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    You are here: Home / Breakfast / Banana Chia Seed Pudding

    Banana Chia Seed Pudding

    Last Updated December 8, 2022. Published July 19, 2020 By Lorie 12 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Bowl of chia pudding with bananas on top.

    You only need a handful of ingredients for this simple breakfast or snack. This Banana Chia Seed Pudding includes a touch of cinnamon for the perfect flavor, maple sweetened and so simple to whip up. Did I mention you only need 5 minutes to prep?

    Banana chia seed pudding in bowl with dollop of yogurt, banana slices and cinnamon on top.

    This recipe was originally published July 2015 and updated July 2020.

    Who would have thought I would ever come to enjoy chia seeds?! The little seeds that brought us the Ch-Ch-Chia! tune for Chia Pets are actually really amazing in the kitchen.

    I am a big fan of chia seeds and turning them into a thick, creamy pudding. I was the kid who actually loved tapioca pudding on my school lunch tray--those little balls didn't bother me at all.

    This Banana Chia Seed Pudding is SO SO simple to whip up. It has a nice cinnamon flavor, sweetened with maple and a great way to use up very ripe bananas.

    I feel like our bananas are ripening way to quickly lately and I am in need of things to make with them more and more. Smoothies are a big go to, and then there is banana bread, and also Banana Bread Overnight Oats!

    This chia pudding is another way not to waste food. A snack, breakfast--you name it! It's so delicious and easy to make!

    Why You Will Love This Banana Chia Pudding:

    • It's easy to make. Mash the banana and then a bit of whisking--that's it. Chia pudding is so simple to make and also a great way to get kids in the kitchen to help. It's fun to see the chia seeds change and the mixture thicken over time.
    • You only need a few ingredients. A few basic ingredients is all you will need to make this banana chia pudding. I always have every ingredients in the house. We don't go through chia seeds too quickly so there are typically some in the pantry on any given day.
    • An easy way to use up ripe bananas. Sure, banana bread or banana muffins are a great option when it comes to those brown bananas. Sometimes you want something different, though. Whisk them into some chia pudding and easily use them up in no time.

    What you will need:

    • chia seeds: the only issue I have with this recipe is that the color can look a little blah. It is a grayish brown when all whipped up and that may not look the most appetizing. You can use white chia seeds instead of the typical black chia seeds for a slightly more appealing look!
    • banana: If you want your banana chia seed pudding to look a littler prettier, I have heard you can find white chia seeds. The black chia seeds mixed with cinnamon for sure have a not so pretty look. But they taste great!
    • milk: regular or dairy free, whatever you have on hand or your favorite will be great in this banana chia seed pudding. I love vanilla almond milk personally in mine.
    • cinnamon: this gives it that banana bread flavor that I love.
    • vanilla: vanilla extract to round out the flavor
    • sweetener: I opt for maple syrup. Any sweetener should work well. You can wait until serving to sweeten the chia pudding as everyone has differing likes when it comes to sweetness.
    Ingredients to make recipe on counter.

    How to make this recipe:

    • Place banana in a medium bowl. Mash well. Make it as smooth or lumpy as you prefer. If you don't want banana chunks, mash it as smooth as possible. (steps 1 and 2)
    • Add the milk, maple syrup, cinnamon and vanilla. If you would like you could also add a pinch of sea salt during this step as well. (step 3)
    Banana mashed in bowl and milk and cinnamon added to bowl.
    • Stir the mixture well to incorporate the banana and cinnamon well with the milk. The cinnamon will likely spend a lot of time on the top of the milk, but don't worry. It mixes in much better once the chia seeds are added. (step 4)
    • Before you add the chia seeds, make sure you are READY TO STIR. If you don't stir or whisk this mixture right away. Chia seeds can clump up in a major way if you don't get the seeds moving immediately. Pour the chia seeds into the bowl and whisk well to combine. (step 5)
    • Cover the bowl and chill for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight if possible. For best results, stir the mixture once or twice after it has been chilling for an hour and then again after a little while longer. This will help keep the chia seed pudding from clumping up. (step 6)
    • Serve it up with some chopped pecans, a dollop of yogurt, extra banana slices and a dash of cinnamon. Enjoy!
    Chia seeds added to mixing bowl and stirred.

    Notes:

    • If you don't love the texture of chia seeds, blend this banana chia seed pudding. If you are worried that the texture of chia seeds, you can make your Banana Chia Seed Pudding smooth by putting the mixture in a high powered blender and blending until smooth. Do this before step 6 when everything is already mixed together for best results.
    • Chia seeds can clump up very easily. When adding them into the bowl of milk and banana, whisk right away to keep from any clumping. Stir the mixture a couple of times after chilling to keep any new clumps from forming.
    • Sweeten to your liking--the banana will already bring some natural sweetness. If you don't like things too sweet, you can even sweeten the pudding before serving.

    How to Store Your Banana Chia Pudding:

    Chia pudding can be stored in the refrigerator in an air tight container typically up to 5 days. However, with the addition of the ripe bananas in this recipe, I find that 3 days is really the max.

    If you want to store it longer than 3 days, wait to add the mashed banana until you are ready to serve. This way the banana won't get really brown in the container when storing.

    Possible Add-Ins:

    Lots of fun things to add in to your banana chia pudding. Here are a few ideas:

    • shredded coconut
    • chocolate chips--dark chocolate, white chocolate and anything in between!
    • chopped pecans or walnuts
    • raisins or chopped dates
    • fresh berries when serving
    • a drizzle of peanut butter or your favorite nut or seed butter
    Chia pudding in bowl on coaster with bananas and pecans in the background.

    If you are new to chia seeds, this article may help you learn a bit more about the little guys: Chia Seed Benefits: 10 Reasons To Add Chia To Your Diet.

    Try these other chia seed recipes:

    • Coconut Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding with Strawberries
    • Creamy Coconut Chocolate Chip Chia Pudding
    • Maple Cinnamon Overnight Chia Rice Pudding
    • Strawberry Chia Jam
    • Peanut Butter Greek Yogurt Overnight Oats
    • Peanut Butter Chocolate Layered Chia Pudding

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    Banana chia seed pudding in bowl.

    Banana Chia Seed Pudding

    You only need a handful of ingredients for this simple breakfast or snack. This Banana Chia Seed Pudding includes a touch of cinnamon for the perfect flavor, maple sweetened and so simple to whip up. Did I mention you only need 5 minutes to prep?
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Breakfast, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
    Servings: 3
    Calories: 207kcal
    Author: Lorie Yarro

    Ingredients 

    • 1 very ripe banana
    • 1 ½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk or milk of choice
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 teaspoon cinnamon
    • 1 - 2 T 100% pure maple syrup
    • ⅓ cup chia seeds

    Instructions

    • In a medium bowl or a jar (that you will seal later to shake), mash banana.
    • Add milk, vanilla, cinnamon and maple syrup and mix well to combine.
    • Add chia seeds and whisk to combine or seal container and shake thoroughly until combined.
    • Place sealed container into the refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours to set firmly. For best results, stir the mixture up a couple times after chilling and before serving. (about 30 minutes or so after, and maybe a couple hours later)
    • To serve, garnish with some cinnamon, sliced bananas and maybe even some chopped walnuts or pecans. Store for about 3 days in the refrigerator in an air tight container.

    Notes

    • If you don't love the texture of chia seeds, blend this banana chia seed pudding. If you are worried that the texture of chia seeds, you can make your Banana Chia Seed Pudding smooth by putting the mixture in a high powered blender and blending until smooth. Do this before step 6 when everything is already mixed together for best results.
    • Chia seeds can clump up very easily. When adding them into the bowl of milk and banana, whisk right away to keep from any clumping. Stir the mixture a couple of times after chilling to keep any new clumps from forming.
    • Sweeten to your liking--the banana will already bring some natural sweetness. If you don't like things too sweet, you can even sweeten the pudding before serving.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 207kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 168mg | Potassium: 263mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 25IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 308mg | Iron: 2mg
    Did you try this recipe? I would love to see it! Mention @LemonsAndZest or tag #LemonsAndZest!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Natalie says

      May 18, 2017 at 9:22 pm

      This was delicious, but 2 tsp of cinnamon was way too much. I suggest 1. It was my favorite chia pudding recipe once I made that adjustment!

      Reply
      • Lorie says

        May 18, 2017 at 10:49 pm

        Thanks Natalie! I have an obsession with cinnamon so I imagine maybe everyone else may find it a bit much.

        Reply
    2. Laura says

      January 20, 2017 at 7:53 am

      I am on whole30, so I made a few adjustments. I made this with 1 can of coconut milk, subbed the maple syrup for a date, and omitted the vanilla extract. Holy moly so good! This morning I added flaked coconut, walnuts, and raspberries! Definitely will make this many many more times!

      Reply
      • Lorie says

        January 20, 2017 at 9:13 am

        Ooooh! The coconut sounds perfect! I'm going to have to give that a try. Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
    3. Maeve says

      July 23, 2016 at 12:07 am

      Just tried this and it was amazing!❤️❤️I will definitely be making it again soon. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Lorie says

        July 24, 2016 at 10:23 pm

        So glad you liked it, Maeve! I didn't like chia pudding until I put this recipe together so it is a keeper for me as well. Thanks so much!

        Reply
    4. Katie says

      June 04, 2016 at 5:37 am

      I cant wait to try this tomorrow for breakfast ?? we love chia pudding but i might roast the banana ?

      Reply
      • Lorie says

        June 04, 2016 at 12:07 pm

        What a great idea Katie! I will be trying that soon. Yum!

        Reply
    5. Teresa says

      February 29, 2016 at 10:57 am

      Oh my goodness! I've just tried this recipe & it's scrumptious!! Thank you so much! Going to try some fruit on the next go

      Reply
      • Lorie says

        February 29, 2016 at 8:25 pm

        So glad you liked it, Teresa! This was the first chia pudding I ever liked so it's a win for me as well! Thanks!

        Reply
    6. Katie says

      September 09, 2015 at 9:00 pm

      I put this together tonight and had to improvise w/ dates (no maple syrup in the house), cashew cream + water, and no banana (I really need to go to the grocery) but I'm super pumped to try it in the morning. I'll keep you posted. Thanks, Lor!

      Reply
      • Lorie says

        September 09, 2015 at 11:21 pm

        If cashews are involved you should be all set! yum! I'm sure it will be tasty. Most of the chia pudding recipes I tried I found bland and then you would just have a weird aftertaste from the seeds. That's where the banana came in. Let me know how it goes!

        Reply

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    Hello! I’m Lorie, welcome to lemons + zest! If you love to eat, and you love delicious, simple recipes, then you are in the right place. When it comes to cooking these days, I firmly believe that if it takes too long, or too much work to make, then it’s not for me. Read More…

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