I make chia pudding all the time to have on hand as a snack or as a little dessert throughout the week. I usually do a simple vanilla version, or sometimes Iโll go heavy on vegan yogurt in the liquid for something that feels a bit more breakfast-y. This earl grey latte chia pudding is my latest flavour exploration! I love the fragrance of bergamot with robust black tea and a hint of vanilla.ย It works so well here!
Everything Iโve learned about making actually delicious vegan chia pudding, Iโve learned from Amy Chaplin, specifically from her first cookbook At Home In The Whole Food Kitchen. What differentiates an amazing chia pudding and a meh chia pudding is the consistency and flavour of the liquid. Your starting liquid should be quite thick and on the sweet sideโalmost the consistency of cream.
In this recipe, I make a rich cashew milk where the water is replaced by a big batch of strong earl grey tea. From there, I blend in vanilla bean paste, a pinch of salt, and some maple syrup. When tasting the earl grey cashew milk straight out of the blender, itโs going to seem a touch too sweet. I find with chia pudding and overnight oats (which typically feature chia seeds), the sweetness mellows over time as it sets and the chia seeds thicken.ย
Some tips for making Earl Grey Latte Chia Pudding:
- I used the Organic Bergamot Cream tea from Tea Sparrow in these photos. This particular tea has a full and lush bergamot flavour thatโs classic for earl grey, but also a warm vanilla aroma. Lots of tea brands make a similar creamy earl grey option with a hint of vanilla, which I recommend seeking out here!
- Also important to note: my tea bags have about 1 ยฝ teaspoons of loose tea per bag, so 4 ยฝ teaspoons total tea leaves. Adjust the amount of tea based on what brand you are using.
- I used dollops of Yogguโs super thick vanilla, coconut milk-based yogurt as a topping here. This step is optional, but if youโre going to go ahead with it, Iโd recommend finding a similarly thick and lush dairy-free yogurt.
I like to serve this with sliced strawberries because the tart and juicy flavour works really well as a compliment. Dollops of thick coconut milk-based yogurt and shaved chocolate add a bit more luxury and richness, which Iโm a fan of sometimes!
Earl Grey Latte Chia Pudding
Ingredients
Chia Pudding:
- 4 cups boiling water
- 3 earl grey tea bags, see notes
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours
- โ cup maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- ยผ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ยฝ cup chia seeds
To Serve:
- sliced strawberries
- thick vegan vanilla yogurt, optional (see notes)
- shaved dark chocolate, optional
Equipment
Notes
- Important to note: my tea bags have about 1 ยฝ teaspoons of loose tea per bag, soย 4 ยฝ teaspoons total tea leaves. Depending on your tea bags, you may have to go up to 4 bags.
Instructions
- Place the tea bags in a large liquid measuring cup or bowl with a spout. Pour the boiling water over top and give the tea a stir. Let it steep for 4 minutes.
- Once the tea has steeped, remove the tea bags and let it cool down considerably.
- Drain and rinse the cashews and place them in a high speed blender. To the cashews, add the maple syrup, vanilla bean paste, and sea salt.
- Pour the cooled earl grey tea into the blender. Blend the mixture on high until completely silky smooth, about 1 full minute.
- Place the chia seeds in a large bowl. Pour the earl grey cashew milk mixture over the chia seeds and whisk vigorously to mix. Cover the bowl and set aside in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but ideally overnight.
- Once the earl grey latte chia pudding is ready, it should be quite thick. Give it a stir straight out of the fridge. Serve it in small bowls or glasses with dollops of vegan vanilla yogurt on top, sliced strawberries, and shavings of dark chocolate.
Delicious flavor! Not quite the consistency I was hoping for, and a little too sweet for me. I found itโs better balanced with unsweetened yogurt or (I havenโt tried this yet but suspect) raspberries or other sour fruit on top. Next time I would add more chia because even after 24 hours in the fridge it was still soupy and I did whisk it pretty vigorously in the beginning and used brand new chia seeds to make it.
Oh wow โ this was spectacular!! It is bursting with flavour and so filing for breakfast. I halved the recipe, and it still turned out great. I did not have any yogurt, but peaches are in season here in the southern hemisphere, so I topped it with peaches and toasted almonds โ it was divine.
This is beyond delicious!! I canโt wait to make this recipe on repeat this summer. Thank you Laura, your flavors are always impeccable.
This is so delicious! It makes a big batch and I look forward to enjoying it all week for breakfast and snacks, but next time I might halve the recipe. I topped it with some supremed citrus and sliced almonds for crunch.
So glad youโre enjoying it, Abby!
-L
This is the first chia pudding Iโve ever actually enjoyed. I have tried several other recipes and been consistently underwhelmed. Iโve made this one several times this summer and have been topping it with fresh raspberries. I did need to add more chia seeds than the recipe called for, which just may be my personal preference on consistency or because my chia seed were pretty old (do they get less gelatinous with age, idk?)
Hi Lauren,
Iโm honestly not sure on the gelatinous powers of chia waning with age. From personal experience, I find that the more agitation you can work into them initially (by whisking vigorously with the liquid), the better. Thanks for leaving this kind review!
-L
Iโm allergic to nuts but really want to make thisโdo you have a substitution recommendation for the cashews?
I have just made this for the 3rd time. I love this recipe! I have made Amy Chaplinโs version a few times, but Lauraโs is A+. I highly recommend;)
I may be in the minority saying this but weight measures would be incredibly helpful for your recipes if ever possible. Theyโre vastly more accurate and so much easier to scale down for one person.
The perfect mid-afternoon snack on a hot day! Great with just some cacao nibs sprinkled on top.
This recipe is divine!! Will be making over and over.
This was absolutely delicious.
Iโm a big fan of earl grey and chia pudding and this combination is so tasty!
Thank you.
Hi Laura,
How long do you think this would keep in the fridge?
Thanks!
Hi Faith,
Up to a week! It will continue to thicken slightly.
-L
This is absolutely fantastic! I used macadamia nuts and used a bit less than what the recipe called for in cashews since macadamias are fattier. Worked like a charm!
Ooooh I bet macadamias were so good here! Glad you enjoyed!
-L
Laura,
If you donโt have vanilla bean paste, how much vanilla would you recommend?
Love love love your recipes!
Hi Barbara! I would use the same amount of vanilla extractโ1 tablespoon!
-L