Basic Vanilla Chia Pudding
with maple and vanilla bean
By Superfoods Advisor Editors·July 4, 2026
Allergens Milk
Ingredients
3 tbspChia seeds
¾ cupWhole milk (or oat milk)
From your pantry
- 1 tspPure maple syrup
- ½ tspPure vanilla extract
- 1 pinchFine sea salt
Utensils Jar with lid · Whisk
Instructions
Combine milk, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt in a jar. Whisk to dissolve the syrup.
Add chia seeds and whisk vigorously for 20 seconds.
Wait 10 minutes, then whisk again to break up any clumps at the bottom.
Seal and refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
Stir before serving. Top with fresh fruit or eat plain.
Shopping list
The keeps-in-the-cupboard half of this recipe, and the tools it calls for, in one place. Fresh items are not listed; buy those locally. We earn a commission on purchases made through these links at no cost to you, and it does not affect what gets recommended; see our affiliate disclosure.
- Chia seedsCheck price on Amazon on Amazon
- Pure maple syrupCheck price on Amazon on Amazon
- Pure vanilla extractCheck price on Amazon on Amazon
- Fine sea saltCheck price on Amazon on Amazon
Tools
Why it works
Nothing competes with the chia here, which is the point. The 3-tablespoon serving supplies roughly 6 g of ALA omega-3, the plant precursor to EPA and DHA. Conversion of ALA to EPA in humans is limited, and to DHA very low (Burdge & Calder, 2005), but in one Dutch cohort of about 20,000 adults, the lowest ALA intakes were associated with higher stroke risk, though not with coronary heart disease (de Goede et al., PLoS One, 2011, PubMed:21464993). The 12 g of fiber is around 43% of the 28 g Daily Value used on U.S. labels, in a single breakfast portion.
Macro detail: of the 13 g sugar, roughly 4 g is added; of the 17 g fat, roughly 6 g is ALA omega-3.
This recipe is part of Chia Pudding Recipe: 1:4 Base + 5 Variations with Macros, which covers the underlying nutrition science and the shared base method.
