Chewy oats, protein rich chia seeds, and creamy cashew butter make these Healthy Cookie Dough Overnight Oats a breakfast worth waking up for!
This recipe is also in my Plant Based Breakfast Ideas for 2022 roundup post!
Overnight oats were all the rage when I first started blogging. I remember going through a phase when I would try to come up with a new flavor of overnight oats every single morning (umm...ever tried key lime pie overnight oats?!)
On an overnight oat kick? Check out my 5 Amazing Make-Ahead Overnight Oat Recipes For Your Busy Weekdays post!
Plus, it was an added bonus when I could make them in an almost-empty nut butter jar. Anyone else remember those days?!
Yet, even after 7 years of blogging, I'm still obsessed with overnight oats. They are simple to make, great for meal-prepping and have the best creamy texture.
Today I'm going to show you how to make my favorite flavor of overnight oats: healthy cookie dough overnight oats! I also hope to answer all of your overnight oatmeal questions!
What are Overnight Oats?
As you can probably guess from their name, overnight oats are oats that have been mixed with liquid and then soak in the fridge overnight.
They can be as simple as oats soaked in milk, but usually people add in a few more ingredients such as yogurt, chia seeds, powders, spices, fruit, nuts, seeds, etc. These tasty additions help to add texture, flavor and creaminess to the overnight oats.
What kind of oats do you use for overnight oats?
I personally love to use old fashioned rolled oats when making overnight oats. They are hearty enough to keep their shape after soaking, yet result in perfectly soft and creamy oatmeal the next day.
Quick and instant oats can also work, but they may become more mushy/gummy after soaking. While I've never done it personally, it is also possible to make overnight oats using steal cut oats. Using steal cut oats will just result in a chewier, heartier final texture.
Take your time and experiment with the different kinds of oats to find out which ones you like the best!
Ingredients for Healthy Cookie Dough Overnight Oats
To make these healthy, cookie dough overnight oats you'll only need 6 ingredients which I'll list below:
- Oats: You really can't make overnight oats without oats! In the section above I share my personal favorite oats to use when making overnight oats, but any variety will work.
- Non-dairy milk: I personally like to use unsweetened, unflavored non-dairy milk when making oatmeal as it allows me to better control the flavor and the amount of added sugar. However, you can use whatever non-dairy milk you have on hand! Also, normal cow's milk works great as well when making overnight oats.
- Chia seeds: To make my overnight oats thick and creamy, I love to add chia seeds. They are rich in protein and fats to keep you fuller for longer.
- Cashew butter: Cashew butter is my favorite nut butter to use when making this recipe as I find it's the most flavor neutral and gives me the most accurate cookie dough flavor. However, you can use whatever nut butter you have on hand! Obviously, just keep in mind that a different kind of nut butter will affect the final flavor of these oats.
- Maple syrup: We all know that cookie dough is sweet, so we need to sweeten our cookie dough overnight oats as well! I like to use maple syrup as it's a less refined sweetener, but honey, agave, coconut sugar, brown sugar or white sugar would all work as well.
- Cacao nibs (or mini, dairy-free chocolate chips): For the "chocolate chips" in this cookie dough overnight oats recipe, I love to use cacao nibs. They are unsweetened, crushed cacao beans that add a nice, chocolatey flavor. If you've never tried cacao nibs before, just remember that they are unsweetened and very bitter and may take some time to get used to. However, I find that when paired with the sweetened oats, they work perfectly. If you want a sweeter option, just use mini chocolate chips instead!
How to Make Overnight Oats
Like I mentioned before, it is really easy to make overnight oats.
To make this recipe, you simple need to stir everything together in a bowl until well combined. If you are using cacao nibs, you can either let them soak alongside the oats overnight for a softer, chocolatey addition or you can stir them in right before eating to keep them crunchy.
Different overnight oats flavor ideas
When trying to come up with different flavors for overnight oats, I love to take inspiration from my favorite dessert and muffin recipes. Below I'll share some more of my favorite overnight oats recipes as well as some other options for you to try!
- Mango Coconut Overnight Oats
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Overnight Oats
- Lemon Blueberry Overnight Oats
- Double Chocolate Overnight Oats
- Cinnamon Apple Overnight Oats
- Vanilla Protein Overnight Oats with Zucchini
- Vegan Golden Milk Overnight Oats
- Brownie Batter Vegan Protein Overnight Oats
- Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
- Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats
- Mocha Overnight Oats
- Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oats
- Maple Pecan Overnight Oats
How long do overnight oats keep in the fridge?
I find that overnight oats which have been made with steal cut or old fashioned rolled oats will keep well in the fridge for about 3-4 days.
However, if you add mashed or sliced banana to your overnight oats then they may only last about 1 day as banana oxidizes quickly.
Please share this recipe and rate it in the recipe card below!
Healthy Cookie Dough Overnight Oats Recipe
Chewy oats, protein-rich chia seeds, and creamy cashew butter make these Healthy Cookie Dough Overnight Oats a breakfast worth waking up for!
Ingredients
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon cashew butter
- ¾ cup non-dairy milk
- 2-3 teaspoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon cacao nibs or mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a mason jar or bowl, mix together the oats, chia seeds, cashew butter, milk and maple syrup until well combined. If you want your cacao nibs to have a softer texture, you can stir them in at this time and allow them to soak overnight.
- Place the mixture in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- If you omitted the cacao nibs, stir them in before eating.
- Enjoy!
Notes
*You can substitute the cacao nibs for dairy-free chocolate chips, craisins, raisins, chopped dates, chopped nuts etc.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 1 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 511Total Fat 23gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 14gCholesterol 15mgSodium 142mgCarbohydrates 62gNet Carbohydrates 0gFiber 10gSugar 23gSugar Alcohols 0gProtein 17g
Sven says
I just tried this - yum, and so easy! I used almond butter. Can’t wait to try some variations.
Faith VanderMolen says
Almond butter would be perfect in this recipe! Thanks so much for sharing and have fun coming up with new variations!
Suzanne says
This looks so good! Can I use another natural sweetener or does the maple syrup contribute to cookie dough flavor?
Faith says
Yes, definitely Suzanne! I love blackstrap and normal molasses or honey/agave would be great too. For dry sweeteners, I'd guess you'd use about the same amount as well. Enjoy experimenting and eating "cookie dough" for breakfast!
Teneisha says
I can't remember if I saw this or not, but with placing them in the fridge overnight, is the jar of overnight oats covered or uncovered?
Faith says
Hi! I’ve done both and both ways work! I’m sure covered is a slightly better storage method, but I never run into issues leaving my overnight oats uncovered for just a night. If you leave it longer or make multiple batches for the week, then I’d suggest covering them. I hope that helps!
Chandler-Michelle says
Look forward to making this tonight! Is unsweetened or sweetened milk preferred? I have seen many recipes for overnight oats that suggest unsweetened but not sure why or if it is necessary to go out and buy unsweetened instead. Thank you! 🙂
Faith says
I really hope you like it! And either sweet or unsweetened milk is fine. You just may need to adjust the amount of maple syrup:) no need to buy unsweetened!! Let me know how it turns out for you!
Lara says
I used your recipe as a base recipe and added 1 tbsp powder flax seeds, 2 tsps vegan cocoa protein powder, 1 mashed banana, 1/2 tsp of cinnamon and a pinch of salt.... It ended up being delicious! Just thought I would post it in case you wanted to try other combinations 🙂
Faith says
I love those additions Lara! Thanks so much for sharing. I’ll have to try that out next time!
Samantha says
I love this recipe. I used chocolate cashew milk instead of plain
Faith says
That's brilliant Samantha! I'm going to have to try that sometime! Thanks for sharing:)
Pascalle says
Could almond butter be used instead of cashew butter?
Faith says
Definitely! I just find that the cashew butter give it a more classic cookie flavor. Both would be delicious though!
Elsa says
I used peanut butter instead of cashew since I had that on hand. Also added vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. This ia more like two servings for me but is very delicious!
Faith says
Peanut butter would be great in this recipe and love that you made this even more cookie-dough-like with the vanilla and sea salt! Thanks for sharing Elsa!
Tabea says
Dear Faith
How is your eyesight? I only just read this today... in case you‘re interested... my mother uses some vitamins called „preserve mac forte“ for her eyes and has significantly bettered the sharpnes of her vision. You can email me if you wish to know more about the brand and where to get them.
Love
Tabea
Faith says
Hi Tabea! Thanks for asking! My eyesight is great! I just discovered from that experience that when they’re dry or I’m over tired, they can not focus as well. But eye drops and good sleep fixed that problem and so can see great still! Thanks for sharing about your mom’s vitamins though!
Megan says
Found this through Pinterest and I had all the ingredients, so I was able to try right away! It was GREAT! I recently adopted a vegan diet, so I’m always looking for great recipes like this.
Also, Faith, I noticed this post was written two years ago and you commented very recently. I hope that means everything is okay with your sight? Hope you see this and can provide an update!
Faith says
I'm so glad you found and enjoyed this recipe Megan! It's one of my favorites and so easy to make. And yes, I'm still active on this blog. Thanks for commenting!
Angelina says
What’s the calories in this recipe per serving and what would one serving be thanks! Need the calorie count for my meal prep.
Faith says
Hi Angelina! Thanks for your question, but unfortunately I don't estimate the calories for my recipes. I'm sure there is a recipe calculator that you could use. Sorry I'm not much help. Good luck!
Elsa says
Hey, I calculated the calories to one serving, which is half of the recipe. It has about 250 calories:)
Faith says
Thanks for sharing Elsa! I know quite a few people will find this helpful!
Lori Knerick says
Haha! Big Yellow Taxi is by Joni Mitchell.
Theirs was a redux
Faith says
Ah gotcha! Thanks for the correction:)
Edie says
I found your blog by someone having shared a picture of this recipe on Pinterest. Although I'm not vegan, and I'm not planning on becoming vegan, I AM looking to incorporate a lot more plant-based foods into our diet. The image alone attracted me...and so I've got 2 servings of this waiting in the fridge for us in the morning! I didn't have cashew butter, so I used almond butter...and I chopped up some 85% dark chocolate for hubby instead of the nibs...I'll try it with the nibs and see how I like them (on their own, they're quite bitter, with almost an 'alcohol' flavor to them...hoping the maple syrup and almost butter masks the bitterness some.)
Been scrolling through your recipes, and looking forward to trying a whole bunch of them!! 🙂 Keep 'em coming!
Faith says
Hi Edie! I'm so glad you found this recipe and that you said hi! I totally understand on the cacao nibs. I think they taste horrible on their own, but I don't mind them in sweet things. It'll be good to see the difference in the oatmeal between the batch with cacao nibs and the batch with dark chocolate. And almond butter makes for a great substitute. Hopefully you'll both enjoy the oats! I hope the rest of my recipes come in handy for you as you try to eat more plant based meals. Let me know if you have any more questions!
Sarah says
This was my first attempt at overnight oats and it was a success! I subbed peanut butter for almond, delicious. Thanks for sharing!
Faith says
Yay!! So glad you liked it Sarah! Overnight oats make mornings so easy...I need to make them more often!
Bonnie says
Any reason the chocolate chips can't be added right away with everything else?
Faith says
No actually!! Add away! Less work in the morning too:)
Elise says
What are the tan colored chunks in here?
Faith says
It's just the oats! I don't know why they showed up so tan. Hope that helps!
Amy says
Maybe I can get my teenager to eat breakfast!! Can't wait to try this. Thanks.
Faith says
That would make me so happy Amy! Keep me posted! Oh, and chocolate chips instead of cacao nibs would definitely help 🙂
Amanda @ All Day Active Life says
Delicious!!! My kids love this winning combination. I'm sharing this on my blog today. Thanks for a delicious recipe!!
Faith says
So glad you and your kids like this recipe! I was actually thinking of preparing it tonight for myself. Thanks for sharing as well!
Kayla says
Do you heat these in the microwave the next morning or eat cold?
Faith says
I just eat it cold!
Kristina Nicole says
Looks delicious! Can you add almond butter instead of cashew? Or natural PB? thanks!
Faith says
Hi Kristina! Glad you're thinking of giving this recipe a try. You can definitely use almond or peanut butter. The taste will just slightly change, but either way it will be delicious. Hope you like it!
Chelsea says
If one does not like the texture of chia seeds do you recommend omitting them all together or substituting for something?
Thanks.
Faith says
Hey Chelsea! Good question. The chia seeds aren't as pronounced in overnight oats, but if you don't want them a substitute suggestion would be ground flaxseed (the same ratio). The chia seeds help to thicken the oats, so if you omit them completely, you may need to add a little less liquid! I hope it works out for you. I love this recipe:)
Barb says
I am thankful for you, all of your great recipes and what you mean to our family! Prayers for the eye sight and can't wait to try the overnight oats . . .a little healthier than the cookie dough bagels that we used to devour 🙂
Faith says
Thanks mama!! I finally got some doctors appointments set up so I'm hoping to know what's going on soon. Oh man, now I want a cookie dough bagel!
Liv @ Healthy Liv says
That's so scary to hear about the blurriness! Please keep us updated and I'll keep you in my prayers <3
On a food note, I've been wanting to try overnight oats for the first time and these look like a great place to start!
Faith says
Thanks Liv!! I will! Oh man, I'm excited for you to try overnight oats for the first time! They're amazing and make for such an easy start to the day:)
Shirley - Shirl Hill says
l
ooks delishes, can not wait to try it. Thank you
Faith says
I hope you do Shirley!