Apple Pie Chia Pudding (vegan)

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Hey Internet, can you believe it’s already fall?! The leaves are starting to turn here in Illinois and I’m loving the cooler weather even if it is raining a lot (my poor tomato plants).

I love apples. And vegan apple recipes. Have you tried any of my other apple recipes? For example my vegan apple pie baked oatmeal, Instant Pot apple butter (stovetop option too), apple juice-based vegan honey, and even my quirky vegan apple butter thumbprint cookies?

No worries if you haven’t. It’s still early in the season.

This vegan apple pie chia pudding is the perfect early fall treat. Satisfy those cravings for fall flavors without overheating yourself if it’s still hot where you are.

Loaded with tons of apple flavor and topped with a little vanilla vegan yogurt and caramelized apples, this delicious apple chia pudding might just be your new fall favorite.

Take advantage of all those inexpensive apples (and maybe some pick-your-own?) and make some delicious and healthy vegan chia seed puddings.

Speaking of which, I’m really amassing quite a few chia seed pudding recipes. Good thing they’re so healthy and fun to eat!

While it also makes a good dessert, I think chia pudding is perfect for breakfast. It’s healthy and it will keep you going for many hours. It gives me a lot of sustained energy, too.

Plus did I mention how healthy chia pudding is? Chia seeds are LOADED with nutrients like all your omega fatty acids as well as significant amounts of calcium, fiber, protein, iron, magnesium, vitamins B1 (thiamine) and B3 (niacin), phosphorus, and zinc.

Chia pudding is also great for meal prep so you can make a bunch of them at the beginning of the week and enjoy one each day. It is completely grab and go. This recipe is actually really EASY to meal prep since all you do is blend everything except the seeds, then stir in the seeds, and refrigerate. It will take you like 5 minutes. The only thing I would make fresh is those caramelized apples but luckily they only take a few minutes to make.

Why This Recipe Works

This apple chia pudding recipe is so easy it’s almost a non-recipe. BUT there is a specific amount of each ingredient so that’s why I am writing it all out. And obviously I really want you to make it!

First, we add all the ingredients to the blender (except the chia seeds) and blend until smooth. 

Can you blend the chia seeds? YES! If you don’t like the texture of the chia seeds, you can blend them into the chia pudding. I definitely recommend a high speed blender if you want a super smooth apple pie chia pudding.

Personally, I really like the texture of the chia seeds once they’ve expanded so I add the seeds after blending. Just stir them in, that’s all!

But back up for a second. Once you’re done blending but before you add the chia seeds, I want you to taste the mixture.

Is it sweet enough? If not, add another pitted medjool date or more of the sweetener of your choice (maple syrup, agave, vegan honey, etc.). You can even use stevia if you like the taste.

Does it have a strong enough apple flavor? Or cinnamon flavor? No? Add more of whichever one you like. If you want more of a pie flavor, try slightly increasing the vanilla extract by a quarter or half teaspoon (be careful not to add too much, it will give the pudding a chemical taste).

The idea here is to make an apple pie chia pudding that YOU like.

When you’re satisfied, stir in the chia seeds, add it to a container (jar, bowl, whatever you have), cover and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours.

Don’t like waiting? I get it. Check it at 1 hour and see if it’s thick enough for you. You can always put it back in for a little bit.

And then you eat! We love our apple pie chia pudding with a little vegan yogurt (we use vanilla flavored almond milk yogurt) and our caramelized apples.

But you could also add my coconut cacao granola or another granola, toasted coconut flakes, toasted pecans or walnuts, or fresh chopped apples or pears.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk of choice: It really doesn’t matter which kind you use. Just use something you like. Note that this amount makes a thick chia pudding, so use more if you like yours to be a little more runny. If you purchased vanilla flavored non-dairy milk, use slightly less vanilla extract.
• 2-3 Medjool Dates, Pitted: This will be your sweetener.
• ¾ cup unsweetened applesauce: You can use less if you like, but I love the apple-y flavor this infuses. If you bought sweetened applesauce, use less sweetener. Likewise if you have cinnamon applesauce, use less cinnamon.
• 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract: I recommend using only pure vanilla extract. Artificial vanilla is sometimes not vegan (made from a beaver byproduct!).
• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon: Add more if you like, but I’d start with less and add more only after tasting the blended mixture.
• 6 tablespoons chia seeds: White or black chia seeds are both fine.
• Vegan vanilla yogurt and a batch of my caramelized apples, for serving, optional

How to Make Apple Pie Chia Pudding

1. Note: This recipe makes enough for two servings. Halve or increase the recipe (double, triple, etc.) depending on how many servings you want to make at one time. Chia pudding lasts for 5-6 days in the fridge.
2. Add everything except the chia seeds to the blender and blend until smooth. (Note that if you don’t like the texture of expanded chia seeds, you can blend them with everything else.)
3. TASTE the mixture. If you like it, move on to step 4. If it’s not sweet enough, add another pitted medjool date or more of your chosen sweetener and blend again. You can also adjust the other items, like adding more vanilla or cinnamon as desired. Adjust until you are satisfied with the flavor.
4. Pour into 1 or 2 jars (I used these jars) or containers that you can cover and mix in the chia seeds thoroughly.
5. Cover and refrigerate your apple pie chia pudding for at least 1-2 hours. If you’re in a hurry, you can check it after 30-60 minutes and it may be gelled enough for your tastes. You can also refrigerate these overnight so they’re ready for you first thing in the morning.
6. Only make the caramelized apples right before serving for best results.
7. If you made two servings, divide the chia pudding between two bowls *unless you already divided it between two jars*. We love our apple pie chia pudding with a little vegan yogurt (we use vanilla flavored almond milk yogurt) and our caramelized apples. But you could also add my coconut cacao granola or another granola, toasted coconut flakes, toasted pecans or walnuts, or fresh chopped apples or pears.

Frequently Asked Questions

Pro Tips for Success

• Make sure to blend your mixture until very smooth. If your medjool dates are hard and dry, soak them in just-boiled water for 20 minutes then drain the water. They should be easier to blend after that.
• If your non-dairy milk is vanilla flavored, add less vanilla extract, blend, and taste. Add more if desired.
• Likewise, if your applesauce is sweetened or cinnamon flavor, add less sweetener or cinnamon, blend, and taste. Add more if desired.
• Taste the mixture before adding it to containers and mixing in the chia seeds. Now is a good time to adjust the flavors, sweetness, etc. 
• If you don’t like the texture of chia seeds, blend them together with the rest of the ingredients. Note that it’s better to have a high speed blender for this so you can get the mixture very smooth.
• Cover the pudding and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes to allow the chia seeds to fully expand. I like to wait at least two hours for a very thick chia pudding.

More Recipes Like This

Apple recipes are great any time of year, but especially during fall. A few of my favorites:

• Vegan Apple Cake
• Instant Pot Apple Butter
• Vegan Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal
• Apple juice based Vegan Honey
• Vegan Apple Butter Thumbprint Cookies
• Roasted Apple Brussels Sprouts
• Vegan Baked Apples with Candied Pecans and Tahini Dressing (coming soon in Plant Based Jewish Recipes Volume 2! Sign up to be notified when it drops.)

<3 Liz

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