Description
Tangy Lemon Chia Pudding combines coconut milk, fresh lemon juice and zest, and omega-3 rich chia seeds for a creamy, naturally sweetened breakfast that’s ready in just 5 minutes of prep time plus overnight chilling.
Ingredients
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- 1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk (about 1½ cups)
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- Water to make 2 cups total liquid (about ½ cup)
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- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest (from about 1 large lemon)
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- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from 1–2 lemons)
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- ¼ cup maple syrup or honey
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- ½ teaspoon turmeric (for color, optional)
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- 2 scoops collagen powder (optional, for extra protein)
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- 3–5 tablespoons chia seeds (see notes)
Instructions
Pour the coconut milk into your medium mixing bowl. Add enough water to bring the total liquid to 2 cups. This ratio ensures the pudding isn’t too thick or too thin. Add the lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, maple syrup or honey, turmeric if using, and collagen powder if using.
Sprinkle the chia seeds over the liquid mixture. Immediately whisk thoroughly to distribute the seeds evenly throughout the liquid. This step is crucial – if you don’t mix well, the seeds will clump together instead of forming a smooth pudding texture. Whisk for a full 30 seconds to ensure even distribution.
Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes, then whisk again vigorously. The chia seeds will have started to absorb liquid and settled to the bottom.
After the initial 20-minute resting period, taste the pudding. Add more maple syrup if you prefer it sweeter, or more lemon juice if you want more tang.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer to airtight containers. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but overnight (8-12 hours) is ideal for the best texture. The chia seeds will continue to absorb liquid and create a thick, creamy pudding consistency perfect for breakfast.
Notes
Quick Version: Need breakfast in 30 minutes? Use 5 tablespoons chia seeds and let sit at room temperature, stirring every 5 minutes.
Flavor Boost: Add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract along with the lemon for extra depth.
Zest Tip: Freeze extra lemon zest in ice cube trays for future batches – it keeps for 3 months.
If you’re new to chia seeds, start with a smaller portion to let your digestive system adjust to the high fiber content.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: No-cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 245
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 35mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 0mg