These Chocolate Cherry Overnight Oats are a decadent yet healthy way to start off your mornings! The chocolate and cherries form a mouthwatering combo that will keep you feeling satisfied for hours. It’s the perfect make-ahead breakfast option for the whole family! {gluten-free, vegetarian & no refined sugar}
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Cherry Chocolate Overnight Oats
These chocolate cherry overnight oats couldn’t be more delicious. It’s basically like having Black Forest cake for breakfast! Plus, it’s easy enough you can make a batch once on the weekend and have a healthy breakfast ready for every day of the week!
This is the perfect way to celebrate cherry season, and I love how good the fresh cherries taste with the rich chocolate flavor. So tasty!
Why We Love This Cherry Overnight Oats Recipe
- So easy: I love recipes like this that come together with almost no effort. Overnight oats are a go-to in my house because they’re perfect for busy mornings and truly hit the spot. Plus, they’re so tasty and customizable!
- Perfect for meal prep: Make this chocolate cherry overnight oats recipe once on the weekend, and you’ll have an easy breakfast ready to go every day of the week. You can heat them up or enjoy them straight out of the mason jars on the go!
- Filling & healthy: These yummy black forest overnight oats are a great breakfast made with chia seeds, oats, and fresh fruit for lots of filling fibre. They’re also made with protein powder, so they’re high in protein to energize you all morning long!
Ingredient Notes
- Rolled oats: Use regular rolled oats, not quick oats, for the perfect texture.
- Milk: Choose any milk, like cow’s milk or your favorite non-dairy milk, as the liquid base for this recipe.
- Vanilla protein powder: A little protein powder will give you more energy for your day, and vanilla protein powder adds additional sweetness and creaminess for a great texture.
- Cocoa powder: Stick with unsweetened cocoa powder to avoid any added sugar but still get lots of chocolate flavor.
- Chia seeds: By using chia seeds and oats, this overnight oats recipe has a fantastic texture and plenty of fibre.
- Vanilla extract: Add a little bit of vanilla for a sweet flavor to balance the bitterness of the chocolate.
- Maple syrup: This ingredient is optional, but it’s the only sweetener in this recipe besides the protein powder. Add as much or as little as you like.
- Cherries: Use frozen or fresh cherries in both the overnight oats and on top as a garnish.
- Chocolate: Add a sprinkle of dark chocolate shavings for a little crunch and extra chocolate flavor. This extra touch will make your morning bowl of oats taste truly decadent!
Step-by-Step Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the oats, milk, protein powder, cocoa, chia seeds, vanilla and maple syrup (if using). Stir until combined.
- Add in 1 cup of diced cherries and fold into mixture.
- Allow to sit in the fridge for at least eight hours or overnight.
- Once thickened, divide mixture into four jars or bowls. Top with additional chopped cherries and shaved or chopped dark chocolate. Serve and enjoy!
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
Tips for the Best Overnight Oats
- If you use frozen cherries, you may wish to add slightly less milk since the liquid from the cherries will absorb into the overnight oats. Start with 2 cups of milk and add more as needed if the oats still seem too thick.
- If you’re not a fan of protein powders or don’t want to buy a whole tub of it for the sake of this recipe, you can also sweeten the overnight oats with half to one tablespoon of maple syrup per serving depending on your personal preferences.
- I like to use pre-shaved dark chocolate curls, which makes the overnight oats taste like black forest cake. If you can’t find this item, you can either shave the dark chocolate yourself using a vegetable peeler and a block of dark chocolate, or just chop up some dark chocolate to sprinkle on top.
Recipe FAQs
It typically takes approximately 8 hours for oats to absorb all the liquid in a basic overnight oats recipe. It’s easiest to let it sit overnight, hence the name. By the next morning, they’ll have the perfect softened texture without getting too soggy. It’s best not to rush.
Absolutely! If you’re using frozen cherries, I recommend letting them thaw first. Otherwise, they’ll release a lot of water, which can make your oats overly wet. The easiest thing to do is to stick your bag of frozen cherries in the fridge for a few hours, let them thaw, and then strain off any excess liquid. If you don’t want to thaw them first, use less milk than recommended to account for the additional liquid. I’m partial to the dark sweet cherries because they have so much flavor.
It’s so easy to make this dark chocolate cherry overnight oats totally dairy-free! Just replace the milk with your favorite plant-based milk, like coconut milk or unsweetened almond milk. Be sure to use a vegan protein powder too. The rest of the ingredients are naturally dairy-free, so you just have to make a couple of simple swaps!
Storage Guidelines
These overnight oats should keep in the fridge for up to four to five days, which makes them the perfect breakfast option for those busy weekdays.
I recommend making up the whole batch (or double it!) so that you have breakfast all ready to go in the morning.
Optional Toppings
There are plenty of ways to adapt these chocolate cherry overnight oats to suit your palette!
Try adding any of these toppings or ingredients:
- Cacao nibs
- Regular or dairy free chocolate chips
- Greek yogurt
- A drizzle of nut butter (almond butter is a great fit)
- A touch of honey instead of maple syrup
- Freeze dried cherries
- Cherry jam
Recipe Variations
- Cherry almond overnight oats: Skip the cocoa powder and use almond extract and sliced almonds for a classic flavor combination.
- Dark chocolate cherry overnight oats: Use dark chocolate cocoa powder and dark chocolate shavings for a nice bitterness to balance the sweet cherries.
- Steel cut overnight chocolate cherry oats: For more whole grains and a chewier texture, use steel cut oats. They take longer to soften, but they’re a great alternative.
More Overnight Oats Recipes
- Blueberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats
- Protein Overnight Oats
- Peach Pie Overnight Oats
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
- Tropical Overnight Oats
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Chocolate Cherry Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 2 1/2 cups milk (or milk alternative)
- 4 tablespoons vanilla protein powder
- 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2-4 tablespoons maple syrup (optional)
- 1 cup sliced fresh or frozen cherries, plus more for topping
Toppings:
- Additional sliced cherries
- Shaved or chopped dark chocolate
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the oats, milk, protein powder, cocoa, chia seeds, vanilla and maple syrup (if using). Stir until combined.
- Add in 1 cup of diced cherries and fold into mixture.
- Allow to sit in the fridge for at least eight hours or overnight.
- Once thickened, divide mixture into four jars or bowls. Top with additional chopped cherries and shaved or chopped dark chocolate. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- If you use frozen cherries, you may wish to add slightly less milk since the liquid from the cherries will absorb into the overnight oats. Start with 2 cups of milk and add more as needed if the oats still seem too thick.
- If you’re not a fan of protein powders or don’t want to buy a whole tub of it for the sake of this recipe, you can also sweeten the overnight oats with half to one tablespoon of maple syrup per serving depending on your personal preferences.
- I like to use pre-shaved dark chocolate curls, which makes the overnight oats taste like black forest cake. If you can’t find this item, you can either shave the dark chocolate yourself using a vegetable peeler and a block of dark chocolate, or just chop up some dark chocolate to sprinkle on top.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted July 2019 and was updated June 2023 to include more helpful tips and photos.
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