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    Home » Breakfast and Brunch » Chocolate Banana Overnight Oats

    Chocolate Banana Overnight Oats

    Published: Jun 11, 2022 · Modified: Feb 17, 2023 by Alexandra Cook

    For the full recipe including quantities and method, click the "jump to recipe" button, or scroll through and read our helpful tips along the way.

    107 shares
    Jump to Recipe Leave Review

    My Chocolate Banana Overnight Oats are incredibly delicious and so simple to prepare! Mashed banana and raw cacao combine to make a delicious flavour base for these oats. With just a few minutes of preparation time before bed, these oats will be ready for you to enjoy in the morning!

    Jar of oats, topped with yoghurt, slices of banana and shaved chocolate.
    Jump to:
    • Why you’ll love this recipe:
    • Ingredients in this recipe:
    • How to Make Chocolate Banana Overnight Oats:
    • Tips for success and FAQs:
    • Variations and substitutions:
    • Serving suggestions:
    • More delicious recipes for you to try:
    • Chocolate Banana Overnight Oats
    Star

    Why you’ll love this recipe:

    My Chocolate Banana Overnight Oats are an ideal breakfast that is prepared the night before. When you wake up, your breakfast will be all ready to go – simply stir, add your favourite toppings and enjoy.

    Aside from being delicious, this is a nutritious breakfast that takes just a few minutes to prepare.

    You will love these Chocolate Banana Overnight Oats because:

    • They require minimal preparation – all you have to do is mash a banana, combine it with your other ingredients and pop it in the refrigerator!
    • The quantities can easily be adjusted to your needs – the written recipe serves two, but can easily be halved or doubled!
    • They are ideal for meal prep – they’ll last for three days in the fridge, so you can get a head start on your breakfast for the week ahead.
    • This recipe is so versatile – we love to customise the toppings. Add any fruit or nuts of your choice, yoghurt and even a little shaving of dark chocolate! There are many delicious topping and flavour ideas for you to try.
    • Although Chocolate Overnight Oats are delicious on their own, the addition of banana makes them extra good. We also love to add Peanut Butter on occasion!

    Ingredients in this recipe:

    Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.

    Ingredients in this recipe on a white background.

    Banana – for the maximum natural sweetness, use a ripe banana. Bananas are at their best for this recipe when they are in between the eating and baking stage!

    Raw cacao powder – is made from minimally processed cocoa beans and maintains the nutritional benefits of the bean. It is, in essence, chocolate in its purest form. 

    Old Fashioned Rolled Oats – these are the best oats for this recipe. Steel-cut oats and quick-cooking oats can be used in overnight oats recipes, but may have a different ratio of liquid, and will produce a different texture.

    Milk – use a milk of your preference. I like to use almond or oat milk, but soy milk works just fine as does dairy milk.

    Chia seeds – helps give the oats a nice thick texture, and also add some extra fibre. Black or white chia seeds are fine to use in this recipe.

    Maple syrup – for a hint of extra sweetness. You could also use honey, but I would drizzle this on top when serving instead.

    Vanilla – use a good quality vanilla extract that is naturally produced from the vanilla bean and not synthetically flavoured.

    Cinnamon – ground cinnamon works so well with banana, and adds a lovely warmth of flavour to the oats. A little sprinkled on top before serving is also a nice touch!

    How to Make Chocolate Banana Overnight Oats:

    Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.

    Steps 1-2 of preparing this recipe - mashing the banana in a bowl and mixing in the cacao, vanilla and maple syrup.

    1 – Mash the banana:
    In a medium bowl, mash the banana using a potato masher or fork.

    2 – Combine with the cacao:
    To the banana, add the raw cacao powder, vanilla and maple syrup and mix well to combine.

    Steps 3-4 of preparing this recipe - adding the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mixing well.

    3 – Add the remaining ingredients:
    To the banana mixture, add your rolled oats, milk, ground cinnamon and chia seeds. Whisk or stir the mixture well to combine.

    4 – Refrigerate:
    Cover the bowl with clingwrap, or divide the mixture into two glasses or mason jars and cover. Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.

    Jar of oats without any toppings, with a spoon in the jar.

    Tips for success and FAQs:

    These Chocolate Banana Overnight Oats are truly so simple to prepare. As there are such few ingredients, I do recommend using the best quality available.

    How long will the Chocolate Banana Overnight Oats last?

    For the best taste and texture, enjoy them within three days.

    How long do the Oats have to be in the fridge before consumption?

    Refrigerate your overnight oats mixture for at least 6 hours. I make mine just before bed and they’re perfect in the morning!

    Are Old Fashioned Rolled Oats Gluten-Free?

    There are different rules regarding this, depending on where you live in the world. For Australian residents, Coeliac Australia provides a great resource on this topic. Always be sure to read the labels and consult with a health professional if you are unsure.

    Star

    Variations and substitutions:

    Banana – as this is the main flavour base of the recipe, I do not recommend substituting it. However, you can omit it if you prefer plain Chocolate Overnight Oats.

    Milk – you can use any milk of your choice for this recipe.

    Raw Cacao Powder – if you are unable to find it, you can substitute it with unsweetened cocoa powder. You may wish to use a little less, as it does have a stronger taste.

    Nuts – I like to serve my Chocolate Banana Overnight Oats with some chopped almonds or walnuts for great texture. Add the nuts just prior to serving so they do not soften.

    Jar of oats, topped with yoghurt, slices of banana and shaved chocolate.

    Serving suggestions:

    One of my favourite parts of making Easy Overnight Oats, is customising the toppings!

    For this recipe, I like to use a topping of coconut yoghurt, some sliced fresh banana and a sprinkling of shaved dark chocolate!

    You could also try:

    • Chopped walnuts or almonds – love that great crunch against the oats.
    • Greek yoghurt, if you do not need to keep the recipe vegan.
    • A drizzle of coconut cream and a sprinkle of additional cinnamon or raw cacao powder.
    • Fresh or dried fruit of your choice.

    Enjoy these delicious Chocolate Banana Overnight Oats. I hope you’ll love the ease of preparation and great taste – be sure to let me know what you think in the comments below!

    Alex xx

    More delicious recipes for you to try:

    • Jar of overnight oats, garnished with yoghurt and cocoa powder, sitting on a wooden saucer with a spoon on edge.
      Espresso Coffee Overnight Oats
    • Glass jar of vanilla overnight oats, topped with halved cherries, sitting on a small white saucer with a teaspoon on the edge.
      Vanilla Overnight Oats with Cherries
    • Glass jar of mango overnight oats, topping with yoghurt, mango pieces and some flaked coconut.
      Mango Overnight Oats
    • Glass jar of overnight oats topped with yoghurt, slices of banana and a drizzle of Biscoff spread, sitting on a round coaster.
      Biscoff Overnight Oats

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    Jar of oats, topped with yoghurt, slices of banana and shaved chocolate.

    Chocolate Banana Overnight Oats

    My Chocolate Banana Overnight Oats are incredibly delicious and so simple to prepare! Mashed banana and raw cacao combine to make a delicious flavour base for these oats. With just a few minutes of preparation time before bed, these oats will be ready for you to enjoy in the morning!
    4.98 from 47 votes
    Print Pin Review
    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: International
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Chill Time: 6 hours
    Total Time: 6 hours 5 minutes
    Servings: 2 people
    Calories: 303kcal
    Author: Alexandra Cook – It’s Not Complicated Recipes

    Ingredients

    For the Overnight Oats:

    • 1 large banana – ripe See Note 1
    • 6 teaspoon raw cacao powder See Note 2
    • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla
    • 1 cup (80 g) old fashioned rolled oats
    • 1 ¼ cup (300 ml) milk – I use almond or oat See Note 3
    • 1 tablespoon chia seeds See Note 4
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

    Toppings (optional):

    • Greek yoghurt or coconut yoghurt
    • almonds or walnuts – roughly chopped
    • coconut flakes and banana – freshly sliced when serving

    Recipe Measurements:

    For accuracy, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results.

    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • In a medium-size bowl, mash the banana.
    • Add the cacao powder, maple syrup and vanilla to the banana and mix until well combined.
    • Add the milk, oats, chia seeds and cinnamon and stir to combine.
    • Cover the bowl with clingwrap, or divide the mixture into two glasses or mason jars and cover. Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
    • Serve with toppings of your choice and additional milk if the mixture is too thick.

    Notes

    1. Banana: for the best flavour and sweetness, make sure your banana is ripe. Prefer to not use banana? Try these Chocolate Overnight Oats.
    2. Raw Cacao Powder: is the raw version of cocoa powder. 
    3. Milk: use milk of your choice. I use almond or oat milk. Add more milk when serving if you prefer a thinner texture.
    4. Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons).
    5. Toppings: the toppings are optional (and are not included in the nutritional information). Use toppings of your liking – see suggestions above.

    Nutrition Estimate:

    Calories: 303kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 209mg | Potassium: 486mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 15g | Calcium: 270mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this Recipe? Please rate and leave a comment!
    Nutritional Disclaimer:

    The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.

    « Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats
    Vegan Chocolate Mousse »
    107 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sadie

      July 28, 2022 at 7:23 am

      5 stars
      Oh my goodness, this was like dessert for breakfast and I didn’t even have to feel guilty about it. Delicious!

      Reply
      • Alexandra

        July 29, 2022 at 1:58 pm

        Hi Sadie, thank you for your lovely comments on the Chocolate Banana Overnight Oats, I’m delighted to hear that you enjoyed them. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Sherry M

      July 24, 2022 at 8:17 pm

      i love overnight oats especially with almond milk. Delish!

      Reply
      • Alexandra

        July 29, 2022 at 2:14 pm

        My preference too, Sherry 🙂 Thank you!

        Reply
    3. Sandra

      June 14, 2022 at 6:41 am

      5 stars
      This was so delicious and creamy! I made this in little mason jars the night before so that I can take it with me on the go. I always crave something sweet in the morning so this was perfect. I garnished it with a few chopped walnuts and it was just the crunchy texture I needed. Thank you so much!

      Reply
      • Alexandra

        June 16, 2022 at 5:01 pm

        Hi Sandra, thank you so much for your feedback on the Chocolate Banana Overnight Oats. They make the perfect on-the-go breakfast when made in mason jars. 🙂

        Reply
        • Caroline

          March 21, 2023 at 12:38 am

          5 stars
          can you heat it up a bit in the microwave please?

        • Alexandra Cook

          March 21, 2023 at 7:06 am

          Hi Caroline,
          I enjoy my overnight oats cold, but I do know some people preferred them warmed up. That should work just fine!
          Thanks, Alex

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    I’m Alex.

    I am a full-time blogger, passionate foodie and writer who loves to travel.

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