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High protein overnight oats are a tasty overnight oats recipe to start your day! The work is done for you overnight so it’s ready when you wake up.

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Overnight oats high in protein may be one of the most perfect meal prep oatmeal recipes you’ll make this summer. I love overnight oats in the hot weather and for busy mornings.

Made to be prepped ahead of time (ahem, overnight oats) you can toss everything in a container knowing you’ll wake up to it. The best idea for meal prep for college students!

Because of this, it also makes for a great breakfast for athletes or even a high energy snack for athletes, especially those on the go. 

While protein powder may be helpful for many people, you don’t need to only rely on overnight oats with protein powder.

Instead, these protein overnight oats rely on whole foods that provide you with great nutrient benefits and energy.

Like these lemon blueberry overnight oats, there is always an option to add protein powder or other ingredients, but not necessary.

Overnight Oats with High Protein (30+ Grams)

Whether you want coffee overnight oats, banana overnight oats, or just simply a protein oats recipe, these protein-packed overnight oats have a basis of 30+ grams of protein, with the option for more.

That’s why they are one of my top healthy breakfast ideas for pregnancy. Many pregnant women aren’t eating enough protein.

While I haven’t shared a version of protein overnight oats on the blog, I make them all the time, since I’m really conscious about getting adequate protein for athletes.

Protein is so important for stabilizing blood sugar, preserving muscle mass, hormone production, immunity, and of course, staying full and satiated.

And as I mentioned earlier, you can very much enjoy high protein overnight oats without protein powder if you avoid protein powders.

For other high-protein breakfast ideas, try a peanut butter coffee protein smoothie or a batch of my easy protein granola. 

I know a lot of people are looking for a healthy overnight oats recipe for weight loss, but as we often discuss here, intentional restriction is hard on the body, and not often successful.

Dieting affects more than just food. It helps our overall well-being. It affects mental health and physical health (more on that below), and can actually cause more gut issues since your body adapts to having less food and digestion. 

Read more here on why diets don’t work. 

Ingredients for High Protein Overnight Oats

While regular oatmeal does have some protein, this overnight protein oats recipe brings in a few other star ingredients to really maximize the satisfaction factor.

Cottage cheese, milk, hemp seeds, and peanut butter all work together to bring you 30 grams of protein in one tasty bowl of fall overnight oats. 

Here’s what you need. 

Oats: Old fashioned oats create a heartier, chewier texture. You can use quick oats if that’s all you have. Make sure your oats are certified gluten-free to make gluten free overnight oats. 

Cottage Cheese: This is where the protein power really comes in! I recommend using small curd cottage cheese to avoid an extra chunky texture. It really makes this overnight oats protein recipe creamy.

Milk: I used 1%, but feel free to use any variety you’d like, as all dairy milk will have the same amounts of protein. You can also use a soy or pea protein milk.

Apples: Choose whichever apples you love or are available to you. Honeycrisp is one of my favorites, but a tart granny smith would be delicious as well to make these apple pie overnight oats.

Hemp seeds: Hemp seeds might not be a pantry staple for you already, but they should be! They’re a great way to add plant-based omega 3’s and protein to a dish. I always buy my hemp seeds through Thrive Market. Try them in vegan hemp protein bars too. You’ll love them!

Maple syrup

Peanut butter – As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a fan of the drippy peanut butter for all recipes

Cinnamon – Cinnamon has several health benefits and also gives these apple pie overnight oats the perfect fall flavor.

Nutmeg – Similarly, nutmeg with cinnamon and cloves is like apple pie in a jar.

Cloves – Cloves give these apple pie oats the best scent so you’ll look forward to eating them.

The best part about ordering from Thrive Market is that you get a new gift when you join.

The best way to stock up on healthy storebought snacks that fit your dietary lifestyle is to use a service like Thrive Market and have them sent monthly. Then you never have to use the grocery store for these staples and they’ll always be stocked!

Dairy Free Overnight Oats Modifications

While the majority of the protein in this recipe does come from dairy ingredients, if you wanted to make dairy free overnight oats, simply leave out the cottage cheese or swap it with a plant based yogurt.

Substitute your choice of milk for dairy milk.

Note that the protein content may change slightly if you do so, but likely, you can still create a high protein oats breakfast without protein powder.

How To Make Apple Pie Overnight Oats

The instructions for these healthy protein overnight oats could not be easier.

Simply mix all ingredients in a mason jar or tupperware container and give it a stir.

Let sit overnight or at least three hours in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat, just stir and enjoy. They taste just like apple pie overnight oats and are the best way to enjoy those fall apples.

If you want a sweeter option, you must try these cookie dough overnight oats!

I do sometimes enjoy adding fresh fruit in the morning or even a fresh scoop of peanut butter for extra flavor.

And if you’re a fall flavor fan, there’s nothing like apple pie overnight oats with cinnamon.

If it’s a little thicker than you’d like, add a tablespoon of milk at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. Overnight oats with apple pie flavor is a must this fall!

How to Meal Prep Overnight Oats

You can meal prep overnight oats by making a double or triple batch and keeping it in the refrigerator. I love to have some of these meal prep oatmeal jars on hand.

Make it ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. More on how to meal prep overnight oats in this post.

Storage

I like to store these oats for meal prep in the same container I make them in and eat it out of. A truly one-dish meal – I’m all about simplicity.

A mason jar with a lid is a great container to use since you can close it and shake it to mix the ingredients really well.

While you only have to let this sit for 3 hours, you can make this up to 3-4 days ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator for those busy weeks ahead.

One of my favorite forms of simple meal prep.

You may like this banana chia seed pudding or this sweet potato oatmeal bake for other make ahead oat recipes. 

How Much Protein is In High Protein Oats?

People seem to think that the only way to infuse protein into overnight oats is through protein powder, which you can do.

These high protein oats have no protein powder, and clock in around 30g of protein, which is a great amount for a post workout snack.

After a workout, this healthy overnight oats recipe is great for recovery, because it’s high in carbohydrates, protein, and even the branched chain amino acid, leucine.

Leucine is a branched chain amino acid. You can read more about BCAAs for runners.

It’s one I often recommend to my clients, especially those with high energy needs or those looking to gain weight, because it can easily be a high calorie overnight oats recipe.

For those who want to reduce the calories, you can use low fat dairy products, omit peanut butter and use less maple syrup if you’d like. 

While these protein-packed overnight oats are nutritionally sound from a macro perspective, you could switch up the micronutrients by testing out different fruits, and even adding things like cocoa powder, cocoa nibs, or diced cauliflower.

FAQ and Tips

• Turkey Apple Burgers
• Gluten-Free Apple Crisp
• Apple Pumpkin Pie Baked Oatmeal
• Easy Apple Cinnamon Bread
• Turmeric Oatmeal

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