High Protein Overnight Oats (with Chia Seeds)

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High protein overnight oats. Make them simple or make them fancy, either way you have a grab-and-go, easy, healthy breakfast. Overnight oats is great to meal prep for a make-ahead breakfast. If eating a healthy high protein breakfast in the morning is a challenge, try this easy breakfast solution that's a nice alternative to smoothies. There's no cooking required, and you can make them with dairy milk or plant-based milk like almond milk.

A glass bowl of overnight oats with blueberries and pomegranate seeds.

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.

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Why You'll Like This Recipe
Recipe Ingredients
Substitutions and Variations
Recipe Instructions
Best Containers
More Healthy Breakfast Ideas
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Why You'll Like This Recipe

Just measure dry ingredients, add milk, and refrigerate overnight.
Adjustable for different dietary needs.
Lots of topping options keep it fun and delicious.
Single serving recipe multiplies easily, make what you need.
Simple ingredients.

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.

Simple ingredients for overnight oats with chia seeds.

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 for vanilla extract.
Add spices such as cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice blend in fall.
Add cocoa powder for a chocolatey flavor.
For vegan overnight oats use plant-based milk.
If you need higher protein, you can add protein powder but adjust the creaminess by adding a little more milk if needed.

For a similar recipe made with Greek yogurt and steel-cut oats, try this Swiss oatmeal recipe called Bircher Muesli.

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Recipe Instructions

Four glass bowls with dry rolled oats and chia seeds ready for milk and vanilla. — **Step 1: Measure rolled oats, chia seeds, and a pinch of salt into appropriate container with a tight fitting lid. Add milk and vanilla, and stir very well. Refrigerate overnight.**

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.

Six bowls of overnight oats with a variety of colorful toppings.

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.

Overnight oats topped with apple cinnamon compote in a glass bowl.

Are there health benefits associated with overnight oats and chia seeds?

Nutritionally, overnight oats with chia seeds are a solid healthy breakfast option. Depending how you make it, you can get a good amount of protein, generally between 16-22 grams, and approximately 10 grams of fiber. The fiber is particularly notable as many people do not get the recommended levels of fiber each day. Chia seeds also provide antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and quality fat.

How can I sweeten my overnight oats naturally?

Natural ways to sweeten overnight oats might depend on your definition of natural. Good options include raw honey (the most natural), maple syrup, brown rice syrup, yacon syrup, date syrup, and monk fruit based options such as zero-sugar honey and zero sugar maple syrup made from real natural sugars. Stirring in a little low-sugar jam also sweetens overnight oats. Flavored stevia drops is another option but some people do not care for the bitter aftertaste.

Do I need to refrigerate overnight oats and for how long can they be stored?

Overnight oats must be refrigerated because there is protein, fats, carbs, oxygen, and moisture in the jar. Not refrigerating could put overnight oats in what is called the temperature danger zone (TDZ), a 41°F to 135°F range where bacteria can grow, with 70°F to 104°F being range where they grow the fastest.

Overnight oats are safe properly refrigerated for up to 5 days. If you are taking a serving with you for a grab and go breakfast, they will be safe for 2 hours unrefrigerated. Otherwise, keep them on ice packs in a cooler.

Safe refrigerator temperatures are below 40° but not so cold that food freezes. I recommend setting between 34°F to 38°F, just a few degrees short of the max safe level.

Are rolled oats better than steel cut oats for overnight oats?

Nutritionally, rolled oats and steel cut oats are fairly close on the same glycemic scale with steel cut being a little lower. The issue is steel cut oats will be much chewier and may take more liquid than rolled oats for good overnight oats. If you're making overnight oats, go with regular rolled oats.

If it's a big concern, you might be better off cooking steel cut oats, cooling and refrigerating them, then adding your preferred toppings.

More Healthy Breakfast Ideas

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

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