These creamy and nutty Peanut Butter Overnight Oats are a quick and healthy breakfast dream!
Table of contents
- These creamy and nutty Peanut Butter Overnight Oats are a quick and healthy breakfast dream!
- Why You'll Love These Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
- Recipe Ingredients
- Ingredient substitutions
- Do you have to cook overnight oats?
- Is this recipe gluten-free?
- What milk is best for this recipe?
- How to make peanut butter overnight oats
- Can you use quick-cook or steel-cut oats for this recipe?
- How do you make this recipe dairy-free?
- Toppings
- Can you stir protein powder into overnight oats?
- Tools needed to make this recipe
- More Oat Recipes
- More Breakfast Recipes
Add a new star to your breakfast lineup with this Peanut Butter Overnight Oats recipe. It's ready in just 4 steps, is made with entirely clean ingredients, and is perfectly nutty and naturally sweet.
Meal prep this recipe to have breakfast set for the week. Top your oatmeal with different toppings each morning to keep it fresh. Either way, get ready for a new nutritious and tasty breakfast!
I remember the first time I had overnight oats. Hearing all the buzz in Facebook groups and from friends, I decided I'd try out a recipe.
I searched Google and decided on the first tasty-looking overnight oats post I could find.
Oats, nut milk, and chia seeds went into the bowl. I mixed it all together, chilled it overnight, and got super excited to dig into my bowl after my workout the next morning.
A few bites in and I wasn't impressed. There wasn't much flavor in it. It didn't have much texture or fill me up much, either.
And I'm really not a fussy breakfast eater! I mean, I love breakfast. So much so that you can often find me eating two breakfasts (thank you, long morning runs and bootcamp!).
But, thankfully, it's from these experiences that I learn what I do want in a recipe. Which for this overnight oats recipe is...
- Depth of flavor -- which we get from a plash of pure vanilla extract
- Natural sweetness -- Pure maple syrup is a stunner in these oats! And you don't need a ton of it to make a difference in the flavor profile of this recipe.
- Substance -- natural peanut butter adds protein, fiber, and healthy fat. Oh, yes-- and flavor!
- Texture and crunch -- topping these overnight oats with roasted peanuts, hemp seeds, and even chocolate chips takes it up that extra notch; making it more satisfying and pleasurable to eat!
So, now armed with a recipe that I like to eat and fills me up for the rest of the morning, I can confidently say that overnight oats and I are friends again.
Whether you already love oats or are looking to be won over, I hope this recipe woos you, too. Happy breakfast, friends!
Why You'll Love These Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
- Creamy
- Nutty
- Naturally sweet
- Rich in fiber and whole grains
- Easily made gluten-free & vegan
- Perfect for meal prep
- Made without any heating or cooking
- Delicious with so many different toppings!
If you're looking for new nutritious and delicious breakfast recipes, this overnight oatmeal is for you!
Recipe Ingredients
- Almond milk - unsweetened is best; use vanilla if you prefer but original (or unflavored) almond milk is just fine, too
- Old fashioned oats - use gluten-free oats to make this recipe gluten-free
- Greek yogurt - 0%, 2% or 4% Greek yogurt work, so use whatever you have on hand and prefer
- Maple syrup - pure syrup is best; all we need is 2 teaspoons per serving
- Pure vanilla extract - imitation vanilla extract can work in a pinch
- Natural peanut butter - salted or unsalted peanut butter both work!
Ingredient substitutions
- Milk - any type of milk (dairy, oat, pea, nut milk, etc.) can be used in this recipe so use whatever you have on hand and prefer
- Liquid sweetener - agave syrup or honey work as a replacement for the maple syrup
- Yogurt - I use dairy Greek yogurt for this recipe, but you can substitute any nut or vegan yogurt without a problem; if you're using a sweetened yogurt, reduce the amount of liquid sweetener in this recipe
- Nut butter - almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or any other nut or seed butter should work just fine as a peanut butter substitute
Do you have to cook overnight oats?
No, you do not need to cook overnight oats. These oats get tender simply by soaking in the milk (making them technically a raw recipe).
If you'd like to serve your oats warm, however, you can do so. Just check out my notes below on how to heat these oats up before serving.
Is this recipe gluten-free?
You can very easily make gluten-free overnight oats with this recipe by using certified gluten-free old fashioned oats!
Oats on there own don't have wheat ingredients in them, but many brands of oats are processed on machinery that also processes wheat ingredients, so double check your oat container's labeling and ingredients if you don't eat gluten!
What milk is best for this recipe?
Your favorite type of milk is best for this recipe. 🙂 Oat milk, nut milk, dairy milk, pea milk -- they all work just fine! So, just grab a bottle of your favorite kind and you're ready to whip up these oats!
How to make peanut butter overnight oats
- Combine all of the ingredients except for the peanut butter in a small mixing bowl.
- Stir the ingredients together until combined.
- Cover the oats and refrigerate them overnight (12 hours+).
- Drizzle your overnight oats with peanut butter and top with your favorite toppings. Serve!
Can you use quick-cook or steel-cut oats for this recipe?
You can technically use quick-cook oats, but I don't recommend using steel-cut oats for this recipe. Using quick-cook oats will affect the end texture of the recipe (it will have the texture of baby food) and using steel-cut oats will require more milk, more soaking time, and may be harder to digest.
How do you make this recipe dairy-free?
You can easily make dairy-free overnight oats with this recipe by using a nut, pea, or oat milk and a vegan yogurt in this recipe.
Toppings
One of my favorite parts of making overnight oats is having fun playing around with different toppings! Here are a few of my favorites:
- Sliced bananas
- Extra maple syrup
- Hemp seeds
- Roasted peanuts
- Raisins
- Chocolate or carob chips
- Trail mix
- Sliced strawberries
- Dates
- Blueberries
Can you stir protein powder into overnight oats?
Protein powder is a fantastic addition to overnight oats! Stir 1 scoop of powder (or collagen) in with oats and other ingredients before chilling and soaking the dish.
For the best flavor, use unflavored, chocolate, or vanilla protein powder in this recipe. If your protein powder is sweetened you may want to reduce the amount of maple syrup you use in the recipe, so taste the oat mixture before adding the sweetener.
Can you double or triple this recipe?
Yes, you certainly can multiply this recipe by whatever multiple you desire. Use a large enough mixing bowl to accommodate the amount of oats you will make, whisk them up to combine, and store the oats covered in an airtight container until you serve out your individual portions.
Pro-tip: I like to add all the ingredients to a large plastic storage container. Then I cover the container and shake vigorously until the oats are all mixed up before adding the container to the refrigerator to chill.
Can you meal prep this recipe?
This meal is a meal prep dream! Follow my directions just above to see how to multiply this recipe and use it for meal prep.
How long do these oats last?
These oats last covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 or 5 days. Stir them well before serving if they've sat in the fridge for longer than 1 day.
This recipe does not freeze well.
Tools needed to make this recipe
More Oat Recipes
- Oat Protein Cookies
- Gluten-Free Banana Cake
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
- Banana Double Chocolate Chip Pancakes
- Gluten-Free Oat Pancakes
More Breakfast Recipes
- Green Peanut Butter Date Smoothie
- Brownie Baked Oatmeal
- Creamy Raspberry Smoothie
- Blueberry Spinach Smoothie
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