Dragon Fruit Chia Pudding
Dragon fruit has an insanely gorgeous color that makes everything you add it to just beautiful. This Dragon Fruit Chia Seed Pudding is no exception. Our recipe transforms boring chia seed pudding into a tasty and healthy treat! To give this healthy dessert extra flavor, we combined vanilla, pure maple syrup, and cinnamon. If you really want to pimp it up, top it with toasted coconut and blueberries...yummy! This chia seed pudding makes a great snack, or a nutritious meal prep breakfast, too.
If you are hesitant to try dragon fruit or make chia seed pudding, this is an easy recipe that may convert you. It’s fun and easy to make, and is a great recipe for the kids too! To find out the various ways you can make this chia seed pudding, read more about this in our Blog Comments & Tips.
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RECIPE
(Check out our Step by Step Instructions below the recipe card.)
Recipe Updated: 3/30/22
DRAGON FRUIT CHIA PUDDING
Ingredients
Instructions
- Shake can of coconut milk very well before opening (see Note #1). Then to a large 32 ounce mason jar, add the coconut milk, salt, maple syrup (or 1 Tbs. for less sweet), vanilla, pitaya powder (up to 2 teaspoons for brighter color), and chia seeds. Tightly secure the lid, and shake vigorously until well combined. Refrigerate for 1 ½ hours, then open and stir well with a spoon, scraping the bottom and sides of the jar (this will unclump the seeds - see Note #2). Seal, and continue to refrigerate overnight.
- When ready to serve, wear protective gloves (to avoid staining your hands) and halve the pink dragon fruit lengthwise. Then with a large spoon, scoop out the flesh, cut into bite sized cubes, and set aside.
- Remove mason jar from the fridge, and shake vigorously. Open the lid and stir well again. If the pudding is too thick for your liking, add almond milk, or your choice of nut milk or oat milk, and stir again (add more to taste, if needed - see Note #3). Place a few smaller pieces of dragon fruit and a little of its juice in the bottom of each glass or dish, then add about ¼ of the chia pudding to each glass or dish, and top with dragon fruit cubes. For a sweeter pudding, drizzle on a bit more pure maple syrup.
- Optional garnishes are fresh blueberries, and toasted coconut flakes (1 tablespoon of each per serving). See Note #4 below for instructions on how to toast coconut flakes. Mix and match based on your preference, and enjoy!
Notes
- If you cannot use coconut milk, you can substitute with any homemade nut milk, or homemade oat milk. For this recipe, we prefer using either Sprouts brand canned Lite Coconut Milk, or our homemade Almond Milk. See Blog Comments & Tips for more details on substitutions.
- If possible, stir again after 4 hours, and continue to refrigerate overnight.
- Pudding will thicken as it rests, so you may need to thin it out with more nut or oat milk if it has been in the fridge for a few days.
- To toast coconut, spread out ¼ cup coconut flakes on a foil lined baking sheet. Place baking sheet 6 inches from heat, and broil (on low to medium broil) in the oven (or toaster oven) until toasted. It should take 30 seconds to 1 minute or so, to toast. Stay by the oven, as it burns quickly.
- Recipe can be made ahead, and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
206.74Fat (grams)
9.98Sat. Fat (grams)
5.76Carbs (grams)
24.50Fiber (grams)
7.71Net carbs
16.80Sugar (grams)
12.96Protein (grams)
3.54Sodium (milligrams)
75.08Cholesterol (grams)
0.00Nutritional information provided is strictly an estimate and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods. Optional garnishes are not included in the nutritional calculations.
Step by Step Instructions
PREPARATION
Organize all your tools and ingredients before you begin. Getting all your ingredients in one place at the beginning will shorten your prep time.
Chia Seed Pudding
STEP 1a
Shake a 13.5 ounce can of light coconut milk (or regular coconut milk, or 1 ¾ cups homemade Almond Milk, see Note below) very well before opening. Then to a large 32 ounce mason jar, add the coconut milk, ⅛ teaspoon sea salt, 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (or 1 tablespoon for less sweet), ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon pink pitaya powder (up to 2 teaspoons for brighter color), and 5 tablespoons organic chia seeds.
Note: If you cannot use coconut milk, you can substitute with any homemade nut milk, or homemade oat milk. For this recipe, we prefer using either Sprouts brand canned Lite Coconut Milk, or our homemade Almond Milk, both of which have thicker consistencies and great flavor. See Blog Comments & Tips for more details on substitutions.
STEP 1b
Tightly secure the lid, and shake vigorously until well combined. Refrigerate for 1 ½ hours, then open the lid and stir well with a spoon, scraping the bottom and sides of the jar (this will unclump the seeds - see Note below). Continue to refrigerate overnight.
Note: If possible, stir again after 4 hours, and continue to refrigerate overnight.
Assembly
STEP 2
When ready to serve (to avoid staining your hands, wear protective gloves), halve 1 fresh dragon fruit (about ¾ to 1 pound) lengthwise with a sharp knife. Then with a large spoon, scoop out the flesh, cut into bite sized cubes, and set aside.
STEP 3
Remove mason jar from the fridge, and shake vigorously. Open the lid and stir well again. If the pudding is too thick for your liking, add 2-4 tablespoons of almond milk, or your choice of nut milk or oat milk, and stir again (you can also add more to taste - see Note below). Place a little of the juice and a few smaller pieces of fruit in the bottom of each glass or dish, then add about ¼ of the chia pudding to each glass or dish, and top with dragon fruit cubes.
Note: To thin out pudding, you can use store bought nut milk, oat milk, or any milk, as needed. Pudding will thicken as it rests, so you may need to thin it out with more nut or oat milk if it has been in the fridge for a few days.
STEP 4
To prepare optional coconut garnish, place your oven rack about 6 inches away from the heat, and turn your toaster oven on broil, or your oven on low to medium broil. Spread out ¼ cup coconut flakes (1 tablespoon per serving) on a foil lined baking sheet. Place baking sheet in the oven, and broil until toasted. It should take about 30 seconds to 1 minute or so. Stay by the oven, as it burns quickly!
Note: Photo depicts only a single serving amount (1 tablespoon). Coconut can also be toasted in a toaster oven on the broil setting.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
This chia pudding with fresh dragon fruit is delicious on its own, but if you want to pimp it up a bit, here are a few suggestions:
If you want it sweeter, drizzle on a bit more pure maple syrup.
Or, garnish with some fresh blueberries.
To add a delicious crunchy texture, top with 1 tablespoon toasted coconut flakes for each serving.
Mix and match toppings based on your preference, and enjoy!
VIDEO
How to Take Your Chia Seed Pudding to a Whole New Level!
Blog Comments & Tips
This powerful superfood is transformed into a creamy and delicious treat!
Before developing this recipe, I had never tried chia pudding. I literally had no idea what it should taste like. So, we tested several recipes and found most of them to be a bit boring and flavorless (and sometimes a little too earthy tasting). Some were too thin, too thick and heavy (a coconut fatty taste that stays on the tongue), or just plain boring and without flavor. Leigh and I didn’t want to put out another ordinary chia pudding recipe, so we set out to pimp up the flavors in this pudding and get the texture just right.
The texture is somewhat like tapioca pudding. The chia seeds absorb some of the milk and become a bit like tiny boba. We determined that we didn’t want to cover up the taste of the chia seeds, just enhance them and give the pudding some interest. After more taste tests, we found that adding this variety of ingredients would do just that! This recipe for Dragon Fruit Chia Pudding is far from boring. The combination of ingredients we used turned this bland little seed into a slightly sweet and kind of addicting pudding.
We found the best results were driven by the brand and type of coconut milk, as well as the little extras. Between the beautiful pink color from the Suncore Pink Pitaya Powder, to the delicious flavor and creamy texture of the coconut pudding, this dish has become one of my favorite snacks. To top it off, we added fresh dragon fruit to give it that vibrant color that looks so appetizing! My favorite way of eating this chia pudding is to top it off with a few fresh blueberries and toasted coconut flakes. The added fruit lends a natural sweetness, and the toasted coconut adds a lovely texture to the pudding, making it an extra special dessert treat.
Another bonus is that there are hidden health benefits in this pudding (just don’t tell the kids!). Both dragon fruit (pitahaya) and chia seeds (we used Navitas Organic Chia Seeds) are superfoods, and are reported to have many health benefits. These tiny but powerful chia seeds are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, full of antioxidants, and have a number of vitamins and minerals. Can you believe that just 1 tablespoon of chia seeds contains 2g of protein, and 5g of fiber? Dragon fruit is packed with tons of minerals and vitamins, and contains 3g of protein, 7g of fiber, and 18% of the RDI of magnesium, in a one cup serving. So feel good about indulging in this decadent but healthy snack.
How do you ensure the best results from our recipe? The keys to making a successful chia pudding are below.
Our 5 tips to making a yummy chia seed pudding:
Use organic ingredients and reputable product brands (we have included some links to our favorite brands in the recipe section).
Use your favorite brand of canned lite coconut milk. Full fat coconut milk can make it too stodgy and overpower the other flavors. Be sure to use the right consistency of plant-based milk, or your pudding will end up too watery. The brand you use and the rest of the ingredients are really about your personal tastes and preferences.
If you like it sweet (but not cloyingly sweet), 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup is the perfect amount to enhance the pudding.
Shake and stir, especially after 1½ hours in the fridge, then again first thing in the morning. If you can squeeze in a second stir after 4 hours, then do so. This will prevent the chia seeds from clumping up.
Don’t be afraid to thin it out after it has completely set. Just add a little nut or oat milk at a time. Also, get creative and add fresh toppings when you serve it. Fresh fruit, chopped nuts, and even some granola, add a lovely added sweetness and texture to this dessert. You can even drizzle on a little more pure maple syrup, if desired.
Have any dietary preferences that won’t quite work with our recipe? It’s time to customize and Pimp Our Recipe.
Pimp Our Recipe:
Make it More Vibrant: Instead of 1 teaspoon pitaya powder, replace with 2 teaspoons pitaya powder.
Make it Less Sweet: Instead of 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, use only 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup. Then drizzle on more to taste when you serve, if needed.
Make it Sweeter: Instead of 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, use 3 tablespoons, or drizzle on more at serving.
Make it with Dairy: Instead of coconut milk, you can use an equal amount of whole milk, or half and half. However, we strongly recommend using coconut milk which adds a nice flavor to the pudding.
Make it Dairy Free (but without coconut milk): In place of coconut milk, you can use equal amounts of homemade almond milk, cashew nut milk, or homemade oat milk. We recommend using homemade, as store bought nut milk and oat milk are much thinner and will make the pudding too liquidy.
Make it Thinner: After it’s had time to set overnight, shake and stir well, then add 2-4 tablespoons of your choice of nut milk or oat milk, and stir again (you can also add more to taste).
Enjoy and let us know what you think by commenting below, rating our recipes, subscribing, following, and liking us on Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube! Don’t forget to subscribe to get updates on new recipes and tips & tricks.
Happy Cooking!
Mich
Footnote: Remember to give the pudding a good stir after 1½ hours in the fridge, then again in the morning.
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