You heard me. Ben & Jerry’s Overnight Oats. An overnight oats recipe…inspired by BEN & JERRY’S. THE DREAM IS REAL. Plus the best part of the dream, I made these healthy, feel good overnight oats so that you are getting the best of both worlds with this recipe!
I polled all my followers on my Instagram story the other day (which if you aren’t following me on there, excooz me but what are you doing? đ and the demand for a healthy overnight oats recipe was HIGH. And of course, I wanted to make them fun and exciting, so I was inspired by the most fun and exciting food I know – Ben & Jerry’s! Since my favorite flavor of ALL TIME is Milk & Cookies, this bom a$$ Milk & Cookies overnight oats recipe was born!
This is going to be a series of super easy recipes inspired by Ben & Jerry’s, so feel free to drop any requests below or on my TikTok or Pinterest! I’d love to hear your ideas (and hopefully make them happen!)
Table of contents
Why overnight oats?
Overnight oats are a great breakfast option for a lot of reasons. They are insanely convenient, require zero cooking and have the best texture. Plus you can make them taste like dessert but keep them full of wholesome, filling ingredients! Also the layers? What’s not to love?
Now, overnight oats are different than regular oats because they thicken up over a longer period of time, and are typically served chilled. But you can heat them up if you want to! I prefer my oats cold, thick and in a mason jar. It makes me feel like I’m having a super luxe parfait for breakfast, and that’s totally my jam.
If you’re wondering – how do these oats thicken if we don’t cook them? You are not alone. That’s a common question I get about overnight oats recipes. My overnight oats are always gluten free and vegan, so they usually do not contain yogurt or protein powder, which is what people often contribute to the thickness of overnight oats.
But that’s actually not the case! Overnight oats thicken up because over time, oats will naturally absorb any liquid they are stored in. Add in other thickening agents like chia seeds, flax meal and nut butter and any overnight oats recipe will end up super thick, creamy and delish in just 6-8 hours!
And that’s the last reason I hype up overnight oats recipes all the time. All the work is done for you while you sleep! The only thing you have to do is assemble, store, and be ready for deliciousness in the morning!
Ingredients you will need for these overnight oats
These overnight oats are SLIGHTLY more involved than your normal oats. JUST A BIT. I was feeling a bit ~extra~ when I made this recipe, and I wanted it to be as close to the real Milk & Cookies as possible, so I knew I had to make all of the components.
In Ben & Jerry’s Milk & Cookies flavor you have these three things:
- Vanilla ice cream base
- Chocolate chip cookie bits
- Chocolate cookie swirl
So here’s the ingredients you will need to make all three components:
For the vanilla base:
- 2/3 cup rolled oats – you can also use quick oats here! The only oat I would not recommend is steel cut oats. They function differently than rolled and quick oats.
- 1 cup plant-based milk of choice – I like using either almond milk or cashew milk, but that’s just personal preference.
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract – it might sounds easy to skip, but this totally changes the game! I highly recommend adding it in.
- 1 pinch salt – just like with a baking recipe, salt is crucial to help bring out all the other sweet flavors!
- 1 tbsp maple syrup – This is optional. I personally don’t add this extra bit, but if you prefer things on the sweeter side, it’s definitely worth adding!
For the chocolate “cookie” swirl
- A large banana – make sure this is very ripe. You’ll want the sweetness from the banana to counter any bitterness from the cocoa powder.
- 1 tbsp chia seeds – this is to help the oats thicken and also add texture to the banana mix.
- About 1 tbsp cocoa powder – I like using dutch process, but normal will also work! I say “about” because I used a heaping tablespoon, but that’s just personal preference.
- 1 tbsp water – this is to hydrate the chia seeds! Chia seeds are only at their best when they have water to hydrate them. If you eat them dry, that water has to come from somewhere! And it usually pulls it from your digestive tract, making digestion…..less fun.
For the “chocolate chip cookies”
- 2 tbsp flax meal – I think this is one of my favorite ingredients of all time. It adds such a nice texture!
- 1 tbsp maple syrup – this is necessary to this component for flavor as well as texture.
- 1/2 tsp almond butter – I prefer almond butter because of its neutral flavor, but other nut butters or seed butters will work. It’s just up to your personal preference đ
- 1/2 tbsp chocolate chips or chopped chocolate pieces – you can use semi sweet, milk chocolate or dark chocolate. All of them will be delish in this!
How to make each component of this healthy overnight oats (Ben & Jerry’s version!) recipe
This recipe requires a bit of work, but it’s so worth it in the end! Each element must be made separately, but then you layer it all together….absolute heaven.
Here’s how to make each part of the recipe in the simplest way possible:
To make the vanilla cream base for the overnight oats
- In a small bowl or container, mix together the oats, plant milk, vanilla extract and salt.
- Stir until everything is well combined.
- Of course, add the optional maple syrup if you want it!
- Set this in the fridge while you assemble the other ingredients. It will thicken slightly, which is a good thing! It will help to have the oats thick when you assemble the full recipe.
To make the chocolate “cookie” swirl
- In another small dish, mash up the banana until it is almost smooth. I like to do this on a flat surface like a cutting board, it’s so much easier than in a bowl!
- Add the chia seeds, cocoa powder and water and mix until well combined.
- Set this in the fridge while you make the last component. It will benefit from a few minutes to thicken up!
To make the chocolate chip “cookies”
- In the last small dish, mix together the flax meal, maple syrup and almond butter until you get a cookie-dough-like texture.
- Add in the chocolate chips and stir again. If you’d like, you can chop the chocolate into smaller pieces to help it better combine with the oats.
- Store this in the fridge for a few minutes if you have the time. This will help it thicken up into a cookie-dough-like texture!
How to assemble the oats
- In a mason jar, bowl or cup, layer the oats as follows: oat layer, chocolate banana layer, oat layer, cookie mix layer, oat layer, chocolate banana layer, oat layer, cookie mix layer….so on so forth.
- Chill in the fridge to let it thicken up! It should be ready in 6 hours, but you can let it sit for up to 24!
- Top with optional chocolate chips and enjoy!
Want something a bit more?
If you want something extra fudgey, try topping this with my 2-Ingredient Hershey’s Chocolate Sauce. It’s the perfect addition to any healthy overnight oats recipe!
Tips, Tricks and Substitutions
Since I ramble (we ramble on blogs for SEO, you get it and we love you for it!) but I always like to include useful tips and tricks to help make your recipe as ~immaculate~ as possible.
Here are the best technique tips I have for this recipe:
- If you have the time – give each component of this overnight oats recipe a few minutes to “set up” in the fridge before assembling. I’d say about 15-30 minutes if you can swing it. This will help you assemble the most Insta-worthy healthy overnight oats of all time. When all the components are thick, they just layer a bit better!
- If you want to double, triple, (or hell, even quadruple) the recipe, I recommend doing it when you are making the components all at once. This will make layer multiple jars/containers so much faster and easier, plus it will leave you with less clean up!
- Do not mix the layers before you eat the oats! It’s tempting to give it a quick mix before storing the oats, but having each component separate will make it that much more like Ben & Jerry’s ice cream! But the healthy overnight oats version đ
And since I know you all, I know there will be questions about substitutions. And ofc I gotchu on that end.
Here’s a list of substitutions you can use:
****Everything can be substituted for the same amount in the recipe.
Substitutions for the maple syrup:
- Honey
- Agave Nectar
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Simple syrup
Substitutions for the chia seeds:
- Basil seeds
- Flax meal
- Flax seeds
- Crushed nuts
- Crushed sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
- *You can also omit if you’d like!
Substitutions for the flax meal:
- Oat flour
- Almond flour
- Coconut flour
Substitutions for the nut butter:
- Tahini!
- Sunflower seed butter
Substitutions for the plant milk:
- Dairy milk will work just fine!
- You can use water, but it will significantly impact the creaminess of the oats, so I’d opt for milk or cream if you can!
Substitutions for the chocolate chips:
- Don’t u dare. đ
FAQ for this recipe
Absolutely! I say for this recipe 6 hours is the sweet spot, and after that everything is just extra helpful đ If you store these for 6-12 hours, you should be good. But even just three hours in the fridge will help these oats thicken significantly!
Yes, but keep in mind it won’t be nearly as thick as it could be. If that’s fine with you, go for it! But if you want it to be more pudding-like and true to overnight oats, I’d try to wait at least 6 hours before consuming.
The best way I’ve found to store overnight oats is either in a mason jar (my personal favorite) or in a sealable Tupperware container. Both of these options let you seal up the overnight oats with little hassle, and allows for less spills/leaks/etc.
If you don’t have either of those items on hand, I’d say your next best bet is a bowl that you can wrap with cling wrap or foil. When storing your oats you want it to be air-tight to preserve freshness!
In my personal experience, I like to eat them within 24 hours, but I know they can last in the fridge (and taste delicious) for up to 48! If you want to push it, your oats can last up to 3-4 days, but I always recommend eating them sooner, rather than later.
Totally! But to compensate I would recommend adding 1/2 cup more water per scoop of protein (and this will vary on the brand!) You all know I love Garden of Life for my protein, so if I were to add their vanilla vegan protein to my oats, I’d compensate by adding at least 1/2 cup more plant milk or water.
Yes! And in fact, this is a great way to add volume to any ONO recipe. I used to do this all the time. I would cook my oats for 2-3 minutes, or until they started to thicken, add a touch more milk (about 2 tbsp) and then proceed with the rest of the overnight oats recipe!
Unfortunately this one is the only question where I have to say no. Steel cut oats are processed differently than roll oats or quick oats, so they result in less moisture absorption. Steel cut oats need to be cooked in order to really absorb moisture and take on a good consistency, so they aren’t a great fit for overnight oats.
And that’s about everything for this recipe. I know it’s a lot, but get ready, because there are more ONO recipes coming your way soon! Think ALL the flavors of Ben & Jerry’s, plus more! This is by far my favorite way to make breakfast, so if you make it please let me know what you think in the comments section below! And if you love it, I’d really appreciate you leaving a rating and review.
And if it turns out SUPER CUTE (which it will, I can’t wait to see it) please tag me in a picture on Instagram, Pinterest or Twitter. I love love love seeing your stuff out there. Now happy oat-ing!
Milk & Cookies Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup plant-based milk of choice I used cashew milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tbsp maple syrup optional, if you want it sweeter
For the chocolate "cookie" swirl
- 1 large banana very ripe
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder I like using dutch process, but normal will also work!
- 1 tbsp water
For the "chocolate chip cookies"
- 2 tbsp flax meal
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp almond butter or any other nut butter or seed butter will work!
- 1/2 tbsp chocolate chips or chopped chocolate pieces
Instructions
- In a small bowl or container, mix together the oats, plant milk, vanilla extract and salt. If you like your oats sweeter, feel free to add a tablespoon of maple syrup here! Set this in the fridge while you assemble the other ingredients.
- In another small dish, mash up the banana until it is almost smooth. Add the chia seeds, cocoa powder and water and mix until well combined. Set this in the fridge while you make the last component.
- In the last small dish, mix together the flax, maple syrup and almond butter until you get a cookie-dough-like texture. Add in the chocolate chips and stir again.
- In a mason jar, bowl or cup, layer the oats as follows: oat layer, chocolate banana layer, oat layer, cookie mix layer, oat layer….etc.
- Chill in the fridge to let it thicken up! It should be ready in 6 hours, but you can let it sit for up to 24!
- Top with optional chocolate chips and enjoy!
I was a bit skeptical at first, but this is the best and most creative overnight oats recipe I have ever made! Thank you so much for sharing! It was perfectly sweet and the flax cookie was SO good, I was licking the bowl after I made it.
I am so glad you like it you have no idea! This was one of my favorite recipes to develop đ