GET NEW EASY-TO-MAKE VEGAN RECIPES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX!

The Conscientious Eater

Easy plant based recipes!

Healthy Cookie Dough Overnight Oats

By 44 Comments

This post contains affiliate links to products that I have used and I think you’ll love! To see all of my favorite products, check out my Shop page!

Chewy oats, protein rich chia seeds, and creamy cashew butter make these Healthy Cookie Dough Overnight Oats a breakfast worth waking up for!

Healthy Cookie Dough Overnight Oats

“You don’t know what you got ’til it’s gone…”

Remember that song “Big Yellow Taxi” by the Counting Crows?! Well, the phrase above is from that song and it has been coming to my mind a lot lately.

Before I get to how amazing this overnight oats recipe is, I want to share something a little more personal with you all.

A few years back I was blessed with the opportunity to get 3D Lasik Eye Surgery. It was the most amazing thing to wake up with clear vision and not have to worry about contacts, solution, glasses, etc…especially with all the travel I did for my old job. But a few months after I had the procedure done, I started noticing that my eyes would occasionally go blurry. Thankfully, it was only when my eyes were really dry or tired and soon the blurriness went away. 

creamy Healthy Cookie Dough Overnight Oats with caco nibs

However, since moving to NYC last summer, my eyes have started getting blurry again. I didn’t mention anything to Brett about it at first, hoping it was just due to dryness or tiredness like the last time, but they continued to get worse and I started getting scared. It’s amazing the thoughts that go through your mind when something is out of your control. What if I go blind? What if Brett has to do everything for me? What if our plans to move overseas get cancelled because I can’t see or do anything? 

Pretty extreme thoughts, aren’t they? Once I realized my thoughts were heading in an unhealthy direction I told Brett about the blurriness I was experiencing. I also shared the thoughts I was having. It’s amazing how sharing what’s going on inside our heads with someone else brings peace and clarity! Brett and I were able to pray about it and he reassured me that everything would be alright. 

I was able to get a hold of my eye surgeon and they suggested some remedies for me to try before more extreme procedures are considered. Every night before bed I’m supposed to place a sock full of rice in the microwave, heat it up, and then place the sock on my eyes to steam them. They also recommended some omega oil pills for me to take. 

After 8 weeks of following these suggestions, we’ll reassess the condition of my eyes.

In the meantime, I’m going to be grateful for the eyesight that I do have. In a way, I’m thankful for the blurriness I’ve experienced lately, because it’s made me more aware of how amazing sight is! I had forgotten how many colors, textures, and sights I take in each and every day. I had forgotten that my eyes allow me to cook, exercise, read, watch shows, and interact with people in a more personal way. Our eyes are truly wonderful things!

Healthy Cookie Dough Overnight Oats 5

So instead of waiting for something to be gone before I’m grateful for it, I’m going to try to appreciate the little (and big!) things I have right now!

I’m also going to drool over how amazing these Healthy Cookie Dough Overnight Oats look!

How To Make Overnight Oats:

Overnight oats are so simple to make, they just take a little bit of planning as you have to prepare them the night before in order for them to sit in the fridge overnight. There a lots of different overnight oat variations, but the main concept is that oats aren’t cooked in a microwave or in a pan on the stovetop, but instead oats and chia seeds are mixed with milk, water, yogurt–or a combination of these ingredients–and left in the fridge overnight to soak. The result are cold, creamy oats that are ready for you in the morning and can be taken on the go and topped with whatever you want! When you prepare the oats the night before you can also determine what flavor you want your overnight oats to be by adding different spices, purees, fresh and dried fruits, nut butters and other add-ins like nuts, seeds, cacao nibs and chocolate chips! For vegan overnight oats, I like to soak my oats in plant milk for a richer, creamier consistency. If you have access to non-dairy yogurt, that is also a wonderful ingredient to use! One last thing I often add to my overnight oats is shredded zucchini, like I share in this Vanilla Protein Powder Overnight Oats with Zucchini Recipe. The shredded zucchini adds volume and micronutrients, without any veggie aftertaste!

I’m seriously in love with this recipe! It’s simple to prepare, perfectly sweet, and full of texture. I’ve always been a lover of sweet breakfasts, but I’d rather not eat pancakes drenched in maple syrup everyday. This overnight oats recipe is the perfect balance between sweet and healthy. The oats and chia seeds supply protein and fiber. The cashew butter makes everything rich and creamy. The cacao nibs give crunch and added nutrients and the maple syrup provides just the right amount of sweetness! This Healthy Cookie Dough Overnight Oats recipe really does make you want to get out of bed in the morning! Plus, it takes just five minutes to prepare the night before and your breakfast is all ready for you when you wake up. Take it to go or eat it in the comfort of your own home. 

If you like this Healthy Cookie Dough Overnight Oats recipe, then be sure to check out this post: 10 Vegan Overnight Oats Recipes!

10 Vegan Overnight Oats Recipes

I hope you guys enjoy this recipe!! Be sure to leave a comment down below and rate the recipe! Also, what are you thankful for today?

Healthy Cookie Dough Overnight Oats

Healthy Cookie Dough Overnight Oats with cacao nibs

5.0 from 4 reviews
Healthy Cookie Dough Overnight Oats
 
Print
Prep time
Total time
 
Chewy oats, protein rich chia seeds, and creamy cashew butter make these Healthy Cookie Dough Overnight Oats a breakfast worth waking up for!
Author:
Recipe type: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Serves: 1 serving
Ingredients
Directions
  1. In a mason jar or bowl, mix together the oats, chia seeds, cashew butter, milk and maple syrup until well combined.
  2. Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
  3. Before eating, stir in the cacao nibs or other optional add-ins.
  4. Enjoy!
Notes
*You can substitute the cacao nibs for dairy-free chocolate chips, craisins, raisins, chopped dates, etc.

Don’t forget to leave a comment and rate the recipe down below!

Healthy Cookie Dough Overnight Oats in a mason jar

Eat Consciously,

Faith

 

Pin150K
Share965
Tweet
151K Shares
Summary
recipe image
Recipe Name
Healthy Cookie Dough Overnight Oats
Preparation Time
Cook Time
Total Time
Average Rating
2.51star1star1stargraygray Based on 18 Review(s)

Reader Interactions

Comments

    • 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!

      Reply

  2. 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?

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  3. 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! 🙂

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  4. 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 🙂

    Reply

    • Definitely! I just find that the cashew butter give it a more classic cookie flavor. Both would be delicious though!

      Reply

  7. 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

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  8. 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!

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  9. What’s the calories in this recipe per serving and what would one serving be thanks! Need the calorie count for my meal prep.

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  11. 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!

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

    • That would make me so happy Amy! Keep me posted! Oh, and chocolate chips instead of cacao nibs would definitely help 🙂

      Reply

    • So glad you and your kids like this recipe! I was actually thinking of preparing it tonight for myself. Thanks for sharing as well!

      Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  19. If one does not like the texture of chia seeds do you recommend omitting them all together or substituting for something?
    Thanks.

    Reply

    • 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:)

      Reply

  20. 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 🙂

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate this recipe:  

Spread the Luv!