My dad didn’t do a lot of the cooking growing up, but he did teach me a few recipes that remain nostalgic and among my favorites. You’ve read about his standing rib roast and his garlic mushrooms and spinach in Celebrations. But there was one I’d forgotten until recently — Chocolate Protein Overnight Oats! It all came rushing back to me when Ryan grabbed a container of chocolate Mush oats at the grocery store recently….
For a quick reminder as to why you may see a few grain-based recipes, have a peek at my welcome post when I started this new site HERE!
Dad’s favorite breakfast that he taught me growing up was a little unconventional, and tasted like a dessert. And it was so simple.
- A scoop of powdered Nesquik – you remember the one – the yellow container with blue fonts and the brown floppy eared bunny drinking out of an absurdly large cup with a straw
- old fashion quick cooking oats
- and a cup or so of milk
Protein overnight oats recipe
It wasn’t cooked, just stirred and eaten cold like cereal. I remember thinking it was the strangest concoction, but after the first bite I understood the hype. Looking back now though, uncooked, somewhat chalky oats do not sound appetizing. Not to mention the powdered cocoa mix had an array of ingredients my “now” body probably wouldn’t appreciate – carrageenan, soy, fortified vitamins, and sugar to name a few. Which is why I came up with this Chocolate Protein Overnight Oats recipe! It’s gluten-free, vegan, and can be nut-free, all while being a high protein, slow burn carbohydrate breakfast. And of course…it’s chocolate!
20 grams of protein
As I mentioned Ryan has been very into overnight oats lately. They’re convenient for him on a busy school drop off and work morning, and he loves adding various fruits and toppings to them. I sneak some extra nutrients in for him and the kids – including powdered probiotics from Seed, dairy-free yogurt, flax and chia seeds for fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, collagen, and sometimes a scoop of protein powder. The recipe as written here yields 4-6 servings. If you divide it into 4, each serving will have over 20 grams of protein, and if you divide it into 6, each will have over 15 grams of protein.
Are rolled oats gluten free?
As for the oats, I use organic AND certified gluten-free oats. Certified organic means they are free of pesticides and are not genetically modified. And the gluten-free certification is important because oats are often grown near wheat, or processed in facilities that have gluten so it’s best to be safe.
Gluten free oatmeal brands
For this recipe, I’ve been using Thrive Market’s rolled oats or Bob’s Red Mill.
What are sprouted oats
I have actually been able to tolerate sprouted oats in moderation recently. The brand I’ve been using is One Degree Foods and I’m so happy! The sprouting process makes the oats easier to digest. They don’t work well in overnight oats though from my experience, so I eat them warm.
Protein filled breakfast
Constructing this recipe couldn’t be easier. You really just mix everything up and pop it in the fridge to set up overnight! You can also feel free to customize and do a little trial and error to see which toppings you enjoy most.
And if protein-filled breakfasts are your thing, here are a few more recipes for you to try!
Gluten-Free Banana Protein Muffins
Blueberry Breakfast Sausage Patties
Purple Stuffed Breakfast Sweet Potatoes with Chicken Sausage
Shop the recipe
PrintChocolate Protein Overnight Oats
- Prep Time: 3 min
- Cook Time: None
- Total Time: 3 min + overnight
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: None
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 cups unsweetened cashew milk or full-fat coconut milk
- 1 1/2 cups (heaping) gluten-free organic rolled oats
- 3/4 cup plain dairy-free yogurt (I love CocoJune)
- 3 tablespoons white chia seeds
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened almond butter
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- dash of salt
- 2 to 3 tablespoons date syrup or maple syrup
- 3 scoops collagen peptides, optional
- Optional toppings : cacao nibs, chia seeds, berries, bananas
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, then portion out into 4 to 6 small jars. Cover and refrigerate overnight before enjoying. Store in the fridge for 10 days.
*22g protein for 4 servings, 15g protein for 6 servings
6/07/23
Chocolate Protein Overnight Oats
Made this yesterday and had this morning for breakfast. Very delicious. Oatmeal is the only grain I have and this was a great way to have it. I topped it with my usual hot oatmeal toppings of homemade granola, peaches and raisins. Yum!
I made this recipe and added two scoops of vanilla protein powder and 2 tbsp hemp hearts, then I served with two handfuls of blueberries. This filled me up for 6 hours. Tasted absolutely delicious!!!! Now I’m going to buy more mason jars so I can make other flavors of this for breakfast. Thank you, Danielle!
You’re so welcome and thank you so much for leaving this review!
Curious if anyone has tried warming this up in the morning? My kids generally prefer warm oatmeal but I love the idea of making ahead the night before!
Delicious! I wondered how the flavours would meld together and it’s wonderful. Will definitely be making again. Thank you.
I KNEW that if anyone could make overnight oats taste good, it would be you!! These are sooo delicious and the only time I eat oats in the morning and actually am satiated for a while. This recipe makes exactly 4 servings of 1 cup portions. My favorite so far has been using almond milk. Thank you for a new favorite make ahead breakfast that actually fills me up!