Gingerbread Chia Seed Pudding

Higher-Protein Gingerbread Chia Pudding

Does anything say the holiday season is here quite like warm, sweet gingerbread flavors? I’m obsessed and start making my iced gingerbread oatmilk chai, gingerbread protein pancakes, and gingerbread protein cookie bites before Thanksgiving is even here! 

However, this gingerbread chia seed pudding might be my favorite recipe of all. It’s sweet, spiced, and creamy, but secretly full of protein and fiber, so you can enjoy a gingerbread treat that actually keeps you full. I love that I can prep several jars ahead of time for grab-and-go breakfasts, and my kids eat them for snacks and desserts, too. 

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• High-Protein – With Greek yogurt in every layer, a single serving provides 22 grams of protein, along with calcium, a tasty vanilla flavor, and an incredible creamy consistency. 
• Healthy + Fiber – Naturally sweetened, this recipe is full of vitamins, nutrients, fiber, and healthy fats that keep me satisfied all morning while satisfying my sweet tooth. 
• Super Easy – All I have to do is combine the ingredients and layer! The only “cooking” required is melting the chocolate, which means prep time takes about 5 minutes flat. 
• Delicious – Sweet and perfectly spiced, this gingerbread chia pudding tastes exactly like the classic Christmas cookies with a boost of white chocolate that makes it extra decadent. 

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Ingredients

Chia Pudding

• Chia Seeds – These form the base of the pudding, expanding to create a thick consistency. 
• Hemp Seeds – I like to include these for a slightly nutty flavor, extra protein, and healthy fats, but you can omit them if you don’t have them on hand. 
• Milk – Use any kind of plant-based or regular milk you like best. 
• Vanilla Greek Yogurt – Sub coconut Greek yogurt to keep your chia pudding dairy-free. 
• Vanilla Extract
• Maple Syrup – Add more or less to taste. 
• Molasses
• Spices – Use ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, and salt to create a warm, cookie-inspired taste. Or, use 2-2 1/2 teaspoons of gingerbread spice instead! 

Topping

• White Chocolate Chips – Use dairy-free chocolate chips, if needed. 
• Coconut Oil – This combines with the chocolate to thin it out, creating a drizzly consistency. 
• Vanilla Greek Yogurt
• Gingersnap Cookies – These are optional, but really enhance the gingerbread flavor! 
• Ground Cinnamon

How to Make Gingerbread Chia Pudding

One of my favorite things about chia pudding is that it’s SO easy to make! All you need is a large bowl, overnight oats jars (or any airtight containers, and a microwave-safe bowl. Here’s how to make Gingerbread Chia Pudding: 

1. Prepare the pudding base – Whisk the pudding ingredients in a large bowl, and refrigerate until the mixture thickens. I prefer to let it chill overnight, but you’ll need at least 6 hours! 
2. Make the topping – Melt the white chocolate chips and coconut oil in the microwave, stirring to combine. Then, whisk in the yogurt. 
3. Layer – Divide the pudding between two jars, spoon the yogurt topping over the pudding, and add a dusting of the crushed gingersnap cookies and ground cinnamon. 
4. Chill – Let the pudding chill in the fridge so the topping sets, and enjoy! 

Tips

• Adjust the consistency. Start with a small amount of milk to combine the ingredients. Then, add a little bit more at a time until you achieve your desired consistency. Remember, the pudding will thicken quite a bit in the fridge! And you can always add more milk in the morning after it thickens.
• Adjust the flavor. Prefer a sweeter taste? Add more maple syrup. Love spice? Include more gingerbread spice for a bolder taste. You really can’t go wrong!
• Create a creamy gingerbread chia pudding. For a smooth, traditional pudding-like consistency, blend the pudding base before adding the topping. 
• Meal prep. Double or even triple the batch, and portion it into individual containers for easy options on busy weeks.

RELATED: Vegan Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

Variations

• Add More Protein. Stir in a scoop of plain or vanilla protein powder or collagen before chilling. Add more milk as needed to blend the ingredients!
• Make It Chocolatey. Whisk in 1-2 teaspoons of cocoa powder for a chocolate-gingerbread twist.
• Warm It Up. If cold breakfasts aren’t your thing, warm the pudding in a saucepan over low heat for a few minutes before serving. I would add more milk, though, to keep it from getting too thick!
• Mix-Ins. Fold chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or dried fruit into the pudding before adding the topping. 

Toppings

This recipe has a lot going on already. So, I typically don’t add any extra toppings. However, sliced bananas, fresh berries, crunchy homemade granola, coconut flakes, or whipped cream make fun additions! 

And if you want to save calories but keep the protein up, you can always skip the topping and just add a dollop of vanilla Greek yogurt instead!

How to Store

Keep your gingerbread chia pudding in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. Give it a quick stir to break up any lumps before serving! 

More Healthy Gingerbread Recipes

• Gingerbread Loaf Recipe
• Gingerbread French Toast
• Gingerbread Cookie Overnight Oats
• Healthy Gingerbread Oatmeal Pancakes
• Easy Gingerbread French Toast Bake

Chia Seed Recipes You’ll Love

• Strawberry Banana Chia Seed Smoothie
• Banana Cashew Butter Chia Seed Smoothie
• Dulce de Leche Chia Seed Parfaits
• Easy Blueberry Chia Overnight Oats
• Triple Berry Chia Seed Jam 
• Matcha Chia Seed Energy Bites