This creamy, delicious berry cheesecake overnight oats recipe is the perfect way to start your day. It’s an excellent source of protein, omega-3’s, fiber, iron and calcium! An easy recipe to meal prep for a high protein breakfast.
Did you know that protein can assist with meal satiety and satisfaction, possibly leading to less overall caloric intake? When our breakfast doesn’t contain enough protein, we might find ourselves getting hungry before lunch – which can lead to mindless snacking.
I like to aim for 20-30 grams of protein with breakfast – which can be tricky! 25-30 grams of protein per meal is considered “optimal” in regards to muscle protein synthesis, digestion, and absorption. This recipe contains about 37 grams of protein! So if you’re sick of eating eggs, this high protein overnight oats recipe is worth a try! So easy to make and meal prep for busy mornings.
Reasons to Try This Recipe
- It’s super creamy and delicious, like eating dessert for breakfast – except it’s loaded with protein and nutrients.
- This recipe is great for high protein meal prep. Make 3-4 servings for the entire week for a filling breakfast with over 30 grams of protein. It could also be a healthy, filling snack.
- Because it is so high in protein, the protein powder could be omitted (and you could add more seeds).
- The chia seeds and hemp hearts provide omega-3 fatty acids. These “healthy fats” cannot be synthesized by the body and have been shown to have protective effects against diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and inflammation.
- There is 8 grams of fiber in this recipe, which can help promote regularity, decrease cholesterol, and keep us fuller for a longer period of time.
How to Make These Overnight Oats
This recipe makes two servings. Double for an easy, prep-ahead high protein breakfast idea! If you loved this recipe, try my Pistachio Pudding version as well! These overnight oats are thick, which is my preference, but additional milk can be added after refrigeration!
Ingredients
- Rolled Oats (1 cup)
- Non-fat Greek yogurt (1 cup). Non-fat Greek yogurt provides about 14 grams of additional protein and contributes to the creamy texture. It is also a good source of calcium. For this recipe, I used unflavored – but the sky is the limit here. Feel free to use whichever flavor you want, but it may increase the sugar content. You could also use 1/2 cup of whipped cottage cheese for even more of a cheesecake flavor!
- Vanilla Protein Powder (2 scoops). Make sure that you like the taste of the protein powder because some can have a weird aftertaste. Another option would be to omit the protein powder and use 2 1/2 cups of Fairlife or skim milk instead of water for the additional protein!
- Chia Seeds (3-4 tablespoons). The more chia seeds = the thicker these oats will be. I usually stick to 3-4 tablespoons.
- Jell-O Cheesecake Instant Pudding Mix (2 Tbsp.)
- Preferred milk or water (2 cups). To keep this recipe lower in calories without affecting the flavor, I usually use almond milk or water to mix with the protein powder, cheesecake mix, and yogurt. Use a higher protein milk, like skim or Fairlife milk, to increase the protein content while omitting the protein powder. This may result in a thicker consistency and I have not tested this – may need closer to 2 1/2 cups of milk.
- Honey (1 teaspoon). You only need a small amount of honey as the vanilla protein powder and cheesecake mix already make these oats sweet. Omit the honey if you prefer this to be less sweet – you could also always add it in later after it has refrigerated.
- Berries (1 cup). What kind of berry cheesecake are you craving? For me, it was strawberry cheesecake – I added 1/2 cup of fresh strawberries after the oats had refrigerated. However, frozen fruit could be added prior to refrigeration. Blueberries, blackberries, cherries, or raspberries would also be delicious!
- Hemp hearts, optional. If you prefer not to use protein powder in this recipe, 3 Tbsp. of hemp hearts provides 10 grams of protein!
- Whipped cream, optional but highly recommended.
Step-By-Step Directions
- Add yogurt, protein powder, pudding mix, water, honey, and chia seeds to a bowl. Whisk until a smooth and cohesive consistency and the protein powder is mixed through.
- Pour the oats into the bowl and mix until all the oats are covered in the mixture. If you are using frozen berries, add these with this step as well. See the above picture – the oats mixture should be loose and will thicken in the fridge. If it looks too thick, add more liquid or adjust after refrigeration.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Stir the mixture well and divide into two separate mason jars or airtight storage containers. Add more milk if you prefer a thinner consistency. When ready to eat, add 1/2 cup of berries, chopped nuts and cool whip or whipped cream. I have also made a version with raspberries and graham cracker crumbs.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days!
If you love this recipe, you might also like these Raspberry Key Lime Pie Overnight Oats inspired by the decadent dessert. Or, try these High Protein Lemon Berry Overnight Oats made with kefir – packed with probiotics and prebiotics for a healthier gut microbiome.
Toppings and Recipe Variations
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of whipped cream on top when ready to eat… why not?
- Top with chopped walnuts or almonds for crunch.
- Swap the Greek yogurt for whipped cottage cheese.
- Use Greek yogurt with fruit on the bottom and omit the honey.
- Omit the protein powder and use 2 1/2 cups of Fairlife milk instead of almond milk. Add hemp hearts on top.
- Crumble graham crackers on top!
Frequently Asked Questions
What If I Don’t Have Protein Powder?
Since this recipe is very high in protein, omitting the protein powder and swapping the water for milk would be still be over 20 grams of protein!
Is This Recipe Gluten-Free?
Unfortunately, Jell-O cheesecake pudding is the only Jell-O pudding mix that contains gluten. You could sub the cheesecake flavor with another flavor.
Protein powders are naturally gluten-free, however, can often contain cross-contamination. The same goes for the rolled oats. Ensure both ingredients are free of gluten and enjoy these delicious overnight oats!
How Can I Make This Dairy-Free?
Select a dairy-free yogurt and protein powder. The Jell-O pudding mix itself does not contain dairy.
Berry Cheesecake Overnight Oats {High Protein}
Ingredients
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt, vanilla flavor (or preference of choice)
- 2 cups vanilla almond milk or water see notes for alternative.
- 2 scoops protein powder, vanilla or unflavored
- 4 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 tablespoons Jell-O instant pudding mix, cheesecake flavor
- 1 cup chopped strawberries, fresh or thawed from frozen
- Cool whip or whipped cream, optional (but highly recommended)
Method
- Add yogurt, protein powder, pudding mix, milk, honey, and chia seeds to a bowl. Whisk until a smooth and cohesive consistency and the protein powder is mixed through. *See the process picture – the oats mixture should be loose and will thicken in the fridge. If it looks too thick, add more liquid (can adjust after refrigeration, too).
- Pour the oats into the bowl and mix until all the oats are covered in the mixture. If you are using frozen berries, add these with this step as well.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Give the oats a really good stir and divide into two separate mason jars or airtight storage containers. Add more milk or water to thin it out if you prefer a thinner consistency.
- When ready to eat, top with 1/2 cup of berries, chopped nuts, and any other toppings you like! Highly recommend thawing frozen berries (with extra juice) + dollop of cool whip or whipped cream.
Notes
- These overnight oats are thick, which is my preference. Add more milk after refrigeration if you prefer a thinner consistency.
- Use a higher protein milk, like skim or Fairlife milk, to increase the protein content while omitting the protein powder. This may result in a thicker consistency and I have not tested this – may need closer to 2 1/2 cups of milk.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 1 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 376 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 8.7g | 11% |
| Saturated Fat 1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol 15mg | 5% |
| Sodium 169mg | 7% |
| Total Carbohydrate 40.1g | 15% |
| Dietary Fiber 8.6g | 31% |
| Total Sugars 7.8g | |
| Protein 37.4g | |
| Vitamin D 0mcg | 0% |
| Calcium 408mg | 31% |
| Iron 6mg | 34% |
| Potassium 397mg | 8% |
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Hope You Enjoy!
Every time I make overnight oats, I question why I don’t do it more often. It always seems like a daunting task, especially as a busy mom, but it’s really not – and the idea of having breakfast already made for the next few days is exciting.
Not only that, it’s like eating a creamy dessert but contains nutrients I probably wouldn’t be getting even if I made my usual eggs and toast breakfast. It’s higher in protein that my usual go-to as well. If you try this, please leave a comment and review! Did you do anything differently?
This was surprisingly so simple to make. A game-changer for high protein meal prep.
This is my favorite overnight oats recipe. It’s like a healthy dessert!
I’ve never had overnight oats before and I’m so glad this was my 1st recipe. HOWEVER, these oats are SOOOO THICK. The second attempt at this recipe I increased the milk to a full 2-cups and it’s still like concrete. Next time I’ll try 2 1/2 cups of milk (or maybe reduce the chia?). I haven’t given up on this recipe because the flavor is FANTASTIC… I just need it to loosen up a bit.
Well, they definitely shouldn’t be like concrete! How many tablespoons of chia seeds did you use and what type of milk? Those are two factors that could be affecting the consistency. If using an animal based milk it might be thicker — the chia seeds will as well! If you follow the exact recipe, these shouldn’t turn into concrete! Hmm. Just curious and trying to help! I make them frequently and love them – but yes, experimenting with adding more milk can help.
no offense whatsoever (i too want to solve the mystery). I use HEB’s vanilla flavored Mootopia milk, which is high-protein. Because it is already sweet, I omit the honey. I used 4 TBSP chia seeds.
I appreciate any kind of feedback and want to solve the mystery as well. I am thinking it’s the milk that is increasing the thickness because almond milk and water don’t really thicken pudding mix (and the pudding is just adding flavor not thickness). I would definitely increase the milk when making them and make sure to stir really well before and after refrigeration. I would think 2 1/2 cups or so would be good but you can stir in more after refrigeration to thin it out.
fantastic. I think i might thin it with water. it’s got plenty of flavor and protein. thanks for your help. i really am obsessed with this one. I have a box of sugar free white chocolate pudding that I plan on trying next. 😉
Ok, feel free to let me know how it goes! I have a white chocolate pudding and pistachio pudding on my site as well!
The flavor of this oatmeal is delicious! I put the fruit right before I eat it and use nectarine. I also add walnuts then. I do have to add water to thin it out and even though I follow the recipe to the T my preference is not too thick of an oatmeal. It’s not concrete thick by any means by I gag when oatmeal is thicker than how I like eat.
I am so glad you liked them! I do agree that it’s personal preference with the consistency – I love them thicker! Thanks for commenting!