High Protein Overnight Oats
by Sommer Collier — on Jan 7, 2026 Breakfast shouldn’t be boring, but it shouldn’t be a chore either! My high-protein overnight oats recipe is easy to meal-prep in just 10 minutes and makes the thickest, creamiest, and most delicious oatmeal cups, perfect for loading up with your favorite toppings all week long.
All right, protein lovers, I’ve got a special recipe for you today! Breakfast is tricky, and we don’t always have time to make something healthy. For example, foods like my overnight slow cooker oatmeal are tasty and nutritious, but require a crockpot and a somewhat watchful eye. When I want to start the day out right with protein, fiber, and lots of vitamins and minerals… With equal parts deliciousness and no actual cooking required, preparing oatmeal in the fridge is always a fabulous idea. This simple make-ahead high protein overnight oats recipe is a great way to add pep to the day. It’s extremely well-balanced nutritionally and tastes great as-is or with your favorite oatmeal toppings. Plus, you can store individual portions in the fridge so you can grab and go in the morning.
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
No-Cook Prep Ahead Magic – Spend a mere 10 minutes in the evening putting these oatmeal cups together in one bowl, then pop them in the fridge. Trust me, future you will be so grateful for your meal prepping thoughtfulness! This high protein overnight oats recipe makes 4-6 jars, perfect to get you through the week.
Make them Your Way – I am giving you the basic recipe with just the right ratio of oats, chia seeds, protein powder, Greek yogurt, and milk. (Trust me, I’ve tested these amounts over and over, and my combo is practically guaranteed to make the thickest and scoopable protein oatmeal.) From there, you can change up the flavors by including whatever toppings you want, from fresh fruits to sweet goodies, so you never get bored!
Good and Good for You – Who doesn’t love a breakfast that is packed with protein, fiber, and vitamins, AND tastes amazing? Similar to my healthy granola recipe, you get it all here… Everything your body needs to fuel up for the day and keep you going, plus an irresistible warm cinnamon flavor that’s sweet but not too sweet.
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Rolled oats – Or old fashioned oats. I don’t recommend using quick oats as these tend to get a bit too mushy. But if mushy oatmeal is your thing, go for it! (And if you’re looking for a way to use up any quick oats you might have on hand, I recommend making my oatmeal banana bread recipe.) On the other side of the spectrum, steel-cut oats don’t get soft enough.
- Plain Greek yogurt – I use low fat yogurt and suggest you do the same if you are keeping an eye on calories. (Oats aren’t exactly a low-cal food.) The protein content of low-fat and full-fat yogurt is about the same.
- Vanilla protein powder – Use your favorite brand. And sure, you could also use other flavors of protein powder, like chocolate protein powder or strawberry.
- Chia seeds – I only use a couple of tablespoons of chia seeds to thicken the overnight oats. They usually come in a larger bag, so consider using the remaining seeds to make other breakfast recipes like my eggless oatmeal bars or snacks like low carb cauliflower crackers. PS – Chai seeds last a long time if kept in the freezer.
- Honey – Use pourable honey, not the firm raw stuff, so it’s easy to stir into the oat mixture. You could also swap honey with maple syrup or agave, if you like.
- Milk – Like Greek yogurt, I prefer to use low-fat 2% milk. And like the yogurt, both low-fat and whole-fat variations have roughly the same amount of protein. Or you could use your fave dairy-free plant milk alternative, like almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk, or soy milk.
- Cinnamon and salt – A bit of each helps to balance the sweetness of the protein powder and honey. The cinnamon also adds a warm, cozy, comforting-sweet flavor. Doesn’t that sound lovely for breakfast?
How to Make
Find the full ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, storage tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Combine Dry Ingredients – I just need one bowl here. My favorite kind of breakfast recipe! Into the bowl go the dry ingredients: Oats, chia seeds, protein powder, cinnamon, and salt. Give ’em a stir.
Add Wet Ingredients – Now I add in the yogurt, honey, and milk.
Stir – Use a whisk to combine everything evenly in the bowl. The mixture might seem a bit loosey-goosey at first, like a thin pancake batter. Not to worry, it’ll thicken up as the oats slowly soak up the liquid in the refrigerator overnight.
Scoop & Refrigerate – I use a ladle to scoop the batter-like mixture into half-pint mason jars, or other small airtight containers with a lid, *almost* to the top. Remember, the oats and chia will expand overnight, and the oatmeal will fill the jar.
Screw the lids on tightly and place the jars in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or ideally, overnight.
Expert Tip
A note on the protein powder… The calculations on the nutritional facts are a rough estimate. Since you can select any vanilla flavored protein powder you like, including various types of plant-based protein, or whey protein, in any brand, it’s tricky to calculate, because they all have different amounts of protein per serving. Also, the scoop sizes are different. Some protein powders include a 1-tablespoon scoop, while others include a scoop that’s close to a quarter cup. Because of this, you may need to adjust the liquid in your recipe to reach the right consistency. The final product should have a texture similar to oatmeal.
Overnight Oats Toppings
It’s morning time, and the high protein oatmeal is ready to enjoy fresh and cold from the fridge. Now is the fun part, when I get to load on sweet toppings and devour! Want some suggestions for how to garnish your oats? Here are a few of my favorite goodies:
- Fresh berries like strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries.
- Slices of bananas or peaches.
- A scoop of homemade strawberry rhubarb jam, old-fashioned strawberry jam, or peach jam.
- Homemade cherry pie filling, apple pie filling, or chopped fried apples.
- Sweet goodies like chocolate shavings, mini chocolate chips, or shredded coconut.
- Chopped nuts like walnuts, pecans, cashews, and almonds add even more protein and delightful crunch.
Storage Notes
These morning power oats will keep in the fridge for about 3-5 days when stored in airtight mason jars or containers. But I suggest adding your favorite toppings right before diving in for the best texture. If you do prep them with fresh fruit already mixed in, they’re best enjoyed within a day or two – otherwise the fruit can turn mushy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Between the Greek yogurt, chia seeds, and milk, this recipe is already pack a major protein punch. Adding protein powder turns it into a total breakfast powerhouse that rivals any other morning fuel! Each serving has about 13 grams of protein, but the exact amount depends on the protein powder you use.
Oh yes, especially in the colder months, I love to heat them up! You can leave the jars on the counter to come to room temperature, then microwave directly in the prepared jars (minus the tops) for 30-60 seconds, stirring occasionally. But if you are short on time, simply scoop the oatmeal straight from the fridge and into microwave-safe dishes before heating. Then add fruit or other desired toppings and enjoy.
If you give the oats a good stir in the morning and they aren’t quite thick enough, try stirring in an extra teaspoon of protein powder, Greek yogurt, and/or a tablespoon of peanut butter, almond butter, or other nut butter. There’s no right or wrong answer here, go with whatever ingredient you think tastes the best and add a ‘lil bit more to make the oatmeal thicker.
Whisking the ingredients in a large bowl helps to avoid clumping. I also suggest giving the oat cups a good shake (with the lid on, of course) or stirring them well before adding any toppings and eating.
Well, no, not technically. The oatmeal will be soft and thick enough to enjoy after about 4 hours in the fridge. So you can go ahead and whip up some batches in the morning, then enjoy one as an afternoon snack and save the rest for breakfasts throughout the week.
More Breakfast Recipes
High Protein Overnight Oats
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats or old fashioned oats
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoons salt
- 8 scoops vanilla protein powder*
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 – 3 cups milk any variety
Instructions
- Set out a large mixing bowl. Combine the oats, Chia seeds, ground cinnamon, and salt. Stir well to combine. Add the vanilla protein powder and stir again.
- Add the Greek yogurt, honey, and 2 cups of milk. Stir well. The mixture should have the consistency of loose slightly chunky pancake batter. (It will thicken as the oats absorb the moisture.) If it seems too thick, add additional milk. Stir to combine.
- Scoop the overnight oats into one-cup (half pint) jars. Screw the lids on tight and place them in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Serve as-is or top with berries, chocolate shavings, shredded coconut, or chopped nuts!
These overnight oats are so creamy and filling! I love how easy they are to prep for the week.