Pumpkin Chia Pudding

We first started making up chia pudding recipes - along with overnight oats - when we were living in an RV for a few months back in 2018 - as we sold the house in Minneapolis, through buying a house in Hamilton.

The lack of space meant meal prep was important. We’d do up make ahead breakfast options on a near daily basis, mixing them right up in the mason jars we’d be eating them from.

It took only a few minutes of prep time, and the use of the glass jars meant we could get our healthy breakfast - or a healthy dessert - with fewer, smaller dishes to wash.

We’ve been making these as an easy breakfast or healthy evening snack/dessert every since.

So, when immersing ourselves in fall flavor and ALL things pumpkin... clearly we had to make a pumpkin pie chia pudding recipe!

With pumpkin spice season upon us, this is a great recipe to indulge those pumpkin spice cravings.

I love this time of year in general, between the lowering temperatures, crisp air, and the changing colors of the leaves. Who doesn’t?

Pumpkin pie flavor on top of all of that sensory bliss?

Perfection!

... but wait, there’s more!

Chia Pudding Benefits

The best part about this particular fall recipe? This easy recipe not only tastes like a creamy pumpkin pie, it’s quite healthy - chia pudding has a lot going for it.

We like it because it’s a great way to get some extra fiber in while enjoying a delicious breakfast, but it’s also a powerhouse when it comes to heart-healthy omega 3 & 6 fatty acids.

They’re seen to help regulate blood sugar, are relatively low in calories, and have a bit of protein, calcium, iron, and B vitamins - there are so many health benefits of chia seeds!

Overall, this pumpkin pie pudding is an almost completely guilt-free way to indulge the sweet tooth!

For more detailed info, see the nutritional information at the end of the recipe card (bottom of this post).

Chia Pumpkin Pudding Ingredients

This recipe uses really simple ingredients that you should be able to find at almost any grocery store. A few notes:

Milk

We generally default to using unsweetened almond milk, because that’s what we tend to have on hand.

If you’re looking for dairy free chia pudding, oat milk, cashew milk, macadamia milk, and coconut milk are also great options.

Using a plant-based milk also means the whole recipe is made of vegan ingredients, should you be looking for that.

All that said? Regular milk should work just fine.

Pumpkin Puree

This is where all the actual pumpkin flavor comes in, so you want to get it right!

You’ll want to use actual pumpkin pureé, rather than pumpkin pie filling. Canned pumpkin pie mix has added sweeteners, thickeners, etc - just go for plain pumpkin.

Homemade pumpkin puree is also great.

Chia Seeds

Chia Seeds have a wild ability to absorb liquid. When soaked in water, they’ll thicken to a gel-like consistency.

With the pumpkin and milk in this recipe, you end up with more of a creamy texture, than straight up gel-like.

I usually use Black Chia Seeds, as we buy them in bulk packages. Sometimes I’ll get some White Chia Seeds on a Bulk Barn order, though - a fun variation!

Sweetener

There’s not a ton of added sugar in this recipe, as there’s a far amount of natural sweetness in the almond milk and pumpkin.

I’ll usually make this with either brown sugar or maple syrup, and coconut sugar is another great natural sweetener option.

Looking to make this a keto pumpkin chia pudding?

Just swap the brown sugar out for the same amount of Swerve Brown Sugar Substitute.

Added Flavors

Finally, this recipe is rounded out with some spices and such.

I use my spices as individual ingredients:

Ground Cinnamon
Ground Cloves
Ground Ginger
Ground Nutmeg

You can use ½ teaspoon of Pumpkin Pie Spice in place of the 4 spices, though.

As well, there’s a little pure vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.

How to Make Pumpkin Chia Pudding

The full recipe is in the recipe card at the end of this post, this is the pictorial overview.

Whisk together pumpkin, brown sugar, vanilla, spices and salt.

Add almond milk, stir to combine.

Allow to sit for 20 minutes, stir again.

You can leave it all in the large bowl (covered) or divide it out into two individual serving bowls.

Either way, chill for at least 2 hours, before serving.

Note: For a smoother texture, you can run it through a food processor at this point!

If you’ve not serving it within a few hours, you can transfer it to an airtight container to chill for up to 4-5 days. (Maybe longer, we’ve never kept it around long enough to test it out!)

Garnishing

You can enjoy this recipe as-is, but garnishing is always fun - and definitely invokes more of the pumpkin pie feel!

I like to start out with a bit of whipped cream or coconut whip, depending on what I’m in the mood for, and what’s on hand.

From there, feel free to add your favorite toppings.

A sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg is always classic, but chopped nuts (usually walnuts or pecans, for us) is another great option.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Recipes

Looking for even more pumpkin recipes to celebrate the fall season - or serve as a great addition for your Thanksgiving spread? Here are some tasty ideas for you!

Baked Pumpkin Custard
Copycat Pumpkin Spice Latte
Easy Pumpkin Martini
Fluffy Gluten Free Pumpkin Pancakes
Gluten-Free Maple Pumpkin Pie
Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Mini Doughnuts
Gluten Free Sopaipillas Pasadas
Keto Pumpkin Bars
Keto Pumpkin Fat Bombs
Pumpkin Chai Latte

Share the Love!

Before you chow down, be sure to take some pics of your handiwork! If you post it to Bluesky, be sure to tag us - @CelebrationGen. We're also on Pinterest, so you can save all your favourite recipes to a board!

Also, be sure to subscribe to my free email newsletter, so you never miss out on any of my nonsense.

Finally, if you love this recipe, please consider leaving a star rating and a comment, and maybe share the link on social media!