Skinny Pumpkin Spice Pudding is the close cousin of my Skinny Chocolate Mint Chia Pudding recipe—and she's arrived just in time for Fall! This vegan pumpkin spice pudding tastes like pumpkin pie in a cup.
It's smooth, creamy and just a little bit sweet with the help of healthy Medjool dates. In fact, there's nothing bad for you in this dessert, and a whole lot that's good—like fiber! Top it with some aquafaba whipped cream, and it's ready to serve.
Why I Love Chia Powder Recipes
If you've made my chocolate mint version of this pudding, you may recall that when chia seeds chia seeds are consumed as a powder, research shows they can help with weight loss. Hence, the name, 'skinny pumpkin spice pudding.' (You can check out the NutritionFacts.org video on the health and weight loss benefits of chia powder here: Do chia seeds help with belly fat?) Of course, you don't have to be on a diet to enjoy this dessert--this vegan pumpkin spice pudding is definitely for everyone.
What is chia powder, you ask? It's no more than our old friend the chia seed, ground into a powder. (Much like ground flaxseed.) You can buy chia powder or make your own by grinding it in a blender. (A food processor, spice grinder or coffee mill would probably work, too.) If you’re like me and always have chia seeds on hand, it’s simple to throw a handful in the blender when you want the benefits of chia, without their seedy/gel-ly texture.
This vegan pumpkin spice pudding is about the easiest dessert you can imagine, with just six ingredients and about 10 minutes to pull together. After a few hours in the fridge, you have a tasty, healthy treat. To keep things really simple and wholesome—and skinny!—I topped my pudding with a few tablespoons of non-dairy vanilla yogurt (I prefer the taste of cashew yogurt), and some vegan dark chocolate shavings. Pumpkin + Vanilla + Chocolate = YUMMMMMY!
With a dessert this tasty and healthy, why hold back? Feed this vegan pumpkin spice pudding to the kiddos, eat it for breakfast, and let your co-workers wonder how you managed to lose a few pounds while eating pudding every day.
Skinny Pumpkin Spice Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups non-dairy milk (use sweetened/vanilla for a sweeter pudding)
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- ⅓ cup chia powder (chia powder is ground chia seeds, see notes)
- 5 Medjool dates pitted and chopped (or other natural sweetener, see notes)
- 1 tablespoon Pumpkin Pie spice (use store-bought, or make your own with ground spices: ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon allspice, ⅛ teaspoon ginger, ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, 1 pinch of clove)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (you may omit if using vanilla flavored non-dairy milk)
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- Optional: Serve topped with non-dairy vanilla yogurt and vegan chocolate shavings (see notes)
Instructions
- Add the non-dairy milk, pumpkin puree, dates, chia powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a blender, and process until smooth, about 30 seconds.
- Pour the pudding into a container (or divide into 4 serving dishes), and refrigerate overnight or for at least 5 hours.
Notes
- It's easier for our bodies to absorb the nutrients in ground chia seeds, they keep you full longer, and it makes a creamier pudding! You can buy chia powder at some stores, or to make your own, grind whole seeds in a blender. For a sweeter pudding, use 1-2 more dates.
- It's easier on your blender if you soak the dates in boiling or very hot water for 5-10 minutes before processing.
- I think the best-tasting vanilla yogurt is made from cashews, and I like to use my vegetable peeler to make chocolate shavings.
Rae
This is really cool! I've never heard of chia powder before. The texture looks so different than normal chia pudding. Which is great for me because, I don't really like the texture of those all that much. Also, when making this do you need to add the salt?
elizabeth
Hi Rae! Thanks for the kind words! I was doing some research on chia seeds, and came across the study about chia powder on nutrition facts.org. I'd been eating chia seeds for a long time, but had no idea you could improve on them by grinding them into a powder. (Who knew!) I wanted to share this little tidbit, since I know so many of us eat chia. Also, like you, my husband doesn't care for the gel-ly/seedy texture of chia seeds. As for the salt--no, never! Salt enhances the flavor in sweet foods, but you can always skip it or just use less--even a pinch will have an impact. Take care!