A Key Lime Cheesecake Chia Pudding designed to help you hit your fiber goals while still enjoying the sweet tangy flavors you love.
Breakfast should be fun. Food should be fun. Nutrition should be included in that fun too. That is my philosophy. And if that means I can borrow the sweet tangy flavors of Key Lime Cheesecake and turn them into chia pudding, all the better.
Cheesecake is delicious on it’s own, but somehow it’s even better when infused with key lime. And I remember this flavor very distinctly as someone who formerly enjoyed it regularly at the Cheesecake Factory. So why not pull those flavors and make them something I could enjoy at the start of my day while also using it to hit my nutrition goals?
Why You’ll Love This Key Lime Cheesecake Chia Pudding
- A high fiber addition to keep in your fridge. Prep a batch to use for breakfast or to snack on. Each bite will help you get closer to your fiber goals.
- Easy to customize. Please note that ingredient substitutions are listed below. Feel free to use this as a template to build the chia pudding of your dreams using what you have on hand.
The Difference Between Key Limes and Regular Limes
Key limes tend to be much smaller than regular limes and may appear more greenish-yellow in color when ripe. These tiny limes also happen to be more aromatic, juicy and a little sweeter than regular limes, which is why they are a must in key lime pie preparations.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- High-Protein Yogurt/Skyr: I personally like to use either Oatmilk Skyr from Icelandic Provisions, Vegan Greek Style Yogurt from Kite Hill, or Soy Yogurt from Silk. The higher protein yogurts tend to be much thicker in consistency, which will in turn make the final consistency of the chia pudding thick and creamy as well.
- Key Limes: While you can use limes, I highly recommend either trying to find key limes at your local grocery store or using the zest of a regular lime plus bottled key lime juice from the brand Nellie & Joe’s which you can typically find in the juice aisle of your local market. If neither of those options are available, then use lime juice, but do note that the resulting pudding might be a little more tart, so adjust sweetener according to your taste to balance it.
- Soy Milk: This can still work with other non-dairy milks. If you are looking for something with similar protein, then try this with some pea-milk.
- Pecans: Provides a buttery flavor to the milk and crumble. Alternatively, you can use walnuts, or if you have a nut allergy, try roasted pepitas.
- Graham Crackers: I used the vegan graham crackers from Partake. Nabisco Grahams also happen to be accidentally vegan (always double check the ingredients in case a brand changes the ingredients it uses).
- Cream Cheese: Use the brand you love. I went with Violife Cream Cheese.
How to Make Key Lime Cheesecake Chia Pudding
Blend the cheesecake milk: Blend together the yogurt, cream cheese, pecans, agave, soy milk, and salt. Add in the zest of the 4 key limes (or singular lime if using), then add 2 tbsp of fresh key lime juice (or lime juice). Blend the mixture until completely smooth.
Add the chia seeds: Stir the chia seeds into the cheesecake milk. Cover and set for 10 minutes. Stir again to break up any chia seed clumps. Cover and place in fridge to set overnight.
Make the crumble: Add the crackers, pecans, dates, vanilla, and salt to a mini food processor and pulse a few times until a crumb-like mixture forms.
To serve: Choose a cup or bowl and layer a spoonful of the crumbs with a portion of chia pudding together as desired.
Expert Tips
- Adjust the consistency. This chia pudding is designed to be thick in texture. If you like your chia pudding to be looser, just add an extra splash of milk when serving or add an extra 1/4 cup of milk to the key lime milk mixture.
- If not thickening, you may have a batch of really old chia seeds. Older chia seeds tend not to gel as easily. If you can, make sure that the batch you have is not expired.
- Swap with a regular lime if you have a hard time finding key limes. While you might think it doesn’t matter, key limes are different in flavor to regular limes. As such, you may need to adjust the sweetness of your recipe if you swap for a regular lime.
- Blend up the chia seeds if you struggle with the texture. Blending them with the milk will yield a more pudding-like consistency if that is what you are after.
How long does chia pudding keep in the fridge?
My biggest recommendation, store the crumble and chia pudding in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days.
What You Can Add for More Balance
While this chia pudding might be filling for some of you on it’s own, you can always modify and add to this to hit your specific nutrition goals.
- More Protein: Try this with a higher protein milk like Silk Protein (13g of protein per serving) or West Life’s Smoothie Blend (16g of protein per serving) and/or higher protein yogurt/skyr like Icelandic Provisions Oatmilk Skyr or Kite Hill Greek Style Yogurt. You can add a scoop of protein powder that you love, but do note that it may make the final product more chalky in flavor.
- More Fiber: Add some of your favorite fruit! This pairs well with mango, blueberries, or strawberries to name a few.
- Turn Into a Side: Use a smaller portion of the chia pudding and serve on a snack plate with other fruits and veggies for fiber or pair with a higher protein option like tofu scramble.
Watch Me Make This Recipe
Recipe videos provide a general idea for recipe preparation. Please read the full recipe instructions and notes for the most accurate recipe results.
More Chia Pudding Recipes to Try
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Description
A Key Lime Cheesecake Chia Pudding designed to help you hit your fiber goals while still enjoying the sweet tangy flavors you love.
Key Lime Cheesecake Pudding
Graham Cracker Crumbs
- To a blender cup, add the yogurt, cream cheese, pecans, agave, soy milk, and salt. Add in the zest of the 4 key limes (or singular lime if using), then add 2 tbsp of fresh key lime juice (or lime juice). Blend the mixture until completely smooth. Taste the cheesecake milk and adjust to suit your taste. If too tart, add a little more sweetener. If not tart enough, add a little more juice.
- Stir the chia seeds into the cheesecake milk. Cover and allow to set for 10 minutes. Give the mixture another stir to break up any chia seed clumps. Cover again, and place into the fridge to set overnight.
- Use a mini food processor to make the crumbs. Add the crackers, pecans, dates, vanilla, and salt, then pulse a few times until you are left with an even crumb-like mixture.
- When ready to serve, choose a cup or bowl and layer a spoonful of the crumbs with a portion of chia pudding together as desired.
Notes
Adjust the consistency. This chia pudding is designed to be thick in texture. If you like your chia pudding to be looser, just add an extra splash of milk when serving or add an extra 1/4 cup of milk to the key lime milk mixture.
If not thickening, you may have a batch of really old chia seeds. Older chia seeds tend not to gel as easily. If you can, make sure that the batch you have is not expired.
Swap with a regular lime if you have a hard time finding key limes. While you might think it doesn’t matter, key limes are different in flavor to regular limes. As such, you may need to adjust the sweetness of your recipe if you swap for a regular lime.
When storing, keep the crumble and chia pudding in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Blend up the chia seeds if you struggle with the texture. Blending them with the milk will yield a more pudding-like consistency if that is what you are after.
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