Chocolate Overnight Oats with Dates

If you’re looking for a rich, chocolatey breakfast that’s both satisfying and nutritious, this Chocolate Date Overnight Oats recipe is perfect for you. Made with whole ingredients like oats, dates, and chia seeds, this easy meal is full of fiber, protein, and natural sweetness.

With just a few minutes of prep the night before, you’ll have a decadent yet healthy breakfast waiting for you in the morning!

Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Date Overnight Oats Recipe:

• Naturally Sweetened: Chopped dates add natural sweetness and extra fiber to keep you full longer. They’re low glycemic and don’t raise your blood sugar like table sugar or added sugars.
• Balanced nutrition: Packed with fiber from the oats and protein from Greek yogurt and chia seeds for a balanced start to your day.
• Easy Meal Prep: Prep in 5 minutes the night before for a ready-to-go breakfast in the morning.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Oats: The base of this recipe and the main source of energy with lots of belly-filling fiber.
• Sugar-free vanilla pudding mix: I love sugar-free pudding mixes in overnight oats because it adds a creaminess to the recipe without added sugar.
• Cocoa powder: For the most chocolatey flavor, a tablespoon goes a long way here.
• Chocolate chips: No chocolate recipe is complete without more chocolate… And I love the crunch of adding some chocolate chips.
• Dates: The star of the show, dates add a caramel flavor that pairs perfectly with the chocolate components, and also offers a low glycemic sugar option that naturally sweetens this recipe.
• Milk (dairy or non-dairy): I like 2% milk for a little creaminess and to help incorporate all of the ingredients.
• Greek yogurt: Plain Greek yogurt adds protein, more creaminess, and helps hold this recipe together.
• Chia seeds: Provides healthy fats and soaks up some of the milk and yogurt, creating a thick consistency. If your oats are too thick the next day, add a splash more of milk and stir.

Step by Step Instructions

1. In a jar or bowl, mix together the oats, pudding mix, cocoa powder, and chia seeds.
2. Add in the chopped dates and chocolate chips.
3. Pour in the milk and stir in the Greek yogurt until fully combined.
4. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 hours.
5. In the morning, give it a stir and enjoy your creamy, chocolatey oats!

Equipment needed

• Mason jars (or tupperware)
• Measuring cups
• Spoon or spatula for mixing

How to Store this Chocolate Date Overnight Oats

• Refrigerate: Store the overnight oats in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge.
• Freezing: You can freeze the mixture in individual portions for up to a month in airtight containers, however not everyone enjoys the texture change after thawing. To improve this, try thawing in the fridge overnight before enjoying.

Tips for Delicious Chocolate Date Overnight Oats

• Add texture: Top with crushed nuts like almonds or walnuts for extra texture.
• Lower Sugar: Use a sugar-free sweetener if you want to reduce sugar further without sacrificing taste.

Substitutions

• Dairy-Free: This recipe works will with coconut milk too, and you can swap Greek yogurt for a plant-based yogurt alternative for a dairy-free recipe.
• Different Sweeteners: Swap out the dates for honey, maple syrup, or agave for a different type of natural sweetness.
• Extra Protein: Add a scoop of chocolate protein powder to make it a high-protein breakfast.

FAQs

Can I use quick oats instead of old-fashioned oats?  Yes, but the texture will be softer. Old-fashioned oats give more bite to your overnight oats.

Do I have to use sugar-free pudding mix?  Not necessarily! You can use regular pudding mix, but keep in mind it will increase the sugar content. Or omit the pudding mix all together.

More Healthy Recipes

1. White Chocolate Strawberry Overnight Oats (No Chia)
2. Ninja Creami Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream (High Protein)
3. Healthy Chocolate Cherry Overnight Oats Recipe (20 g protein)

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