Banana-Cocoa Chia Pudding with Peanut Butter

A few minutes of stirring tonight can leave you with two chocolatey breakfasts for tomorrow. Chia seeds thicken plant milk in the fridge, cocoa adds a bittersweet flavor, and peanut butter gives the pudding a richer finish. Add fresh banana just before eating.

Expect a softly set, seed-speckled pudding rather than the smooth texture of a cooked chocolate custard. There is no stove or blender required.

Recipe at a glance

• Yield: 2 modest breakfast portions or 3 small snack portions
• Hands-on time: about 10 minutes
• Chilling: at least 4 hours, preferably overnight
• Equipment: mixing bowl, whisk or fork, and two covered containers

Ingredients

Use level US measuring spoons and cups. Metric amounts are practical rounded equivalents.

• 1 cup (240 ml) unsweetened soy milk or another plain plant milk, plus 1–3 tablespoons (15–45 ml) to loosen after chilling if needed
• ¼ cup whole chia seeds (40 g)
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (5 g), sifted if lumpy
• 2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter (32 g), well stirred
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup (15 ml), plus more to taste
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (2.5 ml), optional
• A small pinch of fine salt, optional if the peanut butter is already salted
• 1 medium ripe banana (about 120 g peeled), sliced just before serving
• 2 teaspoons peanut butter (about 11 g), optional, for a finishing drizzle

How to make it

1. Start with a smooth cocoa mixture. Put the cocoa, 2 tablespoons peanut butter and maple syrup in a bowl. Add a small splash from the measured plant milk and work it into a paste. Gradually whisk in the remaining milk, then the vanilla and salt if using. Scrape the bowl's sides so no pockets of cocoa remain.
2. Stir in the seeds twice. Add the chia and whisk thoroughly, reaching the bottom of the bowl. Rest for 10 minutes, then stir again to break up any clumps before they set. This second stir helps distribute the seeds evenly.
3. Cover and chill. Divide between two containers, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. The pudding is ready when it is spoonable and the seeds are evenly hydrated, with no dry clusters or large layer of loose milk.
4. Adjust the texture. Stir each portion before serving. If too firm, add extra plant milk a tablespoon at a time. Taste and add a little more maple syrup if you prefer a sweeter pudding.
5. Add the banana. Slice the banana and divide it between the portions. For the optional drizzle, mix the extra peanut butter with a few drops of water until spoonable and add it over the top. Serve cold.

If the texture needs help

Clumps at the bottom: Break them up with a fork, stir well and refrigerate longer. A wide bowl is easier to mix thoroughly than a narrow jar.

Still watery after chilling: First stir and check for settled seeds. If it remains loose after the full chilling time, mix in 1 teaspoon (about 3 g) more chia per portion and refrigerate for another 1–2 hours. Do not add a large handful; it can become excessively thick.

Too thick: Add milk in small amounts, stirring between additions. Different chia seeds and plant milks can set differently.

Not sweet enough: The base is gently sweet, and a ripe banana adds sweetness. Taste after chilling rather than assuming it will taste like a packaged dessert.

Vegan swaps and allergy notes

• Plant milk: Plain soy, oat or almond milk can work, but their flavor and nutrition differ. Use a drink-style milk rather than thick canned coconut milk for the closest texture. Check that the product is dairy-free.
• Peanut-free: Replace the peanut butter with the same weight of sunflower seed butter. Choose a product and plant milk suitable for your allergies and check cross-contact information; almond milk is not a nut-free substitute.
• No banana: Use about ½ cup (75 g) berries per portion, adding them just before eating.
• Sweetener: Agave syrup can replace maple syrup in the same volume. Honey is not a vegan substitute.
• Gluten-free: The basic ingredients do not require wheat, but check packaged ingredients and use certified gluten-free oat milk if needed.

Budget and make-ahead tips

Use ordinary unsweetened cocoa rather than a specialty chocolate powder, and compare chia prices by weight. A small bag makes several batches. Skip the vanilla and finishing drizzle if you do not already have them; neither is needed for the pudding to set.

Stir the peanut butter jar before measuring, especially if the oil has separated. Keep the banana whole until breakfast so the slices do not brown overnight. You can double the base for four portions, but use a large bowl and keep the same second-stir step.

If you already have rolled oats and prefer a less seedy breakfast, try our pumpkin pie overnight oats for another make-ahead option.

Storage and food safety

Use clean utensils and containers, and refrigerate the mixture after the brief stirring rest. Keep it covered at 40°F (4°C) or below and use the base within 3 days, or sooner if the opened plant milk's label requires it. Add fresh banana only to the portion you are about to eat.

Keep chilled during transport with an ice pack. Do not leave it unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours in total, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C). Discard portions that exceed those limits rather than relying on appearance or smell. The seeds should be fully soaked before serving; do not finish the pudding with an extra spoonful of dry chia.

References and recipe note

The chia-to-liquid starting ratio and chocolate-peanut-butter combination were checked against UCLA Health's chia pudding recipe and A Saucy Kitchen. This is a separately written version with a milder cocoa quantity, banana topping and conservative storage window. See Illinois Extension's storage guidance and FDA safe food handling.

This recipe has not been kitchen-tested by 1 Month Vegan Challenge. Cover: original AI-generated serving illustration by OpenAI, not a photograph of a tested batch.