Cookie Dough Protein Overnight Oats [Dairy-Free]

Mornings with kids can feel like chaos; lunches to pack, homework to find, and everyone rushing out the door. That’s why protein overnight oats are one of my sanity-saving meal prep breakfast ideas; no cooking, no thinking, just grab and go. Recipes like this cookie dough overnight oats with protein and peanut butter protein chia pudding make it so much easier to stay on track with your goals, even when the morning is a write-off.

As a busy mom, high protein breakfast recipes are non-negotiable for me my SMASH workout clients because they set the tone for the whole day. When you start the morning feeling full, energized, and not reaching for snacks immediately, everything else just feels more doable. Check out these meal prep breakfast ideas to get you started.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Above is a quick shot of what you need to make these cookie dough overnight oats. All of these are essential gluten-free pantry staples.

• Vegan vanilla protein powder: The kind of protein you use will make a significant difference to the protein oats in both texture and taste. Learn more about the best vegan protein powders and how to use them.
• Nut Butter: Any nut butter will work for the recipe, just make sure it's a natural one and semi-fresh so that it's easier to mix.
• Gluten-free oats: You'll want regular oats and not quick oats for all overnight oats with protein powder. Learn more about different types of oats and how to use them. Likewise, make sure to double-check that they're gluten-free!

Love cookie dough flavor? Check out this cauliflower cookie dough or this cookie dough smoothie bowl, too!

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Flavor Variations

Below are a few simple ways I adjust the cookie dough overnight oats to become a new high-protein snack.

Nut Butter: Switch up the flavors by swapping out nut butters and making peanut butter cookie dough if you need a change! These cookie dough bars give you the same flavor in a new way.

Chocolate: Using a chocolate protein powder in place of vanilla is always a delicious twist. If you don't have chocolate powder, adding raw cacao powder works too and gives more nutrients.

Drizzle: Make the oats into a dessert by adding coconut milk caramel sauce, or homemade dairy-free chocolate ganache to the top.

How To Make PCookie Dough Protein Overnight Oats

Making the recipe is as easy as pouring, mixing, and letting it sit! This is why it’s perfect to whip up as a fast breakfast or grab-and-go snack.

Step 1:Mix the dry ingredients together

Step 2: Add in liquids one by one

Step 3:Mix until smooth, ensuring the nut butter combines, and portion into jars.

Step 4: Mix in the chocolate chips and let sit in the fridge for six hours or more.

Expert Tips To Make It

The vanilla protein powder you choose will make a difference in the texture and flavor of the protein overnight oats. A fermented protein powder will require more liquid than a regular. The best one for this recipe is not one that is based on pea protein. I personally like to use Botanica or Transformation Protein.

Beef protein: I've recently made the switch to beef protein powder for health reasons. You can use it in this overnight oats cookie dough, too. Paleo Pro protein is a cleaner protein and can be used exactly as the recipe is written. Equip Protein is utterly, deliciously sweet but will create a stickier texture, and you'll want to stir the oats again after an hour or so.

Since the chocolate chip cookie dough overnight oats do not contain any additional sweetener, if your protein powder is not flavored nicely, the oats won’t be either (though you can add a tablespoon of maple syrup!)

These protein overnight oats can be made nut-free (if you need it for a school snack) by using sunbutter but you’ll want to add 1 tablespoon of honey or maple syrup to make up the flavor.

Store it: Overnight protein oats can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days in a sealed jar.

Varying The Recipe For Your Goals

The recipe is written and portioned into three small jars. These are great snack-size portions perfect for small breakfasts, or paired with a hard-boiled egg or two to bump up the protein. This is what's recommended in my Protein Playbook.

The serving itself also makes an amazing gluten-free breastfeeding snack as they can be made in advance (great for moms), contain oats to help with milk supply, and help curb the ravenous feeling that comes with breastfeeding.

Cookie Dough Protein Overnight Oats FAQS

More High-Protein Overnight Oats

If you tried this Cookie Dough Protein Overnight Oats Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes!