Easy Chocolate Overnight Oats
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Eating chocolate overnight oats will feel like you are having dessert for breakfast. All you need is about 5-minutes of prep time the night before and in the morning you will have this decadent chocolate treat waiting for you.
How would you like to eat chocolate for breakfast? I certainly wouldn’t mind especially if it is chocolate overnight oats which is not only healthy but also soul-satisfyingly good.
Made with rolled oats, superfood chia seeds, milk and a hint of cocoa, this creamy chocolate overnight oats breakfast is the reason why you’ll want to get out of bed early. Take a few minutes the night before to prep it and have this no-cook breakfast treat ready for you in the morning.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It is a perfect make-ahead breakfast – requires only 5 minutes of prep time.
- It is made from healthy and nutritious oats that are high in fiber.
- Keeps you full for a long time which will lead to less snacking.
- It is chocolatey and healthy – what more could a girl ask for?
Shopping list (Ingredients & Tools)
Here’s where to get the ingredients and tools used in this recipe.
Note: Some of the links below are affiliate links which means if you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
List of ingredients
- Rolled oats (This brand is what I recommend)
- Chia seeds
- Milk – Dairy milk or Almond milk or Coconut milk
- Greek Yogurt
- Maple syrup
- Cocoa or Cacao powder, unsweetened
- Optional ingredient – Homemade hazelnut spread (I prefer the homemade one since it is low on sugar)
- Optional ingredient – Vanilla extract
- A pinch of salt
- Fruits of your choice – Banana, Raspberries or Strawberries are my go-to ones.
Tools
Any glass bowl which can hold between 8oz – 16oz works. Ideally, choose the one over 10 oz to give enough room to load up on fruits and other toppings.
- This mason jar is the one I have.
- Other options include these Weck jars which are wide-mouthed and gorgeous but a little more expensive.
Cocoa vs Cacao powder – which one is better?
I usually use cacao powder when possible and here’s why – Cacao powder is made by cold-pressing unroasted cocoa beans. This process involves removing the fat (cacao butter) without destroying its nutritional benefits. Cocoa powder, on the other hand, is made by roasting raw cacao at a high temperature which results in a loss of nutrients.
Recommended reading: Difference between cocoa vs cacao
How to make chocolate overnight oats
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Mix all the dry ingredients (oats, cocoa powder, chia seeds, and salt) in a bowl or a mason jar till they are well combined.
-
Add the wet ingredients – milk, yogurt, vanilla essence, and hazelnut butter. Mix well.
-
Cover and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours or overnight.
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Serve cold topped with a drizzle of maple syrup or honey and fruits of your choice.
Notes / Tips
- Cocoa powder doesn’t mix easily with cold milk. That is why mix the dry ingredients first till the oats are completely coated with cocoa. When you add milk to the mixed dry ingredients, the cocoa tends to blend in easily.
- Unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder is bitter. To cut down the bitterness and add a dose of protein, I have included homemade hazelnut butter (not Nutella) in this recipe. This helps to cut down on the sweetener such as honey, maple syrup, etc.
- Healthy tip: Instead of mixing in the sweetener when you are prepping it, drizzle it on top before serving. This allows you to cut down from 1 tablespoon of sweetener to 1 teaspoon per serving.
- This recipe can be easily scaled – you can make a week’s worth of servings at a time. My advice – add fruits just before serving because if you refrigerate oats with the fruits added in for more than 2 days, the taste will suffer. This is because fruits start to lose water and/or darken.
- The shelf-life of your overnight oats depends on your milk. So make sure to use fresh milk when possible.
Variations
- Replace chocolate hazelnut butter with peanut butter.
- Top with banana, strawberries or raspberries.
- Other topping ideas would include – shredded coconut, chocolate chip morsels.
- Black forest cake overnight oats – top with a dollop of whipped cream and cherries. Sprinkle it with chocolate shavings before serving.
- Tiramisu flavored overnight oats – add 1/2 a teaspoon of instant coffee granules along with cocoa or cacao powder while making the oats. Top it with some chocolate shavings and a dollop of mascarpone cheese. Enjoy!
Other breakfast recipes
Looking for other delicious and filling breakfast ideas? Here are a few breakfast ideas that will get your morning off on the right foot-
- Instant Pot Oatmeal – Make a quick and delicious breakfast with this easy and healthy Instant Pot Oatmeal Recipe. This creamy oatmeal is filling, high in fiber, and infinitely adaptable for every member of your family!
- Chia seed pudding– An easy and filling breakfast recipe makes mornings smooth and enjoyable. This simple Chia Pudding recipe can be adapted many ways to keep each breakfast fresh and fun!
- Egg Paratha– Put your leftover rotis or tortillas to good use and make delicious and filling egg parathas in less than 10 minutes.
- Coffee Walnut Smoothie– The perfect solution for when you are debating between having coffee in the morning or chugging down a healthy smoothie.
- Banana Nutella Smoothie– My kids love this delicious Banana Nutella Smoothie Recipe. It’s a healthy drink made from bananas and milk with a hint of Nutella and hot cocoa.
- Healthy Granola– Learn how to make this healthy and easy granola with your air fryer!
Chocolate Overnight Oats
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder or cacoa powder
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Wet ingredients
- 1.25 cups whole milk or almond milk
- 2 tablespoons Greek or thick yogurt
- 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ tablespoon hazelnut butter optional
Toppings
- ½ cup chopped raspberries or strawberries
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey
Instructions
- Mix all the dry ingredients (oats, cocoa powder, chia seeds and salt) in a bowl or a mason jar till they are well combined.
- Add the wet ingredients - milk, yogurt, vanilla essence, and hazelnut butter. Mix well.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours or overnight.
- Serve cold topped with a drizzle of maple syrup or honey and fruits of your choice.
Notes
- Cocoa powder doesn't mix easily with cold milk. That is why mix the dry ingredients first till the oats are completely coated with cocoa. When you add milk to the mixed dry ingredients, the cocoa tends to blend in easily.
- Unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder is bitter. To cut down the bitterness and add a dose of protein, I have included homemade hazelnut butter (not Nutella) in this recipe. This helps to cut down on the sweetener such as honey, maple syrup, etc.
- Healthy tip: Instead of mixing in the sweetener when you are prepping it, drizzle it on top before serving. This allows you to cut down from 2 tablespoons of sweetener to 2 teaspoons.
- This recipe can be easily scaled - you can make a week's worth of servings at a time. My advice - add fruits just before serving because if you refrigerate oats with the fruits added in for more than 2 days, the taste will suffer. This is because fruits start to lose water and/or darken.
- The shelf-life of your overnight oats depends on your milk. So make sure to use fresh milk when possible.
- Replace chocolate hazelnut butter with peanut butter.
- Top with banana, strawberries or raspberries.
- Other topping ideas would include - shredded coconut, chocolate chip morsels.
- Black forest cake overnight oats - top with a dollop of whipped cream and cherries. Sprinkle it with chocolate shavings before serving.
- Tiramisu flavored overnight oats - add 1/2 a teaspoon of coffee along with cocoa or cacao powder while making the oats. Top it with some chocolate shavings and a dollop of mascarpone cheese. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Approximate nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and can vary depending on the exact ingredients/brands used. If you have health issues, please work with a registered dietician or nutritionist.
