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The easiest and best high protein overnight oats you\u2019ll ever make! Thick and beautifully creamy, this healthy oatmeal is a great way to start your day. It\u2019s completely customizable with endless flavor variations\u2026 And you need less than five minutes to make this breakfast recipe!<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0 I tilted my head as my mind tried to process. I pictured a bowl of bran flakes or my childhood favorite Fruity Pebbles. \u201cAfter eight hours, wouldn\u2019t that turn out like cold, soggy, practically disintegrating breakfast cereal?<\/em>\u201d I silently wondered.<\/p>\n Although very skeptical and on a tight graduate student budget, I finally caved and decided to give it a try one weekend. After my morning run and hopping out of the shower the following day, I reached for a spoon and the container in the fridge. My eyes widened in shock. \u00a0 For my next jar, I added in some yogurt. Being thicker than milk, I crossed my fingers and hoped it\u2019d give my overnight oats an even thicker and creamier texture\u2026 And I almost squealed in delight the following morning.<\/p>\n That\u2019s exactly<\/em> what happened \u2014 and my oatmeal had an almost pudding-like consistency! \u00a0 Because \u201cpudding\u201d for breakfast is hard to beat \u2014 especially when it\u2019s this simple and<\/em> full of protein! \u00a0<\/p>\n Difficulty:<\/strong><\/span> Very<\/u><\/em> easy!<\/p>\n Taste:<\/strong><\/span> Comforting oats against a backdrop of lightly sweetened yogurt.<\/p>\n Texture:<\/strong><\/span> Soft, luxuriously thick, and extra creamy. \u00a0<\/p>\n Let\u2019s talk about what you\u2019ll need to make these high protein overnight oats! You only need four ingredients (maybe an optional fifth!), and there\u2019s a very<\/em> good chance you already have all of them in your kitchen.<\/p>\n Oats.<\/strong><\/span> No surprises here\u2026 It\u2019s virtually impossible to make oatmeal without oats! For these overnight oats, both regular old-fashioned rolled oats<\/a> and instant oats<\/a> work really well. Feel free to use whichever you normally buy at the grocery store!<\/p>\n Hint:<\/span> Instant oats are also called \u201cquick cooking\u201d or \u201cone minute\u201d oats. They\u2019re not<\/em> the ones that come in individual packets with flavors like maple brown sugar or apple cinnamon! Just like old-fashioned rolled oats, instant oats only contain one ingredient (oats!). They\u2019re simply smaller and thinner, so they soften faster and give your overnight oats an even creamier consistency.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t recommend substituting steel-cut oats, whether the regular or instant variety. Because they\u2019re generally thicker, steel-cut oats don\u2019t soften the same way, and your overnight oats end up with a very toothsome and borderline dry texture. For the best consistency, stick with regular oats instead! \u00a0 I love incorporating Greek yogurt into my overnight oats because it\u2019s naturally really thick and creamy, which yields a beautiful consistency, and it\u2019s also full of protein. Greek yogurt has around 21g per cup, compared to regular yogurt with only 8g. That gives your healthy oatmeal a huge protein boost \u2014 without any protein powder!<\/p>\n Tip:<\/span> Check the label of your Greek yogurt! For the best results, use one that only lists (a) milk and (b) live or active cultures. Some brands include more ingredients, such as milk protein concentrate or corn starch, and those tend to be more liquidy and runny. FAGE plain nonfat Greek yogurt<\/a> is currently my personal favorite! It\u2019s thicker than some other brands, and it also has less of a yogurt \u201ctang\u201d to its flavor.<\/p>\n Milk.<\/strong><\/span> Just about any type will work, so use whatever is sitting in your fridge! No need for a special trip to the grocery store. I generally use nonfat milk, unsweetened cashew milk, or unsweetened almond milk. \u00a0 Hint:<\/span> Many stevia brands and products have different sweetness levels, so they\u2019re not necessarily 1-for-1 substitutes for each other. I buy the one I use online here<\/a> because that\u2019s the best price I\u2019ve found, but you can also find it in many health-oriented grocery stores. (You\u2019ll use in all of these recipes<\/a> of mine too \u2014 it\u2019s not a \u201cone-time use\u201d ingredient!) If you decide to use a different stevia, then you may need to adjust the amount to suit your tastes.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re not a stevia fan, that\u2019s fine too! This high protein overnight oats recipe is very forgiving, so substitute whatever you\u2019d like. I\u2019ve found liquid sweeteners are slightly easier to stir in (like honey<\/a>, pure maple syrup<\/a>, agave<\/a>, etc), but granular ones still work too (such as monk fruit<\/a>, sucralose<\/a>, coconut sugar<\/a>, etc).<\/p>\n Vanilla.<\/strong><\/span> This is entirely optional! These healthy protein overnight oats still taste delicious without it, but I\u2019ve recently started stirring a touch of vanilla extract into my jars. I love the way it adds another layer of flavor, cuts through any lingering yogurt \u201ctang,\u201d and boosts the sweetness of these overnight oats. So if you don\u2019t mind pulling out a fifth ingredient, then I highly recommend using vanilla too! \u00a0<\/p>\n Now that you\u2019ve gathered your four (or five!) ingredients, let\u2019s briefly cover how to make the best high protein overnight oats. This will be quick \u2014 I promise!<\/p>\n Stir.<\/strong><\/span> Add all of your ingredients to a container with a tight-fitting lid. Tupperware, mason jars, jam jars\u2026 It doesn\u2019t matter! The 12-ounce jars I use are no longer sold in stores, but these jars<\/a> are really similar. Then stir-stir-stir until everything is thoroughly combined.<\/p>\n Yes, you must<\/em> stir. I know my very first photo in this blog post looks really pretty with its crisp, nicely defined layers of oats and yogurt, but\u2026 If you left your<\/em> jar like that overnight, the oats wouldn\u2019t soften at all. They\u2019d still be firm and dry in the morning! They need to swim in that yummy milk and yogurt bath for 8+ hours in order to soak up moisture and soften.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve mixed everything together, seal the lid on tight, and\u2026 \u00a0 Eat.<\/strong><\/span> An easy final step! Since someone always asks\u2026 Yes, overnight oats are meant<\/em> to be eaten cold and straight from the refrigerator. Just grab a spoon \u2014 no need to heat them up! Because you let the oats soak up moisture from the yogurt and milk for hours, they turn out just as soft as if you had cooked them the traditional way on the stove or in the microwave. \u00a0<\/p>\n Consider this recipe your basic template. There are plenty of fun flavor possibilities! I\u2019ve shared quite a few on my blog, including\u2026<\/p>\n My dad loves the banana bread one. He made it almost every night for three straight months! The pumpkin pie version is a huge reader favorite during the fall (who can resist pumpkin pie for breakfast?? certainly not me!), and the raisin one basically tastes like oatmeal raisin cookies. The chocolate, snickerdoodle, and peanut butter cup versions are also pretty popular around here!<\/p>\n Basically\u2026 You can\u2019t go wrong with any of them! (And you can find all<\/u><\/em> of my high protein overnight oats recipes here<\/a>!) \u00a0<\/p>\n Are these healthy high protein overnight oats gluten-free, vegan, clean eating, low fat, or sugar-free?<\/strong><\/span> What are the best oats to use for overnight oatmeal?<\/strong><\/span> \u00a0 What about a different milk?<\/strong><\/span> Or a different sweetener?<\/strong><\/span> \u00a0 Can I reheat these overnight oats to eat them warm?<\/strong><\/span> How long will they keep? Are overnight oats good for meal prep?<\/strong><\/span> \u00a0 \u00a9 <\/span>Amy’s Healthy Baking<\/span><\/p>\n This is the easiest high protein oatmeal you\u2019ll ever make! Thick and beautifully creamy, this healthy breakfast is a great way to start your day. It\u2019s completely customizable with endless flavor variations, and you need less than five minutes to make it! These overnight oats will keep for at least four days (if not longer!) if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n![\"a](\"https:\/\/amyshealthybaking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/high-protein-overnight-oats-9176.jpg\")
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The first time I heard about them, overnight oats completely confused me. You added oats and milk to a mason jar, left it in the fridge overnight, and then\u2026 Unscrewed the lid and stuck in a spoon the following morning?<\/p>\n
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The oats were plump and soft \u2014 as if I had cooked them the traditional way on the stove!<\/p>\n
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And this is my basic healthy high protein overnight oats<\/strong><\/span> recipe. It requires less than five minutes to whip up, and it\u2019s easily customizable too. I\u2019ve created and shared lots of different flavor variations<\/a>!<\/p>\n
\u00a0 <\/p>\n<\/a><\/div>\nQUICK OVERVIEW \u2013 HEALTHY HIGH PROTEIN OVERNIGHT OATS<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/a><\/div>\nINGREDIENTS TO MAKE HEALTHY HIGH PROTEIN OVERNIGHT OATS<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
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Greek yogurt.<\/strong><\/span> If you\u2019ve browsed through my recipes before, then you already know how much I adore Greek yogurt. I\u2019ve used it to make everything from muffins<\/a> and scones<\/a> to brownies<\/a> and cake<\/a> to quick breads<\/a> and granola bars<\/a>\u2026 Even frosting<\/a> and whipped cream<\/a>!<\/p>\n
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Sweetener.<\/strong><\/span> Like with the milk, you\u2019re welcome to use whatever you prefer! I opted for liquid stevia<\/a>. Stevia is a plant-based, no-calorie sweetener that contains nothing overly refined or artificial (aka it\u2019s clean eating friendly!), and it\u2019s also highly concentrated. A little goes a long way! The \u00bc teaspoon that I included in the recipe is the sweetness equivalent of 3-4 teaspoons of granulated sugar.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/a><\/div>\nHOW TO MAKE THE BEST HEALTHY HIGH PROTEIN OVERNIGHT OATS<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
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Refrigerate.<\/strong><\/span> Plan for at least 8 hours. Longer is fine too! I\u2019ve left overnight oats in the fridge for about five or six days, and they\u2019re still beautifully creamy and soft. That makes them perfect for meal prepping! Whip up a big batch over the weekend, divide it up into individual portions, and simply slip one out each morning to\u2026<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/a><\/div>\nFLAVOR VARIATION IDEAS FOR HEALTHY HIGH PROTEIN OVERNIGHT OATS<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/a><\/div>\nFAQS ABOUT HEALTHY HIGH PROTEIN OVERNIGHT OATS<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
Yes \u2014 to almost everything! They\u2019re naturally clean eating, low fat, and sugar-free. (Nut-free too!) If you use certified gluten-free oats<\/a>, then they\u2019re also gluten-free. I\u2019ve substituted dairy-free yogurt and milk with great results, so you can easily make your overnight oats vegan as well!<\/p>\n
Old-fashioned rolled oats<\/a> and instant oats<\/a> (aka \u201cquick cooking\u201d or \u201cone minute\u201d oats) both work equally well. I don\u2019t recommend steel-cut oats because they don\u2019t soften properly. See the \u201cOats\u201d header in the \u201cIngredients to Make Healthy Protein Overnight Oats\u201d section above for more info!
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Can I use a different yogurt?<\/strong><\/span>
Yup! If you aren\u2019t a fan of plain Greek yogurt, you can easily substitute another flavor. Vanilla, coconut, honey, something fruity\u2026 Whatever you prefer! Regular non-Greek yogurt and dairy-free yogurt work well too. They\u2019re not quite as thick, but you can easily decrease the milk by a touch to help compensate. (And your overnight oats will still taste the same too!)<\/p>\n
Yes again! Just about any type will work, so you\u2019re welcome to use whatever you keep in your fridge.<\/p>\n
Absolutely! Liquid sweeteners tend to be a tiny<\/em> bit easier to stir in, but this high protein overnight oats recipe is really forgiving\u2026 So feel free to substitute your favorite one! (See the \u201cSweetener\u201d header in the \u201cIngredients to Make Healthy Protein Overnight Oats\u201d section above for more info.)
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What are good toppings for overnight oats?<\/strong><\/span>
Oh my goodness \u2014 the options are almost endless! Fruit, nuts, spices, chocolate chips, raisins, a drizzle of honey or maple syrup\u2026 Even granola clusters<\/a>, if you\u2019re a huge<\/em> oat lover and want a little crunch! Whatever you\u2019d normally sprinkle on yogurt and breakfast parfaits or drizzle on top of pancakes should also work well here. I\u2019ve included a list of my favorite mix-in and flavor variations above, so see the \u201cFlavor Variation Ideas for Healthy Protein Overnight Oats\u201d section above for more inspiration!<\/p>\n
You\u2019re welcome to try! Just be careful\u2026 If you heat them too much or too quickly, the yogurt and milk can curdle!<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve had these healthy protein overnight oats last for close to a week when refrigerated and sealed inside of their individual jars. So yes \u2014 they\u2019re perfect for meal prepping! (One quick note\u2026 If you\u2019d like to add fresh fruit to your batch, it\u2019s sometimes best to wait until the night before or morning of, just for the best flavor and texture!)
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Ready for breakfast?? And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram<\/a> using #amyshealthybaking<\/a> and tagging @amyshealthybaking<\/a> IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I\u2019ll see your picture! \ud83d\ude42 ) I\u2019d love to see your healthy high protein overnight oats!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nHealthy High Protein Overnight Oats<\/h2>\n