Cinnamon Chia Pudding With Cacao Nut Butter (A High-Fibre, Make-Ahead Breakfast)

Jun 17, 2022

10 min read

Updated: 4 days ago

Some mornings need the decision of what's for breakfast made for you. This cinnamon chia pudding is preppred in the evening with coconut milk, warm cinnamon, protein and a spoonful of cacao nut butter, then left in the fridge to set while you sleep. It tastes like creamy dessert yet carries like a proper meal, with gut-friendly fibre and blood sugar stabilising protein so your morning starts with something delicious and intentional already waiting.

JUMP TO RECIPE

Cinnamon Spiced Chia Pudding Recipe with Cacao Nut Butter & Collagen by Eat Nourish Glow — Make-Ahead Breakfast Cinnamon Chia Pudding With Cacao Nut Butter by Eat Nourish Glow

Nothing about this high-fibre breakfast asks anything of tomorrow's version of you. The work happens the night before with a few minutes spared alongside cooking dinner. Whisk while the kitchen settles around you, and by morning the decision of what's for breakfast has already been made. That is the nourished way of eating during midlife: rhythm over rules, food that steadies the nervous system before the day has a chance to hurry it, and a morning that begins a little softer than it used to.

Why You'll Love This

dessert-soft creaminess — the recipe and ingredients that makes breakfast feel chosen, not endured
gut-friendly fibre — filling and steady without effort or having to overthink breakfast
reduces cravings, balances blood sugar — enough staying power to end the mid-morning dip
made tonight, enjoyed tomorrow — a few minutes in the kitchen and breakfast is already waiting
fridge-friendly all week — easy make-ahead meal prep with one less decision to carry

The easy recipe that turns meal prep into a small evening ritual, and one that moves the hardest decision of the day out of the busiest hour. A slower, fibre-rich breakfast shapes the hours that follow, the ingredients doing the quiet work, while the midlife body feel quietened and well-nourished.

A Slower Breakfast Changes The Morning

Fibre & Protein, The End Of The Mid-Morning Dip

Whisking Chia Seeds With Coconut Milk For Chia pudding

A rushed breakfast tends to be whatever is quickest: coffee on an empty stomach, a slice of toast eaten standing up, something grabbed on the way to the car. As midlife hormones begin to shift through perimenopause and menopause, your blood sugar and energy become less forgiving. The mid-morning dip arrives sooner and hits harder, usually with sugar cravings close behind. A jar waiting in the fridge changes the flow of the morning. There is no standing at the bench wondering what will last you until lunch, because the choice was made the night before, when there was room to make it more intentionally, and less reactive.

Fibre That Does Its Work Quietly

Steady blood sugar and bring more fibre to the first meal of the day. Chia seeds soaked overnight swell into a creamy gel, and that soluble fibre slows digestion, supports gut health and helps breakfast stay with you rather than disappear by ten o'clock. A minute or two of whisking in the night before is all it takes for a well-balanced breakfast to be waiting for the next day. By morning the chia pudding has set on its own, and the same ingredient that gives it that spoonable creamy texture is quietly delivering a hearty dose of fibre per serve.

Protein & The Mid-Morning Quiet

With just a scoop of vanilla protein, you can turn a creamy pudding into a filling, healthy breakfast made with real staying power. Protein and fibre together slow the pace at which a meal moves through, so hunger that stays quieter and energy that holds steadier until lunchtime. Nothing else needs to change. The morning simply holds you together a little better and a little longer before the reach for something sweet arrives.

Why Pleasure Belongs In Midlife Nutrition

A creamy chia jar is far easier to return to than a breakfast forced or eaten out of duty. This is where nutritional habits made with intention always tend to begin with food that tastes good. Food that fits the midlife rhythm of the week should feel like a small kindness, which is exactly why this breakfast recipe earns its place here. An easy make-ahead jar, a good dose of fibre and protein and a little pleasure provide the perfect midlife breakfast that steadies the morning before it begins.

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The Ingredients Doing The Quiet Work

There is something grounding about a recipe built from a handful of simple things: a tin of coconut milk, a jar of seeds, a warm spice and a spoon of something chocolatey. Each ingredient has its purpose, and none of them ask to be thought about too hard. The result is a deliciously healthy breakfast that tastes slow and indulgent while being built, underneath, around steadier energy and a happier gut.

Cinnamon, Chia & Coconut Milk

Coconut milk makes pudding that is rich, dessert-like in body, and chia gives it structure and fibre. The cinnamon provides warmth and is a spice long associated with steadier blood sugar. Together these ingredients create the gently, spiced creaminess that makes the whole jar feel like a small midlife ritual rather than a meal-prep task that has to be done. And that is the whole point of eating with more intention.

Cacao Nut Butter

Whisking raw cacao into nut butter takes less than a minute and rewards you with a glossy, spoonable chocolate spread made with healthy fats and a little magnesium. Once you try, you'll never go back; it's decedent and densely nutritious. Choose organic peanut butter for that classic nutty base or try almond butter for a softer and more earthy flavour; use whichever is already in the pantry. Any left over is divine spread on sough dough toast or spooned over fruit for a healthy snack.

Protein & Gut Support

Adding an intentional scoop of vanilla protein adds steady staying power to your breakfast while a scoop of prebiotic and probiotics support digestive health and the gut without changing the taste. Both are near effortless to stir in for the benefits and are the staples in the midlife kitchen.

Put together, these ingredients are doing more than their short list suggests. The chia and coconut milk set into something creamy and filling, the cinnamon brings the warmth, the cacao nut butter makes it feel like a treat, and the protein and gut support quietly carry you through the morning. Nothing here is complicated or hard to find, and most of it is probably already in your pantry. The recipe below is prepped in minutes, your fridge does all the work, and you wake up a healthy, high-fibre breakfast that tastes like gourmet dessert.

Cinnamon Spiced Chia Pudding

With Raw Cacao Nut Butter

There is something grounding about a recipe built from a handful of simple things: a can of coconut milk, a jar of seeds, a warm spice and a spoon of something nutty. Each one has a job, and none of them ask to be thought about too hard. The result is a healthy breakfast that tastes slow and indulgent while being built, underneath, around steadier energy and a happier, healthier gut.

Cinnamon Spiced Chia Pudding & Cacao Nut Butter by Eat Nourish Glow

Cinnamon Spice Chia Pudding

SERVING: 1 • PREP: 7 Mins • CHILL: 4 Hrs • 590 Cal • 14g Protein • 10g Fibre • 48g Fat • 13g Carbs

Ingredients

400ml can full-fat or lite coconut milk, shaken well*
3 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp Raw Cacao Nut Butter (below)
1 scoop Vanilla PROTEIN {collagen + WPI} or favourite vanilla protein
1 scoop REPAIR {gut + skin} or favourite prebiotic and probiotic blend
2 Natvia Sweetener Stix or 3 drops liquid stevia
1 tbsp Queen Sugar-free Maple Syrup, plus extra to serve
1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground

Raw Cacao Nut Butter

3 tbsp Mayver's Crunchy Nut Butter or favourite almond butter
1 tsp Chef's Choice Raw Organic Cacao
1–2 tbsp filtered water, a teaspoon at a time

Method

Whisk together the coconut milk, protein, probiotic blend, stevia and cinnamon in a mixing bowl until it forms a smooth, well-blended mixture.
Add the chia seeds and quickly whisk well to avoid clumping of the seeds.
Rest for 5 minutes to allow the seeds to swell, then whisk again so the pudding mixture forms an even, thick pudding-like consistency.
Chill the mixture in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours, overnight is best.
For cacao nut butter stir the cacao powder into the nut butter, adding water a teaspoon at a time until the butter turns glossy and spoonable. Use less water for spreadable, more for a runny drizzle. Keeps 4–5 days sealed in the fridge.
Serve by drizzling the maple syrup around the inside of a serving glass like a lowball glass, and then spoon in the pudding. Top with a generous blob of the cacao nut butter to finish.

*Lower Fat: for a more reduced fat version, swap for plant-based milk such as almond or oat instead. Nutrition values approximate based on the actual ingredient brands used.

The Nourished Edit

Kitchen helpers and products we actually love & use —

Serving Glass: Kmart Glass Jars for on-the-go or Coconut Bowls for more of a ritual
Must-have Ingredients: REPAIR {gut + skin} our preferred blend of prebiotics + probiotics
Worth Adding: Chef's Choice Raw Organic Cacao & Vanilla PROTEIN {collagen + WPI}

Editor's Nutrition Notes

Perimenopause and midlife are often the point where food needs to become a little more intentional. The things that once seemed incidental, like Vegemite toast eaten on the way out the door or coffee standing in for a first meal, now leave you wanting something more substantial. A little preparation, more fibre and enough protein to feel satisfied are the small shifts that add up across your week.

Health + happiness,

Emma Lisa xx

MIDLIFE NUTRITION PRACTITIONER

If you want a healthy, high protein breakfast? Make this Calm The Cravings: Cortisol-Lowering Breakfast Bowl Recipe recipe. It’s a healthier option that is still delicious!

This 10 Cortisol-Lowering Foods Every Stressed-Out Woman Needs is your got-to list for creating hormone harmony and cortisol balance in midlife.

Sugar spikes cortisol unnecessarily, so if you'd like to reduce your sugar intake, try my free 14 Day No Sugar Diet For Beginners (With Food List). You won’t even know there is protein powder in the batter as it comes out fudgy and delicious.

Running on empty? The try the Daily Reset: How To Lower Cortisol Naturally For Tired But Wired Women and restore energy, clarity and feel more like yourself in less than a day.

Your Midlife Refresh Continues Here...

FAQs | Chia Pudding For Midlife

Midlife Recipes & Hormone Harmony With A Women's Nutritionist

Is chia pudding good for perimenopause and menopause?

Chia pudding is a sensible food choice for perimenopause and menopause because it provides dietary fibre, plant-based omega-3s and, in this recipe, protein into one easy breakfast. These macros support steadier energy and digestion. It is a supportive midlife food and works best as part of an intentionally chosen menu across the week.

How long does chia pudding need to set?

Chia needs at least 2-4 hours in the fridge to hydrate all the way through, and overnight gives the creamiest, most pudding-like texture. The outside of each seed gels within minutes, which can make the mixture look ready long before the centres have softened. Whisking again after the first 5 minutes keeps the seeds from clumping at the bottom of the jar.

Is it safe to eat chia seeds dry?

Not really, chia seeds are best eaten after soaking. Dry seeds absorb many times their weight in liquid and, swallowed on their own, can swell in the throat and in rare cases cause a blockage. Soak them in liquid first, or sprinkle small amounts over foods that are already moist. Anyone with swallowing difficulties should check with their doctor first.

Will chia pudding really keep me full until lunch?

Yes, when you combine the fibre, protein and fat in this chia pudding recipe, it helps to slow digestion and keeps hunger quieter for longer, though everyone's body and morning are different. A purposeful protein base, a larger serve or a handful of nuts alongside, can help calm morning appetite on busier days.

Can you make chia pudding without protein powder or dairy?

Yes, you can leave out the protein in chia pudding, or you can swap it for a plant-based vanilla protein. The pudding itself will still be creamy and set, just with a little less blood sugar balancing power. Typcilally collagen and whey protein isolate blends contain dairy, so choose a dairy-free protein if needed for you individual needs.

Can you use a different milk instead of coconut milk for chia pudding?

Yes, you can try lower calorie plant-based options such as almond or oat milk, though the pudding may turn out a tad lighter and less creamy. Soy milk sets more thickly, while coconut milk gives the richest, most dessert-like result. Change it to suit your dietary needs.

Can you eat chia pudding every day?

You can enjoy chia pudding daily, rotating the milk, spices, fruit and toppings to keep things interesting and flavourful. Just remember, if your fibre intake rises, drinking plenty of water through the day is necessary and helps the fibre do its best work more comfortably.

How long does chia pudding usually last?

Sealed in an airtight jar in the fridge, chia pudding keeps well for 4–5 days, which makes it ideal for weekly meal prep. It is best to flavour it with tender fruits just before serving to avoid fruit going soggy during soaking.

Meet Editor In Chief & Midlife Nutritionist