We’ve made it to hump day! And that calls for a new, delicious breakfast recipe: Peaches and Cream Protein Overnight Oats. I’m still riding high on this peach train, even if Starbucks has debuted pumpkin for the season. Don’t worry, I won’t be far behind, buttttt there are still plenty of juicy peaches to be had. Make the most of them with these yummy, creamy oats. Enjoy!
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 Gingerbread Protein Overnight Oats 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 – For the oats themselves, 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 – Add a layer of creamy goodness to these oats while also adding a boost of protein. If you want to use a dairy free yogurt, check out my recommendations here.
- Peaches – It’s peach season so let’s take advantage! Frozen would work fine here too – or you could use other fruits if you can’t find peaches.
- Honey – A little drizzle on top really helps make the flavors pop! If you’re prepping it ahead of time you can go ahead and mix it on in.
- 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.
- 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!
- Spices – I used both cinnamon and cardamon here, but if you don’t have cardamom on hand you can just use more cinnamon.
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Recipe
Peaches and Cream Protein Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, (6 fl oz)
- 3/4 cup Dannon Light and Fit Vanilla Greek yogurt, (6 fl oz)
- 2/3 cup rolled oats, (60 grams)
- 1 medium peach, pitted and chopped, (137 grams)
- 1 scoop Cellucor Whipped Vanilla Whey Protein, (34 grams)
- 1 tbsp honey, (1/2 fl oz)
- 1 tsp chia seeds, (5 grams)
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp cardamom, (use cinnamon if you don't have cardamom)
Instructions
- Whisk almond milk and whey protein until smooth. Add rolled oats, chia seeds, spices, and chopped peaches; mix until combined. Divide into 2 resealable containers and refridgerate overnight.
- Optional: Before serving, stir and microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute to take off the chill. Add more almond milk as needed to achieve desired oatmeal consistency.
- Top each serving with 3 fl oz of Greek yogurt and 1/2 tbsp of honey. Enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
Nutrition Information
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