Chunky Monkey Overnight Chia Pudding (Printable Version)

Luscious layered breakfast with banana, cocoa, and peanut butter swirled into creamy chia pudding.

# Components:

→ Chia Pudding Base

01 - 4 tablespoons chia seeds
02 - 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
03 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
04 - 0.5 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Cocoa Layer

05 - 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
06 - 0.5 tablespoon maple syrup or honey

→ Peanut Butter Layer

07 - 2 tablespoons natural creamy peanut butter

→ Banana Layer and Toppings

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

# 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 mixture equally into two bowls. To one portion, whisk in cocoa powder and 0.5 tablespoon maple syrup until fully incorporated.
03 - In two serving jars or glasses, spoon half of the plain chia pudding into the bottom of each jar. Add a layer of banana slices over the chia. Spread 1 tablespoon peanut butter over the bananas. Add the cocoa chia pudding layer on top. Finish with remaining banana slices, chocolate chips or cacao nibs, and chopped walnuts.
04 - Cover jars and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight until pudding thickens and sets completely.
05 - Remove from refrigerator and serve chilled. Stir before consuming if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It asks for exactly ten minutes of your time and rewards you with a week of grab-and-go mornings that taste like dessert.
  • The layering keeps each spoonful surprising, where creamy peanut butter meets cocoa and banana in different ratios every time.
02 -
  • If your chia pudding is too thin after overnight chilling, you likely used less chia seeds than the recipe calls for, and it'll stay that way, so measure carefully the first time.
  • The banana will brown slightly where it touches the other ingredients, which is normal and doesn't mean anything went wrong, though lemon juice on the slices helps prevent this.
03 -
  • The trick to getting those jars to look Instagram-worthy is to spoon each layer carefully against the glass so you can actually see the stripes, and it matters more than you'd think.
  • If you find the peanut butter layer getting rock hard in the cold, let your jar sit at room temperature for five minutes before eating, and it transforms back into something spreadable and delicious.
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