Chunky Monkey Overnight Chia Pudding (Printable)

Luscious no-cook breakfast with creamy layers of banana, cocoa, and peanut butter melded with chia seeds for a satisfying start to your day.

# Components:

→ Chia Pudding Base

01 - 4 tablespoons chia seeds
02 - 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
03 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
04 - 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Cocoa Layer

05 - 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
06 - 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup or honey

→ Peanut Butter Layer

07 - 2 tablespoons natural creamy peanut butter

→ Banana Layer & Toppings

08 - 1 large ripe banana, sliced
09 - 2 tablespoons dark chocolate chips or cacao nibs, optional
10 - 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts, optional

# Directions:

01 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together chia seeds, almond milk, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Set aside for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until mixture begins to thicken.
02 - Divide the thickened chia mixture equally into two bowls. To one portion, whisk in cocoa powder and 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup until fully combined and smooth.
03 - In two serving jars or glasses, layer as follows: spoon half of the plain chia pudding into the bottom of each jar, add banana slices over the chia, spread 1 tablespoon peanut butter over the bananas, top with cocoa chia pudding layer, then remaining banana slices, chocolate chips or cacao nibs, and chopped walnuts if desired.
04 - Cover jars and refrigerate overnight, or at least 6 hours, until thickened and fully set.
05 - Remove from refrigerator and serve chilled. Stir before eating, if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It does the thinking for you the night before, leaving your morning brain completely off the hook.
  • You get that Chunky Monkey magic—creamy, chocolatey, peanut buttery—without any of the actual work.
  • The texture transforms overnight into something luxurious that makes you feel fancy eating breakfast in sweatpants.
02 -
  • Don't skip the initial ten-minute rest for the chia seeds—that's when they absorb liquid and transform from seeds into a thickening agent, not an afterthought.
  • If your pudding seems too thick the next morning, a splash of extra milk will loosen it up without ruining the whole thing.
03 -
  • If your chia pudding tastes gritty the next morning, you either didn't let the seeds soak long enough initially or your milk-to-seed ratio was off; adjust based on what you taste and remember it for next time.
  • Add your crispy toppings like walnuts and chocolate chips right before eating rather than overnight if you want them to stay crunchy instead of softening into the pudding.
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