Sometimes a recipe idea comes to me wildly out of season, and I have to wait months to share it… Today’s pumpkin cheesecake chia pudding was added to the testing list around spring of this year, and it’s finally time!!
I’m a fall girl through and through. As we enter September, I’m so excited to share everything I’ve been developing and testing (new series drops Wednesday!!). And I know… it’s still warm outside for many of you. I hear ya! While today’s recipe is giving fall energy, it’s also oven-free and served chilled.
✨ This one is straight from week one of the September Meal Prep Plan, which just dropped on Friday! Today is the first prep day of the month—grab the full plan here.
Chia pudding is one of my meal prep favorites; it comes together quickly and just has to chill to set—so easy!! This week we’re up-leveling our chia pudding with a little homemade cashew cream. This is what gives the chia pudding its “cheesecake” factor. It’s thick, creamy, and sweetened with dates.
You’ll need a bowl to soak the cashews in boiling water and a blender to make it creamy. Soaking the cashews softens them so they turn all buttery and blend lump-free into our delicious cream—it takes about 20 minutes to soak, so you can prep the jars in the meantime. If you need a nut-free option, read the swaps section!
I love saving time, energy, and money. I also love a good cup of coffee. That’s why Cometeer has become a staple in our freezer. Cometeer is an entirely new way to make coffee—every cup is precision brewed with 10x the strength, then flash-frozen into recyclable aluminum capsules to lock in peak flavor and freshness. Cometeer partners with award-winning roasters from around the world like Counter Culture, Onyx, and Proud Mary—the options are endless.
Using the capsules for my morning iced latte couldn’t be easier; I pop ice and milk into my glass, drizzle in some maple syrup, then finish it off with the thawed coffee capsule and a good stir—no fancy machine or extra coffee shop run needed!! The Double Take Half Caff, Fast Forward, and Big Red Train have been some of my favorites. And it’s Brian-approved, which says a lot since he’s our resident coffee snob... Build your own box or try out a curated one!
Today’s recipe is right from week one of the September breakfast and lunch meal prep plan. Every month paid subscribers receive a month-long meal prep guide including weekly recipes, grocery lists, prep day plans, and a follow-along calendar. Upgrade to paid today so you don’t have to think about what to make all month long.
pumpkin cheesecake chia pudding
serves 4 | prep time: 30 minutes | chilling time: 6+ hours
gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, vegan
INGREDIENTS
For the cashew cream (yields about 2 cups)
1 heaping cup raw cashews
3 large or 5 small pitted medjool dates
boiling water (about 2 cups)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (omit if cashews are salted)
For the chia pudding:
1 cup cashew, almond, or oat milk
15-ounce can pumpkin puree (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup vanilla protein powder
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (up to 2 tablespoons if you like it sweeter)
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
pinch of kosher salt
3/4 cup chia seeds
INSTRUCTIONS
Add the cashews and dates to a glass bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak for at least 20 minutes to soften. Note: If you do not have a very high powered blender, the longer you can soak the better!
Drain the cashews and dates, catching the water in a bowl to use for blending.
Transfer the cashews and dates, 3/4 cup of the reserved water, the vanilla, cinnamon, and salt to the bowl of a blender. Blend on high speed until thick but completely smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, breaking to scrape the sides once or twice and ensure everything is blended. Add additional water, 2 tablespoons at a time, if needed to blend smooth (I typically use about 1 1/4 cups of the water total).
Transfer one-quarter of the cashew cream (about 1/2 cup) to a large mixing bowl and the remaining 1 1/2 cups to a lidded jar. Refrigerate the jarred cashew cream until Step 6.
Add the milk, pumpkin puree, protein powder, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, and salt to the mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth. Add the chia seeds and stir immediately until incorporated into the mixture.
Evenly divide the chia mixture between four lidded jars and cover. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set slightly, then evenly divide the remaining cashew cream between the four jars, on top of the chia pudding mixture. Return to the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 more hours (or overnight) before enjoying.
STORE IT: Refrigerate for up to 4 days, keep refrigerated until serving.
recipe notes
Toppings: Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.
Cashew cream: Swap for 2 cups whole milk or low-fat Greek yogurt mixed with 1 tablespoon maple syrup and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Swap the cashew cream in the chia mix with yogurt too.
Protein powder: The vanilla protein powder helps add sweetness and boost the flavor. If omitted, the chia pudding will not carry the same sweet flavor—pumpkin is not sweet on it’s own. Supplement with additional 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup.
prepping
Sweet Potato, Maple and Sage Breakfast Biscuits: I couldn’t wait any longer to share fall recipes (sue me!). This variation of my ever-popular breakfast biscuits is dairy-free and a little bit sweet—pro tip: use maple breakfast sausage in place of the ground meat for maximum fall flavors.
Lentil, Chickpea, and Kale Chop: You know I can’t resist a good-all-week salad!! This fall chop has roasted veggies so the texture is on point. We’re also adding lentils to our sheet pan—if you’ve never tried a roasted lentil you’re in for a treat!! Grab the full recipe in week one of the September prep plan!
loving
Mini silicone spatulas: Earlier this month we asked everyone’s favorite underrated kitchen tool, and a shocking amount of you said mini spatulas!! I love this $5 dishwasher-safe set. They make popping egg muffins out of the tray super easy, and come in handy for scraping down a blender or food processor.
Stainless steel cleaner: I recently tried out this spray after seeing it around—it has minimal ingredients and nothing harsh, but gives my stainless steel some extra shine. Highly recommend if you pride yourself on sparkling cookware!
recommending
5-in-1 dress: Treading dangerously close into thneed territory here with this one, but you can’t deny that a five-in-one dress is cost effective. I wore it for a wedding last weekend and it was comfortable!! Currently $32 off in the app.
Greek Out: My friend Maria Koutsogiannis’s beautiful new cookbook is hitting the shelves on September 8th, and I couldn’t be more excited!( You can order it now and get it on your doorstep next Tuesday. After marrying into a Greek family, I can confidently say this book is going to be a new staple in our home 🤗
Can’t wait for you to prep this week’s breakfast, send your pics in our chat! If you want the full September meal prep plan, head here. We’re back Wednesday with a brand new series!!
Made this chia pudding and it’s so good! I’m not ready for summer to end but love pumpkin spice
she is so cute 🥰