Chocolate Protein Overnight Oats

These simple Chocolate Protein Overnight Oats take only 5 minutes to prep, making them a delicious, high-protein breakfast that’s perfect for busy mornings.

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Why you should make these Chocolate Protein Overnight Oats

These Chocolate Protein Overnight Oats are a great way to make mornings easy and satisfying. They’re packed with protein, fibre and omega 3s and the chocolatey flavour is completely customizable, depending on your preference!

With only 5 minutes of preparation the night before, your time in the kitchen in the morning will be minimal. No rushing, no extra dishes, just a quick, tasty meal that helps you get out the door faster.

Once you try these Chocolate Protein Overnight Oats, they’re likely to become a go-to in your breakfast rotation. They’re easy to customize with your favorite toppings, and give you something satisfying to look forward to each morning. It’s a simple way to bring a little more ease and flavor into the start of your day.

Ingredients needed

Here’s what you need to make these Chocolate Protein Overnight Oats:

• Oats
  • I prefer using large flake oats for overnight oats because they hold the texture better.
  • See alternative oat options below.
• Chia seeds
  • These gel up when they are mixed with liquid and they add some volume and extra nutrients to the recipe.
• Plain Greek yogurt
  • I recommend using Greek yogurt because it’s thicker and provides significantly more protein compared to regular yogurt.
• Milk
  • Milk makes this meal creamy and offers additional protein, fats, calcium and other nutrients.
  • Use your preferred choice of milk or plant-based beverage.
• Chocolate protein powder (whey protein powder or plant-based)
• Raspberries or strawberries
• Chocolate chips (optional)

Optional ingredients

If you want to make a few substitutions in this recipe, here are some suggested alternatives:

• Quick oats or old fashioned rolled oats
  • If you don’t have large flake oats you can substitute quick or rolled oats instead. I recommend reducing the milk by 1-2 tbsp so that it’s not too liquidy or mushy.
• Flavoured Greek yogurt
  • If you prefer a different flavoured Greek yogurt, you can use this in place of the plain Greek yogurt in this recipe. If you’re looking for a flavoured yogurt, I recommend vanilla, strawberry or coconut.
• Regular yogurt
  • Instead of Greek yogurt, you can use regular yogurt. However, this tends to be more liquidy than Greek yogurt so I recommend reducing the milk by 1-2 tbsp.
• Alternative milks
  • If you are looking for a higher protein option, I recommend using dairy milk or soy milk. Other plant-based beverages like oat milk or almond milk will still work in this recipe but provide much less protein.
• Blueberries or blackberries
  • Swap in your choice of berry to create your favourite flavour combination!
• Frozen berries
  • Instead of fresh berries, you can use frozen berries in this recipe. See my recommendations below on how to incorporate them.
• Nut or seed butters
  • Feel free to add a nut or seed butter (ex. peanut butter) into the mix for extra creaminess, flavour and protein.
• Alternative protein powder
  • If you only have unflavoured or vanilla protein powder, you can still use it in this recipe. Just add about ½ tbsp of cocoa powder to get the chocolatey flavour as well.
• Maple syrup, honey, vanilla extract, coconut flakes
  • Add any of these ingredients to increase the sweetness of this breakfast.

What protein powder to use

If you need help choosing the best protein powder for you, check out my blog posts on this topic here and here.

Protein powders vary greatly in texture, sweetness, aftertaste, etc. This could alter the amount of product you add to this recipe so feel free to play around with the ratios to find what works best for you!

How to make Chocolate Protein Overnight Oats

All you have to do to prepare these easy overnight oats is:

1. In a sealable jar or container, mix the oats, chia seeds, Greek yogurt and milk together. Stir well.
2. Place the mixture in the fridge for at least 1 hour, ideally overnight.
3. When you’re ready to eat, stir in the chocolate protein powder. Top with your choice of berries and a few chocolate chips (optional). Enjoy!

Tip: My favourite containers to store overnight oats in are mason jars or other glass jars with a tight lid. I have reused empty nut butter and salsa jars for this recipe. You just have to make sure to give them a good wash beforehand (especially the salsa jar)!

Personalize Your Overnight Oats

To make these high protein chocolate overnight oats your own, you may want to jazz it up even more. Here are some optional add-ins that you could consider:

• To add extra crunch and protein: top with granola, sliced almonds, chopped walnuts or pecans, pumpkin seeds or hemp seeds.
• To achieve a richer flavor, add an extra spoonful of nut or seed butter.
• For extra creaminess use a higher fat percentage Greek yogurt or milk.
• If you need some extra sweetness drizzle a bit of maple syrup, honey or your choice of sweetener.
• To save time and energy by making a double or triple batch in a large bowl and just scoop and go in the morning. Work smarter, not harder!

Whatever way you prepare it, I hope you love it!

Using frozen berries instead of fresh

If you don’t have access to good, fresh berries year round, you can use frozen berries in this recipe instead. There are a couple of ways to incorporate them:

• Once the oat mixture has set, you can add the frozen berries to the jar and then place the jar back in the fridge until the berries thaw. I like to do this the night before and let them thaw overnight.
• Alternatively, you could heat up the frozen berries in the microwave or in a small pot over the stove. Once they reach your desired temperature and texture, add them to the set oat mixture!

Keep in mind that the texture of thawed, previously frozen berries will be a lot mushier than the fresh fruit.

Why add chia seeds to overnight oats?

Adding chia seeds to your oat mixture not only boosts the nutrition but also enhances the texture of this breakfast. When soaked in liquid, chia seeds absorb it quickly and form a gel-like consistency that blends beautifully with oats, helping the mixture set into a texture that’s thick and creamy instead of runny.

On top of that, chia seeds are tiny powerhouses of nutrition. They’re rich in omega-3 fatty acids, fibre, and plant-based protein, making them an easy way to upgrade the health benefits of your overnight oats. Be sure to include them for a breakfast that’s as nourishing as it is delicious!

What kind of milk is best for overnight oats?

I highly recommend avoiding using water in overnight oats and opting for some type of milk as the liquid. Milk makes this breakfast super creamy. It also provides additional protein, fats, calcium and other nutrients. When I make overnight oats I aim to make them as filling and satisfying as possible. For this reason, I opt for a milk that’s rich in protein so it keeps me full for longer.

My favourite protein rich milk options are dairy and soy milk. If you follow a plant-based or vegan diet, opt for soy milk!

If you are not lactose intolerant and can digest dairy milk just fine, I recommend 2% milk. This extra bit of fat (compared to skim or 1%) can make the oat mixture a little bit creamier and it helps us absorb fat soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E and K)!

Depending on the consistency of the milk you have, you may need to adjust the amount used. I have found that you need less dairy milk to achieve the same texture, compared to if you were using soy milk, for example. I have provided these recommendations in the recipe.

How much time do overnight oats need to soak?

These Chocolate Protein Overnight Oats take just 5 minutes to prepare, making them a quick and easy breakfast meal prep option. For the creamiest texture, it’s best to give the oats and chia seeds enough time to fully absorb the liquid. While they’ll be ready to enjoy after about 1 hour in the fridge, letting them rest overnight (at least 6 hours) delivers the best results.

What is the texture of overnight oats?

The final texture of overnight protein oats should be thick and creamy.

• If you want to make the mixture thicker, reduce the amount of milk by 1-2 tbsp.
• To make the mixture more liquidy, add an additional 1-2 tbsp of milk. 
• If the mixture is really runny or liquidy after it has set then you have added too much milk. You can add extra oats or chia seeds to help soak up the excess liquid but you will need to allow some extra time for them to do so.

How long do overnight oats last for?

I get a lot of questions about how many batches of overnight oats you can make at one time and how long you can keep them in the fridge. Typically, I make enough for 2 breakfasts and store them in the fridge in airtight containers. However, there have been times when I have skipped a day of having them and end up eating a batch 3 days after I made them. They have always stayed fresh and delicious for that duration.

As long as you store the overnight oats in an airtight container or jar in the fridge, they can last up to 3-4 days without any changes in the taste or texture.

If you prefer to try them by making a batch for 1 morning, that’s a great start. I’m confident you will be making more for the following day once you get to taste this recipe!

I recommend holding off on adding the toppings until you’re ready to eat it because they can get soggy in the fridge overnight.

Chocolate Protein Overnight Oats nutrition

As a dietitian, my goal is to encourage a more joyful, intuitive relationship with food, focusing on flavor and satisfaction rather than numbers. Because of this, I don’t normally calculate the calories of my recipes. Caloric amounts can also be inaccurate due to variations in ingredients and portions. However, I do like to highlight the health benefits that my recipes provide.

Per one serving, using dairy milk and 2% plain Greek yogurt, this recipe provides roughly:

• 25 grams of protein
• 11 grams of fibre
• Your daily needs of omega 3 fatty acids
• A variety of B vitamins, including vitamin B12
• A significant source of vitamin K
• Minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, zinc and more!

Dietary considerations

This recipe is already vegetarian. Here are some ways to accommodate a variety of other dietary restrictions:

• To make it gluten free, make sure you opt for gluten free oats and protein powder.
• To make it dairy free or vegan, choose plant-based milk and yogurt products made from soy, almond or oat milk instead of dairy milk. Don’t forget to also use a plant-based protein powder.

I hope you love these Chocolate Protein Overnight Oats. If you make them, I would love to see your comment and rating below. It also makes my day seeing your creations of my recipes on Instagram- don’t forget to tag @allnutritionkitchen!