Peanut Butter Overnight Oats - This delicious breakfast tastes like peanut butter cookie dough! It's also naturally high in protein, making it a great way to start a busy day.

Overnight oats (and oatmeal in general) are a long time favorite breakfast of mine.

I typically make My Favorite Overnight Oats recipe, but I like to play with other flavors as well.

The other morning, I prepared my kids a pot of cooked oatmeal to which I added in peanut butter and honey. It was so darn good that I got to thinking about a peanut butter overnight oats recipe, which fostered today's deliciousness!

The addition of cinnamon and vanilla set this off nicely, and a scoop of Greek yogurt adds to the natural protein content. It's such a delicious breakfast to wake up to.

Oatmeal topped with cinnamon and milk in a white bowl.

How to make peanut butter overnight oats

The best part this recipe is that you don't have to worry about making breakfast in the morning!...Of course, you do have to worry about making it the night before, ha.

That works better for our family, however, as it allows us more time to get ready and even get a few extra minutes of sleep. Sam's school starts at 8am, so we need all the time we can get!

Ingredients needed

Various ingredients laid out on a wood table, including oats and peanut butter.

Rolled oats - This works best with overnight oats, though I have used steel cut with success! See the FAQs below.

Milk - Choose a milk that you tolerate and enjoy the taste of, as it will obviously impart some flavor to the recipe.

Peanut butter - I prefer a smooth salted variety. If you choose unsalted, add in a dash or two of sea salt to bring out all the flavors. Chunky PB will obviously add texture, so be aware! My kids aren't fans of chunky.

Maple syrup - This sweetens the mix! I've used a chopped date with success as well, though the pieces don't 'blend' in as nicely.

Vanilla and cinnamon - These provide yummy, sugar-free flavor! I particularly like the two combined with peanut butter.

Recipe steps

Begin by mixing the milk and peanut butter until the PB is well combined. Use a whisk or fork here for best results.

Stir in the remaining ingredients and let it chill in the fridge overnight.

Spoonful of peanut butter being mixed into a measuring cup full of milk.

Milk, oats, and cinnamon being stirred together.

FAQs

Can you cook the oats in the morning?

Sure, but that kind of defeats the purpose! Cold overnight oats are amazing, and I have yet to meet someone who didn't like them. If you're looking to soak your oats for digestive reasons, give this Soaked Oatmeal recipe a peek!

Can I use steel cut oats? Quick oats?

I actually love steel cut overnight oats! They do make it quite chewy, however, so it's not a taste for all. Quick oats will also work, though they tend to be a bit mushier, so they're not my favorite.

Can I omit the yogurt?

Yes, it will work without it. I like to add it for extra protein, but it's not necessary.

What's the best milk to use to make overnight oats?

Whatever you enjoy! Everyone is different and has different tolerances, so it's hard to say. My family uses whole milk, Coconut Milk, or Rice Milk.

Topping ideas

There are myriad additions that could be employed here, but a few that I would recommend are:

Chocolate chips
Sliced bananas (try sauteing them in butter first for a special treat!)
Blueberries or other fresh fruit
Other seeds or nuts (or even a few chopped peanuts!)
Grated coconut
Goji berries

Spoonful of oatmeal with an orange in the background.

More overnight oatmeal recipes

Cookie Dough Overnight Oats

Blueberry Overnight Oats

No Sugar Added Cinnamon Raisin Overnight Oats

Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Peanut Butter Overnight Oats

This delicious breakfast tastes like peanut butter cookie dough! It's also naturally high in protein, making it a great way to start a busy day.

Prep Time5

Cook Time0

Total Time5

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Gluten-Free, High protein, Oatmeal, Peanut Butter

Servings: serving

Calories: 333kcal

Author: Lauren Goslin

Ingredients

½ cup milk of your choice
1 Tablespoon natural peanut butter
1 heaping tablespoon Greek yogurt
½ cup oats
2 teaspoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
dash sea salt omit if using salted peanut butter

Instructions

Whisk the milk and peanut butter in a bowl until well combined and emulsified.
Mix in the remaining ingredients.
Cover and refrigerate for 1-8 hours.
Enjoy!

Notes

Nutrition facts are based on using unsweetened almond milk.

WW Points: 11

Nutrition

If you have a chance to try this recipe, please leave a star rating and a comment below letting me know how you liked it!

Comments

Tm Will

October 23, 2022 at 10:20 pm

so happy to find your sans chia seed overnight oats recipes because I hate chia seeds LOL!

Sabrina

May 19, 2015 at 7:29 am

I love peanut butter, I love cookie dough, and I love cookies - so this dairy free recipe is right up my alley! I had all the ingredients in my house, so I gave it a whirl. I'm also doing Weight Watchers, so I REALLY appreciate the WW point value.

I think I've been converted to overnight oatmeal using this recipe - way more satisfying that any oatmeal I've had, and I love it cold!! I used maple syrup instead of honey and it added just enough sweetness. Yum!

- Lauren
  
  May 19, 2015 at 6:17 pm
  
  Haha, I'm happy you enjoyed it Sabrina, overnight oats is a life-changer! 🙂
  
Lauren

September 20, 2014 at 7:28 am

Is it possible to use steel cut oats in this recipe or does it only work with rolled oats? Thanks!

- Lauren
  
  September 20, 2014 at 8:38 am
  
  Hi Lauren,
  
  You could, but the result would be a bit chewier. 🙂
  
Laura

August 19, 2014 at 1:38 am

Have made these everyday for the past week, thankyou so much for the recipe ! 🙂

- Lauren
  
  August 19, 2014 at 7:05 am
  
  That's awesome Laura, I'm happy you're enjoying them so much! 🙂
  
Stacey

February 10, 2014 at 11:34 am

Can you tell me what the nutritional yeast adds? I tried it once in a savory recipe and just couldn't stomach it. The recipe said it was supposed to add a "cheesy" flavor but it just wasn't for me. Reading these comments though makes me want to give it another chance.

- Lauren
  
  February 10, 2014 at 11:46 am
  
  Hi Stacey,
  
  The small amount here just gives it more of a cookie dough taste, but feel free to leave it out! 🙂
  
Melissa C

November 16, 2013 at 11:38 am

Oops, It didn't let me finish. My favorite is to put Vanilla and cinnamon in and cook it then add walnuts and honey or pure maple syrup.

Melissa C

November 16, 2013 at 11:36 am

Hi Lauren, Do you eat this cold straight from the fridge or do you heat it up? It sounds great and I usually have oatmeal for breakfast. My favorite way is to

- Lauren
  
  November 16, 2013 at 11:40 am
  
  Eat it cold girl! You'll never go back! 🙂
  
Lillibet

November 11, 2013 at 11:39 pm

This is amazing! Thank you for this. Never tried overnight oats before, always been a hot porridge eater but am now converted to cold oats! Delicious.

- Lauren
  
  November 12, 2013 at 8:15 am
  
  Yay! I'm happy this recipe could bring you over to the 'other side'. 😀
  
Jen

November 05, 2013 at 8:38 pm

This is my favorite overnight oats recipe yet. I must admit I like it a bit sweet and add a half teaspoon of succanant (sp?). Thank you!

Gabby @ the veggie nook

September 11, 2013 at 4:52 pm

These sound so good Lauren! I use nutritional yeast in my homemade peanut butter cups and it's amazing so I bet that just brings this from good to amazing!

Leah

September 10, 2013 at 10:58 pm

I'm so glad that I stumbled across this recipe. I've had this for breakfast three times now and I think I'm addicted. I use honey instead of dates, extra peanut butter, omit the nutritional yeast. (I have some in my cupboards but I'm too chicken to add it to oatmeal), and add a pinch of baking soda just to add to the "cookie dough" flavour. And I add a handful of chocolate chips, of course. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS RECIPE!

- Lauren
  
  September 11, 2013 at 7:07 am
  
  I'm so happy you're enjoying the recipe Leah, and I love the baking soda trick! 😀
  
Alisa @ Go Dairy Free

September 04, 2013 at 9:54 am

This looks so simple and comforting! I'm trying to imagine what flavor that little bit of nutritional yeast adds to the mix.

jodye @ chocolate and chou fleur

September 02, 2013 at 10:43 am

Peanut butter cookie dough for breakfast! This sounds wonderful. My personal favorite is overnight oats with cocoa powder and a heft dose of vanilla extract. Maybe some chocolate chips if I'm feeling extra adventurous.

Elsie

September 02, 2013 at 8:29 am

Sheesh, this sounds good! I've been wanting to do something with dates for a while, too.

Pat

September 02, 2013 at 5:48 am

Good morning, I am not a big peanut butter fan but I love me some cookie dough so how would I adjust the recipe to get the cookie dough flavor without the peanut butter flavor?

- Lauren
  
  September 02, 2013 at 7:09 am
  
  Hi Pat,
  Give this recipe a whirl instead (sorry for the crummy pictures, they are being updated this week!): https://www.oatmealwithafork.com/2012/07/23/oatmeal-cookie-overnight-oats/

Peanut Butter Overnight Oats (High in Natural Protein!)