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Soft, lightly sweet overnight oats are a blessing to busy mornings! Packed with nutrients like chia seeds and oats, flavored with nut butter and rich cocoa, this meal in a jar is a healthy way to start your day.
Why You'll Love This Make-Ahead Breakfast
- Effortless make ahead magic: Designed to be made ahead, these overnight oats are made especially to come to your rescue when you don't have the time or inclination to make a healthy breakfast. Pop everything into a jar, let it chill overnight, and voila - the next morning you have a creamy ready-to-eat breakfast made for you
- Perfectly balanced nutrition: This recipe packs chia seeds, oats, and nut butter, making it an easy way to load up on healthy fats, protein, and fiber for breakfast.The cool, creamy texture is so nice for lazy warm summer mornings, but equally satisfying on busy weekday mornings. It's delightfully pudding-like instead of bowl-of-oatmealy.
- No refined sugar needed: There are a bunch of things I like about this overnight oatmeal, but at the top of the list is the whole no-refined-sugar thing. I love how naturally sweet it is, relying on your choice of sweeteners like stevia or maple syrup. Let's go over the ingredients:
Nutritious Ingredients
These are simple ingredients, but so packed with nutrients that we all need. The best way to kick off the day is to make your first meal loaded with as much nutrition as possible.
- Oatmeal- quick oats shine here thanks to their easy absorption, but rolled oats can work here too if you give them a little extra soaking time. Scroll down to read What Type of Oats are Best?
- Milk of choice - Whether you opt for cashew milk, oat milk, or unsweetened almond milk, this is where you can personalize flavor and dairy preference. Non-dairy options add creaminess without dairy, which is great for anyone avoiding it.
- Chia seeds- These little nutritional powerhouses do double duty-thickening the oats while contributing fiber and omega-3s. They're easy to find and good for your gut health.
- Cocoa powder - contains antioxidants, and contributes that rich, chocolatey flavor
- Peanut butter (or other nut butter) - Creamy peanut butter adds both flavor and protein, but almond or cashew butter work fabulously if you fancy a change or have allergies. Nut butters also provide healthy fats that keep you feeling full.
- Sweetener of choice - From monk fruit to maple syrup, you can dial the sweetness to your liking. If you're cutting sugar, natural low-calorie sweeteners like stevia or monk fruit are great, while maple syrup and coconut sugar offer a warm, caramel-like note.
What Type of Oats Are Best?
There are several different types of oats, and you want to make sure to choose the right type for making the best overnight oats.
Certified gluten-free oats -Remember, if you are a gluten free eater, it's important that you choose oats that are certified gluten free. Pure oats are naturally gluten free, but they can become contaminated with gluten by being processed on the same equipment that processes wheat.Since whole grain oats and grains of wheat look very similar, it's easy for them to get combined as they get processed and packaged for sale. Choose oats that are labeled "certified gluten free" or "gluten free" to make sure that you are getting oats that aren't contaminated.
Quick oats, also called instant oatmeal - This type works well for this recipe since it soaks up the liquid so well.
Rolled oats, or old-fashioned oats - these are a little thicker than quick oats. This type can also work well in an overnight oats recipe, but it might need extra soaking time.
Steel cut oats - these will not work for this recipe since they must be cooked to soften. But if you had your heart set on steel cut oats, the best way to cook them is in an instant pot. Try my Instant Pot Blueberry Coconut Oats recipe.
Gluten Free Overnight Oats Step by Step
These are so easy to make! Refer to the recipe card for the full info.
Step 1. Combine the milk, cocoa powder, chia seeds, and sweetener in a small bowl or measuring cup, with enough room for stirring.
Step 2.Whisk well so the chia seeds get completely coated with the milk, and there's no clumps of cocoa powder.
Step 3. Now add the oats and peanut butter and stir to combine. Don't worry that it looks thin at this point. Time will turn it into perfect, pudding-like perfection.
Step 4. Pour into a jar, add a lid and chill for at least 8 hours, or overnight. The chia seeds need lots of time to absorb the liquid and soften into a creamy consistency.
Recipe Variations
- Cacao nibs or mini chocolate chips - sprinkle in some chocolate for an extra antioxidant punch and sweet flavor
- Boost protein - add some vanilla Greek yogurt for tang and extra creaminess, or a half scoop of chocolate protein powder to meet your protein needs for the day. Collagen protein powder is an excellent addition, too.
- Fresh berries - fresh blueberries or raspberries are extra good here
- Fresh fruit - banana slices are a family favorite in our house!
- Flavor Boosters -add some flavor with ground cinnamon or vanilla.
- Nutrition boosters - boost the nutrition even more with some flaxseed meal or hemp hearts.
Gluten Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
Soft, lightly sweet overnight oats are a blessing to busy mornings! Packed with nutrients like chia seeds and oats, flavored with nut butter and cocoa, this meal in a jar is a healthy way to start your day.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 serving 1x
- Category: breakfast
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk (we like cashew milk)
- 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter (or other nut butter)
- 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon sweetener of choice, such as monk fruit sweetener, honey, stevia, etc.
- ½ cup quick cooking oatmeal (rolled oats can also work)
Instructions
- Combine the milk, cocoa powder, chia seeds, and sweetener in a small bowl or measuring cup, with enough room for stirring.
- Whisk well so the chia seeds get completely coated with the milk, and there's no clumps of cocoa powder.
- Now add the oats and peanut butter and stir to combine. Don't worry that it looks thin at this point. Time and patience will turn it into perfect, pudding-like perfection.
- Pour into a jar, add a lid and chill for at least 8 hours, or overnight. The chia seeds need lots of time to absorb the liquid and soften into a creamy consistency.
Notes
These are great to make in bulk and keep in the fridge for a quick breakfast or snack.
If you are making these gluten free, double check that the oatmeal you use is certified GF - not all of the brands are!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 452
- Sugar: 1.7 g
- Sodium: 259 mg
- Fat: 19.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 49.8 g
- Fiber: 15.6 g
- Protein: 15.8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Bonus Tip 👇
You may find that you prefer a little more milk (or a little less) depending on how thick or thin you like your oatmeal. I recommend giving it a stir and a taste after about 8-10 hours, and then you can decide if you want to adjust the amount of milk in the recipe the next time you make it.
FAQs About gluten free overnight oats
Instant oatmeal or quick-cooking oats have the same health benefits as regular oats, although some instant oatmeal packets contain added sugars and preservatives. It's better to make your own so you have control over the ingredients.
With all the nutrients in chia seeds, oatmeal, nut butter, and cashew milk, yes they are packed with nutrients! And if you add some protein powder or fruit, that will make them even healthier.
Don't add dried fruit to the mixture, since it will absorb too much of the liquid. If you want to add nuts for some crunch, wait until it's time to eat so the nuts won't turn soft during the soaking time
This usually means the oats haven't soaked long enough. Make sure to refrigerate the mixture for at least eight hours, preferably overnight or even longer.
If your oats turn out too watery, you may have added too much liquid or not let the mixture rest long enough. Add an extra spoonful of oatmeal and extend the chilling time to fix it. Next time make sure to measure the ingredients carefully
It is most likely due to there not being enough liquid. Make sure you measure carefully and follow the recipe exactly (don't eyeball it!)
Overnight oats can store safely in the fridge for up to 5 days, if your container has a tight fitting lid.
