Decadent Nutella Overnight Oats: Your Ultimate Make-Ahead Chocolate Hazelnut Breakfast
Calling all hazelnut and chocolate lovers! Prepare to transform your mornings with these incredibly easy and unbelievably delicious Nutella Overnight Oats. Imagine waking up to a creamy, dreamy breakfast that tastes like dessert but fuels your day with wholesome ingredients. This simple make-ahead recipe combines the irresistible hazelnut cocoa spread, Nutella, with hearty old-fashioned oats, milk, and a touch of vanilla to create a satisfying and indulgent start to any day.
Overnight oats have become a staple in our household, a true game-changer for busy mornings. We happily meal prep these jars of goodness throughout the week. My husband enjoys his with peanut butter, while I often opt for a touch of sweet raisins. However, there’s one thing we can always agree on: indulging in chocolate for breakfast is not just acceptable, it’s a delightful way to kickstart the day!
If hazelnuts aren’t quite your preference, don’t worry! I recently shared a recipe for a fantastic Nutella alternative: a rich chocolate tahini spread. It offers a similar decadent chocolatey experience and would be absolutely delicious in this oatmeal recipe, providing a slightly different, yet equally satisfying, flavor profile.
Why You’ll Love This Nutella Overnight Oats Recipe
- Effortlessly Easy: With only about 5 minutes of prep time, you can have a gourmet breakfast ready for the next day. No cooking required!
- Perfect for Meal Prep: Make multiple jars at once to ensure a delicious and healthy breakfast is waiting for you every morning of the workweek.
- Irresistibly Delicious: It tastes like a dessert! The creamy texture combined with the rich chocolate-hazelnut flavor makes it feel like an indulgent treat.
- Wholesome & Fueling: Packed with fiber from the oats and chia seeds, and sustained energy from Nutella and milk, it’s a balanced meal that will keep you full and focused.
- Customizable: Easily adapt the toppings and even the base ingredients to suit your taste, dietary needs, or whatever you have in your pantry.
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Ingredients for Nutella Overnight Oats
Crafting the perfect base for these delightful Nutella overnight oats requires just five core ingredients, making it an incredibly simple recipe to master. The beauty lies in its simplicity and the quality of these key components. For topping, feel free to unleash your creativity and use whatever fruits, nuts, or granola you have on hand!
- Rolled Oats: The foundation of our overnight oats. It’s crucial to use old-fashioned or rolled oats for the best results. These oats absorb liquid slowly overnight, resulting in a delightfully chewy yet creamy texture. Avoid instant or quick-cooking oats, as they tend to become mushy and lose their integrity when soaked for extended periods.
- Nutella: The star of the show, providing that iconic chocolate-hazelnut flavor. You can use the classic Nutella brand or opt for other high-quality hazelnut cocoa spreads available on the market.
- Vanilla Extract: A subtle but essential addition that enhances the overall flavor profile. Vanilla extract rounds out the richness of the chocolate and hazelnut, adding a warm, comforting note that elevates the “dessert-like” quality of the oats without overwhelming the main flavors.
- Chia Seeds: These tiny powerhouses are key for achieving that wonderfully thick, pudding-like consistency that makes overnight oats so satisfying. Chia seeds absorb liquid and swell, creating a gel-like texture that binds the ingredients together and adds a significant boost of fiber and omega-3 fatty acids.
- Milk: Any type of milk will work beautifully. Feel free to use your favorite dairy milk or a plant-based alternative such as almond milk, oat milk (a personal favorite these days), soy milk, or coconut milk. Each will impart a slightly different flavor and creaminess, so experiment to find your ideal match.
- Honey (Optional): Nutella is already quite sweet, but if you prefer an extra touch of sweetness, a teaspoon of honey can be added. Maple syrup or date syrup are also excellent natural sweetener alternatives.
- Fruit, Nuts, or Granola for Topping: This is where you can truly make the recipe your own! Fresh berries (raspberries, blueberries, sliced strawberries), banana slices, chopped hazelnuts, pistachios, almonds, a sprinkle of granola, or even mini chocolate chips can take your overnight oats to the next level.
For precise quantities for a single serving or to scale up for meal prep, please refer to the recipe card below.
Essential Equipment
The beauty of overnight oats lies in their minimal equipment requirements. You’ll primarily need tight-fitting jars or lidded containers. Standard Mason jars (pint-sized are ideal for one serving) work wonderfully, as do repurposed leftover jam jars or any other container with a secure lid.
How to Prepare Your Decadent Nutella Overnight Oats
Preparing these Nutella Overnight Oats couldn’t be simpler, making them the ultimate fuss-free breakfast solution. If you’re planning to meal prep for the week, remember to utilize the convenient recipe scaler located on the recipe card below to easily adjust ingredient quantities.
Step 1: Combine Dry Ingredients. Start by adding the rolled oats to your chosen Mason jar or lidded container. This forms the base for your creamy breakfast.
Step 2: Add Wet Ingredients & Mix. Next, add the rich Nutella, a splash of vanilla extract, the thickening chia seeds, and your choice of milk. If you’re using an optional sweetener like honey, add it now too. Stir all ingredients thoroughly until everything is well combined and there are no clumps of oats or Nutella stuck at the bottom. This ensures a uniform texture and flavor.
Once everything is mixed, securely lid your jar and place it in the refrigerator. The magic happens overnight (or for at least 5 hours) as the oats soften and the chia seeds work their wonders, creating that perfect thick and creamy, pudding-like consistency. The next morning, simply take your jar out of the refrigerator, give it a good stir, and adorn it with your favorite toppings. A final swirl of Nutella is always a welcome touch!
Substitutions and Creative Variations
One of the best aspects of Nutella Overnight Oats is how incredibly adaptable they are! Don’t hesitate to experiment with different ingredients to suit your taste or dietary needs.
- Nutella Alternatives: If traditional Nutella isn’t your preferred choice, you have several delicious options. Try chocolate almond butter, chocolate peanut butter, or my homemade chocolate tahini spread. While each will offer a slightly different nuanced flavor, they will all still deliver a wonderfully decadent and satisfying oat breakfast.
- Milk Choices: The recipe is versatile enough to accommodate any milk you prefer. Dairy milk provides classic creaminess, while plant-based alternatives like oat milk (which we adore for its creaminess), almond milk, or soy milk offer unique flavors and cater to various dietary preferences.
- Spice It Up: Don’t be afraid to play around with warming spices. A pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or even a touch of cardamom can add an extra layer of cozy flavor to your chocolate hazelnut oats. For an adventurous twist, a tiny dash of chili powder can mimic a Mexican hot chocolate experience!
- Alternative Sweeteners: If you’re adding an extra sweetener beyond the Nutella, natural options like maple syrup or date syrup can be used in place of honey. These offer distinct flavors that can complement the chocolate and hazelnut beautifully.
- Boosted Nutrition: For an extra protein kick, stir in a scoop of your favorite protein powder (chocolate or vanilla works best) or collagen peptides. A tablespoon of ground flax seeds can also boost fiber and omega-3s.
- Fruit Pairings: While raspberries and pistachios are classic, consider other fruit combinations like sliced bananas, chopped strawberries, cherries, or even a swirl of apple compote for seasonal flair.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
As the name suggests, these oats are designed to be made ahead of time, which is perfect for busy schedules! You can easily prepare up to 5 individual jars in advance, setting you up with delicious breakfasts for the entire workweek.
For maximum freshness and convenience, here are a few extra tips:
- Shelf Life: Prepared Nutella overnight oats can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. The longer they sit, the thicker they might become, but a quick stir and perhaps a splash of extra milk will bring them back to perfect consistency.
- Batch Prepping: When making multiple jars, consider labeling them with the date to keep track. You can even vary the toppings in each jar (e.g., one with berries, one with banana, one with nothing for later customization) to keep things interesting.
- “Dry” Prep Option: If you want to extend the make-ahead time even further, you can pre-fill your jars with just the oats, Nutella, vanilla, and chia seeds. Store these dry mixtures in the pantry. Then, the night before you plan to eat them, simply add the milk, stir, and refrigerate. This can be great for travel or keeping ingredients separated until needed.
Top Tip for Perfect Toppings!
If you plan to use nuts or granola as toppings, be sure to add them right before you’re ready to eat. This crucial step prevents them from getting soggy, ensuring they retain their delightful crunch and texture!
Frequently Asked Questions about Overnight Oats
Traditionally, overnight oats are enjoyed cold, straight from the refrigerator. The extended soaking time allows the oats to soften and become creamy, mimicking the texture of hot oatmeal without the need for cooking. However, if you prefer a warm breakfast, you can certainly heat the oatmeal in the microwave for about 1 minute until it’s warmed through. Just be aware that warming can sometimes alter the texture slightly.
While rolled oats are highly recommended for overnight oats due to their texture and absorption rate, steel-cut oats can technically be used, but the recipe would require significant adjustments. Steel-cut oats are much chewier and need more liquid and a longer soaking time (sometimes 24-48 hours) to soften properly, often still retaining a firmer bite. For the creamy, pudding-like consistency described here, stick with old-fashioned or rolled oats.
When stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, these Nutella overnight oats will stay fresh and delicious for about 3 to 5 days. This makes them perfect for weekly meal prepping!
Nutella overnight oats can be part of a healthy diet, especially when balanced with mindful portion sizes and toppings. Oats are a great source of fiber, supporting digestion and satiety. Chia seeds add beneficial omega-3s and more fiber. While Nutella contains sugar and fat, it also provides energy. You can enhance the health benefits by using unsweetened milk, adding fresh fruit, and opting for less added sugar, making it a well-rounded and energizing breakfast choice.
Craving More Oat-licious Recipes?
If you’re as big a fan of oats as I am, you’re in for a treat! Explore some of my other favorite oat recipes that are perfect for any time of day:
- PB2 Overnight Oats
- Amish-Style Baked Oatmeal with Blueberries
- Apple Pie Oatmeal Brûlée
- Pecan Pie Baked Oatmeal
Did you make this recipe? I would love to hear about it! Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating with a comment right below the recipe card. If you snap a photo of your creation, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @brunchandbatter.
📖Recipe
Nutella Overnight Oats
Pin Recipe
Equipment
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1 Mason jar or other lidded containers
Ingredients
- ½ cup (4 ounces) old-fashioned oats
- 1 tablespoon Nutella or other hazelnut spread, plus more for topping
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon chia seeds
- ½ cup (4 ounces) milk, dairy or plant-based
- 1 teaspoon honey optional
- fruit, granola or nuts for topping
Instructions
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In a lidded jar/container, combine the oats, Nutella, vanilla, chia seeds, milk, and honey (if using).½ cup (4 ounces) old-fashioned oats, 1 tablespoon Nutella or other hazelnut spread, plus more for topping, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon chia seeds, ½ cup (4 ounces) milk, dairy or plant-based, 1 teaspoon honey
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Stir well until thoroughly combined. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or at least 5 hours.
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In the morning, give the oats a stir and add any toppings. If desired, drizzle with a swirl of Nutella. Enjoy cold.fruit, granola or nuts for topping
Notes
- If using fruit or nuts, be sure to add them right before eating so they don’t get soggy.
- If you prefer your oatmeal warm, heat the overnight oats in the microwave for about 1 minute until heated through.
- If you like a looser consistency, add some additional milk as needed.
Nutrition*
*Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. Nutrition information can vary depending on many factors, such as products used, measurements and substitutions, therefore it is recommended that you obtain nutritional calculations based on your own finished recipe.