Quick And Easy Tiramisu Overnight Oats Recipe
Turn a favorite dessert into breakfast with these Tiramisu Overnight Oats! Coffee and chocolate-infused oats are interspersed with layers of sweet, creamy yogurt to deliver a satisfying and nourishing breakfast with all the flavors of a traditional tiramisu.
In This Article
Nutritional Benefits
This recipe is rich in plenty of health-promoting ingredients though none more so than the oats. Oats are a rich source of fibre and one in particular it contains, called beta-glucan, works as a prebiotic helping to increase and balance the populations of healthy gut bacteria. It also promotes feelings of fullness, helps to regulate blood sugar and pressure, and can help to balance cholesterol too. As to nutrients, oats contain a good amount of manganese (aids bone health, connective tissue formation and metabolism) in addition to some protein, magnesium, iron, zinc, and B vitamins plus an array of antioxidants. In fact, oats contain a very unique antioxidant called avenanthramides, which have been shown to reduce inflammation and protect against heart disease. All that in one very affordable little grain!
Of course, many of the other ingredients bring their own benefits too. The chia seeds are also packed with protein, fibre, and omega-3 fatty acids, the Greek yoghurt adds protein and probiotic goodness, while the coffee, maple syrup and cacao powder give us a touch more vitamins and minerals.
Ingredients – What You’ll Need For These Tiramisu Overnight Oats
This recipe combines a few simple ingredients to create a twist on a classic Italian dessert that you can enjoy for breakfast. Oats replace ladyfinger biscuits, yogurt provides a creamy element reminiscent of mascarpone cheese, while the coffee and cocoa recreate the signature tiramisu flavors.
- Rolled oats – the foundation of this recipe providing both structure and that lovely chewy texture.
- Chia seeds – help with thickening the oat mix but also bring plenty of nutrients too.
- Milk – non-dairy milk like oat milk or coconut milk are my go-to but others like almond or soy milk or even regular whole milk will work just fine.
- Greek-style yogurt – acts as the marscapone cheese in this breakfast version of tiramisu. Coconut yogurt is a great substitute for a dairy-free version.
- Pure maple syrup – adding sweetness to both the oats and yogurt.
- Vanilla extract – complements the tanginess of the yogurt.
- Coffee – I use my espresso machine to ensure I have nice strong coffee, but using instant coffee powder is also fine.
- Cacao powder – provides the flavor you’d generally get from grated chocolate. Many people can find raw cacao far too acidic so Dutch processed cocoa (the kind you’d use for baking) can be used in its place.
To make it extra nutritious you can also add chopped fruit, nuts or anything else of your choosing as a topping just before serving.
How To Make Tiramisu Overnight Oats
This quick and easy recipe is brilliant for those who meal prep. This recipe makes two servings, but this can be easily doubled or tripled to give you tiramisu oats for breakfast all week! Overnight oats are an excellent grab and go breakfast option that require very minimal effort.
- Combine the rolled oats, chia seeds, cacao or cocoa powder and salt in a large bowl.
- Add your milk of choice, espresso or instant coffee powder (if using), vanilla extract and maple syrup then stir to combine.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the yogurt, a little more maple syrup and vanilla extract.
- Cover both bowls with a beeswax wrap or cling film and store in the fridge overnight.
- Next morning, layer the mixture evenly into mason jars or tumblers. Do this by adding a layer of the oat mixture at the bottom of each jar, then topping this with some of the yogurt mixture. Repeat so that you have two layers of oats and yoghurt in each jar.
- Lightly dust the top of each finished jar with cocoa powder. You can do this just before serving if you’ve made extra for meal prepping.
It’s well known we eat with our eyes first so while layering the oats and yoghurt is optional, it does make them more visually and texturally appealing. Preparing these overnight oats in individual mason jars makes for very easy storage and a quick breakfast too.
Substitutions And Variations
If you want to reduce the caffeine, use decaf coffee. You can also use powdered or granule coffee if needed. See the notes section in the recipe card for how to substitute the espresso for one of these.
To make these tiramisu overnight oats vegan, use any plant-based milk suggested and replace the Greek yogurt with a plant-based yogurt of your choice (coconut vanilla yogurt is especially delicious!).
If you’re after a high-protein breakfast add a scoop of your preferred protein powder to the oat mix before soaking overnight. Add toppings like hemp seeds and chopped nuts when serving too. Just note that the protein powder may change the flavour profile.
Tips For Success With This Recipe
Letting the oats soak overnight allows them to soften so they’re easier on the gut. It also means they’ve had the opportunity to fully absorb all the liquid and the flavours being added to them. However, if needed, this recipe will still be delicious with as little as 4-hours of soaking time.
You can add a touch more coffee if you’d like a stronger coffee flavor but don’t add too much liquid overall. You want the oats to be nice and creamy, not soupy. Do remember though that the recipe already has one full shot of coffee per person.
Storing/Freezing/Make Ahead
If making this ahead for the week store the oat and yogurt mixtures separately. This stops the oats from becoming too soggy. They will keep this way for up to 5 days. If however, you’ve made the jars up in advance, I suggest eating them within 3 days.
Overnight oats can be frozen and doing so makes this an excellent make-ahead breakfast option! Pack the oats into single-serve freezer-safe mason jars or containers leaving off the toppings. When you’re ready to eat one, simply move the jar or container to the fridge to defrost overnight and sprinkle with cacao powder or chocolate and toppings before serving.
FAQ
You can, but you’ll be missing out on lots of health benefits. Quick-cooking oats, or instant oats, don’t contain the outer layer of the grain found in rolled (old-fashioned) oats, whole oats, or steel-cut oats. This is where the majority of nutrients are so if you’re looking to reap the nourishing rewards here stick with one of the whole oat varieties.
Yes and no depending on where you reside. In Australia and New Zealand for example, under current food laws, oats can’t be labelled gluten-free. Even those considered ‘pure oats’ that are grown and processed in a gluten-free facility, which is due to the ease with which they can be contaminated. In addition, oats contain avenin, a protein similar to gluten that some people with coeliac disease can react to. As a result, many consider oats a possible trigger food so be cautious of products labelled as ‘gluten-free oats’ if you have a gluten sensitivity.
More Breakfast Recipes
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Quick And Easy Tiramisu Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- 1 cup old-fashioned / rolled oats
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1.5 tbsp cacao powder (plus more for dusting the top)
- Pinch of salt
- ¾ cup oat milk (see note 1) (or any milk of your choosing)
- ¼ cup espresso (see note 2) (2oz/60ml – equivalent to 2 shots)
- 1 cup Greek yoghurt (see note 2) (or coconut yoghurt)
- 3 tbsp maple syrup (see note 3)
- 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine the rolled oats, chia seeds, cacao or cocoa powder and salt in a large bowl.
- Add in your milk of choice, espresso or instant coffee powder (if using), 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons of maple syrup then stir to combine.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the yogurt, the remaining tablespoon of maple syrup and the remaining ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract.
- Cover both bowls with a bees wax wrap of cling film and store in the fridge overnight.
- Next morning, layer the mixture evenly into mason jars or tumblers. Do this by adding a layer of the oat mixture at the bottom of each jar, then topping this with some of the yogurt mixture. Repeat so that you have two layers of oats and yoghurt in each jar.
- Lightly dust the top of each finished jar with cocoa powder by adding some to a small sieve and shaking it over the top. You can do this just before serving if you've made extra for meal prepping.
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Notes
Nutrition
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Gabby Campbell
Gabby is a degree qualified Naturopath/Nutritionist (BHSc Nat) with a love of all whole foods. She started her Naturopathic career in clinical practice before making the move to recipe development and online education – a result of wanting to combat the misinformation that abounds on the internet about food and health. Whole Natural Kitchen aims to transform the way you think about healthy eating by helping you embrace an abundance of nutritious foods while leaving the health fads behind. MORE ABOUT GABBY