How to Make Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats

Is there a more classic sweet combination than chocolate and peanut butter? I think not. And what’s better than getting the flavor of your favorite candy (hellllooo Reese’s cups!) in the form of a healthy, easy, and nourishing breakfast? Not much! Welcome to the magic that is overnight oats!

Making up a batch of these oats is a great way to feel like you are getting a decadent dessert without actually eating a decadent dessert. These chocolate peanut butter oats are one of my favorite overnight oats recipes because there is an awesome chemical reaction that happens with the cocoa powder and the yogurt that makes chocolate overnight oats super fluffy and doubly amazing (it happens with our Coconut Chocolate Overnight oats, too).

What are overnight oats?

Overnight oats are a no-cook method of making oatmeal. Instead of cooking your oats with liquid on the stove or in the microwave, you mix rolled oats with the liquid and other mix-ins, and let it rest in the fridge for at least two hours, or preferably overnight (hence the name!). In the morning, you have a pudding-like porridge that is perfect for easy grab-and-go breakfasts. If you’re new to making overnight oatmeal and want a full primer (plus lots of other easy to make recipes), check out our Overnight Oats 101 post.

What makes overnight oatmeal so great?

There are a lot of benefits to mixing up a batch of overnight oats. Here is why they have been part of my breakfast scene for years:

• They are the perfect make-ahead breakfast. Overnight oats take just a few minutes to mix up in the evening—we’re talking “you could make these during a commercial break during your favorite show” fast!
• Overnight oatmeal tastes amazing. If you’ve never had cold oatmeal before, you might be off-put by the idea of eating oats this way, but trust me! This porridge is thick, hearty, creamy, and like eating pudding for breakfast! (But you can also heat up your overnight oats if you prefer, more on that in a sec.)
• They are completely customizable. Want to make vegan overnight oats? What about gluten-free? What about mixing in your favorite fruit? All doable, because overnight oats are completely customizable. We’re covering Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats in this post (which is a great simple recipe to start with), but once you get the idea of overnight oats down, you can go wild making your own creations!
• They can be a healthy and hearty way to start the day. Since you are in control of your overnight oats, you can make them into a super nourishing, nutrient-dense breakfast! Mix in collagen or protein powder. Add more super seeds (like chia, flax, and hemp). Reduce the added sweeteners or remove them completely. These oats can be your breakfast superfood!
• Overnight oats are easy to make in bulk. They are a staple of many meal prep menus for good reason—you can mix up an entire week’s worth of breakfast in just a few minutes.

What do I need to make these chocolate peanut butter overnight oats?

For most overnight oatmeal recipes, you need the same base ingredients: milk, old-fashioned oats, Greek yogurt, chia seeds or ground flaxmeal, vanilla extract, salt, and some sort of sweetener (we tend to use honey or maple syrup). After that, it depends on the recipe! For this chocolate peanut butter flavor, you’ll need unsweetened cocoa powder and creamy peanut butter.

To make overnight oats, just stir together all the ingredients, spoon the oat mixture into a mason jar, and stash them in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, your breakfast will be ready to grab and go!

Can you warm up overnight oats?

If cold oatmeal isn’t your thing (or it’s just too chilly outside to eat it), you can absolutely warm up these chocolate peanut butter oats. Just heat them in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, stirring frequently, or in a small saucepan on the stove until heated to your liking.

Can you make substitutions to this recipe?

You can easily make these overnight oats vegan, gluten-free, or low- or no-sugar. You can swap out the milk for water, nix the chia or flax seeds, and choose different (or no) yogurt. We cover all the substitutions you can make in our in-depth overnight oats post. Here are some specific swap ideas for these chocolate peanut butter overnight oats:

• Make it vegan or dairy-free: Use plant-based milk, plant-based yogurt, and maple syrup for sweetener.
• Make it sugar-free: Drop the sweetener, make sure to use unsweetened peanut butter, and add 1/2 mashed ripe banana. Or use stevia or monk fruit sweetener in place of the maple syrup or honey, if you prefer.
• Make it gluten-free: Make sure to use certified gluten-free oats.

Where can you find more overnight oats recipes?

We’ve got you covered when it comes to simple and easy overnight oats recipes! Here are some of the most well-loved recipes on Wholefully.

Still skeptical? Just promise me you’ll mix up one batch and try it. I promise your life will never be the same once you’ve discovered overnight oats (especially chocolate and peanut butter ones). Enjoy!