• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Dianne's Vegan Kitchen
  • Home
  • Meet Dianne
  • Health Coaching
  • Cooking Classes
  • Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • Contact Me
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Meet Dianne
  • Health Coaching
  • Cooking Classes
  • Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Vegan Recipes

    Vegan Chocolate Cherry Chia Pudding Parfaits

    Published: Jan 1, 2023 by Dianne · This post may contain affiliate links

    • Share
    • Tweet
    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    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.

    Vegan Chocolate Cherry Chia Pudding Parfaits with text overlay

    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.

    chia seeds, almond milk, dates, cacao powder, cashews, vanilla extract, cacao nibs, frozen cherries

    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.

    pudding in blender

    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 pudding cups with mint, strawberries, and raspberries

    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.

    chia pudding overhead with spoons, cashew cream, mint, strawberries, and cacao nibs

    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.

    chia pudding mint, strawberries, raspberries, and cacao nibs

    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.

    spoon with chia pudding parfait

    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!

    chia pudding cups with mint, strawberries, and raspberries

    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.

    chia pudding with spoons, mint, strawberries, and raspberries
    Subscribe banner horizontal
    Chocolate Cherry Chia Pudding Parfaits square

    Chocolate Cherry Chia Pudding Parfaits

    Dianne
    Chia pudding does double duty as both breakfast and dessert! Made with cacao, cherries, almond milk, and medjool dates, these luscious vegan Chocolate Cherry Chia Pudding Parfaits are like heaven in a cup. 
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Refrigerator time 4 hours hrs
    Course Breakfast, Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 393 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 ¼ cups unsweetened, plain nondairy milk divided
    • 2 tablespoons raw cacao powder or cocoa powder
    • 4 medjool dates pitted, divided
    • ¾ cup chia seeds divided
    • 3 cups frozen cherries thawed, divided
    • ½ cup raw cashews
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 tablespoons cacao nibs

    Instructions
     

    • In a blender or food processor mix together 1 cup nondairy milk, the cacao powder, and one of the dates until smooth and creamy. Pour the mixture into a small bowl or jar, and mix in ¼ cup of the chia seeds until well incorporated. Cover and place in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
    • Rinse out your blender or food processor. Blend together 2 cups of nondairy milk, 2 cups of cherries, and 2 dates until smooth and creamy. Pour the mixture into a small bowl or jar, and mix in ½ cup of the chia seeds until well incorporated. Cover and place in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
    • Rinse out the blender or food processor. Blend the remaining ¼ cup of nondairy milk, the last date, the cashews, and the vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Pour the mixture into a jar or bowl and place in the fridge until ready to use.
    • When ready to serve, layer the chocolate pudding, cherry pudding, and cashew cream into bowls or serving dishes. Top with the remaining cherries and cacao nibs.
    Calories: 393kcal
    Tried this recipe?Tag @diannewenz on Instagram!

     

    chia pudding cups with cashew cream, mint, strawberries, raspberries, and cacao nibs

    More cherry recipes you might enjoy include:

    • Cherry Almond Smoothie Bowl
    • Chocolate Cherry Smoothie
    • Cherry Chocolate Overnight Oats
    • Chocolate Cherry Nice Cream
    two bowls of nice cream with cherries, and mint

    More chia recipes you might enjoy include:

    • Almond Joy Chia Pudding
    • Blueberries and Cream Chia Pudding
    • Overnight Oats with Mixed Berries and Chia
    overnight oats with strawberries, mint leaves, slivered almonds, and cacao nibs
    « Vegan Greek Frittata
    Smoky Kale and Chickpeas with Miso Peanut Drizzle »

    About Dianne

    Dianne Wenz is a Certified Holistic Health Coach, Vegan Lifestyle Coach, Plant-Based Diet Nutrition Specialist, and Plant-Based Chef, as well as the author of Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook.

    Subscribe banner horizontal

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Mary Ellen | VNutrition

      February 13, 2018 at 2:38 pm

      These look so delicious Dianne!!! Excited to give them a try!

    2. Dianne

      February 13, 2018 at 2:47 pm

      Thank you, Mary Ellen! I hope you enjoy them!

    3. Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day

      February 14, 2018 at 12:45 am

      These parfaits look fantastic, Dianne! I love how you made each layer with the So Delicious. I use Ibotta whenever I shop, so I'll be sure to pick some up and get the rebate.

    4. Becky Striepe

      February 14, 2018 at 8:31 am

      Dianne! These are beautiful! I love a parfait and have never made one with chia pudding for some reason. Something that needs to change!

    5. Dianne

      February 14, 2018 at 9:20 am

      Thank you, Amy! Enjoy it!

    6. Dianne

      February 14, 2018 at 9:21 am

      Thank you, Becky! I hope you get a chance to try it soon!

    7. Jenn

      February 14, 2018 at 5:39 pm

      These parfaits are beautiful! Gimme all those yummy cherries!

    8. Alisa Fleming

      February 14, 2018 at 6:00 pm

      What a scrumptious chia pudding idea Dianne! And I just picked up a bottle of that So Delicious milk beverage.

    9. Mel | avirtualvegan.com

      February 14, 2018 at 7:14 pm

      I just finished eating a chia pudding and now I want to go and make this one. They look so good and I love the cherry in there. I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of this So Delicious milk. It hasn't made it here yet!

    10. Dianne

      February 15, 2018 at 9:00 am

      Thank you, Jenn!

    11. Dianne

      February 15, 2018 at 9:01 am

      Thank you, Alisa! You're going to love the almondmilk!

    12. Dianne

      February 15, 2018 at 9:01 am

      Thank you, Mel! I hope you get the almondmilk in your area soon.

    13. Katie Koteen

      February 15, 2018 at 2:23 pm

      Such a great idea! I'm a sucker for the chocolate+cherry combo. Definitely making this soon!

    14. Dianne

      February 15, 2018 at 2:57 pm

      Thank you, Katie! I hope you enjoy it!

    15. Cadry

      February 17, 2018 at 9:20 am

      These parfaits are so pretty! Now, that's the way to start a day for sure. I agree that So Delicious products are guaranteed to be winners. I've seen these almond milks at my local Hy-Vee. I need to pick up a bottle!

    16. Dianne

      February 19, 2018 at 10:24 am

      Thank you, Cadry! I think you'll really like the new almondmilks!

    17. Sarah De la Cruz

      February 19, 2018 at 2:09 pm

      This looks fabulous! So pretty! Thank you for the So Delicious coupon too! Love their products!!!

    18. Dianne

      February 19, 2018 at 2:36 pm

      Thank you, Sarah! I think you'll really like the new almondmilk.

    19. Alocasia

      July 26, 2019 at 10:56 am

      Getting ready to make this and I notice that it calls for 3 1/4 cups almond milk, but after using 3 of the cups you say to use the remaining 1/2 cup of almond milk. Did you mean remaining 1/4 cup?

    20. Dianne

      July 26, 2019 at 11:00 am

      Sorry for the confusion! Yes, it should be 1/4 cup.

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Dianne in Kitchen

    Hi! I'm Dianne Wenz, a Board-Certified Health Vegan Health and Lifestyle Coach. I empower my clients to build new habits so they can reach their healthy living goals. I love to show others how easy it is to live a vegan lifestyle as well as how to cook deliciously easy plant-based meals. Contact me today to learn more and to schedule a complimentary breakthrough session!

    More about me →

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    The Big Book of Vegan Cooking

    Eating Vegan

    Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook by Dianne Wenz

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Meet Dianne
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer

    Updates

    • Get Updates from Dianne

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Health Coaching
    • Partner With Me
    • FAQ

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Dianne Wenz. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission is strictly prohibited.