Gluten-Free High-Protein Overnight Oats

Finding time to eat a nutritious breakfast on busy mornings can feel impossible. Between getting everyone ready for work and school, packing lunches, and dealing with the usual morning chaos, sitting down for a proper meal often gets pushed aside. And let’s be honest – grabbing a sugary pastry or skipping breakfast altogether becomes way too tempting when you’re running late.

That’s where these high-protein overnight oats come to the rescue: they’re packed with protein to keep you full, require zero morning prep time, and can be customized with whatever toppings your family loves most.

What Kind of Oats Should I Use?

For overnight oats, you’ll want to stick with old-fashioned rolled oats rather than quick oats or steel-cut oats. Old-fashioned oats have the perfect texture – they soften nicely overnight but still maintain a pleasant chewiness that won’t turn mushy. Quick oats will get too soggy and lose their texture, while steel-cut oats won’t soften enough in the fridge overnight. If you need gluten-free oats, just look for ones that are certified gluten-free on the package, but regular rolled oats work just fine too. Make sure to use the full ½ cup measurement since the oats will absorb all that liquid and expand as they sit.

Options for Substitutions

The great thing about overnight oats is how easy they are to customize based on what you have in your kitchen:

• Almond milk: Any milk works here – cow’s milk, oat milk, soy milk, or coconut milk. Just keep the same amount and adjust consistency as needed in the morning.
• Greek yogurt: For a vegan version, use coconut yogurt or cashew yogurt. Regular yogurt works too, though you’ll get less protein. If you skip yogurt entirely, add a bit more milk.
• Protein powder: No protein powder? Try adding 2-3 tablespoons of ground flaxseed, hemp hearts, or extra chia seeds for a protein boost. You might need a splash more liquid to get the right consistency.
• Old fashioned oats: Stick with rolled oats for the best texture – quick oats will get too mushy, and steel-cut oats won’t soften properly overnight.
• Chia seeds: Ground flaxseed or hemp hearts work as substitutes, or you can leave them out completely if you don’t have any on hand.
• Maple syrup or honey: Use whatever sweetener you prefer – agave, stevia, brown sugar, or even mashed dates. Start with less and adjust to taste in the morning.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Preparing

The biggest mistake with overnight oats is adding too much liquid at once, which creates a watery mess instead of creamy oats – start with the recommended amount of almond milk and add more gradually if needed the next morning. Another common error is using quick oats instead of old-fashioned rolled oats, since quick oats turn mushy and lose their texture after sitting overnight. Don’t forget to mix your protein powder thoroughly with a small amount of liquid first to avoid clumps, and always taste your mixture before refrigerating since you can easily adjust sweetness with maple syrup or add more cinnamon for flavor. For the best results, give your oats a good stir in the morning and let them sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes if they seem too thick.

What to Serve With Overnight Oats?

Since overnight oats are already pretty filling thanks to all that protein and fiber, they work great as a complete breakfast on their own. If you’re looking to round out your morning meal, try pairing them with a cup of coffee or green tea, and maybe add some extra fresh fruit on the side like berries or sliced apple for more crunch. For those really active days when you need extra fuel, a small handful of nuts or a hard-boiled egg can give you that extra protein boost. You can also drizzle a little extra nut butter or honey on top if you’re craving something a bit sweeter to start your day.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These overnight oats are perfect for meal prep! Store them in mason jars or airtight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days. I like to make 3-4 jars at once so I have breakfast ready to grab all week long.

Make Ahead: The beauty of overnight oats is that they actually get better after sitting overnight – the oats soften perfectly and all the flavors meld together. You can prep them up to 5 days ahead, just add fresh toppings like sliced banana or berries right before eating to keep them from getting mushy.

Serve: Pull your overnight oats straight from the fridge and they’re ready to eat cold, which is how I prefer them on busy mornings. If the mixture seems too thick after sitting overnight, just stir in a splash more almond milk until you reach your perfect consistency.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 600-750
• Protein: 28-38 g
• Fat: 15-22 g
• Carbohydrates: 90-110 g

Ingredients

For the oat base:

• 1/2 cup plain or vanilla unsweetened almond milk (plus extra as needed)
• 1/4 cup plain or vanilla greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup rolled oats (certified gluten-free or regular)
• 1 scoop vanilla or plain protein powder
• 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 ripe banana, mashed

Flavor variations:

• For pumpkin spice: 1/4 cup pumpkin puree, 1 to 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey, 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• For apple cinnamon: 1/4 to 1/3 cup diced apple (plus extra for topping), 1 to 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey, 1 tsp cinnamon, chopped pecans for topping
• For peanut butter strawberry: 1 to 2 tbsp peanut butter, 1/4 cup fresh strawberries (diced), 1/4 cup almond milk (additional), 1 to 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• For peach coconut: 1/4 diced peach, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 to 2 tbsp shredded coconut

Suggested toppings:

• Additional sliced banana
• Extra diced apple
• Chopped pecans
• Shredded coconut

Step 1: Prepare the Overnight Oats Base

• 1/2 cup plain or vanilla unsweetened almond milk (plus extra as needed)
• 1/4 cup plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup rolled oats (certified gluten-free or regular)
• 1 scoop vanilla or plain protein powder
• 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 ripe banana, mashed

In a sealable mason jar or small container, add the almond milk, Greek yogurt, rolled oats, protein powder, chia seeds, vanilla extract, and mashed ripe banana.

Stir thoroughly to combine, making sure all oats are submerged in the mixture.

If the mixture seems too thick, add an extra splash of almond milk as needed.

This creates a creamy and nutritious base for your overnight oats.

Step 2: Customize with Your Chosen Flavor

• For pumpkin spice: 1/4 cup pumpkin puree, 1 to 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey, 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• For apple cinnamon: 1/4 to 1/3 cup diced apple, 1 to 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey, 1 tsp cinnamon
• For peanut butter strawberry: 1 to 2 tbsp peanut butter, 1/4 cup fresh strawberries (diced), 1/4 cup almond milk (additional), 1 to 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• For peach coconut: 1/4 diced peach, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 to 2 tbsp shredded coconut

Pick which flavor of overnight oats you’d like to make.

For pumpkin spice, stir in pumpkin puree, maple syrup or honey, and pumpkin pie spice.

For apple cinnamon, add diced apple, maple syrup or honey, and cinnamon.

For peanut butter strawberry, mix in peanut butter, diced strawberries, additional almond milk, maple syrup or honey, and a bit more vanilla extract.

For peach coconut, stir in diced peach, cinnamon, and shredded coconut.

Mix well to evenly distribute the flavor ingredients throughout the oats.

I like to taste the mixture at this stage and adjust the sweetness or spice to my liking.

Step 3: Seal and Refrigerate

Place the lid on top of your jar or container to seal it tightly.

Refrigerate your overnight oats mixture for at least 6 hours or ideally overnight.

The oats will absorb the liquid and flavors as they sit, resulting in a soft and creamy texture.

You can store these in the fridge for up to 5 days, making them a perfect make-ahead breakfast option.

Step 4: Serve and Add Toppings

• Additional sliced banana
• Extra diced apple
• Chopped pecans
• Shredded coconut

When you’re ready to serve, give the overnight oats a good stir.

If you prefer a looser consistency, add a splash of extra almond milk.

Top with your favorite toppings: sliced banana, extra diced apple, chopped pecans, or shredded coconut, depending on the flavor you chose.

Enjoy your oats chilled!

For extra crunch and flavor, I love adding a sprinkle of chopped pecans or a spoonful of fresh fruit right before eating.

Gluten-Free High-Protein Overnight Oats

Delicious Gluten-Free High-Protein Overnight Oats recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 3 hours hrs

Cook Time 6 hours hrs

Total Time 9 hours hrs

Servings 4

Calories 675 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the oat base:

• 1/2 cup plain or vanilla unsweetened almond milk (plus extra as needed)
• 1/4 cup plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup rolled oats (certified gluten-free or regular)
• 1 scoop vanilla or plain protein powder
• 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 ripe banana, mashed

Flavor variations:

• For pumpkin spice: 1/4 cup pumpkin puree, 1 to 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey, 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• For apple cinnamon: 1/4 to 1/3 cup diced apple (plus extra for topping), 1 to 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey, 1 tsp cinnamon, chopped pecans for topping
• For peanut butter strawberry: 1 to 2 tbsp peanut butter, 1/4 cup fresh strawberries (diced), 1/4 cup almond milk (additional), 1 to 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• For peach coconut: 1/4 diced peach, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 to 2 tbsp shredded coconut

Suggested toppings:

• Additional sliced banana
• Extra diced apple
• Chopped pecans
• Shredded coconut

Instructions

 

• In a sealable mason jar or small container, add the almond milk, Greek yogurt, rolled oats, protein powder, chia seeds, vanilla extract, and mashed ripe banana. Stir thoroughly to combine, making sure all oats are submerged in the mixture. If the mixture seems too thick, add an extra splash of almond milk as needed. This creates a creamy and nutritious base for your overnight oats.
• Pick which flavor of overnight oats you'd like to make. For pumpkin spice, stir in pumpkin puree, maple syrup or honey, and pumpkin pie spice. For apple cinnamon, add diced apple, maple syrup or honey, and cinnamon. For peanut butter strawberry, mix in peanut butter, diced strawberries, additional almond milk, maple syrup or honey, and a bit more vanilla extract. For peach coconut, stir in diced peach, cinnamon, and shredded coconut. Mix well to evenly distribute the flavor ingredients throughout the oats. I like to taste the mixture at this stage and adjust the sweetness or spice to my liking.
• Place the lid on top of your jar or container to seal it tightly. Refrigerate your overnight oats mixture for at least 6 hours or ideally overnight. The oats will absorb the liquid and flavors as they sit, resulting in a soft and creamy texture. You can store these in the fridge for up to 5 days, making them a perfect make-ahead breakfast option.
• When you're ready to serve, give the overnight oats a good stir. If you prefer a looser consistency, add a splash of extra almond milk. Top with your favorite toppings: sliced banana, extra diced apple, chopped pecans, or shredded coconut, depending on the flavor you chose. Enjoy your oats chilled! For extra crunch and flavor, I love adding a sprinkle of chopped pecans or a spoonful of fresh fruit right before eating.