Chocolate Overnight Oats are an easy no-cook breakfast. They’re made with oats, milk, cacao powder, and chia seeds, and you can make them ahead for easy breakfasts or snacks.
Overnight oats are my current new love. They only take a few minutes to prepare, and the flavor possibilities are endless. This chocolate overnight oats recipe is one of my favorites.
Rolled oats are soaked in milk overnight which softens the oats. They don’t taste the same as cooked oatmeal, but they do taste soft and creamy. This version has oats, cacao powder, chia seeds, and milk. I like to add a little honey as a sweetener.
I prepped enough for a week’s worth this past Sunday in less than 30 minutes. And now I get to eat chocolate for breakfast!
Ingredients
- Rolled oats
- Milk
- Cacao powder
- Honey
- Chia seeds
Oats: This recipe works best with rolled oats, also called old-fashioned oats. Don’t use quick oats because they will get too mushy. Rolled oats soften as they sit in the milk overnight but still maintain their texture. Steel-cut oats will also work if you want even chewier oatmeal.
Milk: Any milk will work including non-dairy milk like almond milk, oat milk, or other milk alternative that you like.
Cacao powder: Cacao is more nutritious than cocoa powder. I’ve used it to make cacao brownie bites, and it works great for overnight oats, too. You can use the same amount of unsweetened cocoa powder if that’s what you have on hand.
Honey: You can adjust the amount of honey depending on how sweet you want your oats. You can also use maple syrup.
Chia seeds: These are optional but they make the oatmeal so much creamier. Trust me. I tried making overnight oats with and without them, and the texture is noticeably thicker and creamier with the seeds.
Recipe Tips
Overnight oats need to be made ahead so the oatmeal can soak up the liquid. I like to make a batch at the beginning of the week to have on hand for a few days.
You can adjust the amount of milk depending on the container you use and how thick you like your oats.
You can adjust the sweetener, but I like to keep my overnight oats less sweet since I add fresh fruit when I eat them. These chocolate oats are great with fresh raspberries, sliced bananas, chopped strawberries, and blueberries.
You can use any airtight container. I like to store mine in a mason jar.
You can easily adapt this recipe, too. You can add chocolate chips, peanut butter or almond butter, nuts, or fresh berries.
I like overnight oats cold from the fridge, but you can warm them up if you prefer. If you do, you might want to add a little more milk if your oats are very thick.
More Easy Breakfast Recipes with Oats
- Pumpkin Overnight Oats
- Strawberry Overnight Oats
- 3 Ingredient No Bake Oatmeal Bars
- Baked Blueberry Oatmeal Cups
Chocolate Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup rolled oats (see note)
- 1/2 - 2/3 cup nonfat milk you can use any milk
- 1 tbsp cacao powder (see note)
- 1 -2 tbsp honey or to taste
- 1 tbsp chia seeds optional
Instructions
- In a glass jar, add all ingredients. (To determine the amount of milk to use, I found that 1/2 cup was just the right amount to cover and soften all the oats, but with very little liquid leftover the next morning. I like my oats this way but if you prefer runnier oats with some liquid leftover, I suggest adding 2/3 cup milk.) Mix everything together with a spoon until combined. You can taste and add more sweetener as needed. Since I add fresh fruit to mine in the morning, I prefer to keep the sugar level low.
- Seal jar and store in refrigerator for at least a few hours, but preferably overnight. Eat the next morning as is or with fresh fruit. You can also prepare up to a week's worth ahead of time.
Notes
- I like the Bob's Red Mill old fashioned or extra thick oats.
- You can also use cocoa powder but it's not as nutritious as cacao.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
How can I make this for 6 in a glass baking dish??
We haven’t tried scaling this recipe to serve six, but it should be pretty easy. If you want to make it in a baking dish, just multiply the ingredient amounts by 6.
This recipe is so delicious and has become my go-to for breakfast. It is just the perfect combination to make a good start to my day. Sometimes, I also add peanut butter.
So happy that you love it!
I made this last night because it looked like it would be a quick, easy breakfast for weekdays and it is so good! It’s like a healthy chocolate pudding. It makes for a delicious, decadent breakfast.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Can I add some peanut butter to this?
yes!
Can I use Greek yogurt in place for some of the milk? Like maybe half a cup? 🙂
I dont think you will have enough liquid to soak the oats if you replace with greek yogurt
I used stevia instead of honey, forgot to grab it at the store!! Hope it turns out well! I’ve never tried overnight oats but they entice me
it should work with stevia. the honey is there just as a sweetener.
amazing!!!!! I’ve used Dutch cocoa powder and 1 tablespoon honey. next time I’ll use half a tablespoon of honey. still a bit too sweet for me.
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Is the cocoa powder sweetened or unsweetened?
I used cacao powder which is naturally unsweetened. If you are using cocoa powder, use unsweetened
Really good
I’m glad you enjoyed!
Used date syrup instead of the honey and added some coco nibs. My 2 year old can’t get enough!
Thank you
So happy your 2 year old enjoyed! My husband loves overnight oats for his weekday breakfast.
Isn’t 1 tbsp of honey a bit excessive? Did you mean 1 tbsp?
You can always use less sweetener, but I found 1 tbsp was just the right amount to sweeten the oats
Loved it
So glad you loved it!
What about using real maple syrup in place of the honey? I just made this to have tomorrow but was wondering about that as a substitute?
yes, you can def sub out honey for syrup!
TC would love this. I would also like this with the reduced amount of milk that you suggested since I don’t like runny foods. I just need to get some cacao. : )
You can also use cocoa powder (I’m going to add that note into the recipe), but cocoa powder isn’t quite as nutritious and I try to keep it really healthy for breakfast. Hope TC enjoys!