Double Chocolate Banana Overnight Oats (without yogurt) is a fast, easy, make-ahead breakfast that will make chocolate lovers jump out of bed. Just stir together a few simple ingredients, then hit the ground running the next morning with a comforting, chocolatey bowl of yumminess.
For more overnight oat recipes, try PB & J Overnight Oats or Cinnamon Applesauce Overnight Oats!
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, you'll get more FREE recipes and tips from my Midwestern kitchen to yours!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Midwestern HomeLife
I'm a big fan of overnight oats. I meal-prep a big batch every week, and let me tell ya, it is THE solution for a quick, hearty, easy breakfast. Or lunch. Or snack. Or dinner.
These Chocolate Overnight Oats with Chocolate Chips are creamy and chocolatey and taste like a decadent dessert. They're fast, easy, super customizable, and you can eat them warm or cold—it's totally up to you!
❤️You're Going to Love These
- Thick and creamy overnight oats without chia seeds
- Chocolate chip overnight oats are decadent enough to crush serious chocolate cravings.
- Perfect way to use up ripe bananas that isn't banana bread.
- Fast and easy overnight oats recipe for busy mornings
- Dairy-free chocolate overnight oats recipe with no yogurt
🍫Ingredients
See recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full list of ingredients and exact amounts.
- Ripe banana. Mashed banana makes these chocolate overnight oats sweet and creamy. For the best banana flavor, I use a ripe banana with brown speckles -- like what I use in this Banana Bread with Pancake Mix.
- Oats. In my experience, old-fashioned rolled oats and quick cooking steel-cut oats aree both great options in this banana overnight oats recipe. For quick-cooking steel-cut oats, you may need ¼ cup more milk. See more below about the best oats to use.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder. Dark cocoa powder is my favorite for its deep, dark, rich intense flavor. But regular cocoa powder also works.
- Vanilla extract and salt. Use a light hand with both of these flavor enhancers, especially if you're making one serving. Too much vanilla can get bitter and too much salt can get, well, you know .. salty.
- Chocolate chips. I like the small size of mini chocolate chips so you get chocolate in every bite. Or use regular dark chocolate chips or any flavor of chocolate chips.
🥛Variations or Substitutions
- Instead of banana, stir in ½ cup of regular or non-dairy yogurt or Greek yogurt. If using plain yogurt, replace the sweetness of the banana with honey or maple syrup.
- You can use any type of dairy or non-dairy milk. For even more rich chocolate flavor, use chocolate milk!
- Go wild with toppings like fresh fruit, fresh berries, nuts, pumpkin seeds ... use your imagination!
🏆The Best Type of Oats for Overnight Oats
I tested overnight oats recipes with 4 types of oats. Here's what I tried, what worked, and what didn't.
Recommended
- Old-fashioned oats. Old fashioned oats, aka rolled oats, are oat groats with the husk removed that have been steamed and flattened. These are my go-to for making overnight oats and they soften up in 2-4 hours.
- Quick cooking steel cut oats. Quick looking steel cut oats are oat kernels with the husk removed that have been cut into tiny pieces so they will cook more quickly. They're not steamed or flattened. They softened up in about the same time as rolled oats, 2-4 hours, however, they absorbed more liquid, so I added ¼ cup more milk.
Recommended IF making 2+ days ahead
- Steel cut oats. Steel cut oats are husked oat kernels that have not been steamed or rolled flat. Instead, they're cut into three pieces with sharp (I'm guessing steel?) blades. Steel cut oats have a much chewier texture than rolled oats. In my testing, they took 2 days to soften enough that I would recommend them for overnight oats.
Not recommended
- Quick oats. Quick oats, or instant oats, are rolled oats that have been steamed longer and rolled even thinner. After soaking for just 2 hours, they were very soft and mushy and not in any kind of way that I enjoyed. I don't recommend.
🎉Fun Flavor Combinations
- Almond Joy overnight oats. Add a tiny bit of almond extract, shredded coconut, and almonds.
- Chocolate protein overnight oats. Add 1-2 tablespoons of chocolate protein powder to the oat mixture.
- Chocolate peanut butter overnight oats. Add 2 tablespoons of peanut butter or peanut powder to the oat mixture. Before serving, drizzle melted peanut butter on top.
- Chocolate raspberry overnight oats. Mash ¼ cup fresh or frozen raspberries with the oat mixture. Serve with fresh raspberries.
🥣How to Make Double Chocolate Overnight Oats
Step 1: Mash the banana in a bowl, mason jar, or resealable container. For a single serving, use a container that is 12 ounces or larger.
Step 2: Add the oats, almond milk, cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, and chocolate chips.
Step 3: Stir until thoroughly combined. Cover with a tightly fitted lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
Step 4: Enjoy chocolate overnight oats warm or cold with toppings like fresh banana slices, coconut flakes, and mini chocolate chips and enjoy.
👉Helpful Hint: The best size mason jar or container size for a single serving of chocolate overnight oats is 12 ounces or larger, so you have plenty of room to stir and add toppings. The jar in the photos is 16 ounces.
✅Top Tips
- For best results, use old fashioned oats or quick steel-cut oats. Or regular steel cut oats, IF making 2+ days ahead (they take more time to soften).
- If using quick-cooking steel cut oats, you may need to add up to ¼ cup more milk, which can be added before serving, if needed.
- Bananas add natural sweetness. If your bananas aren't sweet enough, add up to a tablespoon of pure maple syrup or honey.
- If the oats are too thick before serving, add a little more milk.
🎁Storage
Store overnight chocolate oats in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
❓FAQ
Yes, chocolate overnight oatmeal is delicious served warm! Just heat them in the microwave in 30-second increments until warm. Add a splash of milk, if needed.
No. The banana adds creaminess and sweetness, so I recommend substituting it with something rather than leaving it out. As a substitute for banana in overnight oats, stir in ½ cup of regular or dairy-free yogurt or ½ cup of unsweetened applesauce.
No. Overnight oats made with old fashioned rolled oats or quick-cooking steel cut oats are soft enough to eat after about 4 hours.
No. This banana chocolate overnight oats recipe without dairy needs no yogurt. The banana helps make them thick and creamy.
😋Related Recipes
💌Let's Stay in Touch
Follow Midwestern HomeLife on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, and subscribe via email to receive all of the latest recipes!
📖 Recipe
Double Chocolate Banana Overnight Oats (Without Yogurt)
Ingredients
- 1 ripe banana
- ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats or quick-cooking steel cut oats
- ½ cup almond milk or milk of choice
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 pinch salt
- ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons chocolate chips
Optional Toppings
- chocolate chips, banana slices, shredded coconut
Instructions
- Mash one banana in a mason jar or a bowl with a lid. Add oats, almond milk, cocoa powder, vanilla, a tiny pinch of salt, and chocolate chips. Mix until thoroughly combined. Cover with a tightly fitted lid and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
- In the morning, add toppings like fresh fruit, coconut flakes, and more chocolate chips.
Notes
- The best size mason jar is 12 ounces or larger so you have plenty of room to stir and add toppings.
- For best results, use old fashioned oats or quick steel-cut oats. Or regular steel cut oats, IF making 2+ days ahead (they take more time to soften).
- For quick steel cut oats, you may need to add up to ¼ cup more milk -- you can add it before serving, if necessary.
- If your bananas aren't sweet enough, add up to a tablespoon of pure maple syrup or honey.
Leave a Reply