This recipe for Easy Lemon Chia Pudding comes together in about 5 minutes! It makes a tangy, refreshing dessert or breakfast that works for keto, low-carb, Atkins, gluten-free, dairy-free, diabetic and Paleo diets.
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The recipe for Easy Lemon Chia Pudding
My goal for this recipe was to create a super-fast, easy breakfast that can be made in a flash, but still tastes amazing. I wanted all of you with crazy mornings to have a healthy breakfast waiting for you in the fridge.
With this recipe, you just have to whiz all of the ingredients together in a blender (or shake them in a jar), then pour the pudding into serving dishes.
Pop the puddings in the fridge in the evening and breakfast is waiting for you in the morning. I like to put this pudding in 1/2 pint (one cup) canning jars. That way, I can just grab one and go. Don’t forget the spoon!
This may be the fastest and easiest chia pudding I have on the site. It’s also one of the tastiest! Lemon chia pudding satisfies that craving for that sweet-tart lemon flavor we love! It’s refreshing and perfect for summer.
I love pairing this pudding with summer berries–strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries. You can put them on top, or layer them for a beautiful presentation.
If you prefer, you could add a touch of whipped cream (or dairy-free whipped cream) on top to make it extra special. Really, you don’t need anything on top. This pudding tastes great all by itself.
The inspiration
I was inspired make this pudding by a taste of my son’s lemon sorbet he got for dessert at a restaurant. The tiniest spoonful made my mouth explode with flavor. How good tartness can be!
I wanted to replicate that flavor in a keto dessert, but I really wasn’t in the mood to get out the ice cream maker. Sometimes, I need things to be easy. Since chia puddings are easy to make, I decided I would work to get that refreshing flavor in a chia pudding.
In the end, I used my recipe for Low-Carb Coconut Matcha Chia Pudding as a base recipe and altered the ingredients to make this lemony snack.
Are chia seeds good for you?
Yes! Chia seeds are loaded with fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They even contain healthy omega 3 fatty acids!
These little seeds are packed with calcium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus as well as some B vitamins. In addition, they contain anti-oxidants which help prevent damage to your cells.
Chia seeds even contain some protein! You can read more about chia seeds in this article about the health benefits of chia seeds.
How to make chia pudding
One thing I love about chia pudding is how easy it is to make. Simply put all of the ingredients in a blender, pop on the top, and pulse it a few times.
After the ingredients are mixed, pour the pudding into serving dishes or half-pint canning jars. Next, cover the containers and put them in the fridge.
Refrigeration time is important for this pudding. Chia seeds need time to soak up the liquid and turn the recipe into creamy, lemon pudding goodness.
Don’t have a blender? No problem. This chia pudding should come together just fine if you put the ingredients in a jar and shake it.
Carbs in chia seeds
At first glance, you may think this recipe is too high in carbs for a low-carb or keto diet. No worries! The carbs in chia seeds are almost completely made up of fiber.
Our own digestive system doesn’t absorb fiber. Instead, insoluble fiber helps move food through our digestive system and soluble fiber feeds our friendly bacteria that live in our guts. Meals with soluble fiber help the good bacteria survive and keeps them (and you) healthy.
In addition, the gut bacteria break down soluble fiber into short chained fatty acids. These special fats give your colon cells the energy they need to do their job.
Are chia seeds okay for a keto diet?
Chia seeds are a great choice for a keto diet. They help you get the fiber that can be a little harder to get in your diet when you’re watching your carbs.
One thing I love about using chia seeds as a source of fiber is that, unlike fruit, they have very little sugar to go along with the fiber. This makes them ideal for a keto diet.
Final words
I love eating this Easy Keto Lemon Chia Pudding for breakfast and as a quick snack. It’s super portable, so you can grab it on the way out of the door. If you love chia pudding, you should check out my recipe for Low-Carb Strawberry Cheesecake Chia Pudding and my recipe for Butter Pecan Chia Pudding Enjoy!
Annissa
This quick and easy recipe for keto-friendly pork chops includes a rich garlic chive cream sauce everyone will love! 🍋❤️😋
Easy Keto Lemon Chia Pudding Recipe
This recipe for Easy Lemon Chia Pudding comes together in about 5 minutes! It makes a tangy, refreshing dessert or breakfast that works for keto, low-carb, Atkins, gluten-free, dairy-free, diabetic and Paleo diets.
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut milk (the thick stuff) If it has separated, see tip in the comments.
- 1 1/2 cup unsweetened original almond milk
- 3 tablespoons granulated stevia/erythritol blend Twice as sweet as sugar (Pyure)**
- 1/2 cup chia seeds
- 1/2 cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
Instructions
Place all ingredients in a blender.
Pulse until blended
Pour into serving cups. Cover and refrigerate for at least 5 hours before serving.
Recipe Notes
While at first glance, this recipe seems to be quite high in carbs, almost all of those carbs are fiber. There is actually only 3 net carbs per serving.
*If your coconut milk has separated, pour it into a saucepan and heat it gently over low heat while whisking. This will help re-emulsify it.
**Do not use Truvia as the sweetener in this recipe. A few people have tried this and it prevents the pudding from setting properly.
Gotta love a dish you can have for breakfast AND dessert! Love that you made it lemony – never saw that ind of chia pudding before!
My first recipe with chia seeds kind of freaked me out because of how gummy they get, but then I realized that’s what made them so special. Your pudding sounds like a real treat and I think I’ve got all the ingredients I need for it! Yay!
Never thought of making lemon Chia pudding. This sounds awesome and love the idea of fresh berries with it.
Excellent recipe. I usually top it off with some pili nuts or almonds and a couple of raspberries or blackberries. The only sweeteners i can get in the remote part or South East Asia seem to prevent the pudding setting so I just use whatever sweetener is available and add it just before eating. Delicious!
Oh my! This looks so great! I’ve never made chia seed pudding, and have been considering it as a make-ahead low carb breakfast. Thanks for this great write up — I feel confident I can make this, and it not taste drab.
Chia puddings are my favorite go-to desserts and snacks. Using lemon as a flavor is an excellent idea as I enjoy chia lemonade makes perfect sense. Cannot wait to make this today!
I have diverticulitis n can’t have nuts n seeds is there anything I can use besides chi seeds?
Lisa,
I would hesitate to substitute something for the chia seeds in this recipe, but you might be interested in this lemon mousse recipe instead. It doesn’t contain chia seeds. You can simply leave out the strawberry portion or substitute blueberries (if they work for your).
-Annissa
Loved this. My only question is, is it supposed to thicken up much. Mine didn’t. Had a few berries on top. So good.
It is supposed to thicken enough that it should stay on a spoon. It won’t be as thick as traditional pudding (like the pre-made pudding cups).
-Annissa
Have you thought about using ground chia seed? I have seen many recipes with ground for a more creamy pudding for those who do not like the consistency of regular chia seeds
I’ve never done that, but it sounds like a great idea! Have you tried it? If so, how did you grind the chia seeds?
-Annissa
Can you sub heavy whipping cream for the coconut cream. I don’t like the taste of coconut.
Absolutely! Heavy cream would work fine.
Annissa
I made this tonight – only had erythritol so needed to adjust the recipe a bit as it’s not as sweet as stevia – just tasted it and it is so good! I just need to keep my paws off it until breakfast…
Made this yesterday, and had it for breakfast this morning. It was delicious. I will keep making this, thank you for a great recipe.
I think this is my favorite chia pudding ever! Glad you enjoyed it as well!
-Annissa
If unable to use almond milk, would cows milk work?
Yes. It should work fine.
Looks great. I cannot have sugar alcohols, can I just use plain stevia drops?
This recipe should work fine with plain stevia. Just use to taste.
-Annissa
If I want to substitute sugar with honey then will i get the same taste ?
You can use sugar and/or honey in this recipe. You will need to use more sugar to get the same sweetness as sugar is less sweet than Pyure. My advice is to start with you think is too little, taste and add a bit until it works for you. Honey would be delicious in this recipe.
-Annissa
The taste was delicious and creamy, but after 15 hours, the pudding didn’t fully set. Followed the recipe exactly but substituted Truvia granular sugar for the Stevia. All other Chia pudding recipes I’ve made stress a second stir; that is, combine the ingredients, and then wait 15 to 30 minutes after the initial mixing and stir again. I followed the blender method you suggest… Hmmm. It seems it can only be the Truvia or the blender that caused the soupy pudding.
I am not sure why this didn’t set for you. I’ve never had any issues with chia pudding not setting and I always use the blender. I suspect that either the substituted sweetener might have caused the problem, or perhaps there was a measuring issue. I would not describe the final pudding as “soupy”, but it isn’t as hard as a cheesecake either.
-Annissa
Good taste, in fact the second REALLY good Keto, gluten free dessert/breaky food I have tasted so far (first is the mug cake!) But so soupy I could just drink it with a straw. Followed recipe exactly except had to use Monk fruit erythritol and it was in the fridge overnight. Oh well guess it is my morning shake!
I’ve made this recipe several times and it has always set for me. I’m not sure why a few other people have had trouble with it setting. I would try adding some extra chia seeds to help it set.
Annissa
Annissa,
The can of coconut milk has 1 2/3 cup so I have 2/3 leftover. Any suggestions for another recipe?
Best,
Susan
You can use it up in my recipe for hot chocolate. If you want to use all of it, use it to replace all of the heavy whipping cream and a small portion of the almond milk. The coconut milk will give it a nice, chocolate-coconut flavor. You could also use it in my mocha smoothie recipe. Again, you can use any extra to replace a portion of the almond milk. Hope you enjoy these recipes too!
-Annissa
Can almond and coconut milk be combined in a recipe? Don’t know how to get rid of this itsy bitsy font in italics to boot!
I combine them both frequently. I find that the coconut milk adds creaminess to the recipe. Not sure where the font is that you’re talking about. Let me know because I’m having some work done on the site and it might be something I can change.
Best,
Annissa
I used 1 can coconut milk, omitted almond milk, and halved the rest of the ingredients so this would fit in 1 jar, added some honey to soften the sour and stevia flavor, so creamy and custard-like in consistency, served with a little yogurt on the side, was amazing!
Waited an extra day to see if it set up better. Nope, still goopy baby food. Used Truvia and using your recipe I had to use 9 packets! (each packet being 1 teaspoon! )
All in all I am adding nuts, or blueberry, cinnamon and cocoa powder.
Susan,
I’ve had one other person say that this pudding didn’t set for her and this person used Truvia as well. I suspect that substituting Truvia caused the problem.
-Annissa
OK Thanks. When I type, the itsy font is here but when printed on your blob its just like the rest of the fronts.
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Got it! Thanks for your feedback on the recipe. I just added a note to not use Truvia. Sweetener substitutions keep me up at night. You never know what will happen with a different sweetener.
-Annissa
I made it using Lakanto monkfruit and Erythritol sweetener and it set up just fine. Thank you for the tasty recipe; I just had some for breakfast. Lemon is my favorite! The small italic font is in the editing window. Because it is grey, small, and italic, it is a bit hard to read while composing a message on a tablet.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience with Lakanto!
Annissa
They are tricky aren’t they Annissa! I just ordered arrowroot because I want to make a recipe that calls for that rather than Cornstarch. Do you think that there is a big difference?
I think that arrowroot works similarly to cornstarch. Sometimes people use arrowroot because it’s grain free. I usually use xanthan gum or Glucomannan instead because they have fewer net carbs and people get upset if I use a starch, even if it’s a small amount.
-Annissa
Best chia pudding I have made, and I have made lots! I shave unsweetened chocolate curls over it. It tastes like lemon curd. So good and refreshing!
Thanks so much! Great garnish idea!
-Annissa
This is absolutely delicious. Was wondering why the chia seeds did not swell. I changed to coconut cream, otherwise all the other ingredients were the same…
Hi Jenny,
What sweetener did you use?
-Annissa
The flavor was great. I followed the recipe, but used 2 TBSP of Stevia. I refrigerated overnight in a glass bowl, and it didnt set.
It’s really strange how some people have trouble with this setting. I have made it several times and not had an issue. Someone mentioned that they had trouble with a certain brand of coconut milk. If it doesn’t set, you could add more chia seeds and that should help.
-Annissa
I made this and while it did not set up properly using the Lakanto monk fruit sweetener, it was absolutely delicious all the same. May have been my error, as I was trying to cut?the recipe in half. Anyway, I will definitely make it again! Thanks for the great recipe.
Thanks for your feedback. This recipe seems to be strangely sensitive to the type of sweetener. Did you use the pure monk fruit variety, or the monk fruit/erythritol blend?
Annissa
My Can of coconut milk isnt firm because I had just purchased it from the grocery store. Can you use liquid from can if not set up yet or does it have to be thick and firm to make the pudding ?
I would use it as it is. I say “thick stuff from a can” to differentiate it from the thinner coconut milk that is in a carton in the dairy section.
-Annissa
This pudding is a game changer for me.
I’ve never used chia seeds because I thought the photos of pudding looked like vomit. But I was desperate for something refreshing and filling. Wow! This is amazing.
I used SWERVE sweetener and it didn’t set very well, is Swerve similar to Truvia?
Hi Tracey,
Glad you enjoyed the pudding! I haven’t tried this with Swerve. This pudding doesn’t set super hard. It shouldn’t be liquid, but won’t be entirely solid either. I think the photo with the spoon accurately represents what it’s like. If you want it a little more solid, you could add a more chia seeds.
-Annissa
Hello, this recipe looks great. I am shopping tomorrow for these ingredients. This will be a delicious breakfast. I find chia pudding, in my opinion, has a high satiety factor and is filling.
Hello, I’m very excited to try this recipe. My only apprehension is I don’t love the texture of chia seeds. Do you think it would change the setting up of the pudding if I grind the chia seeds?
Interested in your thoughts.
Thanks!
Hi Patricia,
I think this recipe will still work fine, though I haven’t tried it. I am intrigued by this idea. If you try it, let me know how it worked. Also, I’m curious about how you grind the chia seeds.
-Annissa
This looks good! Thank you for sharing and taking the time to create the recipe. What size are your serving cups?
Thanks, Danielle! I used 8 ounce canning jars.
-Annissa
I think I figured out why this pudding has not set for some people – do not use Goya Coconut Milk. My local grocery was out of Thai full fat coconut milk so I grabbed Goya from the Mexican section. Tried the recipe twice and it just would not set. Today I was able to get some different full fat coconut milk and that made all the difference – super think pudding now. Great recipe – glad I stayed at it.
How long does this keep in the fridge?
Hi Linda,
I typically use the guideline of 3 days for leftovers. It may last longer due to the acidity, but I can’t really be sure.
-Annissa
Love love this recipe and mine turned out delicious. I doubled the recipe, and only had one lemon and a bunch of the small yellow key limes my neighbor gave me- so used those For the juice and added a whole vanilla bean, well because I was feeling wild. The sugar substitute I used was the monk fruit/Erythritol combo. Can not believe how great they turned out and love the low carb count and all the fiber.
Yum! I love the idea of using key limes!
-Annissa
Can I substitute coconut cream for coconut milk?
Yes. That should be fine.
-Annissa
Just made this 3 weeks into a Keto Diet. I am soooo appreciating this! Thank you for the great recipe.
Awesome! I’m glad it’s helping you make the transition.
-Annissa
I think that your nutritional software might have goofed …
Vitamin A 200% (4%)
Vitamin C 21.5% (26%)
Calcium 300% (30%)
Iron 2.2% (12%)
Those values don’t make any sense. Perhaps they should say:
Vitamin A 200IU (4%)
Vitamin C 21.5mg (26%)
Calcium 300mg (30%)
Iron 2.2mg (12%)
Potential nutritional info snafu aside, awesome recipe; unique and delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for pointing that out. My guess is that a recent update reset my options. I’ll look into it.
-Annissa
What can I use when I don’t like the taste of coconut
Heavy whipping cream or cream made from almonds.
-Annissa