This week’s new recipe is these delicious, make-ahead Cookie Butter Protein Overnight Oats! If you’ve never had it before, cookie butter is a nut free, spreadable treat (akin to peanut butter) that’s made out of Biscoff cookies. It has a sweet and cinnamon spiced cookie flavor, which I really enjoy. Cookie butter is pretty common in parts of Europe and has gained popularity in the US over the last few years.
I made these oats with both Greek yogurt and whey protein for an ultra creamy, luxurious texture. The layer of melted cookie butter on top is the pièce de résistance – not only is it gorgeous, but it’s also a great way to hammer home the cookie butter flavor in these oats. I recommend using a narrow container like these 10 oz mason jars so you can get an even spread of melted cookie butter over the oats before you store them in the fridge! I added some crumbled Biscoff cookies on top too if you’re into that sort of thing.
How Far in Advance Can I Make Overnight Oats?
The name would suggest that you need to make them the night before you eat them, but I’ve made them up to 6 days in advance and haven’t had any issues. For most overnight oats recipes, the texture starts to change slightly after about 3 days in the refrigerator. People worry a lot about oats getting mushy if they don’t eat them within a day or two, but I find they get more creamy than anything. You may also find that some of the liquid separates or that they seem to dry out – just give them a stir and add more of your milk of choice to revive them!
If you’re worried about whether you’ll still like them after a few days, I’d recommend 2 things: 1) make a test batch and give it a try on day 4 and 5 to see if you like it. Don’t put all of your proverbial eggs in that breakfast basket on those days – have a backup ready to avoid any frustration or disappointment if you don’t like them. And 2) if you find you don’t like their texture on days 4, 5, 6, etc. – mix up the dry ingredients in a jar ahead of time and stash it on your counter. Then all you’ll have to do is add the wet ingredients and stick it in the fridge overnight when you’re ready for it!
Another pro tip: always be sure to use the regular or thick rolled oats/old fashioned oats. There are quick cooking rolled oats out there that will lose their chew way faster than the thicker ones. Bob’s Red Mill actually makes these Extra Thick Rolled Oats that are perfect for overnight oats!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:
Rolled oats – I prefer to use rolled oats (also called old fashioned oats) in my overnight oats recipes because they maintain some chew even after a few nights in the fridge. Quick cooking oats turn to mush and steel cut oats have too much bite (even if you use the quick cooking kind).
Milk – Use whatever neutral tasting milk you prefer! I used almond milk, which doesn’t have a strong flavor. Some non-dairy milks have a really strong flavor or are overly sweet – I’d stay away from those in this recipe.
Vanilla non-fat Greek yogurt – This helps make these oats extra creamy while adding a boost of protein. I also used some on top mixed with a couple other ingredients as a sort of “frosting.” If you want to use a dairy free yogurt, check out my recommendations here.
Biscoff cookie butter – Cookie butter has a similar, but thicker texture as peanut butter and it’s made out of biscoff cookies. It has a sweet, cinnamon spiced cookie flavor. If you’d rather use something else you already have on hand, peanut butter or Nutella would be great substitutes!
Whey protein powder – I used a whey protein in this recipe. You can really use any kind you like, but I prefer whey in overnight oats since it dissolves easily into milk and tastes great. A casein or whey/casein mix will absorb more milk than just whey alone, so you may need to adjust the amount of almond milk if you decide to use one of those. Plant based proteins can sometimes leave a gritty texture and have an aftertaste. If you don’t want to use protein powder at all, that’s fine too – just skip it! Just leave out about 2 tbsp of milk – you can always add more back in the morning if the oats seem too thick for your liking.
Chia seeds – If you’re not familiar with them, they’re the little black specks you can see in the overnight oats. As they sit in liquid, they soak up moisture and help your overnight oats thicken up and get really creamy. Plus they’re a great source of fiber and antioxidants!
Vanilla extract – Like salt in a savory dish, vanilla tends to enhance the flavors of a sweet recipe.
Almond extract – In addition to the vanilla extract, almond extract really helps give these oats that cookie flavor. A little bit of almond extract goes a very long way, so be careful when adding this one to your oats – don’t add more than the recipe calls for!
Cinnamon – Bump up the spice with a bit of extra cinnamon to enhance the cookie butter flavor.
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Recipe
Cookie Butter Protein Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup rolled oats (64 grams)
- 5/8 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (5 fl oz)
- 1/2 cup Dannon Light & Fit Vanilla Greek yogurt (4 fl oz)
- 2 1/2 tbsp Biscoff cookie butter, melted and divided (38 grams)
- 2 tbsp vanilla whey protein (17 grams)
- 1/2 tbsp chia seeds (6 grams)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp almond extract
- pinch salt
Instructions
Add almond milk and whey protein to a bowl and and whisk together until smooth. Add yogurt, 1/2 tbsp melted cookie butter, and extracts, and whisk again until smooth.
Add oats, chia seeds, cinnamon, and salt and mix until well combined. Add to resealable storage container. Set aside.
Drizzle remaining melted cookie butter over the top of the prepared oats. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Optional: top with crushed Biscoff cookie before serving.
Recipe Notes
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