Strawberries and cream chia pudding — cool, creamy, and just 1.5g net carbs — is my favorite keto breakfast when I need a break from eggs. Blend it up in minutes or let it set overnight in the fridge.
I started making this when I got tired of reaching for the same keto oatmeal and eggs every morning. Chia pudding takes about five minutes to throw together, and I always have the ingredients on hand. Heavy cream, water, strawberries, chia seeds, sweetener, vanilla, a squeeze of lemon, and a pinch of salt. That’s it.
The flavor here is all about the strawberries. I blend them with heavy cream and a squeeze of lemon juice, and the whole thing turns into this velvety, lightly sweetened strawberries-and-cream flavor that works for breakfast or dessert. Don’t skip the lemon juice. It’s a tiny amount but it really wakes up the berries. I’ve made this without it and the difference is noticeable, almost flat tasting.
What I love is that the chia seeds do all the work. They absorb liquid and expand into a gel, so you get a thick pudding consistency without any cooking. Blend everything together and eat immediately, or stir it in a jar and let the fridge handle it overnight. Either way, you end up with something that tastes like a treat but has 5.4 grams of fiber per serving. That fiber is why the net carbs stay at just 1.5 grams even though the total looks higher on the label. For a cold breakfast that keeps me full until lunch, I haven’t found anything better.
Flavor variations that actually work
I’ve stuck with strawberry for years because it’s what my family likes, but my readers have tested other flavors and I trust their results. One reader swapped the berries and lemon juice for unsweetened cocoa powder and a pinch more salt and said it tasted like a mug of hot cocoa turned into pudding. Her husband started requesting new flavors after that (matcha with a little more sweetener works too). Another reader blends in a quarter block of cream cheese to make a raspberry cheesecake version. I haven’t tried the cocoa myself yet, but the cream cheese trick works with any berry. If you want something in the same family, my keto chocolate mousse scratches that same creamy dessert itch.
For toppings, I keep it simple. A little whipped cream, some coconut flakes. Fresh strawberry slices on top look nice if you’re serving it to people, but when it’s just me on a Tuesday morning, I eat it straight from the jar.
This also doubles as dessert. I’ve brought it to family dinners served in small ramekins alongside homemade keto yogurt and fresh berries. Nobody asked if it was “healthy.” They just ate it.
Prefer a classic flavor? Try my keto banana pudding for the same creamy, spoonable, sugar-free treat.
Why chia seeds work so well for this
Chia seeds come from the desert plant Salvia hispanica and they’re a member of the mint family. I find that interesting, but what matters for this recipe is what they do in liquid.
They’re loaded with omega-3 fatty acids and pack 5.4 grams of fiber per serving in this pudding. On keto, that fiber is a big deal. It means the net carbs stay at just 1.5 grams per serving even though the total carbs look higher on the label.
The magic is absorption. Chia seeds soak up water at up to 12 times their weight, which is how they turn a thin liquid into thick pudding without any heat or gelatin. And because they slow digestion, I find this keeps me full well past lunch.
Use a blender for pudding in seconds
The fastest way to make this is to dump everything in a blender and blend until smooth. Breaking the seeds open forces them to release their thickening gel immediately, so you get pudding consistency in about 30 seconds.
A food processor works too. And if you only have an immersion blender, that’s fine. I told a reader recently that chia seeds don’t blend perfectly smooth in any blender. They gel more than they puree, so a few strawberry chunks from a stick blender won’t hurt the set at all.
No blender of any kind? Combine everything in a bowl and refrigerate overnight. The texture will be slightly different (whole seeds, chunkier berries) but it still tastes great. If you’re more of a warm breakfast person, something like almond flour pancakes might be a better fit on cold mornings. I rotate between the two depending on the season.
Meal prep and storage
This is my go-to low-carb meal prep breakfast. I blend a full batch on Sunday, pour it into four mason jars, and grab one each morning. The whole process takes about three minutes.
The pudding keeps in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. It actually gets better by day two. The chia seeds continue absorbing liquid, so the texture thickens up and the strawberry flavor gets deeper. By Wednesday, it’s at its best.
If you like having a rotation of cold breakfasts ready to go, I also keep keto french toast slices in the fridge for reheating and a batch of jello whip for when I want something different.
How to make this pudding
There are two ways to make this, and it depends on how much time you have.
For instant pudding, add everything to a blender and blend until smooth. The blender breaks the chia seeds open so they thicken the liquid right away. I usually pour it into jars and eat one immediately.
For overnight pudding, stir all the ingredients together in a mason jar and refrigerate. By morning, the seeds have absorbed the liquid and expanded into thick pudding on their own.
Key ingredients
Heavy cream or nut milk: I use heavy cream for the richest result. Unsweetened coconut milk or almond milk both work if you want a lighter version or need it dairy-free.
Strawberries: Fresh or frozen. Frozen berries blend just as smooth and I actually prefer them in summer because the pudding comes out colder.
Chia seeds: The thickener. These tiny seeds are mostly fiber and healthy fat. They absorb liquid up to 12 times their weight, which is what creates the pudding texture.
I like to prep a full batch on Sunday and keep it in the fridge alongside other breakfast bowl options so I can grab something fast all week.
Keto Strawberries and Cream Chia Pudding Ingredients
Step by Step Instructions
1
Get the blender
To a blender, add heavy cream or nut milk, water, strawberries, chia seeds, sweetener, vanilla extract, lemon juice and salt.
For this step
Heavy cream or nut milk
Water
Sliced strawberries (fresh or frozen)
Chia seeds
Sweetener (sugar free)
Vanilla extract
Lemon juice
Salt
2
Blend it
Blend until smooth. Enjoy right away with whipped cream and coconut flakes or store in the refrigerator for later.
Nutrition
Per serving: 1/2 cup
Calories
118
Fat
8.6g
Protein
3.4g
Total carbs
6.9g
Net carbs
1.5g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I freeze this as a frozen treat or ice cream?
I haven't done a full ice cream version, but when a reader asked me about this, I said it should freeze just fine. I'd pour it into popsicle molds or a shallow container and let it set for a few hours. The texture will be more like a fudgy frozen bar than scoopable ice cream since the chia seeds hold so much liquid. Let it sit on the counter for about 5 minutes before eating so it softens slightly.
How much fiber is in each serving?
There are 5.4 grams of fiber per serving. That's almost entirely from the chia seeds. I've had several readers ask me about this because the fiber line isn't always visible on every recipe card display. The fiber is why the net carbs come out to just 1.5 grams even though total carbs show 6.9 grams per serving.
Can I make a chocolate version with cocoa powder?
I haven't tried it myself yet, but one of my readers swapped the strawberries and lemon juice for unsweetened cocoa powder and a pinch more salt. She said it tasted like hot cocoa turned into pudding. I told her that matcha with a little extra sweetener works too if her husband keeps requesting flavors. If you try the cocoa route, I'd start with about 2 tablespoons and adjust from there.
Does an immersion blender work instead of a full blender?
Yes. I confirmed this for a reader recently. Chia seeds don't blend perfectly smooth in any blender. They mostly absorb liquid and gel up rather than puree, so their texture comes from soaking, not from being blended fine. If your strawberries end up a little chunky from the stick blender, that won't affect how the pudding sets in the fridge at all.
Can I add cream cheese to this recipe?
One of my readers blends in a quarter block of cream cheese to make a raspberry cheesecake version that she says is incredible. I think it would work with any berry. If you try it with the strawberries in this recipe, I'd blend the cream cheese with the liquid first until smooth, then add the seeds and berries. It will add a few extra calories and fat but the macros stay solidly low-carb. My yogurt fruit dip uses a similar cream cheese base if you want another option.
How many net carbs are in chia seeds?
One tablespoon of chia seeds has 6 grams of total carbohydrates but only 1 gram of net carbs because the rest is fiber. I use a quarter cup (4 tablespoons) in this recipe split across four servings, so the per-serving impact is minimal. My total for the finished pudding comes out to 1.5 net carbs per serving.
Can chia seeds cause bloating?
They can, especially if you eat a lot at once. I've never had an issue with the amount in this recipe (about 1 tablespoon per serving), but if you're new to chia seeds, I'd start with a smaller portion and see how you feel. The bloating usually happens because they absorb so much water and expand in your stomach. Drinking extra water alongside them helps.
Why is my pudding more like a milkshake than a thick pudding?
If you blended it and ate it right away, that's probably why. I blend mine and it's thick enough to eat with a spoon immediately, but if yours came out thinner, just pour it into a jar and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour. The chia seeds keep absorbing liquid after blending. Two hours in the fridge and it will be proper thick pudding. If you skipped the blender entirely, it needs a full overnight soak to reach that consistency.
Can you eat chia seed pudding on a keto diet?
Yes. My recipe has 1.5 grams of net carbs per serving, so it fits keto easily. Chia seeds are mostly fiber, which is why total carbs read 6.9 grams but net carbs stay at 1.5. I eat this for breakfast every week when I need a break from eggs.
Can I use heavy cream instead of milk in chia seed pudding?
Yes, heavy cream is exactly what I use in this recipe. I blend 1/2 cup heavy cream with 1/2 cup water and the pudding comes out rich and velvety at 118 calories per serving. Unsweetened coconut milk or almond milk both work if you want a lighter version or need it dairy-free.
This pudding was too sweet for me with the full quarter cup of sweetener. Cut it to half the second time and the strawberries came through a lot more. Only thing I’d change. I use heavy cream and it comes out thick. About 2 net carbs a serving so it works for my mornings. Start low on the sweetener and add more if you want.
I’ve got a bag of frozen strawberries and no fresh ones until I get to the store this weekend. If I toss them in the blender still frozen does that throw off how the chia sets up, or should I thaw them first?
The smell off the blender right after is sharper than you’d expect. More like strawberry jam than fresh fruit. I switched to frozen strawberries (thawed in the fridge overnight) a few batches ago and it was the right call. The flavor runs through the whole thing instead of concentrating in chunks, and the color comes out deeper. Takes an extra 30 seconds of blending to smooth out, worth it.
I get a week of breakfasts done in ten minutes. Blend, pour into jars, fridge. The blender is honestly why I keep making this over the stir-and-wait version.
The batch-prep thing clicked for me too. I do four jars on Sunday night and by Thursday I’m still pulling one out feeling way smarter than I should. Blender version holds up better, stirred ones start to separate and get a little gel-heavy by day three. Right call, Jessica.
Couldn’t get the texture right for the first few batches. On batch eight I ran the blender a full minute instead of stopping early, that did it. Sets up so much thicker.
The lemon seemed like a throwaway step but it really pulls the strawberry forward. I subbed full-fat coconut milk for the heavy cream (just what I had) and mine set up firmer overnight than the photos. I prefer it that way. Saving this for weekday mornings, no pan needed.
Yeah the lemon isn’t decoration. Brightens the whole thing. Coconut milk sets firmer than cream overnight, the fat structure is just different. I might test that version myself.
Tried like four or five of these and always got that gummy tapioca thing from whole seeds. Blending fixes it completely. Actual strawberry flavor comes through, and the texture is genuinely smooth. Didn’t know chia pudding could do that.
I’ve been making this on repeat since I found it. Only problem: hauling out the full blender for four servings. Would an immersion blender get the chia seeds smooth enough, or does it really need a proper blender to break them down? I keep thinking I could just blend it right in the mason jar and skip the cleanup.
Immersion blender is totally fine. Chia seeds don’t actually blend smooth in any blender! They absorb liquid and gel up from soaking, not from being ground down. Blend it right in the mason jar.
Swapped the lemon for lime and threw a small block of cream cheese into the blender on a whim, and it now tastes freaking exactly like strawberry cheesecake. Was not expecting that at all. The texture gets thicker too, holds its shape when you scoop it instead of pouring. Only thing: needs a little extra sweetener with the cream cheese in there, so taste it before you set it overnight.
My blender broke last week and I’ve been holding off until I can replace it. I do have an immersion blender though — would that blend the strawberries and chia seeds smooth enough, or does it really need a full blender? I’ve never made chia pudding so I’m not sure what it’s supposed to look like after blending. If the strawberries end up a little chunky, would that mess with how it sets in the fridge?
Yeah, the immersion blender works. Chia seeds don’t blend smooth anyway, they just absorb liquid and gel up in the fridge. Little strawberry chunks won’t hurt the set.
Made this for my husband only I substituted the berries and lemon juice for unsweetened cocoa powder and a pinch more salt. All I can compare it to is if you took a mug of hot cocoa and converted it into chia pudding!!! DELICIOUS!!! But……I have now created a monster as my husband is coming up with more flavor requests, lol..
This was so delicious! My whole family loved it. Last time I made it, I added the zest of one lemon. After placing in the refrigerator to thicken, I made the blueberry topping for the lemon blueberry chia recipe. Wow! This is going to be my 4th of July dessert this year!
I do have one question – why is the fiber macro not listed if it has 5.4g? And is that for one serving or 4?
I love your recipes. You’re my go-to for new meal ideas. Since I’ve only been keto for less than 2 months, your guidance has been invaluable. I’ve already lost 15 pounds!
I’m so glad you liked the recipe! I bet the lemon was excellent in this. I calculate net carbs by subtracting the fiber from the total carbs. You can find the fiber by subtracting net carbs from the total carbs. The macros are for 1 serving, but it makes 4 servings.
