High Protein Overnight Oats (with Chia Seeds)

High-protein overnight oats are an easy, make-ahead breakfast perfect for busy mornings and meal prep. No cooking required - just mix the ingredients, refrigerate overnight, and enjoy. Whether you keep them simple or load them with toppings, these overnight oats are a healthy grab-and-go option and a great alternative to smoothies. Use dairy milk or plant-based milk, such as almond milk, for a nutritious start to your day.

So what makes them high protein overnight oats? The combination of healthy ingredients, like rolled oats, chia seeds, and your choice of milk. For the most protein, try homemade hemp milk for 14 grams of protein in an 8-ounce glass. For higher protein, add a little protein powder if desired.

Why You'll Like This Recipe

• Easy to make - add milk, and refrigerate overnight.
• Customizable - lots of topping options keep it fun and delicious.
• Scalable - single serving recipe multiplies easily, make what you need.
• Simple ingredients - nothing fancy required.

For a terrific weekend or holiday breakfast, try these naturally gluten-free buckwheat pancakes.

Recipe Ingredients

This is the basic overnight oats recipe with chia seeds. Toppings take it to a whole new level.

• Oats - For a gluten-free diet, buy regular, rolled old-fashioned oats labeled gluten-free. Use regular rolled oats if it's not a concern.
• Milk - Choose from dairy milk, almond milk, hemp milk, cashew milk, oat milk, soy milk, or coconut milk. The milk you choose will effect your protein level.
• Chia seeds - Chia seeds make the overnight oats set up nicely and add a little healthy fat, fiber, and creaminess.
• Sweetener - Try agave syrup, maple syrup, date syrup, yacon or raw honey. You can mix it in as the oats set up overnight, or use a little in the morning over the top. For zero sugar use this monk fruit honey or maple syrup.
• Vanilla - Use either vanilla extract or try vanilla paste with little flecks of vanilla bean.

For measurements please see the recipe card. For optional toppings, see below in serving suggestions section.

For apple cinnamon overnight oats, make a batch of this easy apple compote to top your overnight oats with. It tastes almost like apple pie. Dessert for breakfast? Why not.

Chef's tip: Homemade plant milks. Homemade unstrained almond milk is creamier that store bought and super easy to make. See this easy recipe for almond milk. You'll never go back store bought again. Depending on the viscosity of various milks, you may need to make adjustments (more or less milk) for your preferred texture with the next batch. Make a single one for a first test. For a higher protein non-dairy milk, try this 1-minute homemade hemp milk.

Substitutions and Variations

• Swap almond extract - use vanilla extract instead.
• Add spices - try cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice in fall.
• Make it chocolate - stir in cocoa powder for a rich flavor.
• Go vegan - use plant-based milk for vegan overnight oats.
• Boost protein - add protein powder, adjusting creaminess with a little extra milk if needed.

For another make-ahead breakfast, try this chia pudding with coconut milk.

Recipe Instructions

Best Containers

Choose airtight containers like a glass jar or a bowl with a tight fitting lid. I like ones that stack easily in the refrigerator and for storage. Tight lids mean no leakage if you shake to blend overnight oats with chia seeds (versus stir).

You can use anywhere from a 9 or 10-ounce jar to a 16-ounce jar with an airtight lid. Using a larger jar with a tight fitting lid gives you more headroom to add your toppings.

The Weck quarter liter jars with clamps work but if you're adding toppings there's not as much room. Another alternative is a wide mouth Mason jar.

Serving Suggestions: Terrific Toppings

When to add toppings: add them after you've measured and stirred well, or pack them separately in a small container and add when you are ready to eat. Experiment with these suggestions to find your favorite toppings for high protein overnight oats.

• Fresh berries: Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries.
• Frozen fruit: almost anything works. Thaw first.
• Fresh fruit: Apples (or this cinnamon apple compote), pears, bananas, mangos, peaches, nectarines, plums and others. Pomegranate seeds are a favorite.
• Extra goodies: Sliced almonds, slivered almonds, pepitas, hemp seeds, chocolate chips, shredded coconut or coconut flakes.
• Nut butters: Almond butter, cashew butter, coconut butter, or peanut butter.
• Jams: Best to choose lower sugar options.
• Chocolate: Chocolate chips or crunchy raw cacao nibs.

Recipe FAQs

More Healthy Breakfast Ideas

From Greek yogurt parfaits to terrific healthy smoothies, homemade granola, or poached eggs over sautéed veggies, you'e covered.

⭐️Did You Make This?

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📖 Recipe

High Protein Overnight Oats

Sally Cameron

A healthy breakfast is easy each morning when you make overnight oats the night ahead. Soaking rolled oats and chia seeds in your preferred milk makes them soft and creamy. Meal prep them in individual sized containers to grab-and-go on busy mornings. This recipes scales easily for more servings. Make as many as you need. They last 5 days in the refrigerator.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings 1 serving

Calories 371 kcal

Ingredients

  

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Basic overnight chia oats

• ▢ ½ cup traditional rolled oats gluten-free if desired
• ▢ 1 ½ tablespoons chia seeds
• ▢ 1 cup unsweetened milk of choice dairy or plant, see notes at end of recipe card
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon vanilla paste
• ▢ 1 pinch sea salt

Optional sweeteners

• ▢ See below for ideas

Optional toppings

• ▢ Fresh berries: Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, pomegranate seeds.
• ▢ Frozen fruit: almost anything works. Thaw first.
• ▢ Other fruit: Apples (like this cinnamon apple compote), pears, bananas, mangos, peaches, nectarines, plums and others.
• ▢ Extra goodies: Sliced almonds, slivered almonds, pepitas, chocolate chips, shredded coconut.
• ▢ Nut butters: Almond butter, cashew butter, coconut butter, or peanut butter.
• ▢ Jams: Best to choose lower sugar options.

Instructions

 

• Into a 12-16 ounce container add rolled oats, chia seeds, and salt. Add the milk, sweetener if using, and vanilla. Stir well or cap tightly and shake well to combine.
• Place in the refrigerator overnight to set up. Stir in the morning and serve, adding whatever toppings you prefer.

Notes

Homemade plant milk recipe links: 

• Almond milk (5 grams protein per 8-ounce serving)
• Coconut milk (2 grams protein per 8-ounce serving)
• Cashew milk (8 grams protein per 8-ounce serving)
• Pumpkin seed milk (5 grams protein per 8-ounce serving)
• Hemp seed milk  (14 grams protein per 8-ounce serving)

Sweetening Options : Try agave syrup, maple syrup, date syrup, yacon or raw honey. You can mix it in as the oats set up overnight, or use a little in the morning over the top. For zero sugar use this monk fruit honey or maple syrup.

Nutritional calculation note: As there are so many "milk" options, I used low fat dairy milk for reference (8 grams protein per 8-ounce serving). If you want a high protein milk, use hemp seed milk. See the recipe link above.

Hemp seed milk is 14 grams of protein in 1 cup so it adds another 6 grams of protein for 22 grams of protein total for high protein overnight oats (this is what I do).

Nutrition

Calories: 371kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 16gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 155mgPotassium: 556mgFiber: 10gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 250IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 418mgIron: 3mg

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