Vegan Chia Pudding with Cherry Compote

Chia pudding with almond milk, layered with a delicious cherry compote, and all the toppings your heart desires. This vegan chia pudding parfait with cherry compote is so decadent, it’s hard to believe it’s healthy and vegan. Layer in glass jars for a stunning dessert recipe that is a crowd-pleaser!

Fruit and chocolate is the ultimate flavor combo.

Chocolate and cherry specifically.

So why not make it into a chia pudding?

This chocolate cherry chia pudding parfait is great for all occasions. It’s easy to make as a healthy dessert recipe or even a breakfast recipe. It’s filling thanks to the chia pudding, which tastes amazing paired with the cherry compote!

You can put it in small glass containers for the perfect self-serving sized treat (or even for breakfast!).

What is chia pudding?

Chia pudding is a vegan dessert or breakfast food made with chia seeds and plant milk. Not only are they tasty, chia seeds are a great source of vegan protein and are great for detoxing.

They make an excellent ingredient in pudding recipes because when mixed with a liquid (in this case almond milk), chia seeds become gelatinous and “pudding-like.” The consistency is similar to tapioca pudding, so there’s a fun texture along with the great rich and decadent chocolate cherry flavors.

How to make chia pudding from scratch

In a large mason jar (or any large jar with a lid) add the chia pudding ingredients. Seal the lid and shake well to combine. Place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or ideally overnight.

How to make cherry compote

Cherry compote sounds so fancy but it’s really so easy to make! There are only 5 simple steps to make the best cherry compote from scratch:

1. First, add frozen cherries to a small saucepan. Keep a few off to the side to use as garnishes, if you like.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together water and sugar until water is dissolved.
3. Add the water and sugar mixture to the cherries and heat on medium until the cherries start to bubble.
4. Reduce to low heat and let simmer until the cherries break down. This should take about 15-20 minutes as you continue to stir and mash the cherries.
5. Then stir in a small amount of corn starch to thicken the compote.

How to assemble chia pudding parfaits

It’s important to layer the chia pudding parfaits just right so that a) the individual sections stay as intact as possible and b) you get a little bit of each component with every spoonful.

1. First spoon about 2-3 tablespoons of the chia pudding into bottom of glass jars.
2. Then add a layer of cherry compote.
3. Add another 2-3 tablespoons of chia pudding.
4. Top with cherries and any desired toppings! I personally love almonds and cacao nibs.

Variations of this chia pudding recipe

• For my chocolate lovers out there, you can add a tablespoon of cocoa powder to the chia pudding recipe to make a chocolate chia pudding. This gives you all the black forest flavor, but with healthy vibes.
• Try substituting the almond milk with coconut milk for a slightly different (and tasty) flavor.
• The compote recipe can work with other berries too, so you can try raspberry or blueberry if you’d prefer.
• Top this chia pudding with granola, or chopped almonds for a delicious crunch!

Storage tips

All of the individual components can be made ahead of time and stored separately. Or you can assemble them, cover them with plastic wrap, and keep them in the fridge ready to go. Just make sure to add the toppings right before serving for the best results!

The chia pudding will keep well for up to 4-5 days. Homemade cherry compote will stay good in the fridge for 2 weeks. When fully layered these cherry chia pudding cups should be eaten with 4 days.

If you tried this chocolate chia pudding recipe, let me know in the comments below and share a photo using #mindfulavocado. I’d love to hear from you! Want to see more recipes? Let’s get social! CONNECT WITH ME on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest to see what I’m currently cooking up!

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