(This post may contain affiliate links. As an affiliate of Amazon and select brands, I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.)
Ready to dig into a delicious dish of cinnamon sugar chia seed pudding? This recipe is vegan, paleo, gluten free, grain free, nut free, and refined sugar free. And, it’s super easy to make sugar free or high protein. I like to enjoy this as an after dinner dessert or make a high protein version and enjoy it as a post-workout or mid-afternoon snack. Either way you make it, you won’t regret it. It’s the perfect autumn treat!
What ingredients do you need?
The ingredients you are going to need for the pudding are:
- chia seeds
- cinnamon
- pure vanilla extract
- dairy free milk
- sweetener of choice or vanilla protein powder
The suggested ingredients you’ll need for the topping are:
- apples
- dairy free yogurt
- more cinnamon

What sweetener should I use?
Some of my favorite sweeteners to use in this recipe include pure maple syrup, raw honey, date syrup, or vanilla protein powder. If you want to use stevia, that should also work (just use a pinch – it is super sweet!). See notes below for using protein powder.
High Protein/Sugar Free
To make the recipe higher in protein and sugar free, omit the sweetener and use vanilla protein powder instead to sweeten your recipe. I’ve used Organifi organic vegan vanilla protein powder in my recipe to boost the protein and lower the sugar. This protein powder is made with superfood ingredients and sweetened with monk fruit. It’s keto, dairy free, gluten free, soy free, and vegan (plus, organic and non-gmo). And, it’s made with only real ingredients you will recognize and can pronounce! If you want to try it out, use my code RUTHANNE for 15% off.
If you use protein powder….
If you use protein powder instead of a liquid sweetener, be sure to add an additional 1/4 cup dairy free milk to the recipe so the pudding is not too thick!

How many days will this chia seed pudding last?
Chia seed pudding will last about 5 days in the fridge, making it an excellent meal prep option! If you like to meal prep your breakfast and/or snacks, try making a couple servings of this pudding and storing them in separate glass mason jars in the fridge for easy grab-and-go breakfast or snack options. If I am making this for breakfast or a snack (as opposed to dessert), I like to sweeten in with vanilla protein powder instead of a liquid sweetener so that it is lower in sugar and higher in protein. I find this helps to make it a more satiating breakfast or snack.
What should I serve with my cinnamon sugar chia seed pudding?
You can serve this pudding with whatever you like! I personally love to top it with dairy free yogurt, fresh fruit, granola, and/or chopped nuts. You can also serve it with fresh whipped cream, ice cream, or really anything else. Give the recipe a try!

Ingredients
For the Pudding
- 1 cup dairy free milk
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup sweetener of choice (see notes)
For the Topping
- dairy free yogurt
- diced apples
- cinnamon
Instructions
- Add all of your ingredients to a high speed blender and blend until smooth (scrape down the sides of the blender with a spatula and blend again if needed until the pudding is completely smooth).
- Pour the pudding into 2 glass dishes and refrigerate for 2-3 hours, until chilled.
- Once chilled, top the pudding with dairy free yogurt, diced apples, and cinnamon.
Notes
*You can use maple syrup, honey, or vanilla protein powder to sweeten this recipe. If you use protein powder instead of a liquid sweetener, add an additional 1/4 cup dairy free milk to the recipe.