The nice thing about overnight oats is that they’re easy to customize to flavors you actually enjoy. Our chocolate peanut butter overnight oats recipe includes two flavors that just belong together: chocolate and peanut butter. The recipe is simple to whip up, and as an added bonus, it’s vegan! Planning tomorrow’s breakfast has never been so easy.
Ingredients for Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
- Old-fashioned oats: Uncooked old-fashioned oats are the base ingredient for overnight oats.
- Chocolate or plain almond milk: Almond milk adds the moisture to make the oats palatable. If you use chocolate milk, you’ll be adding additional sweetness and flavor.
- Baking cocoa: Baking cocoa adds chocolate flavor even if you don’t use chocolate almond milk. Baking cocoa is also free from sugar.
- Creamy peanut butter: Warm the peanut butter up slightly ahead of time to make it easier to mix into the oats.
- Maple syrup: Maple syrup is the sweetener for this recipe for peanut butter chocolate overnight oats.
- Miniature dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional): Using this variety of chocolate chips keeps the recipe vegan and safe for those avoiding dairy.
Directions 
Step 1: Combine the ingredients
In a small container or Mason jar, combine the oats, milk, cocoa, peanut butter and maple syrup, stirring to mix the ingredients a bit.
Step 2: Refrigerate overnight
Seal the container or jar, and refrigerate the oats overnight.
Step 3: Add toppings
Before digging in, top the oats with additional peanut butter and mini chocolate chips, if desired.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats Variations
- Use vanilla almond milk: A vanilla-flavored almond milk is another tasty option for overnight oats. The flavored nut milks tend to have a little sugar in them as well.
- Try a different dairy-free milk: Coconut milk, oat milk or cashew milk work just as well in this recipe, plus they keep the overnight oats dairy-free. If you don’t mind dairy, regular cow’s milk could be used instead.
- Add chopped or sliced nuts: Mix in some chopped walnuts or sliced almonds for a little extra protein and texture, or add them atop the oats at mealtime.
- Go bananas: Add fresh sliced bananas to each serving of peanut butter overnight oats for a delicious treat.
How to Store Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
Store chocolate peanut butter overnight oats in the refrigerator, in a container with a lid or in a Mason jar with the lid on. Overnight oats last about four days in the refrigerator, but since the texture changes over time, they’re best enjoyed within a couple of days.
Can you freeze chocolate peanut butter overnight oats?
Yes, you can freeze these overnight oats with chocolate peanut butter, but it’s best to freeze them without the peanut butter, adding it in at mealtime instead. Mix the overnight oats as indicated in this recipe, without the peanut butter. Place the mixture in portion-sized lidded Mason jars or airtight freezer-proof containers or storage bags. In the freezer, these overnight oats will keep for about three months. To defrost them, place them in the refrigerator the night before you plan to eat them.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats Tips
Could I use a different nut butter?
Yes, any nut-based butter tastes good in overnight oats. Try cashew butter, almond butter or even sunflower seed butter, which tastes a lot like peanut butter.
What are old-fashioned oats?
Old-fashioned oats are oat groats that have been steamed and flattened; they’re also safe to eat raw, so they’re perfect for overnight oat recipes. Fun fact: Old-fashioned oats and rolled oats are the same thing. Instant oats or quick-cooking oats have already been cooked once. They’re not quite as good in overnight oats because they’ll get quite mushy and they’re not as flavorful as old-fashioned oats.
Could I add chia seeds to this recipe?
Yes, chia seeds work well in overnight oats of any variety. They do absorb a bit of the liquid and expand as they soften, so they don’t stay hard and dry. Chia seeds are a complete protein and are high in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. Add about 1 teaspoon chia seeds when you mix the ingredients for overnight oats. Chia seeds are also excellent in their own overnight recipes, such as Almond Joy chia pudding.
