Tiramisu Chia Pudding

This tiramisu chia pudding is going to hit all of those sweet spots! It's great as an overnight breakfast or even as a late-night treat.

If you know me, you know I love chia pudding! But, let's get real, eating the same thing can get boring.

That’s when I stumbled across a viral recipe on TikTok and thought, why not try it but give it my own twist?! A little experimenting later, I ended up with the creamiest and flavorful tiramisu chia pudding you'll ever try!

One night, Rita and I were lying in bed just scrolling through TikTok and I was telling her I wanted to try some new chia pudding recipes.

Our phones must have been listening, because not even 5 minutes passed and her FYP on TikTok was full of chia ideas! That's when we came across a viral Tiramisu Chia Pudding recipe with over 4 million views!

I’ve done the same with other super simple desserts, like my 3-Ingredient Keto Cheesecake, which came together way better than I expected.

I absolutely loved the idea. According to Healthline, Chia seeds are loaded with fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and protein! Now mixed with the sweetness of the mascarpone cream and the coffee flavor from the classic tiramisu recipe. A true heaven-made match!

So, of course I needed to try it but give it my own twist!

What You'll Need

Now, time to grab what you need to make this recipe! This does require a few ingredients but it's so worth it!

For the chia pudding:

• ¼ cup chia seeds (40 g) - I like to use whole chia seeds. They absorb liquid better, which helps create that pudding texture.
• 1 cup milk of choice (dairy or plant-based) (250 ml) - I've tried this with almond milk and whole dairy milk. But I feel like whole milk makes it creamier.
• 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup (30 g) - Honey is easier to dissolve into the milk, but maple syrup does add a deeper flavor, so it's up to your personal taste!

For the mascarpone cream:

• ½ cup mascarpone (120 g) - Make sure you get a high quality, full-fat mascarpone. I like to use BelGioioso Mascarpone, it's not the cheapest but it has that authentic flavor!
• ½ cup cold heavy cream (120 g) - It absolutely needs to be cold to whip properly or it won't firm up.

For the coffee layer:

• 3 ounces dry biscuits (ladyfingers or digestive cookies) (80 g) - I use digestive cookies just because they're thinner and fit nicely into jars. But if you want that classic tiramisu look and taste, go for ladyfingers.
• ⅓ cup strong espresso coffee, cold (100 ml) - Make sure it's completely cold before dipping the biscuits, or it'll melt the mascarpone cream on top!

To decorate:

• Unsweetened cocoa powder - A must to give that authentic tiramisu finish.
• Dark chocolate shavings (optional) - I usually also add these but didn't have any chocolate around, but they're not essential.

And we're ready to start making the best tiramisu chia pudding you'll ever try.

Not only is it one of the simplest recipes you'll find, but it's also the most delicious one. It has layers, the flavors just blend perfectly and don't even get me started on the creaminess!

If you love recipes that only need a couple of ingredients, you might also enjoy my 2-Ingredient Sweet Potato Pancakes. They’re so quick and easy to make.

How to make Tiramisu chia pudding

The chia pudding needs to rest for a bit in the fridge, so I like to make it the previous night or earlier in the day (depending on when we're planning to eat it).

Start by grabbing a medium bowl and add the milk and the honey. I feel like mixing these two first helps to dissolve the honey evenly. Next, I stir in the chia seeds.

Leave it alone for 10 minutes and then I come back and stir again. This helps to break up any clumps that might have formed!

Then, I cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight, depending on the time I have.

I prefer to leave it overnight, because by the next day, it's thick and creamy, like a real pudding, and the chia seeds are softer. If you don't have the time, 3 hours in the fridge is usually enough to achieve that similar texture (not as thick as leaving overnight but still good).

Now, let's move on to the mascarpone cream. Grab a mixing bowl and whip the cold heavy cream until it begins to hold soft peaks and firm up (be careful not to overwhip it!). Your heavy cream really needs to be cold for it to firm up properly.

With a spatula, I gently fold in the mascarpone and continue whipping at low speed until the mixture is smooth and fluffy.

Then, I like to transfer the mascarpone cream to a piping bag right away. It makes it much easier for layering it later.

Before I start to prepare the individual servings, I make an espresso and let it rest until it's cold. But you can also make a regular coffee for yourself and save some for now.

I spoon a layer of chia pudding into each glass, dividing it into two equal parts.

Then, I break the biscuits in half and dip the biscuits briefly into the espresso. Two or three seconds is usually enough, or they'll get soggy and fall apart.

Layer the soaked biscuits over the chia pudding. Now, I pipe the mascarpone cream on top of the biscuit layer. I like to add a generous layer, which is what makes it taste like a true tiramisu.

We're almost done now! I like to dust the top with unsweetened cocoa powder. Not only does it look prettier but adds that authentic tiramisu taste!

Sometimes I also sprinkle a few dark chocolate shavings but I didn't have any. And I also recommend you let it chill in the fridge for about 15 to 30 minutes before serving. It helps to slightly cool the mascarpone cream again and allows the biscuits to release some coffee flavor to the cream and the pudding.

This keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days. But it doesn't freeze well! We've tried it and it had lost that smooth texture once it was completely thawed (even if you do it overnight in the fridge).

Variations I’ve Tried and Tested

Like I mentioned earlier, I've made a few experiments until I got to this result. So, now, I'm going to share with you some variations I've tried that also worked well:

• Extra Chocolate Layer - For a deeper chocolate flavor and an extra crunch, I've added some dark chocolate shavings between the cream and the biscuits.
• Remove the caffeine - Whenever we have a family-dinner and for a more kid-friendly version, I make some jars without the coffee. I mix some milk with one tablespoon of cocoa powder to dip the biscuits. Still tastes just as good!
• Make it Dairy-free - To make sure this recipe can also be made as dairy-free I tried it with a plant-based cream cheese (I like the one from Kite Hill's brand) and switched the heavy cream for cold coconut cream! Used almond milk and voilà, worked just fine! Similar texture and similar flavor as well.
• Make it Gluten-free - This switch is super easy. The only ingredient with gluten in it are the digestive biscuits so all you need to do is swap the digestive cookies or the ladyfingers for a gluten-free option!

But if you’re looking for a naturally gluten-free treat, you need to see Rita's Italian Gluten-Free Almond Orange Cake. It's a winner at our house.

Mistakes to Avoid When Making Tiramisu Chia Pudding

But, not everything went smooth and I didn’t get it right at the first try. So, let me share with you some mistakes I've made so you don't have to waste any food and even time!

• Low-fat mascarpone - Remember when I talked about high-fat mascarpone? Yep. That's an essential. I've tested it with a low-fat version and the cream turned out runny and the taste was quite bland.
• Soaking the biscuits - I thought why not let the biscuits soak for 10 seconds to infuse more flavor? Well. Turns out they'll literally turn mushy and fall apart when you try to grab them.
• Using hot coffee - I was in a rush and decided that warm coffee was good enough. Again, I was wrong. When I was layering the jars, and the warm biscuits ended up melting the pudding and the mascarpone cream. A true hot mess!
• Using cream that isn’t cold - I once made this recipe using a carton that had just bought from Target. No matter how long I whipped it for, it stayed liquid. I had to throw it away and wait for the other cartons I had bought to get colder.
• Forgetting the second stir - The first few times I made chia pudding and I always ended up with clumps and I couldn't, for the life of me, understand why. Turns out chia seeds love to clump together, so that second stir after 10 minutes is the key to a smooth pudding.

Hope you enjoy this tiramisu chia pudding as much as we do at home! It's perfect for a meal prep, breakfast, sweet treat, and even as a dessert. I make it at least once a week, it's a staple on our weekly menu.

Let me know how it turned out for you!