Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and that means it’s time for allll the pink foods, including these stunning Raspberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats! The best part about these gorgeous oats is that the pretty pink color is also the source of bright and tangy raspberry flavor. There’s no food coloring to be found here, folks. Once the oats set up overnight, they develop an almost velvety texture thanks to the creamy Greek yogurt and cream cheese that’s mixed in. If you’re an overnight oats fan or new to the party, trust me – you’ve got to try this recipe!
The cheesecake layer on these oats is totally optional and includes Greek yogurt and cream cheese, plus a bit of melted white chocolate. I’ve eaten the oats several times with and without the topping and I love them both! If I’m meal prepping them and not making them for a special occasion (hi, Valentine’s breakfast!), I’ll just skip the cheesecake layer to save time. They’re amazing with or without it!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Here’s what you’ll need to recreate this Raspberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats recipe at home!
- 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.
- Greek yogurt – This helps add both tang and creaminess while adding some extra protein.
- Cream cheese – I used the 1/3 fat version of cream cheese to keep things lighter, but you could of course use full fat cream cheese for a richer flavor. Just be sure to soften it at room temperature to avoid big clumps!
- Freeze dried raspberries – Instead of fresh raspberries, I opted for freeze dried ones for maximum flavor and color. Just grind them up in a food processor until they turn into a powder – you can use a fine mesh strainer to remove any seeds or you can even buy just the freeze dried raspberry powder and skip this step entirely. If you can’t find freeze dried raspberries, strawberries would work too, although the color and flavor aren’t quite as strong as raspberries.
- Maple syrup – You need just a touch of sweetness to help balance out the tanginess of the cream cheese and Greek yogurt. You could use honey or agave syrup instead, but I personally like the flavor of maple syrup best.
- 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.
how to:
Add More Protein
If you’d like to bump up the protein content in this recipe, feel free to add some protein powder! I’d recommend using a collagen to keep the raspberry and cheesecake flavors front and center. A whey and casein blend will give you the best oats texture when it comes to dairy protein powders, but may overpower the raspberry flavor of the oats. Try this brand or this one.
For collagen, add 1 scoop (~10 grams) per serving. For whey/casein blend, add 1-2 tablespoons per serving of oats. Just add a couple extra tablespoons of milk to the recipe to help the protein dissolve without drying out the oats.
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 and Protein Oats that are perfect for overnight oats!
Overnight Oats Essentials
I recommend using 10 oz jars for meal prepping overnight oats. They give you enough room for any toppings and actually allow you to stir your oats in the morning. I also love using my immersion blender with whisk attachment to quickly blend wet ingredients and avoid any undesired lumps or chunks.
The Recipe
Raspberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup rolled oats, (64 grams)
- 1/2 cup freeze dried raspberries, blended, (10 grams)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, (4 fl oz)
- 1/4 cup 1/3 fat cream cheese, softened, (62 grams)
- 1/4 cup Dannon Light and Fit Vanilla Greek Yogurt, (70 grams)
- 2 tbsp maple syrup, (1 fl oz)
- 1 tsp chia seeds, (4 grams)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt
Optional Cheesecake Layer (Not Included in Nutrition Info)
- 1/3 cup Dannon Light and Fit Vanilla Greek Yogurt, (93 grams)
- 1/4 cup 1/3 fat cream cheese, softened, (62 grams)
- 2 tbsp white chocolate, melted, (28 grams)
Instructions
- Add cream cheese, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, raspberry powder, and vanilla extract to a medium bowl and whisk together until smooth. Add almond milk and salt, and whisk again until smooth.
- Add oats and chia seeds and mix until well combined. Divide evenly into two air tight containers like mason jars.
- In a separate bowl, add all cheesecake layer ingredients and whisk until smooth. Top the oats before refrigerating or reserve the cheesecake topping until just before serving.
Tips & Tricks
- The first time you make this recipe, I recommend holding off on adding the cheesecake topping until you’ve stirred the oats after sitting overnight. You may want to add more milk to loosen up the oats based on your own preferences.
- Click here or scan the barcode below to log this food WITH CHEESECAKE TOPPING in My Fitness Pal. Click here or scan the 2nd barcode below to log it WITHOUT CHEESECAKE TOPPING.
Nutrition Information
WITH CHEESECAKE TOPPING
WITHOUT CHEESECAKE TOPPING
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