My daughter is a huge fan of chocolate and peppermint. Her favorite ice cream? Mint chocolate chip. Her favorite Girl Scout cookie? Thin Mints. So when she asked me a while back to make her Chocolate Peppermint Overnight Oats, I knew we’d have a hit on our hands. And boy, did we ever!
My girl has been a fan of Mama’s overnight oats since soon after she started eating solids (Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats was her original favorite flavor), but this Chocolate Peppermint version takes her love of overnight oatmeal to the next level! She requests it every single time I head to the kitchen to meal prep.
I love it because it’s stupendously easy to make, and it’s an easy grab-and-go healthy breakfast for hectic school day mornings. The oats fill her up so she has plenty of energy for school, and I don’t have to lift a finger in the morning. It’s a parenting win!
While all of our overnight oats recipes are amazing, the chocolate ones really are magic because of a chemical reaction between the cocoa powder and the acid in the yogurt that makes them supremely fluffy and creamy. It’s a must-try for any chocolate-lover! It happens with these oats, but also our Chocolate Peanut Butter, Chocolate Coconut, and Mocha Overnight Oats—try them all!
What are overnight oats?
Overnight oats are a no-cook oatmeal that you stir together and let rest overnight in the fridge. In the morning, you have a dreamy pudding-like porridge that you can eat cold (my preferred method), or warm up. If you want more details on all things overnight oats, check out our big Overnight Oats 101 post.
What makes overnight oats so special?
Overnight oats should be a meal prep staple for any busy household. Here’s why we’ll always have them in our rotation here:
- Overnight oats are so easy to make in advance. Overnight oats are not only easy to make ahead of time— they are designed for it! Just a few minutes of prep work leaves you with a great grab-and-go breakfast for morning.
- They can be a healthy way to start the day. You have control over everything that goes into your overnight oats, so you can make them into a super nourishing, nutritious breakfast. Mix in some collagen peptides or protein powder. Add some superfoods, like chia, flax, or hemp. Drop the sweeteners completely. You can make these oats your breakfast superfood!
- Overnight oats can be made in bulk. You’ll see overnight oats on meal prep menu after meal prep menu for a reason—you can make an entire week’s worth of breakfasts at once.
- Overnight oats are simply delicious! That overnight stay in the fridge does something magical to the oats—they soften up to make a rich, creamy pudding. Even my kid devours overnight oats!
- You can customize them to fit your dietary preferences. Make your overnight oats vegan, gluten-free, less sweet, or sweeter—make them your own! We’re covering peppermint chocolate overnight oats in this post, but once you get a feel for overnight oats, you can experiment to find your own favorite flavor.
Do you eat overnight oats cold or heated up?
Most folks choose to keep overnight oats as a grab-and-go breakfast, and eat them cold (and hello, it’s like eating pudding for breakfast!). But if you’d rather have them hot, just heat them in a small saucepan on the stove, or warm them in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, stirring frequently.
Can you make substitutions to these overnight oats?
One of the greatest things about overnight oats is that they are super customizable. It’s simple to make them vegan, gluten-free, or lower in sugar. Our in-depth overnight oats post has a full range of suggestions, but here are some specific swaps you can make for these peppermint chocolate overnight oats:
- Make it vegan: Use plant-based milk and yogurt.
- Make it sugar-free: Drop the sweetener and dark chocolate, and make sure to use unsweetened milk. Or use stevia or monk fruit sweetener in place of the maple syrup or honey, if you prefer.
- Make it gluten-free: Make sure to use certified gluten-free oats.
Where can you find more overnight oats recipes?
We’ve got you covered when it comes to simple and easy overnight oats recipes! Here are some of the most well-loved recipes on Wholefully.
Chocolate Peppermint Overnight Oats
The classic combination of rich chocolate and bright, refreshing mint comes together in these Chocolate Peppermint Overnight Oats! This grab-and-go breakfast is as nourishing as it is tasty.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup (heaping) rolled oats
- 2/3 cup unsweetened milk of choice
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate (optional)
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds or ground flaxmeal
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 0–2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
Instructions
- Whisk together all ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Spoon into a pint or half liter jar with a tight-fitting lid.
- Close and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight, before eating.
Notes
- Adding chopped chocolate is optional, but delicious!
- Peppermint extract varies in strength, so start with just a touch, and then add more to taste.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1 half batchAmount Per Serving: Calories: 401Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 133mgCarbohydrates: 59gFiber: 6gSugar: 38gProtein: 11g
At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.
