The biggest mistake in making any kind of oatmeal is not adding enough liquid. And with chia oatmeal, you have to add even more liquid, since chia seeds require a healthy dose of moisture to taste good.

But most chia oatmeal recipes are simply a standard oatmeal recipe with some chia seeds thrown in. That’s not enough liquid… x2. Let’s see if we can do better!

The recipe in this post has you covered with two options:

The creamy version
The chewy version

Once you know whether you want your oatmeal creamy or chewy, you’ll know exactly how much liquid to add for the perfect chia oatmeal. Read on to figure out which one you prefer, or jump to the recipe if you’re ready to hit the ground running.

Chewy or creamy?

To help you decide whether you prefer chewy oatmeal or creamy oatmeal, here’s a quick rundown (+ a video):

Team creamy

Do you look forward to oatmeal from a fancy hotel breakfast bar? (You know, the kind you ladle out of a steamy chafing dish).
Are you constantly disappointed when you follow the instructions on the side of the oatmeal box?
Are you happy to sacrifice some chewiness in favor of more creaminess?
How do you feel about oatmeal with a silky, smooth, stirred-custard texture?
(+ more info on creamy oatmeal here)

Team chewy

Do you think hotel oatmeal tastes like it’s from a cafeteria?
When you follow the instructions on the side of the oatmeal box, are you usually pretty happy with the results?
Are you happy to sacrifice some creaminess in favor of chewiness?
How do you feel about oatmeal with a chewy, squidgy, bread-pudding texture?

Chia oatmeal topping ideas

Chia oatmeal really needs a little something sweet (but don’t forget a pinch of salt with all of these!). Here are a few of my favorite ways to serve it:

Brown sugar and cinnamon
Macerated strawberries
Cinnamon apples
Maple syrup and walnuts
Honey, berries, and butter

chia oatmeal with blueberries and cinnamon

Chia Oatmeal (creamy or chewy)

Print Recipe

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Yield: 2 small chewy servings, 2 large creamy servings

Ingredients

¾ cup old fashioned oats [75g]
Between 1 – 1⅔ cups water* [235g – 390g]
Between ¾ – 1½ cups your milk of choice* [180g – 360g]
1½ Tbsp chia seeds [15g]
¼ teaspoon salt
Toppings**

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Instructions

Bring the oats, water, milk, chia, and salt to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring every minute or so. Once it comes to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally. With the larger amount of liquid, this will take about 15 minutes***, until the liquid thickens and the oatmeal softens. With the smaller amount of liquid, this will take about 4 to 5 minutes, until the oatmeal thickens significantly.
Pour into bowls and let it cool off for a few minutes (it will thicken a little more after a couple minutes).

Notes

* If you are a fan of creamy oatmeal, use the larger amount of both the water and milk.

If you are a fan of chewy oatmeal, use the smaller amount of both water and milk.

Use whatever milk you’d like. I prefer using either soy milk or cow’s milk. In my experience, oat milk tends to be too starchy for making oatmeal. But any alternative milk will do.

** Topping possibilities:

2 Tbsp sugar + 2 to 3 tsp ground cinnamon + a pinch of salt
1/2 pint of strawberries sprinkled with 2 Tbsp sugar and a pinch of salt, left in the fridge for at least 15 minutes (up to the day before)
2 sliced tart apples simmered with 2 Tbsp sugar until the slices soften
A drizzle of maple syrup and chopped walnuts
Honey, berries, and butter

*** For the creamier, longer-simmering version, it will start out watery, and at a certain point it will noticeably thicken (e.g., the bubbles will get bigger), while still remaining very pourable and creamy. Leave it uncovered the whole time, and be careful not to let it bubble over. If you’re using a wide pan instead of a small saucepan, you may need to add a bit more water as it cooks (more water will evaporate from a wide pan).

Video note: You can find the video in the introduction to this blog post. If you don’t see it after scrolling up, please disable ad block and reload the page.