These healthy chocolate overnight oats combine the two best meals of the day, for one unforgettably delicious dessert or filling breakfast treat!
Table of Contents
- Breakfast chocolate overnight oats
- Chocolate overnight oats health benefits
- Ingredients
- What type of oats do you use for overnight oatmeal
- Easy chocolate overnight oats recipe video
- Toppings for chocolate oats in a jar
- How to make overnight chocolate oatmeal
- Tips for leftovers and making larger servings
- Chocolate Overnight Oats Recipe
Breakfast chocolate overnight oats
Thick, fudgy, and ultra rich, this recipe will remind you of unbaked brownie batter.
Yet at the same time, it is packed with over ten grams of protein!
I first published the original chocolate overnight oats recipe close to a decade ago, and it has inspired countless others to create their own versions of the surprisingly nutritious morning meal.
Chocolate overnight oatmeal gives chocolate lovers like me a great excuse to eat chocolate for breakfast and still feel healthy.
In other words, this is basically my perfect breakfast.
Want more chocolate for breakfast? Make Chocolate Banana Bread
Chocolate overnight oats health benefits
Thanks in large part to the heart healthy oats and antioxidant rich cocoa powder, the recipe is packed with whole grains and nutrition.
It can be high fiber, high in iron and calcium, very high in manganese, and a good source of both vitamin B12 and vitamin E.
Depending on the specific ingredients you choose, the healthy chocolate overnight oats may also be low sugar or sugar free, cholesterol free, and low saturated fat.
The banana version offers a good source of potassium. And the entire recipe can contain under 250 calories with over ten grams of protein.
Ingredients
The recipe calls for rolled oats, cocoa powder, a pinch of salt, chocolate chips, sweetener, yogurt or banana, milk of choice, optional chia seeds and nut butter.
Cocoa powder – You can use regular unsweetened cocoa powder or Dutch cocoa powder. Or use hot chocolate mix and garnish each bowl with mini marshmallows to create hot cocoa oatmeal.
Want high protein chocolate overnight oats? Go with your favorite chocolate protein powder instead of the cocoa powder.
Chocolate chips – I like to throw in an optional few teaspoons of large or mini chocolate chips for added chocolate flavor and texture.
Alternatively, you may use a finely chopped chocolate bar in place of the chips.
Yogurt or banana – This ingredient adds thickness and creaminess, as well as extra nutrition, to the breakfast recipe.
For vegan chocolate overnight oats, choose dairy free yogurt or an equal amount of mashed banana or roasted mashed sweet potato instead.
Milk – Almost any milk is fine, including plant based almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, or canned coconut milk.
If you prefer to double the yogurt and skip the milk, this option is fine as well.
Salt – A pinch of salt adds depth of flavor to chocolate recipes. I recommend including just an eighth teaspoon for heightened chocolate flavor.
If you are on a low sodium diet or normally prepare salt free oatmeal, you can try leaving it out to see which way you like better.
Sweetener – Add sweetness to your chocolate brownie oatmeal with your family’s go to all purpose sweetener.
I am partial to pure maple syrup. Sugar or brown sugar, coconut sugar, honey, agave, or xylitol or stevia for a sugar free breakfast work too.
What type of oats do you use for overnight oatmeal
I recommend thick or old fashioned rolled oats for the best texture. Feel free to opt for either Scottish oats or Irish oats.
However, quick oats and instant oats also both work if they are all you have on hand.
If you experiment with steel cut oats, please let me know how it goes.
For gluten free overnight oats, look for certified gluten free oats at the grocery store. Or swap out the oats for an equal measurement of rolled quinoa flakes.
Readers also love this Brownie Baked Oatmeal
Easy chocolate overnight oats recipe video
Above, watch the step by step video.
You can actually make the entire chocolate recipe in less time than it takes to watch this twenty five second video.
Talk about fast food!
Toppings for chocolate oats in a jar
To thicken the texture and add protein, calcium, iron, B vitamins and minerals, stir a spoonful of superfood chia seeds in with the yogurt.
As a chocolate peanut butter cup lover, I often also stir in a tablespoon of peanut butter. Or add a spoonful of melted coconut oil for richness.
Fresh fruit makes a wonderful topping to overnight oats. Try fresh raspberries, cherries, strawberries, sliced bananas, or blueberries.
Other add ins or toppings you may wish to try include raisins, shredded coconut, hemp seeds, mini chocolate chips, or a drizzle of chocolate syrup or almond butter.
Or create dessert oatmeal with Banana Ice Cream or Coconut Ice Cream.
How to make overnight chocolate oatmeal
This chocolate brownie flavored recipe comes together with just a few simple steps.
Start by layering all of the ingredients into a mason jar or lidded container.
You can either add the yogurt now or wait until the next day.
Screw the lid on very tightly, and shake well.
Place the jar in the refrigerator, and refrigerate overnight or for at least six hours.
The next morning, simply unscrew the lid and garnish with chocolate chips and fresh berries or banana if you wish.
Then serve with a spoon and enjoy.
If you prefer hot overnight oats, heat them up in a microwave safe dish or transfer to a small saucepan and heat on the stove top.
Possibly out of laziness, I like eating my chocolate oats straight from the fridge, whether in cold weather or warm.
Tips for leftovers and making larger servings
Those who are feeding a family or meal prepping for the week can easily take the oats from a single serving recipe to one that yields a more substantial amount.
Simply double, triple, or quadruple all of the ingredients and stir everything together in a mixing bowl.
Then distribute the chocolate oats evenly into mason jars, covered bowls, or storage meal prep containers.
Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to five days. Or store in the freezer and thaw before reheating and serving.
The recipe was adapted from these Overnight Oats and my Chocolate Baked Oats.
Chocolate Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder or chocolate protein powder
- 1 tbsp chocolate chips (optional)
- 2 tsp chia seeds (optional)
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup milk of choice
- 1 tbsp almond butter or peanut butter (optional for richer flavor)
- 1/2 cup yogurt or mashed banana
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup or sweetener of choice to taste
Instructions
- To make chocolate overnight oats, add all ingredients to a mason jar or lidded container and stir. (You can either add the yogurt now or when ready to eat.) Seal the lid tightly. Shake to evenly combine all ingredients. Transfer to the refrigerator, and let sit overnight. The next day, simply take off the lid and breakfast is ready! Or if you prefer hot overnight oats to cold, you can heat it up in a microwave safe bowl or small saucepan on the stove top.View Nutrition Facts
Video
Notes
Healthy Dessert Oatmeal Recipes
Or this Peanut Butter Oatmeal
Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Hi Katie, how would you describe the consistency or texture of overnight oatmeal? I made some one time last year, but I remember the consistency being kind of strange so I never tried it again. It would be nice to have my oatmeal ready to go in the morning so I really want to like overnight oatmeal!
(My favorite breakfast is your chocolate peanut butter cup baked oatmeal. I have that almost every morning unless I just need a break from the PB).
Hmm hard to describe. Kind of like the texture of yogurt mixed with the texture of a chewy oatmeal cookie.
I may have to give it another try 🙂 Thank you!
To me it’s a lot like pudding.
I like mine really thick and chewy! Especially the chocolate peanut butter. So yummy.
I only use 1/3 cup of oats with a scoop of chocolate protein powder and a small amount of the unsweetened almond milk. Because of the thicker consistency I make mine in a bowl and spoon it into the jar. Add a sprinkle of dark chocolate chips.
The same for Vanilla with berries, I add a scoop of vanilla protein powder to 1/3 cup of oats and a small amount of the unsweetened almond milk. Chewy deliciousness.
No no Katie, smh means ‘shaking my head’!
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=smh
Haha recipe looks delicious anyway :p
xx
I was just about to tell her that also haha
It does look delicious! I may have to finally try the overnight oats
Haha I saw both entries. But I like “so much hate” better so decided to go with that one 🙂
Urban dictionary says it can mean either. Read other entries 😉
This looks amazing, Katie!!! Can you please tell me where you find vegan chocolate chips? Thank you!!!
Look for Enjoy Life brand. Delicious!
I know “smh” as “shaking my head”. 🙂 The chocolate overnight oats looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it! Thanks, Katie!
Gosh, that sounds perfect. Breakfast is the best and you’ve made it into some sort of dessert: you’re a hero! Would love to try this one 🙂
Would substituting flax seed instead of chia seeds work well? Or would it compromise the texture? What if they were ground?
It will definitely work! The recipe works with or without the chia. Flaxmeal might give a nice texture change.
Oh no, that somehow got left off when I transferred the ingredient list to the recipe-card format… Thank you so much for pointing it out. I just fixed the post. You can add any sweetener you wish – if you’d prefer to keep it sugar-free, you can use stevia or xylitol, or you can even stir in melted banana or date paste. Maple syrup is also really good. Amount will depend on your tastebuds and also if your yogurt is sweetened or unsweetened.
I definitely want to give this a try; it looks amazing! But is it OK to add greek yogurt in place of the plain yogurt? Also can honey be used as a sweetener? Thanks!
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Greek can be substituted. I used kite hill almond milk Greek yogurt.
Oh no no no, nut butter is NOT an optional ingredient. 😉 I am actually the total opposite where I LOVE my oatmeal hot, expanded in a bowl and soft! However, chocolate for breakfast? TOTALLY on the same page. I can pretty much have these oats any time of the day and be happy!
I always thought “smh” meant “shaking my head.” I guess it can mean either one! Lol, you learn something new every day.
My brothers think I’m crazy when I eat chocolate waffles or even just have chocolate chips in my pancakes. I tell them they’re the crazy ones! I can imagine their faces when they see me dipping into a big jar of brownie batter oatmeal!