Dark Chocolate Cherry Chia Pudding Parfaits

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Chocolate Cherry Chia Pudding Cups | These decadent dessert cups are a dairy-free combination of silky chocolate avocado pudding and cherry chia pudding. Layered together like a parfait, the chia pudding and chocolate pudding combine to make a delightful treat fitting for breakfast or dessert. 

This luscious cherry chocolate chia pudding is a luscious but wholesome breakfast or dessert made with simple ingredients.  Top with coconut whip for a special dessert like Valentine’s Day desert.

I tested this chocolate chia seed pudding recipe every so often for a year.

The goal? Create a fairly nutritious pudding using dairy-free milk.

I have diary-sensitive people in my life and love testing alternative recipes. I wanted this recipe to highlight the decadent vibes of dark chocolate pudding without tasting like I had cut corners.

So throughout my testing, what did I find out?

Dairy-free milk

I tried coconut cream and coconut milk and they were too overwhelmingly ‘coconut-y’ when what I really wanted was for the chocolate to shine through on its own. Cherries and chocolate are the star ingredients and I wanted to keep it that way.

Chocolate

Melted chocolate turned the whole thing grainy upon refrigeration. Using a combination of cocoa powder and maple syrup was the real winner resulting in a sweet chocolatey flavor.

Texture

Banana lightens up the texture of the vegan pudding part of the recipe. I’ve tried the banana “ice cream” idea but found the airy texture not right for ice cream, but I thought in combination with the avocado, that airiness would help. Yes, you can taste the banana a little bit but I don’t think the flavor is overwhelming.

Using avocado alone with cocoa powder can be a little bit dense, and that’s not what I wanted here.

The result of my testing is an easy recipe, that is smooth and chocolatey with a decadent feel.

Ingredients

See the recipe card for exact amounts.

• cherries: I use frozen sweet cherries for this recipe. Let them thaw on the counter or gently defrost them in the microwave. You can also use fresh cherries instead.
• avocado + banana: this makes the creamy base for the pudding
• cocoa powder: you can use regular or dark cocoa powder. I used regular cocoa powder in these photos but I prefer dark cocoa with this recipe.
• pure maple syrup: to sweeten
• oat milk: Creamy oat milk is great for chia pudding. Try unsweetened almond milk instead.
• chia seeds: chia seeds absorb the liquid and plump up, making a tapioca-like pudding.

Substitutions

• oat milk: you can use any non-dairy milk of your choice. The only one I don’t recommend is canned coconut milk because the flavor will take over. The carton-style coconut milk or coconut almond blend should be fine.

Instructions

Make the Chocolate Pudding

Make the Cherry Chia Pudding

Make the Parfait

Garnish with more chopped cherries and shaved dark chocolate or cacao nibs.

Tips for making these pudding parfaits

• Chia pudding: Use the ratio of 1/4 cup chia seeds to 1 cup of liquid to make any type of chia pudding. Add your favorite flavors and stir!
• The chia pudding needs to sit in the fridge to set for at least 2 hours. Make sure to stir once after 5 minutes of combining to avoid clumping. Stir again after 30 minutes or so to help the chia seeds blend and absorb liquid evenly.
• Sift cocoa powder to prevent lumps.

What to serve with pudding parfaits

Full a more filling breakfast add a slice of toast alongside your pudding parfait. Try avocado toast, cottage cheese toast, or mushrooms on toast.

Storage

Store the parfaits or both puddings separately in the fridge for about 5 days.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.

This post was originally posted on February 12, 2018.

A photo from the original blog post.