It seems there’s a story behind every recipe – for instance, last week’s Paleo Power Breakfast developed out of a need for a power breakfast (go figure)! A friend and I were going snowshoeing in Glacier National Park and we were debating what to make for breakfast – it had to be sustaining but not the kind of ‘power breakfast’ that leaves you so stuffed you end up lethargic instead of energized! So… it’s only natural that the discussion turned to sweet potatoes, and the rest is history, (it’s now my all-time favorite big workout breakfast)!
Today’s recipe is no exception, it all started with a comment left on my Raspberry Sherbet Chia Pudding, where someone mentioned that they made it with cherries. Well… there was something about that idea I just couldn’t get out of my head, and since we’re still about 6 months away from cherry season I bought a bag of frozen sweet cherries and went to work! I modeled the flavor of this chia pudding after one of my favorite coconut ice creams – Cherry Amaretto – which is so good I can’t be trusted when there’s a pint of it in the freezer! And… now I have all the same flavors with the added benefit that it’s healthy enough to eat for breakfast!
This chia pudding is really easy to make – simply blend everything but the seeds together until smooth. Then add the seeds and blend on low to combine – that’s it, that’s all there is to it!
This recipe make 4 cups of chia pudding which I pour into 1-pint jars. I like to fill the jars halfway with pudding, and then fill the jars to the top with fresh/frozen fruit or a homemade fruit sauce. You can portion them as big or a small as you’d like, for instance 1/2 cup of pudding in each jar would give you 8 small breakfasts/snacks instead of the 4 – 1 cup servings.
For this recipe, I topped the chia puddings off with halved frozen cherries. You can store them in the fridge 4-5 days, but don’t be surprised when they disappear in a day or 2!
I’ve been on such a chia pudding kick lately that I’m probably going to wear you out with them, (that and zucchini noodles I suppose)! But… if you don’t mind too much, there will be a Mango Coconut Lime Chia Pudding heading your way in a couple of weeks, (as well as some more zucchini noodles – I just can’t help myself)!
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Sweet Cherry Almond Chia Pudding
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 4 - 1 cup servings of pudding topped with 1 cup of fruit for each serving 1x
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole sweet cherries, pitted (fresh or frozen) weighing 10 ounces
- 1 – 13.5 ounce can coconut milk
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 Teaspoon almond extract
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 Teaspoon sea salt
- 3/4 cup chia seeds
- 1/2 cup hemp seeds
For Topping:
- 4 cups halved and pitted fresh or frozen cherries
Instructions
- Combine the 2 cups of cherries, coconut milk, maple syrup, almond and vanilla extracts, and sea salt in a blender. Blend until smooth.
- Add the chia and hemp seeds and blend on low just to combine.
- Pour into containers for storage in the fridge. I used 1-pint jars and filled them up halfway with 1 cup of chia pudding in each jar.
- Let the chia pudding set up for 1 hour in the fridge before topping with the fresh or frozen cherries. If you try to top the pudding with fruit right away, the fruit will sink into the pudding.
- The puddings will keep 4-5 days refrigerated.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
Hello Kari,
I am just so glad that I find your website 🙂
On the weekend some friends come to me and I wanted to cook something nice for them. But I’m still missing a great dessert idea. But I have just found this here by you.
Many thanks for the great inspiration 🙂
I will buy everything today!
My friends love Chia seeds 🙂
I also think your blog is very great! I notice the love with which you write 🙂 And you have very beautiful photos. They make you really hungry 😀
I will give you 5 stars 🙂
Dearest greetings,
Nadine
P.S.: My English isn’t the best, but I hope it’s enough 🙂
★★★★★
Thanks so much, I really appreciate, and I sure hope you all enjoy this pudding!
THANK YOU! I made this for breakfast today and it’s SO DELICIOUS! And easy–which I need, haha! I was thinking perhaps I can freeze these–they should thaw alright, I think. What are your thoughts?
Also, I topped today’s pudding with sliced raw almonds right before eating–which added a great crunch and texture. I was thinking I’ll sprinkle some dried raw coconut flakes over the next one instead of almonds and see how that combination tastes. Thanks again!
★★★★★
I’m so glad you enjoyed, and I need super easy recipes too, life’s just too busy! I’ve never tried freezing chia puddings, so I have no idea how it would turn out.
This is AMAZINNGGGG!!! I love the cherry flavor (I used frozen btw) and I also love the addition of hemp seeds — so genius! I’m adding banana and cacao nibs to mine as a snack and it’s so tasty!!! 🙂
★★★★★
I almost always use frozen cherries too since we don’t get a very long cherry season here! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it, and I can’t wait to try adding some cacao nibs next time too!
This is amazing! I have quite the haul of cherries from the market so I was searching for something I could use them in. I didn’t have almond extract but even without it, the flavour is awesome!
I am so happy I came across your site, there are quite a few more things I will be trying 🙂
Thanks! 😀
This is always extra good when you have fresh cherries on hand! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, and I hope you’ll let me know how the other ones go. 🙂
Kari, are the chia seeds crunchy in the puffing it are they more gelatinous like tapioca?
It’s hard to describe, but I would have to say it’s like a combination of both. The chia seeds are lightly crunchy but not as crunchy as chips or nuts say, and they do get thick like tapioca but not with the same sticky consistency. I hope this helps, be sure to let me know how it goes or if you have anymore questions! 🙂
Hi Kari,
What’s your favorite brand of coconut milk?
I love using the Native Forest brand for any kind of dessert using coconut whipped cream because it’s the most stable and consistent with the amount of coconut cream in each can. The Natural Value brand is great for every other application that’s not whipped cream, and as a bonus there’s no guar gum in it. I always use the full fat coconut milk, (never the light versions) for a full flavor. Be sure to let me know how it goes and if you have anymore questions!
Hello Kari,
thank you for your quick answer. I did not know, that thr hemp seeds will help to thicken the pudding. At first I have to order new Chia seeds and then I will try it again. Which almond extract did you use?
Hemp seeds mostly add body to the pudding which makes it thicker, the chia seeds actually thicken the pudding when the release their gel (I should have clarified that in my last answer – sorry). For the almond extract I use the Simply Organic brand, they have all sorts of spices and extracts without any additives. Another thing that occurred to me is the greyish color of the pudding could have been because of the color of the cherries, mine had a real reddish color so my pudding came out pink/mauve but if the cherries were darker the color would be different. I really hope this goes well for you the next time, be sure to let me know how it goes and if you have anymore questions! 🙂
Last week I ‘ve made this Chia Pudding, but without the hemp seeds an instead the Almond extract I put Amaretto in. It was very delicous, but the next day, the pudding got a grey colour and seperatet in thick pudding and a fluent like water. Did I something wrong?
Sorry for my terrible english.
★★★★
It might have to do with an ingredient you used because I’ve never had these puddings separate. The hemp seeds do help to thicken the pudding a bit, so if you’re leaving them out it might help to add 2-4 additional tablespoons of chia seeds. It’s also really important to use canned coconut milk because it’s much thicker than the boxed kind. If this doesn’t answer your question, be sure to write me back with some more details so we can get to the bottom of this!
Is there any good substitute for canned coconut milk that you can recommend. I love it, but my husband is allergic to coconut.
I would try using almond milk or cashew milk for a replacement, I’m not sure exactly how it would taste but that’s the best place to start. You might need to add more chia seeds depending on what kind of milk you end up using, after they’ve sat in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, see what kind of consistency they are. If they’re a bit thin, add some more chia seeds to make the puddings thicker. Hope you enjoy the recipe, and be sure to let me know if you have anymore questions! 🙂
Thanks Kari,
I will try cashew milk, great idea!
Let me know how it goes, I’m really curious how the flavors work together! 🙂
YUM! Chia seeds and cherries? I have to make this asap!
Chia puddings are the best aren’t they?!?
I feel privileged to have been a taste tester on this. Absolutely perfect in the balance of flavors. You would think that a whole teaspoon of almond extract would be overpowering, but it’s not. Throw some mini chocolate chips and you have dessert too! I’m going to make some this weekend. Looking forward to the next Chia Pudding.
Mini chocolate chips sound like the perfect addition!
Loving this! The combination of cherry and almond is always a favorite – and I just love the beautiful color!
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Thanks Annie, hope you enjoy it! It’s definitely been a new favorite for breakfasts and snacks!