Black Forest Overnight Oats

Black Forest Overnight Oats are ultra fudgy and taste decadent, despite being a balanced way to start the day. These chocolate cherry overnight oats pack 40 grams of protein and 12 grams of fiber per serving! They’re great for meal prep, too!

Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Cherry Overnight Oats

• Decadently Delicious – These black forest overnight oats taste like dessert, pairing sweet cherries with creamy, fudgy chocolate protein overnight oats .
• High Protein – each serving packs around 40 grams of protein, helping to keep you full and satisfied even longer.
• Full of Fiber – with 12 grams of fiber per serving, this has almost half your daily fiber needs met in one easy and delicious meal!
• No Added Sugar – despite looking and tasting like a dessert, we’re not looking for massive blood sugar surges in the morning, so these are actually quite a balanced breakfast with no added sugar!
• Simple to Make – all you need is 7 ingredients and less than 10 minutes of hands-on prep time.
• Great for Meal Prep – overnight oats are the ultimate MVP of meal prep breakfasts, in my opinion! They’re easy to prep, and then you wake up to breakfast ready to go for the next few days!

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Oats – use old-fashioned rolled oats, steel cut and quick oats require different liquid ratios.
• Cherries – use fresh or thawed frozen cherries! Be sure to remove the pits!
• Chocolate Protein Powder – use your favorite chocolate protein powder! I love Clean Simple Eats Brownie Batter Chocolate Protein Powder here!
• Cocoa Powder – enhances the rich chocolate flavor, plus has some nutrition boosts, too, adding some fiber, iron, and antioxidants!
• Chia Seeds – absorbs some liquid to help create the perfect texture, and also adds some healthy fats, fiber, and protein.
• Flax Seeds – I like to use chia and flax both in my overnight oats recipes, for a little nutritional variety!
• Greek Yogurt – I prefer to use a no added sugar vanilla Greek yogurt, like Oikos Triple Zero. You can use plain Greek yogurt, too, but you may need to add a little sweetener (especially if your protein powder isn’t very sweet).
• Milk – use what you like to drink! I like to use Fairlife ultra-filtered skim milk for an extra boost of protein.

How to Make Black Forest Overnight Oats

1. Add yogurt and milk to a small jar, then top with dry ingredients.
2. Give the oat mixture a stir, then wait 5 minutes and stir again, to prevent the oats/ seeds from settling on the bottom.
3. If you want a layered look – place half the overnight oats mixture in a jar, then half the cherries, then the other half of the oats and the other half of the cherries.
4. Refrigerate overnight, or at least 4 hours until set. Enjoy!

Tips and Variations

• Use old-fashioned oats – this recipe has been tested most successfully with old-fashioned oats. Steel cut oats and quick oats require different ratios of liquid to oats.
• Do a second stir! Mix your overnight oats, let them sit for a few minutes, then stir a second time before refrigerating. This is KEY to keep oats and seeds from settling on the bottom!
• Adjust the consistency – once you stir your oats in the morning, feel free to add an extra tablespoon or two of milk, if you prefer your oats a little thinner (I like them thick!).
• Dairy-Free – use a plant-based protein powder, milk alternative, and dairy-free Greek-style yogurt alternative.
• Gluten-Free – these overnight oats are naturally gluten-free! For extra safety, use certified gluten-free oats.
• Enjoy overnight oats hot or cold – while typically consumed cold, you can also heat overnight oats. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time, or use a small pan over the stove, stirring until heated through. (You may need to add an extra splash of milk to compensate for liquid lost during the heating process.)

How to Store Overnight Oats

Overnight oats are fantastic for meal prep, because they store so well. Prepare your overnight oats per the recipe, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

You can also prepare just the dry ingredients and store in your pantry for up to 3 months. Then simply add the wet ingredients, mix, and refrigerate overnight when you’re ready to use!

Are overnight oats healthy?

Overnight oats can absolutely be a part of a healthy, balanced diet. (But remember – it’s not really about individual foods, but more so about your overall eating pattern.)

But overnight oats, like these, are typically a great source of fiber (especially soluble fiber) and often contain protein from certain types of yogurts, milks, and protein powders.

For more nuanced thoughts, check out my article: Are Overnight Oats Healthy?

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• CSE Chocolate Brownie Batter Protein Powder
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More Delicious Overnight Oats Recipes

• Chocolate Protein Overnight Oats
• Coconut Cream Pie Overnight Oats
• Cosmic Brownie Overnight Oats
• Mango Overnight Oats
• Key Lime Pie Overnight Oats

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