Black Forest Overnight Oats combines fresh summer cherries with cocoa, nourishing oats, dairy-alternative milk and yogurt, and a dollop of whipped coconut cream to make a delicious, gluten free, and refined sugar-free breakfast treat!
Black Forest Overnight Oats
It’s summer and I love fresh cherries. And if you have been following the blog, you will know this to be true. Case in point – Fresh Cherry Ice Cream, Cherry Coffee Cake, Cherry Skillet Cake, and the namesake to this recipe – Black Forest Small Batch Cupcakes.
This leaves me with another matter-of-fact statement – chocolate and cherries are a match made in summer heaven! However, summer does come with a couple of downsides – it’s a little too hot to turn on the oven, and sunscreen gets used up way too fast in this house!
Now, I can’t do anything about the latter because we should all be wearing sunscreen. However, I can offer you this no-bake, super easy, flavor-packed recipe for Black Forest overnight oats that double as breakfast, dessert, and a mid-day snack!
All The Reasons To Love These Overnight Oats
- Easy No-Bake Treat – With limited ingredients, easy preparation, and no oven needed, these Black Forest overnight oats are more than easy.
- Breakfast, Dessert, or Snack – Don’t you just love a recipe that serves multiple purposes?!
- Gluten Free – Yes, oats are naturally gluten free. But be sure to get the package that says gluten free to avoid any cross-contamination at processing.
- Refined Sugar-Free – Another maple syrup is my sweetener of choice recipe! I know, I know, maple syrup is still sugar, but I love it because it is not as processed and it sits lower on the glycemic scale.
- Hand-Held, Portable Treat – This is awesome for summer – no sticky popsicle or ice cream drips with this recipe!
Ingredient Notes
- Fresh Cherries – Always fresh, especially if in season. However, frozen cherries can work if you want to make the Black Forest Overnight Oats in the winter!
- Lemon Juice – The lemon juice is for the cherry compote and it brightens the cherry.
- Cocoa Powder – I prefer Dutch-processed cocoa powder because it isn’t as acidic as natural cocoa powder. However, use whatever you prefer (and have on hand)!
- Coconut Milk Yogurt – The yogurt makes the overnight oats extra creamy. I prefer unsweetened vanilla coconut milk yogurt but use any yogurt you like.
- Coconut Cream – The solids from a can of unsweetened coconut milk or cream. The coconut cream makes the oats thick and creamy. It is also used to make the whipped coconut cream topping.
- Maple Syrup – I like to use maple syrup for its flavor and because it is refined sugar-free. But you can swap in any sweetener of choice.
- Oat Milk – The oat milk complements the oats. However, I have also made overnight oats with carton coconut milk. Whatever milk you prefer, swap it in!
- Rolled Oats – The oats may be the only ingredient that I say don’t swap. I recommend rolled oats – also called old-fashioned rolled oats – for their size, texture, and liquid absorption.
Helpful Tips
- Look for gluten free labeled rolled oats – Oats are naturally gluten free. However, if you are looking to stick to gluten free, some brands may process their oats alongside gluten products. Thus, the oats are cross-contaminated. Gluten free labeled oats ensure there is no cross-contamination.
- Allow the oats to sit overnight – I have taken bites of the overnight oats 2 to 4 hours into their soak time and found them to have an unappetizing bite. Give them time to chill overnight.
- This recipe for overnight oats is very forgiving – Meaning, you can add/remove flavors, swap ingredients (except for the oats!), and truly make your own.
- Garnish the Black Forest overnight oats with chocolate shavings – Because why not more chocolate flavor?! And if you don’t have a chocolate bar, chop up some chocolate chips!
Recipe FAQ
Will frozen cherries work in the overnight oats?
Yes! But I always recommend fresh if in season. Plus, you can top your oats with a fresh cherry on top.
Can I heat overnight oats?
Yes. Microwave the overnight oats for 1 to 2 minutes to serve warm.
More Breakfast-in-a- jar Recipes
Black Forest Overnight Oats
Yield: 2 Servings
Black Forest Overnight Oats combine fresh summer cherries with cocoa, nourishing oats, dairy-alternative milk and yogurt, and a dollop of whipped coconut cream to make a delicious, gluten free, and refined sugar free breakfast treat!
Equipment
- 2 – Serving Glasses
Ingredients
Chocolate Overnight Oats
- 1 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch process
- 1/4 cup coconut milk vanilla yogurt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened canned coconut milk or cream, full fat (refrigerated overnight; only the cream in the can)
- 3 to 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup (or any sweetener of choice; sweeten to taste)
- 1 cup oat milk (or any milk of choice)
- 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons rolled oats
Cherry Compote
- 1 cup fresh cherries, pitted and halved
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Plan Ahead – Refrigerate the can of coconut milk overnight. We are only using the coconut solids from the can.
Chocolate Overnight Oats
- In a small mixing bowl, stir together the cocoa powder, yogurt, coconut cream, and maple syrup until smooth and creamy. Stir in the oat milk.1 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch process, 1/4 cup coconut milk vanilla yogurt, 1/2 cup unsweetened canned coconut milk or cream, full fat, 3 to 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup, 1 cup oat milk
- Sprinkle the oats into the liquid and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate the oats, at least overnight.1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons rolled oats
- Whipped Coconut Cream Topping – You can whip up the remaining coconut solids from the can to make whipped cream. Add the coconut cream and 1 tablespoon maple syrup to a small mixing bowl and using a hand held mixer, whip on medium high speed until soft, fluffy, and medium peaks form. Note – Sweeten to taste, but keep in mind the more maple syrup added will add more liquid to the whipped cream.
- Transfer the whipped cream to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to assemble the oats.
Cherry Compote
- In a small saucepan, add the cherries, lemon juice, and maple syrup. Heat over medium-low heat until the cherries start to break up and their juices release. About 10 minutes.1 cup fresh cherries, pitted and halved, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- Transfer the cherry compote to bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to assemble the oats. Note – You can add extra fresh cherry halves to the compote to give it more texture.
- Assemble the Oats – Portion equal amounts of the Chocolate Overnight Oats into your serving glasses. Top with equal amounts of Cherry Compote, and finish with a dollop of whipped cream, chocolate shavings (optional), and a fresh cherry on top. Enjoy!
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RECIPE NOTES
- Serving Size – This recipe will yield 2 healthy portions, or 4 smaller poritons.
- Oats – I recommend rolled oats because of their size and texture. You don’t have to use ‘Gluten Free‘ labeled oats if the recipe does not need to be gluten free.
- Oat Milk – The oat milk is a nice flavor compliment to the oats. Although you can use any milk you prefer.
- Coconut Milk/Cream – To make the overnight oats creamy AND to make successful whipped cream – the can of coconut milk should be refrigerated overnight. You can swap the coconut cream with yogurt in the overnight oats, and omit the whipped cream topping if you prefer.
- Coconut Milk Yogurt – This is added to make the oats extra creamy. Feel free to use any flavor or yogurt you prefer.
NUTRITION ESTIMATES
Calories: 405kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 48mg | Potassium: 491mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 152IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 177mg | Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information is calculated by a third-party and should only be considered an estimate and not a guarantee.
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I'm Erin and I'm all about desserts - and a little bit of butter!
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