, place whatever is remaining in the coconut milk can; it should be about 1 cup. Now add your favorite milk until you have 2 cups of liquid in total. Set aside.
Get out four small jars or containers with lids. In each jar, place: 2 tablespoons of chia seeds, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, 2 teaspoons of lemon zest, and 2 teaspoons of sweetener. Then add ½ cup of the milk mixture to each jar. (If there is any leftover lemon zest, save this to use as a topping.)
Stir each jar well until all the seeds are combined with the liquid. Wait 10 minutes and stir them one more time before placing a lid on each jar and putting the chia puddings into the fridge.
Leave the chia puddings in the fridge for at least 4 hours to form a pudding. When the chia seed pudding is thick, place the prepped coconut cream on top and sprinkle with any remaining lemon zest. Serve and enjoy! Keep in the fridge and eat within 5-7 days.
Chia seed to milk pudding ratio
After doing many test runs to see which chia pudding is the best consistency and texture, and which the family likes the best, I determined 2 tablespoons of chia seeds with ½ cup of milk is the best ratio for chia seed pudding.
Chia pudding can be made as individual servings in jars or in a large container to share! This ratio makes a thick pudding after setting for 4+ hours or overnight. If you like it thinner, add 1 tablespoon more of milk for each tablespoon of chia seeds. Thinner = more milk, thicker = more seeds.
| Servings | Chia Seeds | Milk |
| 1 | 2 tablespoons | ½ cup milk |
| 2 | 4 tablespoons | 1 cup milk |
| 5 | 10 tablespoons | 2.5 cups of milk |
| 6 | 12 tablespoons | 3 cups milk |
FAQ
If your chia pudding didn't set, this can be from not stirring it enough. The chia seeds need to be well combined with the milk before placing them in the fridge. Secondly, I've heard feedback that using Truvia as the sweetener in this recipe can prevent chia pudding from setting, so use maple syrup or honey instead.
Chia pudding will take from 3 to 6 hours to fully set. You can eat these puddings after 20 minutes of mixing with milk, however, they will be more like a drink and not thick. Chia pudding works super well to prepare the night before and eat as breakfast. If you are making these lemon chia puddings for dessert, prepare them earlier in the day before you make dinner.
Tips & troubleshooting for easy chia pudding
- Be sure to use chia seeds, other seeds will not work for this recipe. There are black and white chia seeds; either will work.
- After 10-15 minutes of the chia seeds sitting in milk, give them another stir. This ensures you won't get a clump of seeds at the bottom of your pudding.
- Use a fresh lemon and a zester to get lots of fresh lemon zest for this recipe.
- For the full-fat coconut cream layer, be sure to use a good quality can of coconut milk. I often use this Thai Kitchen brand.
- To easily separate the cream and the water in the can of coconut milk, place the can in the fridge for a couple of hours (or days) before opening it. Then the cream will go to the top of the can and you can easily scoop the coconut cream off the top.
A video of how I meal-prepped lemon chia puddings
Other snacks to make with chia seeds
🍋Did you make this easy lemon chia pudding? Let me know what you thought and give a star rating, I read every comment!
Easy Lemon Chia Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 can of coconut milk*
- 1 ½ cups milk (any kind works)
- 1 lemon (8 teaspoon and 2 tablespoon lemon juice, and zest)
- 8 tablespoons chia seeds (2 tablespoon per pudding)
- 8 teaspoons and 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
Instructions
Lemon:
- Zest and juice your lemon.
Cream topping:
- Start by removing the coconut cream from the top of the can of coconut milk; it should be about 1 cup. Place it in a small bowl, add 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of honey or the sweetener you are using. Stir well until smooth, then cover and place in the fridge.
Milk:
- In a glass measuring cup that can measure at least 2 cups, place the ‘coconut water’; this is whatever is remaining in the coconut milk can, it should be about 1 cup. Add milk until you have 2 cups in total. Set aside.
Assembling puddings:
- Get out four small jars or containers with lids. In each jar, place: 2 tablespoons of chia seeds, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of lemon zest, and 2 teaspoons of sweetener. Then add ½ cup of the milk mix to each jar. (If there is any leftover lemon zest, save this to use as a topping.)
- Stir each jar well until all the seeds are combined with the liquid. Wait 10 minutes and stir them one more time before placing a lid on each jar and putting the chia puddings into the fridge.
- Leave the chia puddings in the fridge for at least 4 hours to form a pudding. When the chia seed pudding is thick, place the prepped coconut cream on top and sprinkle with any remaining lemon zest. Serve and enjoy! Keep in the fridge and eat within 5-7 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Danika Vanderpyl, C.H.N
I create snack recipes with healthy ingredients that are mostly already in your kitchen. I'm certified in Holistic Nutrition and I care about giving my kids real food. Let me share my nutrient-dense easy snacks with you.
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