Swirled with homemade protein caramel sauce and topped with crisp apples, these Caramel Apple Overnight Oats make an indulgent breakfast. High in protein, prepped in just 10 minutes, and with a comforting maple flavor, this make-ahead recipe is one you’ll be making all fall season.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ⏲️Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- 👪Serves: 5
- 🍽 Calories and Protein: 452 kcals and 27 grams of protein
- 📋 Main Ingredients: Beef protein powder, oats, maple syrup, and apples
- 📖 Dietary Notes: Dairy-free and gluten-free
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: Ultra-indulgent but fueling too, the perfect way to indulge a fall craving.
Protein overnight oats recipes are a staple for my house as a busy mom of three. Not only do my kids love them, but as someone who has to work out and get out the door in the morning, meal prep breakfast recipes are a game-changer.
These caramel overnight oats are made with applesauce, one of my favorite beef-based protein powders, and an insane maple cinnamon flavor that will have you hooked after the first bite.
Swirled with a homemade, high-protein caramel sauce and these oats become a recipe the whole house will be begging for. And with 27 grams of protein… you’ll totally be on board with making them!
Note: This applesauce overnight oatmeal recipe is sponsored by Paleo Pro. A leading brand in animal-based protein powders, and one that I have fallen in love with during my transition from vegan powders.
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💭Why You'll Love This Recipe
Easy to make: Though it looks amazing and complicated, the caramel overnight oats are actually very simple to whip up and use common ingredients you probably already have just like high-protein apple baked oats.
Healthy: Loaded with healthy fats, 27 grams of protein, and naturally dairy and gluten-free, these overnight oats are a great way to kick off your morning.
Delicious: Nothing screams fall more than a comforting, salted caramel flavor. And this recipe brings you just that… and more.
Ingredients and Substitutions
You can peek at the shot below for a quick breakdown of the ingredients you need to make the recipe. They’re fairly simple. Below are a few notes and substitutions in case you’re in a pinch.
- Coconut milk: Used for the protein caramel sauce. You need to make sure you use canned coconut milk, specifically the thick, white coconut cream, or the mixture won’t thicken properly.
- Nut butter: Almond butter pairs best with maple syrup and vanilla extract to create a caramel-like flavor. However, any nut butter can be used here. Just make sure that it’s a natural nut butter and it’s a fresh jar so that it mixes easily.
- Oats: Make sure to triple-check your oats are gluten-free if you need them to be.
- Protein powder: These caramel apple overnight oats use Paleo Pro Vanilla Protein Powder. This is a beef-based protein made from pasture-raised beef and egg whites, which provides a whopping 26 grams of protein per serving!! Thanks to the collagen in the protein, it also helps support your gut, joints, and overall strength. Plus… it tastes amazing and blends well into the oats.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
Flavor Variations
If you’ve made these protein oats a bunch of times and want to switch up the flavor, try one of the variations below for a new twist!
- Chocolate: Always a hit in our house, add a dash of raw cacao powder to the mixture, use the chocolate protein powder from Paleo Pro, or sprinkle in some chocolate chips to crunch on.
- Crunch: If the apples aren’t textured enough for you, mix toasted pecans into the apple oats just before you serve them.
- Pumpkin: Make this recipe into a pumpkin spice blend by replacing the applesauce with pumpkin puree (not pie filling!) and skipping the apples on top.
Expert Tips To Make It
If you want your apples to stay extra crisp, don’t add them to the top until you’re ready to eat the oats in the morning.
Use cold, dairy-free milk for the oats. If you use room temperature or warm milk, the oats almost start to cook and then turn too mushy.
You need regular rolled oats and not quick oats for all overnight oats recipes. Quick oats are exactly what they sound like; they cook quickly, and the result of having them sit in the fridge for a long time makes them too soft.
The protein powder you choose matters in both texture and taste. Paleo Pro Protein gives a rich but not overbearing taste and helps the oats bind together to create a tasty, almost sticky texture. Other brands and types of protein powder can cause the texture to change drastically (for example, vegan protein powder absorbs liquid like crazy and can’t be used in a 1:1 ratio in this recipe).
How To Make Caramel Apple Overnight Oats
Step 1: In a large bowl, combine all ingredients for the overnight oats and mix well until the protein powder is dissolved.
Step 2: Begin layering the applesauce overnight oats into two mason jars by filling them halfway.
Step 3: While that sits, heat the coconut milk, vanilla, and maple syrup in a saucepan over low to medium heat. Just before the coconut milk boils, stir in the protein powder and almond butter. Whisk until smooth.
Step 4: Divide the apples up between the mason jars and scoop a dollop of caramel sauce into each jar.
Step 5: Portion the remaining oats on top of the dairy-free caramel sauce, followed by chopped apples and the last bit of caramel sauce.
Step 6: Place the lid on the jars and pop them into the fridge for at least 4 hours.
How To Store Them
Overnight oats will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days when stored in an airtight mason jar. However, they do not freeze well. So, enjoy the oats anywhere from 4 hours to 72 hours after making them.
Choosing A Protein Powder
As mentioned, the kind of protein you choose will drastically change the texture and taste of the caramel overnight oats.
Paleo Pro protein gives this recipe a chewy, thick consistency with an indulgent caramel flavor. This brand is WICKED because it contains zero fluff. Literally none. No soy additives, no extra sugars, no pesticides (seriously, this is a thing with companies), and no hormones.
Since changing to a beef-based protein powder, I’ve had less bloating, more energy, and just feel GOOD. Give these guys a try if you want to get back to basics. You can use code MAMABEAR to save %10 on your first order, too.
FAQs
Honestly, any apples that you enjoy can work. I prefer Honeycrisp because they’re sweet and tend to be really crisp even when chopped up.
Typically, overnight oats are enjoyed cold, and that’s how they taste best. However, you can warm them up if you prefer a cozier oatmeal in the morning. You may need to add extra liquid to do this, though, so that they’re not too dense.
Yes! Oats are loaded with fiber and great for digestion. Adding protein to your overnight oats is even better, as it helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and actually keeps you full through the morning.
More High-Protein Breakfasts You’ll Love
If you tried this Caramel Apple Overnight Oats or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes!
High Protein Caramel Apple Overnight Oats
Video
Equipment
- small mason jars
Ingredients
For the protein caramel sauce
- ¼ cups Coconut milk canned and only the thick white part
- 1.5 tablespoons Paleo Protein Protein Powder
- 4 teaspoons Maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon Almond butter runny
For the apple overnight oats
- 3 cups Rolled oats check that they’re gluten-free
- ¾ cup Paleo Protein Protein Powder
- ⅔ cup Unsweetened applesauce
- ¼ cup Maple syrup
- 4 teaspoons Vanilla extract
- ¼ cup Almond butter fresh and runny
- 1.5 cups Dairy-free milk
Toppings
- 2 Apples diced
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon optional
Instructions
- n a large bowl, combine all ingredients for the overnight oats and mix well until the protein powder is dissolved.
- While that sits, heat the coconut milk, vanilla, and maple syrup in a saucepan over low to medium heat.
- Just before the coconut milk boils, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the protein powder and almond butter until smooth. Let it sit for 5 minutes and it will thicken up slightly.
- Begin layering the applesauce overnight oats mixture into two mason jars by filling them halfway. Then, scoop a dollop of caramel sauce into each jar followed by a bit of apples. Make sure to save some for the top.
- Portion the remaining oats on top of the caramel sauce followed by the rest of the chopped apples and the last bit of caramel sauce.
- Place the lid on the jars and pop into the fridge for at least 4 hours.
Notes
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Nutrition
Bobbi says
These look SO good!
Shelby Stover says
Honestly, they're DELICIOUS! My kids are obsessed.
Shelby Stover says
My kids are actually obsessed with this overnight oats! it's so rich but fills them up like crazy, I actually cut the portions in half for them and they're still full!