This Chocolate Banana Overnight Oats recipe is rich, chocolaty, and delicious. It’s easy to make, uses simple, wholesome pantry ingredients, and the perfect portable healthy breakfast recipe. Make a few jars on Sunday to enjoy all week.
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Overnight oats are a great way to enjoy dessert-like flavors without all the processed sugar and junk. So, if you have a morning sweet tooth, then a jar of creamy oats will be your new favorite breakfast.
Some of my favorite chocolate overnight oat recipes include this chocolate peanut butter overnight oats (hello Reese fans!), chocolate cherry overnight oats, Salted turtle overnight oats, chocolate overnight oats with yogurt, almond joy overnight oats, and this chocolate banana overnight oats.
There is just something about bananas and chocolate together. We feel good because it’s a fruit, but then a part of us feels guilty because there’s chocolate too.
Well, you don’t need to feel guilty when enjoying both of these foods in overnight oats. Nope.
Instead, we can eat a jar guilt-free because we get the decadent flavors of chocolate and bananas but with all the nutrition from wholesome oats, chia seeds, and coconut milk.
Reasons you’ll love this recipe
- Curbs a chocolate craving – Let’s start with the most important! If you’re trying to break the morning donut habit, a jar of chocolate banana overnight oats will help!
- No refined sugar – Nope, only sweetened with the goodness of bananas and a touch of pure maple syrup.
- Gluten-free – all of the ingredients are naturally gluten-free
- Quick and easy – All you have to do is put the ingredients in a jar and stick it in the fridge. No cooking and no fuss.
- Uses pantry ingredients – You likely have all the ingredients in your kitchen right now.
- Meal prep – In less than 5 minutes, you can have breakfast ready for the week.
Ingredients
Rolled oats – this is the star of overnight oats. Rolled oats are also called old-fashioned oats, and you can find them in the grocery store’s cereal aisle.
Don’t use instant oats because you’’ end up with a jar of mush. Also, skip steel-cut oats because those will result in crunchy oats. Rolled oats are perfect.
Rolled oats are naturally gluten-free, but there can be cross-contamination in processing. So, if you are gluten-intolerant, read the package before purchasing a bag to make sure they are certified gluten-free.
Cacao powder – gives the oats a rich chocolate flavor but with all the benefits of a superfood. Cacao powder has been know to help with digestive health, heart health, and improved cognitive function. You can also use unsweetened cocoa powder.
Cinnamon – this adds a warm, delicious layer of flavor to the oatmeal.
Chia seeds – I add chia seeds to all of my overnight oats recipes. It provides fiber, protein, and omega 3’s
Pure vanilla extract – this adds extra flavor.
Unsweetened coconut milk – To keep this a vegan overnight oats recipe, I prefer to use coconut or almond milk. I recommend choosing an unsweetened one, so you don’t add extra sugar. Of course, any milk will work in this recipe.
Banana – For extra banana flavor and sweetness, use a ripe banana.
Pure maple syrup – if you need more sweetness, stir in one or two teaspoons of pure maple syrup.
Cacao nibs – serves the same function as chocolate chips but has the same benefits as cacao powder. I like to sprinkle some on top in the morning.
FAQS
Nope, not this recipe! It’s portion-controlled, skips the refined sugar, and includes wholesome ingredients that’ll give you energy and keep you full all morning.
Yes, that’s the plan. The theory behind overnight oats is that you assemble a jar and then refrigerate overnight, so breakfast is ready in the morning. The oats process in the liquid and turn into a creamy pudding-like treat that’s meant to be enjoyed cold.
With that said, if you don’t enjoy cold oatmeal, then you can warm up the oats on the stove or in the microwave. Either way, it’s delicious, and you’ll still get the benefits of eating a bowl of oatmeal every morning.
Cooking Tips
- You can freeze leftover bananas. This recipe calls for half of a banana, so if you’re not making more than one jar, then you’ll have extras. Instead of watching it brown in the refrigerator, or tossing it, freeze leftover bananas to use in a recipe later on.
- Loosen up the oats with a splash of milk. After the oats have soaked up the milk, they will likely be on the thick side in the morning. If this is the case, simply stir in one to two teaspoons of milk (or more) until you get the consistency you want.
- Stir in your favorite superfoods. One of the great things about overnight oats is you can hide in different superfoods. Flaxseeds, hemp hearts, coconut oil, collagen, and protein powder are just a few you can use in this recipe.
- You can use other containers. I prefer to use mason jars when I make overnight oats. They are perfect for portion control and are portable. But, you can use any jar or container. Also, you can make a big batch of overnight oats and store them in a large container. In the morning, just scoop out the portion you want.
Supplies
- 16-ounce mason jars (wide or regular mouth)
- Plastic mason jar lids
How to Make Chocolate Banana Overnight Oats
- In a 16-ounce mason jar, combine rolled oats, cacao powder, cinnamon, and chia seeds.
- Stir together until you evenly distribute all of the ingredients. You don’t want to pour in the wet ingredients without stirring the dry first because you’ll end up with clumps of cacao powder and cinnamon.
- Then stir in the coconut milk, vanilla, and banana.
- Put the lid on and place the jar in the refrigerator overnight.
- In the morning, stir the oats. Add in pure maple syrup, if needed, for additional sweetness.
- If the oats seem thick, add a splash of coconut milk to loosen it up to get the consistency you want.
Storage Tips
To meal prep
You can make up to 5 jars of this banana chocolate overnight oats recipes on Sunday to enjoy for a healthy breakfast during the week.
Please note that the longer the oats sit in the liquid, the thicker the consistency will be when you go to eat them. As I said, stir in a couple of splashes of milk, and that will get it back to a creamy consistency.
To freeze
You can freeze together in a quart-size freezer bag or mason jar the dry ingredients and banana. When you plan to make the recipe, add the ingredients to a jar (if not already) and add the liquid. Continue with the recipe. See more freezer meal prep overnight oats tips.
Chocolate Banana Overnight Oats
This Chocolate Banana Overnight Oats recipe is rich, chocolaty, and delicious. It’s easy to make, uses simple, wholesome pantry ingredients, and the perfect portable healthy breakfast recipe. Make a few jars on Sunday to enjoy all week.
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Print Pin Rate
Servings: 1 person
Calories: 309kcal
Equipment
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16-ounce mason jars
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mason jar lids
Ingredients
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 1 tablespoon cacao powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 1/2 banana peeled and chopped
- 1-2 teaspoons of pure maple syrup if needed
Instructions
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In a 16-ounce size mason jar stir together the rolled oats, cacao powder, cinnamon, and chia seeds.
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Stir in the coconut milk, pure vanilla extract, and banana.
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Put the lid on and place in the refrigerator overnight.
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In the morning, give stir the oats. Stir n pure maple syrup, if needed, for additional sweetness. Add a little more coconut milk, if needed, to loosen it up until you get the consistency you want.
Notes
To meal prep
You can make up to 5 jars of this banana chocolate overnight oats recipes on Sunday to enjoy for a healthy breakfast during the week. Please note that the longer the oats sit in the liquid, the thicker the consistency will be when you go to eat them. As I said, stir in a couple of splashes of milk, and that will get it back to a creamy consistency.
To freeze
You can freeze together in a quart-size freezer bag or mason jar the dry ingredients and banana. When you plan to make the recipe, add the ingredients to a jar (if not already) and add the liquid. Continue with the recipe.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 309kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 7g | Sodium: 26mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 14g
Other Overnight Oats Recipes
See more of my healthy oatmeal recipes.
Did you make this recipe?
Have you tried this Chocolate Banana Overnight Oats recipe yet? If so, I’d love for you to rate this recipe and leave a comment below. We all learn from each other’s experiences. Also, it would be awesome if you could share a picture on Instagram and tag it #organizeyourselfskinny. I can’t wait to see it.
