High-Protein Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Overnight Oats

You might feel like you’re eating dessert for breakfast with our Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Overnight Oats, but rest assured, we packed a lot of protein and nutrition in this make-ahead breakfast. Protein-rich soy milk, Greek yogurt and peanut butter are blended with fiber-packed oats and dates to give a creamy cookie-dough consistency for a meal that will keep you satisfied for hours. The natural sweetness of the dates adds a caramel-like flavor to the oats, and chunks of bittersweet chocolate add gut health–boosting polyphenols and just the right amount of sweetness. Keep reading for our expert tips on how to prep your dates, chocolate substitutions and saving ingredients for garnish. 

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Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• We used dates because they add natural sweetness and fiber and help create a cookie-dough consistency while adding a caramel-like flavor.
• Use scissors to cut up the dates, instead of a knife and cutting board, to save time on cleanup. And make sure the dates are well broken down in the blender. This will help evenly distribute the flavor.
• You can substitute the chopped bittersweet chocolate with 3 ounces (about ½ cup) of bittersweet (60% cacao) chocolate chips or 2 ounces (⅓ cup) of mini semisweet chocolate chips without changing the added sugar content.
• If desired, add ½ teaspoon chopped chocolate as a garnish when you serve the oats.

Nutrition Notes

• Soy milk is an excellent alternative to dairy milk. Compared cup for cup, soy milk and dairy milk are almost tied for protein. Soy milk contains isoflavones, which are considered protective against heart disease and some cancers and can help alleviate menopause symptoms. 
• Rolled oats are a healthy whole grain that supports heart health. They contain a specific type of fiber, called beta-glucan, which can help lower LDL and total cholesterol. Fiber is also important for good digestive health and to support your microbiome, which impacts immunity, cognitive health and mood. 
• Greek yogurt is part of the high-protein punch of these delicious overnight oats. We used whole-milk Greek yogurt to provide extra creaminess and make this a highly satiating breakfast. The combo of protein and fat will ensure that you don’t need to reach for a snack soon after eating this breakfast. 
• Peanut butter adds protein and a delicious nutty flavor that is a classic pairing with dark chocolate. Peanut butter adds fiber, B vitamins and healthy monounsaturated fats. It also contains antioxidants, like selenium and resveratrol—yes, the same one found in red wine!