Protein Overnight Oats (Single Serve & Batch Prep!)
Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs
on Feb 7, 2022 (last updated Nov 23, 2025) 
This single-serve (or batch-prep ahead!) protein overnight oats recipe is made easily with just 5 ingredients, including Greek yogurt and protein powder. Everything comes together in one jar, making it the simplest meal prep situation ever, with no cooking or extra dishes required.
5 star review
“I love this recipe! It’s a great breakfast with good macros, and i love adding almond butter, chocolate chips, bananas, and or strawberries.”
– MAddie
Protein Overnight Oats: Single Serve or Batch Prep
I am all about embracing more ease in the kitchen (hello protein chia pudding) and these overnight oats with protein powder win the easy make ahead breakfast category because they don’t require any cooking. Yep. NO cooking. At all.
The magic of overnight protein oats is that rolled oats and chia seeds transform overnight as they soak up the protein shake powder until you have a thick, creamy & custardy breakfast. The beauty of this recipe is that everything comes together in a mason jar. Simply add your ingredients, shake everything up, and let it sit in the fridge overnight (or at least 4 hours to let it thicken up properly).
As they sit in the fridge, the rolled oats and chia seeds soak up the liquid from the almond milk and Greek yogurt, softening the uncooked oats and plumping up the chia seeds until you have a thick and creamy consistency. Since they only take a few minutes to throw together, overnight oats are a great option for those who need something fast to take on-the-go on busy mornings. Instead of feeling rushed and having to break out your pots & pans, you can just grab a spoon, add your favorite toppings and be on your way!
Tip: This recipe makes it feel like you’re having dessert for breakfast, so don’t forget to top with your favorite fresh seasonal fruit like banana or strawberry and add some peanut butter or almond butter on top.
Meal Prep Tip: I created this recipe to serve one. Feel free to double, triple (or more) the recipe if you want to meal prep breakfast for the entire week!
Key Ingredient Notes
- Old-fashioned rolled oats: Old-fashioned (whole) rolled oats (such as these) work best for this recipe. Be sure to use gluten-free rolled oats if you want to keep this gluten-free. Note that steel cut oats will not work. I’ve also found that quick cooking and instant oats don’t work as well as old-fashioned oats because they get mushy and lose texture overnight, so rolled oats are definitely your best option for this recipe.
- Chia seeds: The chia seeds help the overnight oats set, but if you want to skip this ingredient you can add 3 additional tablespoons of oats to step one of the recipe card below.
- Vanilla protein powder: You can use any vanilla protein powder you like the taste of. I recommend whey protein powder for best results. To keep this recipe vegan friendly, be sure to use a dairy-free, plant-based protein powder.
Protein Overnight Oats (Single Serve or Batch Prep!)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
- 1 serving vanilla protein powder
Optional to Taste
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
Equipment
Instructions
- To a 8-oz mason jar, add the milk and protein powder, shaking until well combined.
- Add the oats, chia seeds, yogurt, and vanilla extract. Cover and shake until the ingredients are very well mixed. Taste a tiny bit and add maple syrup if necessary. Let settle for 2-3 minutes, then shake again until you see no clumping.
- Store in the fridge overnight or at least 4 hours.
- When ready to serve, uncover and add any topping you like.
- Store, refrigerated, for up to 4 days.
Notes
- Rolled oats work best for this recipe. Steel cut oats will not work.
- Nutrition facts calculated without optional sweetener or toppings. Protein content calculated using whey protein, but total protein will depend on the specific protein powder and milk you use.
- The vanilla protein I use is linked in the recipe ingredient list. Use code ROBYN for 10% off.
- Most commercial protein powders contain sweetener, and will likely provided enough sweetness, but if you like a sweeter, feel free to add the optional sweetener.
- This recipe can easily be multiplied based on the number of servings you need.
Robyn! You nailed it! I never cared for yogurt in my overnight oats before, but I tried it again with your recipe and I love it! Plus, I am a huge oatmeal lover, but trying to lessen my carbs so going down to the 1/4 cup makes me feel better about eating oatmeal again. Even better, my teenage kids are loving it which is a total win because it gives us another easy option and I love knowing that I’m setting them up with balanced nutrition for the day. I add 1/4 cup frozen blueberries to it, which thaw perfectly by morning, and we only use 1/2 tsp maple syrup. Thank you!
Debbie, yay, so happy to hear you’re enjoying oats this way, along with all that good fiber and protein! Love the idea of keeping the sweetener to a minimum and adding frozen blueberries. Thanks so much for leaving a review!
Hi! I really want to try these overnight oats. Can you recommend a protein powder that you like? I’ve tried to find one and it’s confusing trying to figure out which ones are really healthy. Thank you!
Agree, it can be really tricky! We’re actually in the process of testing a number of options and will report back if we find any we really love!
I will look for the post in the future! Hopefully you can include a budget option, too! Thanks!
If you omit the protein powder, do you change any of the other ingredients (like the amount of liquid)?
I have tried overnight oats before and love them but never with yogurt or protein. Thanks!
I tried making it without the protein powder without changing anything else and it worked out well, so I’d say go for it! Let us know how it turns out!
Game changing recipe for my mornings! I quadruple the recipe & have delicious breakfasts ready to go all week. Just takes a few minutes to prep. I usually add thawed frozen berries & a spoonful of nut butter on top.
Yay, so glad you’re enjoying this one, Dahlia, and love that you’re prepping multiple plus adding the frozen berries. Genius. Thanks so much for leaving a review!
Hi Robyn, when you say Rolled Oats, are you meaning wholegrain oats or will quick oats or instant oats also work?
Yes, whole rolled (old fashioned) oats. Quick or instant won’t work well, as they dissolve and get mushy. I hope you enjoy!
I love this recipe! It’s a great breakfast with good macros, and i love adding almond butter, chocolate chips, bananas, and or strawberries. My only question is I’m using 8 Oz mason jars as per the recipe, but even with just the base ingredients everything barely fits. Did you size up? Seeing the photos that are in the recipe, it looks like your jars have tons of room!
Maddie, yay, so happy to hear you’re enjoying this overnight oats recipe! Yes, I’d recommend sizing up if you’re having trouble with everything fitting, especially if you want to fit all the yummy toppings. I love the 12-oz size because it allows a little more room without being too huge. Hope that helps, and thanks for leaving a review!