Vegan Chocolate Cherry Chia Pudding Parfaits

Chia pudding does double duty as both breakfast and dessert! Made with chia seeds, cacao, cherries, almond milk, and medjool dates, these luscious vegan Chocolate Cherry Chia Pudding Parfaits are like heaven in a cup. This easy recipe is vegan and gluten-free.

Chocolate Cherry Chia Pudding Parfaits

Chocolate and cherries are heaven on earth for me, so I pair them together frequently, especially in the summer when cherries are in season. I like the idea of having them for breakfast, because why not start your day with your favorite foods?

Since I’m not a morning person, I don’t like to spend a lot of time (or any time, really) making breakfast in the morning. The beauty of this recipe is that the components can be made the night before, and then the parfaits can be assembled in the morning. Dennis and I enjoy having these parfaits for breakfast, but they make a great dessert or snack, too.

What You Need

• Unsweetened, plain nondairy milk
• Cacao powder or cocoa powder
• Medjool dates
• Chia seeds
• Frozen cherries
• Raw cashews
• Vanilla extract
• Cacao nibs

See the recipe card for exact amounts.

How to Make Chocolate Cherry Chia Pudding Parfaits

This treat is easy to make, and it contains just a few ingredients. You just need to blend everything up, refrigerate, and assemble when you’re ready to eat! The chia seeds do their magic overnight in the fridge.

First you blend together the nondairy milk with the cacao powder, and one of the dates until smooth and creamy.

• Then you pour the mixture into a small bowl or jar, and mix in ¼ cup of the chia seeds until they're well incorporated. You cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
• Next you rinse out your blender or food processor, and blend together 2 cups of nondairy milk, 2 cups of cherries, and 2 dates until smooth and creamy. Once again, you pour the mixture into a small bowl or jar, and mix in ½ cup of the chia seeds until they're well incorporated. You cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
• Once again, you rinse out your blender or food processor. You blend the remaining ¼ cup of nondairy milk, the last date, the cashews, and the vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Then you pour the mixture into a jar or bowl and place in the fridge until it's ready to use.
• When you're ready to serve your parfaits, layer the chocolate pudding, cherry pudding, and cashew cream into bowls or serving dishes. Top with the remaining cherries and cacao nibs.

Chia Seeds

Chia isn't just for terra-cotta lambs! Those little seeds are actually nutritional powerhouses!

Chia seeds turn gelatinous when they’re mixed with a liquid. That gel can be used as an egg replacer, but it can also be the base of a delicious pudding. Because it’s so nutritious, it’s become a popular breakfast dish. Since it’s a pudding, it’s makes for a healthy dessert option, too.

Cacao vs. Cocao

Cacao is made my cold pressing raw cocoa beans. It’s said to have many health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease and lowering insulin resistance, and it's also a mood booster

Cacao powder can be pricy, although I’ve found it reasonably priced at Trader Joe’s. You can also buy it relatively inexpensively in bulk on Amazon. If you can’t find it, dairy-free cocoa powder can be used instead, but keep in mind that cocoa powder has been roasted at a high temperature and doesn’t have the same health benefits as cacao.

Medjool Dates

Medjool dates work better than other types in this pie, because they’re larger and chewier, with more of a caramel flavor. They’re softer, so they lend themselves well to raw dessert recipes like this one.

If you can’t find medjools, you can use deglet noors, but I would recommend soaking them for about 20 minutes to soften them up. Since deglets are smaller, you may need two or three more to get the crust to stick together.

Serving Your Chia Pudding Parfaits

These parfaits are a great make-ahead breakfast. I love grabbing one of the fridge in the morning. They also make a great dessert!

How Long Does Chia Pudding Last?

Because this recipe can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator, it’s a great make-ahead meal. It will last for about 5 days in the fridge.

 

More cherry recipes you might enjoy include:

• Cherry Almond Smoothie Bowl
• Chocolate Cherry Smoothie
• Cherry Chocolate Overnight Oats
• Chocolate Cherry Nice Cream

More chia recipes you might enjoy include:

• Almond Joy Chia Pudding
• Blueberries and Cream Chia Pudding
• Overnight Oats with Mixed Berries and Chia