Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These creamy, indulgent tasting overnight oats taste like eating pumpkin pie for breakfast but are packed with 17 grams of protein to fuel your day!
I know that people are already playing Christmas music, but I’m just over here like “what about Thanksgiving, people?!?” I mean for real, pumpkin (and fall in general) still has a solid 21-or-so days of fame to go. And on that note, it’s time to get your hands on this Pumpkin Pie Protein Overnight Oats. Honestly, I could eat this for breakfast everyday until Thanksgiving. You need to try it.
Of course I added a bit of whipped cream on top to really make it feel like pumpkin pie. I’ve always been the person who adds a mound of whipped cream on top of pie that is taller than the piece of pie itself. How do you take your pie?? Hopefully in a jar 😉
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.
- Pumpkin puree – Obviously this is where you get the pumpkin flavor and orange color from! Be sure to use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Maple Syrup – You need a bit of sweetness to really get that pumpkin pie flavor.
- Maple Extract – I love maple extract to really help bring out the maple syrup flavor in this recipe, but you could use vanilla extract instead if you don’t have (or don’t want to buy) maple extract. It’s a personal favorite of mine for fall baking and sweet recipes.
- Protein powder – I used a whey protein in this recipe. Other protein powders will work, but may require adjusting the amount of liquid. I prefer whey in overnight oats since it dissolves easily into milk and tastes great. 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!
- Pumpkin pie spice – this blend of warming spices helps bring out that classic fall flavor in these oats.
Shop for this Recipe
Here are some items I used to help make this recipe a success.
Pumpkin Pie Protein Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup rolled oats, (60 grams)
- 1 scoop Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey Protein Powder, Vanilla Ice Cream, (32 grams)
- 1/2 tbsp chia seeds, (7 grams)
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, (6 oz)
- 6 tbsp pumpkin puree, (92 grams)
- 2 tbsp maple syrup, (1.25 oz)
- 1/2 tsp maple extract
Instructions
- Whisk almond milk and whey protein until smooth. Add maple syrup, pumpkin puree, rolled oats, chia seeds, maple extract, and pumpkin pie spice and mix until combined. Refrigerate overnight.
- Serve chilled or microwave for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes before serving. Layer and/or top with whipped cream before serving, if desired.
Tips & Tricks
Nutrition Information
