Everyone loves this creamy Peanut Butter Cup Chia Pudding . It has a silky smooth blended peanut butter chia base—topped with a fun chocolate "magic shell" that cracks right under your spoon. My kids literally shriek with joy when they spot it in the fridge! It's an easy dessert for friends because it only takes minutes to prep. You simply unwrap the jars and serve them. It's also my favorite late-night treat once the house is quiet.
If you prefer a more classic chia pudding, check out my High Protein Chocolate Chia Pudding or Strawberry Guava Chia Pudding Parfait. Or try my Overnight Oats with Coconut Milk and Chia.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Perfectly smooth texture: Blending the chia seeds creates a silky, mousse-like dessert. It's unlike any chia pudding you've ever had!
- Super fast to make: This easy no-cook recipe blends together in minutes. You don't have to wait and make it in stages! The mixture is thick enough to layer the chocolate on immediately. You can finish the whole recipe in one simple step.
- Tastes like dessert: Rich peanut butter and chocolate taste exactly like a peanut butter cup. Top with chopped peanuts and flaky salt for a fun finish.
- High in protein and fiber: Each serving has 11 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber. It's a delicious and satisfying snack.
- Make ahead friendly: Just cover and keep in the fridge.
- Kid friendly: Kids love cracking the firm chocolate shell. They never guess it is a healthy treat lower in sugar! I give my toddlers half a serving each.
- Gluten-free and easily vegan: This recipe is naturally gluten-free. To keep it vegan, simply use soy milk and swap in maple syrup (if you don't consume honey).
- Simple ingredients: You can easily find everything you need at a regular grocery store.
Ingredients (and substitutes)
Here's what you need to make this high protein Peanut Butter Cup Chia Pudding recipe. Plus some easy ingredient swaps:
- Peanut Butter: Use a smooth, all-natural peanut butter. I use unsalted. If you use a salted peanut butter, just read the recipe note for how to reduce the salt to start.
- Chia Seeds: I love white chia seeds for this recipe because they blend right in. Black chia seeds work too. They have the same taste and nutrition, but they'll make the pudding look more speckled.
- Honey: Peanut butter and honey are a classic pair. Maple syrup works too. It's usually more expensive, but it's a vegan-friendly option.
- Milk: I recommend dairy milk or soy milk to get the most protein. Other non-dairy milks work too, but they usually have less protein.
- Chocolate: I prefer dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate. But you can use milk chocolate instead. Chop up a chocolate bar or use chocolate chips.
- Coconut Oil: The secret to a magic chocolate shell! Use refined coconut oil if you don't want any coconut flavor. Otherwise, virgin coconut oil works too. I've tested this with neutral oils like grapeseed. It works in a pinch, but the chocolate won't set as firmly.
- Peanuts: Optional, but they add a fun, crunchy garnish on top! If using, sprinkle them on the chocolate before it firms up so they stick.
Find the recipe card below for the complete recipe, including all ingredients and instructions.
Want more peanut butter recipes? Make my Peanut Butter Coconut Balls, Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars, or Peanut Glazed Tofu Spring Roll Salad.
How to make Peanut Butter Cup Chia Pudding
This easy, no-cook recipe takes under 10 minutes to prep. I tested so many versions to make sure the mixture is thick enough to hold the chocolate layer right away. So you don't have to wait for the pudding to set before finishing. I only want to do cleanup once, and I bet you do too! Here's how to make this recipe:
1. Add peanut butter, chia seeds, milk, honey (or maple syrup), vanilla and salt to a high-speed blender.
2. Blend until completely smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender as needed.
3. Divide the slightly thickened mixture into jars/cups.
4. Top with melted chocolate mixture. Sprinkle with peanuts (if using). Chill until pudding is cold and chocolate is firm.
Find the recipe card below for the complete recipe, including all ingredients and instructions.
Tips
I only share recipes after I've thoroughly tested them! I want you to get perfect results in your own kitchen. If making blended chia pudding is new to you, here are my top tips:
- Use a high-speed blender: You need a powerful blender to grind the chia seeds completely smooth. I tested this in a upright blender (Vitamix) and a personal-sized blender (NutriBullet Pro). Both work great! An immersion blender will leave the pudding gritty.
- Stop and scrape the sides: Chia seeds love to stick to the blender container. You need to stop and scrape the sides so no whole seeds are left behind. Blending them all helps the mixture start to thicken right away. This allows the chocolate layer to sit on top, without sinking.
- Melt chocolate slowly: Microwave the chocolate in short 20-second intervals. Stir well in between. This prevents the chocolate from burning.
- Chocolate shell: In my tests, a thin layer of chocolate was much easier to crack with a spoon. If your jar's opening is larger than 3.5-inches (9 cm), you might need more melted chocolate to cover. But most small jars/cups tend to be smaller than that!
- Cover in the fridge: Use a jar with a lid or wrap your cups tightly with plastic wrap. Covering the pudding keeps it fresh. It also stops it from absorbing any weird fridge smells.
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Recipe FAQs
It should resemble cake batter right from the blender. If it hasn't thickened, make sure you scraped the sides and blended every single seed. Sometimes you just need to blend it for an extra minute. The thick mixture will support the melted chocolate right away, then it chills and further sets in the fridge.
Coconut oil is key to "magic shell" because it firms up the chocolate without it getting too hard. If you don't like coconut flavor, use refined coconut oil. (Virgin coconut oil tastes like...coconut!). You can use a neutral oil like grapeseed, but the chocolate wont firm up quite as much.
Yes! White chia seeds just make the pudding look a bit lighter and less speckled. Black chia seeds have the same taste and nutrition. They will also set the pudding. It just comes down to looks!
You can, but you'll want to use a personal-sized high-speed blender. Half of the recipe doesn't have enough liquid for a high-speed upright blender (like Vitamix) to spin effectively.
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📖 Recipe
Peanut Butter Cup Chia Pudding
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup smooth natural peanut butter (see note 1)
- ⅓ cup chia seeds (white, see note 2)
- 1⅔ cup milk (or soy milk, see note 3)
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoon chopped dark chocolate (or chocolate chips, see note 4)
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil (see note 5)
- chopped roasted peanuts (for garnish, optional)
Instructions
- Blend: Add ⅓ cup smooth natural peanut butter, ⅓ cup chia seeds, 1⅔ cup milk, 3 tablespoons honey, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt to a high-speed blender (see note 6). Blend until completely smooth and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides 2 to 4 times while blending.
- Finish: Divide the mixture into 4 small jars or cups (see note 7). Add 2 tablespoon chopped dark chocolate and 2 teaspoons coconut oil to a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Pour the melted chocolate over the chia pudding. Sprinkle with chopped roasted peanuts, if desired. Cover and refrigerate until the pudding is cold and chocolate is firm, ideally 2+ hours.
Notes
- Peanut Butter: I use a smooth, all-natural peanut butter made from 100% dry roasted peanuts (no added salt or sugar). If using a salted peanut butter, start with less salt—add ⅛ teaspoon to the blender, then after tasting the blended mixture, add up to another ⅛ teaspoon.
- Chia Seeds: White chia seeds make the pudding look a bit lighter and less speckled. You can swap in black chia seeds if needed. The taste and nutrition are the same.
- Milk: Dairy milk (whole, 2% or low-fat) and soy milk work best because they give you the most protein. Other non-dairy milks (like almond or oat) tend to have less protein.
- Chocolate: I prefer dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate, but you could use milk chocolate if you prefer. Use a chopped chocolate bar or chocolate chips.
- Oil: Use refined coconut oil if you don't want any coconut flavor. Otherwise use virgin (unrefined) coconut oil. You can use a neutral oil (like grapeseed oil) if you need, but the chocolate won't firm up quite as much as coconut "magic shell".
- High Speed Blender: Use a high speed upright blender (like Vitamix) or a high speed personal sized blender (like NutriBullet Pro). I have tested both. Less powerful blenders or immersion blenders will leave the mixture a bit more gritty. Make sure to stop and scrape the sides multiple times so everything blends evenly.
- Yield: This makes 2⅓ to 2½ cups of blended chia pudding. Use jars with at least a ¾ cup capacity. This leaves room for ½ to ⅔ cup pudding per serving, plus the melted chocolate. If you halve the recipe, use a personal-sized blender. A regular-sized blender won't have enough liquid for the blades to spin properly.
- Storage: Keep covered in the fridge. Best enjoyed within 4 days.
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