Name: Vegan Cherry Chocolate Overnight Oats
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 310 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ cups unsweetened plain almond milk (or your favorite non-dairy milk); 1 cup rolled oats; 3 tablespoons raw cacoa or cocoa powder; 2 tablespoons maple syrup; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 cups cherries (pitted, plus more for serving, optional); 1 tablespoon cacao nibs or dairy-free chocolate chips (for serving)

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Get your day started with vegan Cherry Chocolate Overnight Oats! This easy overnight oatmeal recipe only takes a few minutes to prepare. Mix everything together in a jar in the evening, and breakfast is ready when you are the next morning!

Summertime Breakfasts

In the cold autumn and winter months, I prefer hot, savory breakfasts like tofu scramble and breakfast sandwiches, but in the warm summer months, I usually go for lighter meals, like smoothies and chia pudding. Overnight oats is a summertime favorite. It only takes a few minutes to throw together in the evening, and it can be enjoyed cold right from the fridge in the morning.

Cherry Season

Cherries are my all-time favorite fruit. I pretty much live for cherry season. The second I see them in the store, I buy them, even when it’s early in the season and they’re super expensive. (K’ching!)

My favorite way to eat them is pitted in a bowl with a big dollop of vanilla cashew cream. I’ve also been known to use them in smoothies and nice cream.

Chocolate is also a favorite, so I find the combination of chocolate and cherries absolutely heavenly. Honestly, I can’t think of a more perfect food than chocolate covered cherries. And I can’t think of a better way to start the day than with Cherry Chocolate Overnight Oats.

Making Cherry Chocolate Overnight Oats

This Cherry Chocolate Overnight Oats recipe is super easy to make!

Add the non-dairy milk, rolled oats, raw cacao or cocoa powder, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to a jar or bowl with a lid and give it a good shake to mix everything together.
Place the oats in the fridge.
In the morning when you’re ready for breakfast, fold in the cherries and top with cacao nibs or chocolate chips.

If you follow a gluten-free diet, make sure your oats are gluten-free. Bob’s Red Mill has gluten-free rolled oats.

Pitting Cherries for Your Overnight Oats

Make sure your cherries are pitted before you mix them into your oats, otherwise you’ll be in for a big surprise when you chomp down on a pit! I have a handy little pitter from OXO. I’ve gone through a few over the years, and they’ve all broke. I’ve had this one for four years now, and it’s still going strong! Pitting cherries can get messy, so make sure you’re not wearing white!

If you don’t feel like pitting fresh cherries, you can use thawed, frozen cherries instead.

I like to fold the cherries in the oatmeal after it has been chilled. I find that it’s easier to mix the ingredients, and the oats absorb the almond milk better. If your looking for a super quick, grab-and-go breakfast, you can place your cherries on top of the oats after everything has been mixed in the jar, and then stir them right before you’re ready to eat.

Cacao vs Cocoa

Cacao is considered raw, and it’s made my cold pressing raw cocoa beans. Cocoa powder has been roasted at a high temperature. Cacao is said to have many health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease and lowering insulin resistance. And of course, it’s a mood booster!

Cacao powder can be pricy, although I’ve found it reasonably priced at Trader Joe’s. If you can’t find it, dairy-free cocoa powder can be used instead. I like to top my oats with cacao nibs, but vegan chocolate chips can also be used.