I make this overnight ube chia pudding with cottage cheese almost every week and it still feels like cheating. Two minutes the night before, zero effort the day of.
The cottage cheese was my own addition. Chia pudding alone never kept me full for long, so I started stirring in one tablespoon for protein. You can't taste it, but you'll notice it. Chia seeds are already high in fiber, so between the two, this breakfast actually holds.
The ube halaya gives it that creamy, nutty purple color that makes it look like way more effort than it is. Top it with coconut and fresh mango and it honestly feels like dessert at 7 AM.
If you're building out a meal prep routine, my ube pandesal is another easy one to make ahead.
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What Is Overnight Ube Chia Pudding with Cottage Cheese?
Chia seeds soaked in milk overnight turn into a thick, creamy pudding with no cooking involved. Stir in ube halaya for that sweet purple yam flavor, a little ube extract for color, and one tablespoon of cottage cheese for protein. That's really it.
Chia seeds are naturally high in fiber, and the cottage cheese adds protein that blends in completely overnight. By morning you have a filling, high protein, high fiber breakfast ready to eat straight from the jar.
If you're new to ube, my ube guide is a good place to start.
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Why You'll Love This
- Two minutes to prep - Stir, jar, fridge. That's the whole process.
- High fiber - Chia seeds are packed with fiber that keeps you full and supports digestion.
- High protein - One tablespoon of cottage cheese blends right in and adds a solid protein boost.
- No cooking required - The fridge does everything while you sleep.
- Great ube flavor - Halaya plus extract gives you a deep, rich taste that doesn't feel watered down.
- Meal prep friendly - Make two or three jars on Sunday and you're set for the week.
- Works as breakfast or dessert - Depends entirely on your toppings and your mood.
- Beautiful color - That deep purple looks great in a glass jar with fruit on top.
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need:
- Ube halaya is the heart of this recipe. It flavors the pudding and helps it set slightly thicker than plain chia pudding. Use a good-quality halaya that's smooth, not grainy. If you want to make your own, my 4-ingredient ube halaya is straightforward and worth it.
- Ube extract is what gives the pudding that deep purple color and punchy ube flavor. Add it a little at a time because brands vary in strength. Start with ⅛ teaspoon and go from there.
- Cottage cheese - Just one tablespoon stirred into the base. It blends in completely overnight and adds protein without changing the flavor or texture in any noticeable way. Use small curd for the smoothest result.
- Milk - Any milk works here. Whole milk gives a creamier result. Coconut milk makes it richer and adds a tropical note that pairs really well with the ube. Oat milk or almond milk work fine if that's what you have.
- Chia seeds - Use whole chia seeds, not ground. Whole seeds absorb liquid properly and give you the right texture. The ratio matters: 2 tablespoons of chia seeds to ½ cup of milk is what you need for a thick, spoonable pudding. Chia seeds are also naturally high in fiber, which is a big part of why this keeps you full well past breakfast.
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make It
- Mix the base Add the chia seeds, milk, honey or maple syrup, ube halaya, cottage cheese, ube extract, and vanilla (if using) to a jar or bowl. Stir well to combine, making sure the halaya and cottage cheese are fully mixed in with no streaks. Let it sit on the counter for about 10 minutes, then stir one more time.
- Refrigerate overnight Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but overnight is better. The pudding thickens as the chia seeds absorb the liquid. By morning it should be thick and creamy with a spoonable consistency.
- Add toppings and serve Spoon ube halaya over the top, add shredded or toasted coconut, and finish with your choice of fruit. Mango and banana are my favorites here. Blueberries work great too for color contrast.
The Right Chia to Milk Ratio for Chia Pudding
The chia to milk ratio makes all the difference.
For this recipe, use 2 tablespoons chia seeds to ½ cup milk for a thick pudding that holds its shape.
Want it thinner? Use 1 ½ tablespoons.
Want it thicker? Use 2 ½ tablespoons.
The cottage cheese makes it creamier and a little more substantial, but it doesn’t change the ratio.
And don’t judge it too early. After an hour, it can still look off. Let it chill overnight so it fully sets.
Rose's Top Tips
- Stir twice. Once when you mix everything together, and again after 10 minutes. Chia seeds sink and clump if you skip that second stir. Do it and the texture is much more even throughout.
- Use small curd cottage cheese. It blends into the pudding more smoothly than large curd. By morning you won't see it or taste it, just the protein doing its job quietly in the background.
- Taste the base before refrigerating. The flavor mellows slightly overnight, so if it tastes just right before it chills, it may taste a little flat in the morning. Season it slightly stronger than you think you need to.
- Use coconut milk for a richer version. Full-fat coconut milk makes this noticeably creamier and adds a flavor that works really well with ube. It also thickens up a little more than regular milk overnight.
- Make multiple jars at once. The recipe doubles and triples easily. Use the same ratio and just scale up. Having three jars ready in the fridge at the start of the week is genuinely useful, especially on mornings when there's no time to think.
- Don't skip the ube extract. The halaya adds flavor but the color stays muted without the extract. Even a small amount brings out that deep, vivid purple.
Variations
- Coconut ube chia pudding - Use coconut milk instead of regular milk and add a pinch of salt to bring out the coconut flavor.
- Layered parfait style - Make a plain chia layer and a separate ube chia layer, then pour them into a glass in alternating layers. Looks great in a clear jar.
- Matcha and ube - Make a small batch of plain matcha chia pudding and layer it on top of the ube layer. The green and purple together look striking, and the earthiness of the matcha balances the sweetness of the ube.
- Extra protein version - Double the cottage cheese to 2 tablespoons, or stir in a tablespoon of Greek yogurt alongside it. Both options keep the texture smooth and creamy.
Storage
Store covered jars in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keep toppings separate until you're ready to eat so the fruit stays fresh and the coconut stays textured.
This recipe does not freeze well. The texture of the chia pudding changes after freezing and thawing and it gets watery.
If the pudding thickens too much after a couple of days, just stir in a splash of milk and it loosens right up.
Recipe FAQs
You can, but the flavor and texture will be different. The halaya is what makes the pudding thick, creamy, and properly ube-flavored. You can substitute with ube powder mixed with a little warm milk to make a paste, but halaya is the better option if you can get it.
No. One tablespoon blends completely into the pudding overnight. The texture stays smooth and the flavor is all ube. You're really just getting the protein benefit without any noticeable change to the pudding itself.
For a thick, spoonable pudding, 2 tablespoons of chia seeds to ½ cup of milk is the ratio that works consistently. More chia gives you a denser result, less gives you something more pourable.
Yes, but give it at least 4 hours. Two hours won't be enough. The texture is better with a full overnight rest, but if you're making it for an afternoon snack, 4 hours gets you there.
The chia seeds clumped before they had a chance to hydrate evenly. This happens when you don't stir it that second time after 10 minutes. If it's already clumpy after chilling, use a fork to break up the clumps and stir in a splash of milk.
Yes. Oat milk, almond milk, and coconut milk all work. Full-fat coconut milk gives the creamiest result. Thinner plant-based milks may give you a slightly less thick pudding, so you can add an extra ½ teaspoon of chia seeds if needed.
Overnight is the most reliable. The chia to milk ratio for chia pudding needs time to fully absorb, and overnight means the texture is consistent and ready in the morning. Four hours is the minimum if you're in a rush.
Yes. Chia seeds are one of the better plant-based sources of dietary fiber. Two tablespoons contain around 10 grams of fiber, which is a solid portion of the daily recommended amount and a big reason this pudding keeps you full for hours.
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Overnight Ube Chia Pudding With Cottage Cheese
Equipment
- 1 Mason jar or glass jar
- 1 Measuring spoons
- 1 Measuring cup
- 1 Spoon or small whisk
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon chia seeds whole, not ground
- ½ cup milk whole, oat, or full-fat coconut
- 1 tablespoon ube halaya sweet purple yam jam
- 1 tablespoon cottage cheese small curd
- 1-2 teaspoon honey or maple syrup to taste
- ⅛ - ¼ teaspoon ube extract to taste
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract optional
Optional Toppings
- fresh blueberries
- Dried Shredded coconut
Instructions
- Add chia seeds, milk, ube halaya, cottage cheese, honey or maple syrup, ube extract, and vanilla (if using) to a jar. Stir well until the halaya and cottage cheese are fully combined with no streaks.2 tablespoon chia seeds, ½ cup milk, 1 tablespoon ube halaya, 1 tablespoon cottage cheese, 1-2 teaspoon honey or maple syrup, ⅛ - ¼ teaspoon ube extract, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Let the jar sit on the counter for 10 minutes, then stir again. This second stir breaks up any chia seeds that settled at the bottom and gives you a more even texture.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight. The pudding will thicken as the chia seeds absorb the liquid. By morning it should be thick, creamy, and spoonable.
- Top with fresh blueberries just before serving. Add an extra spoonful of ube halaya if you want it richer.fresh blueberries, Dried Shredded coconut
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Notes
- Stir twice. Once when you mix, once after 10 minutes. That second stir is the difference between clumpy and creamy.
- Use small curd cottage cheese. It blends in more smoothly. By morning you won't see it or taste it.
- Taste before refrigerating. The flavor mellows overnight, so season it slightly stronger than you think you need to.
- Coconut milk upgrade. Full-fat coconut milk makes this noticeably richer and pairs beautifully with ube.
- Make multiple jars. The recipe scales easily. Three jars on Sunday and you're set for most of the week.
- Don't skip the ube extract. The halaya adds flavor but the extract is what gives you that deep, vivid purple color.
- Storage: Keeps covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Add toppings just before serving. Does not freeze well.
