High Protein Overnight Oats (36g Protein, Meal Prep)
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Five minutes. Two flavors. 36 grams of protein. These high protein overnight oats are the breakfast you’ve been sleeping on… literally. Mix everything in a mason jar, refrigerate overnight, and wake up to a creamy, filling breakfast that’s ready before your coffee is.
When it comes to breakfast, I’ve been known to be indecisive so having the two options of chocolate or vanilla really butters my bread. Add the zillion topping options and this a dream come true for old “can’t make a breakfast decision to save her life” Danielle.
More flavor ideas: blueberry overnight oats and Biscoff overnight oats are both worth a try.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- 36g protein per serving
- 5 minutes of prep the night before, zero effort in the morning
- Two flavors in one recipe
- Great for meal prep
- Totally customizable toppings
Ingredients and Substitutions:
These are the main ingredients and substitutions for overnight oats and protein powder. See recipe card below for full ingredients list and instructions.
- Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: rolled oats are the only oats that work here. Quick oats absorb too much liquid and turn mushy. Steel cut oats don’t absorb enough and stay too firm and grainy even after a full night in the fridge. Rolled oats hit the sweet spot — soft, creamy, and just chewy enough.
- Vanilla Almond Milk: the liquid base that everything soaks in overnight. Any milk works here, dairy or non-dairy. If you want to sneak in a little extra protein, Fairlife or soy milk are great swaps. Just know that higher-protein milks will slightly change your macro count.
- Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt: this is one of your two main protein sources and it’s also what makes the oats so thick and creamy. Full-fat Greek yogurt works too but will add more calories and fat. Flavored yogurt is fine but will change the sweetness and macros.
- Protein Powder: your second main protein source and the ingredient that makes the biggest difference in this recipe. A whey casein blend is strongly recommended because it absorbs liquid slowly overnight and gives you that thick, pudding-like texture. Whey-only or plant-based powders are thinner, so if that’s what you have, reduce your almond milk to ½ cup. The flavor of your protein powder matters a lot too so use one you already love because you will taste it. I use PEScience Gourmet Vanilla and Chocolate Truffle (use code OHSNAP)
- Chia Seeds: don’t skip these! Chia seeds absorb liquid and expand overnight, which is a big part of what makes the texture so creamy and thick. They also add fiber and healthy fats without really changing the flavor at all.
- Honey or Maple Syrup: just a touch of sweetness to round everything out. If your protein powder is already on the sweeter side, start with half a tablespoon and taste as you go.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (chocolate version only): this is what gives the chocolate base its rich, deep flavor. Cacao powder works as a 1:1 swap if that’s what you have on hand.
A Note on Protein Powder
- Whey casein blend for best results. It absorbs liquid slowly overnight, which gives you that thick, creamy, almost pudding-like texture. I use PEScience Gourmet Vanilla and Chocolate Truffle (code OHSNAP).
- Whey-only protein: thinner result. Reduce almond milk from ¾ cup to ½ cup.
- Plant-based/vegan protein: also thinner, and can sometimes be chalky depending on the brand. Same fix — reduce liquid to ½ cup. Use a brand you know you like the flavor of.
- Unflavored protein: works fine, but the oats won’t be as sweet. Add a little extra honey or maple syrup to compensate.
- Bottom line: the flavor and type of your protein powder has the biggest impact on how these taste and feel. Don’t use one you don’t already love on its own.
Flavor Variations
Chocolate base add-ins:
- Peanut butter drizzle or PB2 swirled in
- Drizzle of peanut butter syrup on top
- Mini chocolate chips
- Almond butter + coconut flakes (Almond Joy vibes)
- Sliced banana
Vanilla base add-ins:
- Sliced apples + cinnamon + caramel drizzle (apple pie overnight oats)
- Fresh or frozen mixed berries
- Honey + granola for crunch
- Lemon zest + blueberries
- Coconut flakes + pineapple chunks (tropical)
Universal toppings:
- Extra dollop of Greek yogurt
- Chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans)
- Chia seeds or hemp seeds
Dietary Modifications
- For dairy-free, use a vegan protein powder and dairy-free yogurt.
- This recipe is gluten-free if using certified gluten-free oats and a protein powder that is gluten-free.
Troubleshooting tips for the perfect overnight oats
- Watery oats: almost always the protein powder type. Whey-only and plant-based don’t thicken like whey casein. Fix: reduce almond milk to ½ cup.
- Too thick: add a splash of almond milk before eating and stir.
- Too sweet: reduce or skip the honey. If your protein powder is already sweet, you may not need it at all.
- Chalky or gritty texture: your protein powder is the culprit, not the recipe. Try a different brand or blend the protein powder with the almond milk before adding to the jar to help it mix in more smoothly.
How to Meal Prep These Overnight Oats
+ Make up to 5 jars at a time (5-day fridge life)
+ Double batch tip: make 2 chocolate + 2 vanilla so you can alternate flavors all week
+ Store in airtight mason jars: or containers with lids
+ Add toppings fresh each morning: don’t add crunchy toppings ahead of time or they’ll get soggy
+ Oats thicken more as they sit: add a splash of milk if needed before eating
Recipe FAQs
A whey casein blend is the way to go — it thickens up beautifully overnight and gives you that rich, creamy texture. Whey-only protein powders don’t get as thick, so if that’s what you’re using, reduce your almond milk to ½ cup instead of ¾ cup. The flavor of your protein powder matters a lot here too, so use one you actually love. Danielle uses PEScience Gourmet Vanilla and Chocolate Truffle (code OHSNAP saves you money on their site).
Yes, but you will drop the protein count significantly. To make it work without powder, increase oats to ½ cup, reduce almond milk to ½ cup, and omit the protein powder. You’ll end up with a lower-protein but still delicious bowl. Adding extra Greek yogurt can help bump the protein back up a bit.
Up to 5 days in an airtight container — making them the ultimate meal prep breakfast. They’ll continue to thicken as they sit, so just add a splash of almond milk before eating if you want a thinner consistency.
Not necessarily! You need at least 4–6 hours for the oats to soften and the mixture to thicken. Overnight is just the easiest and most hands-off approach. If you forget, make them in the morning and let them sit in the fridge while you get ready — they’ll still work.
Old-fashioned rolled oats only. Quick oats turn mushy and soggy. Steel-cut oats stay too firm and grainy even after soaking overnight. Rolled oats hit the sweet spot — they soften up just enough to get creamy without falling apart.
Most likely it’s your protein powder. Whey casein blends absorb liquid and thicken as they sit — whey-only or plant-based powders don’t behave the same way. If you’re not using a whey casein blend, cut the almond milk down to ½ cup. Also make sure you’re giving the chia seeds time to fully absorb — they do a lot of the thickening work overnight.
More Overnight Oat Recipes You’ll Love!
If you make this recipe, please leave a rating and/or comment! Tag me on Instagram @ohsnapmacros, I love hearing from you!
Protein Overnight Oats
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Ingredients
Vanilla
- 3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1/4 cup old fashioned oats 26g
- 1/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt 56g
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (PEScience) whey casein blend
- 1 Tbsp. honey or maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp. chia seeds
Chocolate
- 3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1/4 cup old fashioned oats 26g
- 1/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt 56g
- 1 scoop chocolate protein powder (Pescience) whey casein blend
- 1 Tbsp. honey or maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp. chia seeds
- 1/2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
- Add everything to a mason jar or sealable container, shake, and let sit in the refrigerator overnight.
- When ready to enjoy remove from the fridge, stir and enjoy cold.
- Optional, you can add additional almond milk if you like a thin consistency and your favorite toppings like fresh sliced fruit, chopped nuts and an extra dollop of Greek yogurt.
Important Note on Protein Powder
- It is important to note that using a different protein powder will result in different texture results! If you're not using a whey casein blend then you may need to recude the almond milk to 1/2 cup as it will not get as thick as a whey casein blend does.
Notes
- It is important to note that using a different protein powder will result in different results! I have tested this with many brands and the best results are with the recommended protein powder.
- Whey Casein is the preferred type of protein powder for these oats because it gets nice and thick. I like using PEScience gourmet vanilla and chocolate truffle which taste the best in these oats. Use code OHSNAP to save.
- Nutritional information for Chocolate Overnight Oats:
- Calories 379 36 P / 40 C / 10 F / 8 Fiber
- Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary with substitutions.
Hello,
What size mason cup do you use?
standard 8 oz. You can go bigger if you like a little more room.
This recipe is delicious! The texture is absolutely perfect. I did find it a bit sweet. I would omit the sweetener all together. I topped the chocolate one with fresh berries, and it was spectacular.
Glad you liked it, minus the sweet part. Definitely omit if you found it too sweet 🙂
Hello! I’m so eager to try this and it looks delicious, but is it okay if I use unflavored whey protein for the chocolate one? Will it be way different?
Hi, you can use any flavor you like. If you use unflavored it won’t be as sweet so you may want to add more sweetener, such as honey or maple syrup.
Waayyyy too much liquid and not enough oats. Ends up a watery mess.
Oh no! Sounds like something went awry. It’s likely your protein powder. Did you use a whey protein blend? Whey blends (which I used) are thicker. If not using whey protein blend, you should lower the liquid ratio. They should not be watery, but rather creamy and rich. So sorry it didn’t work out!
These were amazing. Per your advice I reduced the liquid to a half cup with the plant protein I used (Truvani), did lighter in the maple syrup and sprinkled a few mini choc chips on top.
Yum! Love the subs. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
All I can say is holy batman! I made the chocolate overnight oats and it was AMAZING! I’m so excited to try the vanilla version tomorrow. If you have not tried this recipe you should. I bought the small PEScience packs to try and understand why Danielle recommends them – they do not taste anything like protein in my opinion.
The chocolate one has been on repeat for the last couple weeks, so good! A prefect grab and go in the morning and keeps me full until lunch.
Right?! I could have the chocolate one every day.
I made the chocolate version and will be adding these into my daily routine for an infinite amount of time. The consistency was an absolute chef kiss and they were seriously just SO good!