Breakfast & Brunch Healthy Cereal Recipes Healthy Oatmeal Recipes Overnight Oatmeal Black Forest Cake-Inspired Overnight Oats 4.5 (2) 2 Reviews These overnight oats are filled with classic Black Forest cake flavors. From the rich chocolaty oats to the sweet, dark cherry yogurt base, it feels like having dessert for breakfast in the best way possible. Dark sweet cherries are traditional for the classic cake, but you can replace the cherry yogurt and chopped cherry topping with another fruit if you prefer. By Amanda Holstein Amanda Holstein Amanda Holstein fell in love with baking at the age of 6, and has continued to grow her passion through culinary school and working in bakeries. For more than 10 years, she worked at multiple well-known restaurants and bakeries in the Orlando, Florida, area, preparing delicious scratch-made desserts and assisting with dinner events, before becoming a test kitchen assistant at Dotdash Meredith. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on August 23, 2024 Tested by Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman Tested by Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman is a recipe tester and developer for Dotdash Meredith. Thanks to her huge, ever-hungry Filipino family, Tricia has always had a passion for all things food, with a particular interest in baking and pastry arts. Meet the EatingWell Test Kitchen Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD Emily Lachtrupp is a registered dietitian experienced in nutritional counseling, recipe analysis and meal plans. She's worked with clients who struggle with diabetes, weight loss, digestive issues and more. In her spare time, you can find her enjoying all that Vermont has to offer with her family and her dog, Winston. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Save Rate PRINT Share Chill Time: 8 hrs Active Time: 35 mins Total Time: 8 hrs 40 mins Servings: 4 Nutrition Profile: Sesame-Free Healthy Pregnancy Soy-Free High-Fiber Heart-Healthy Vegetarian High-Protein Egg-Free Gluten-Free Jump to Nutrition Facts Jump to recipe These fiber-filled Black Forest Cake-Inspired Overnight Oats taste like dessert for breakfast. The cocoa powder brings a bold chocolate flavor that complements the antioxidant-filled sweet, juicy cherries, replicating that classic Black Forest flavor. Almond extract amplifies the cherry’s underlying almond notes, and the fiber-filled oats become soft yet slightly chewy. Besides adding more cherry flavor, the strained yogurt adds creaminess and protein to these oats. And the chocolate topping takes them to the next level. Keep reading for expert tips including how long these oats will keep in the fridge. 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! If using frozen cherries, let them thaw and drain well to remove any ice and excess liquid, then pat dry.Make sure your top layer of oats in the jar is as flat as possible so you can add an even layer of melted chocolate topping. You can use plain or vanilla Greek yogurt instead of black cherry yogurt, and you can substitute protein chocolate milk for the reduced-fat chocolate milk. Nutrition Notes Besides being the base of this recipe, oats are a good source of gut-healthy fiber and energy-producing complex carbohydrates. The fiber also helps slow the digestion of the oats, which helps stabilize blood sugar. Loaded with antioxidants, fiber and vitamin C, cherries can help reduce inflammation and chronic disease. The fiber helps keep things moving through your gut. The vitamin C in cherries gives your immune system a boost and is great for your skin. Chia seeds are small but mighty packages of nutrition. They provide fiber, heart-healthy fats and plant protein, as well as numerous vitamins and minerals. Altogether, they can help calm inflammation, reduce chronic disease risk and improve your digestion. One of the things that makes these overnight oats feel like dessert is the chocolate. This is where the good news comes in—chocolate, especially dark chocolate, can be healthy, too! Dark chocolate has been linked to a healthier heart and brain. The higher the percentage of cacao, the more health benefits the chocolate will offer. It’s important to note that milk chocolate and white chocolate do not offer the same benefits as dark chocolate. Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 2⅓ cups old-fashioned rolled oats 1⅔ cups reduced-fat chocolate milk 2 (5.3-ounce) containers nonfat black cherry strained (Greek-style) yogurt 1 tablespoon chia seeds 1 tablespoon cocoa powder ¼ teaspoon almond extract ⅛ teaspoon salt 1 cup stemmed fresh dark sweet cherries, pitted and coarsely chopped, or thawed frozen pitted cherries, coarsely chopped 2 tablespoons bittersweet chocolate chips (60% cacao) 1½ teaspoons unrefined coconut oil Flaky sea salt for garnish (optional) Directions Stir 2⅓ cups oats, 1⅔ cups milk, 2 (5.3-ounce) containers yogurt, 1 tablespoon chia seeds, 1 tablespoon cocoa, ¼ teaspoon almond extract and ⅛ teaspoon salt together in a medium bowl until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours (and up to 4 days). Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Divide half of the oat mixture between 4 (10-ounce) tall, narrow jars, smoothing into an even layer (about a scant ½ cup per jar). Top each with a layer of cherries (about 3 tablespoons per jar). Top with the remaining oat mixture, smoothing into an even layer. Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Microwave 2 tablespoons chocolate chips and 1½ teaspoons coconut oil in a small microwave-safe bowl on High until melted, about 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds. Spoon the melted chocolate over the jars (about 1½ teaspoons each). Refrigerate, uncovered, until the chocolate is almost fully set, 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with sea salt, if desired. Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Frequently Asked Questions What kind of jar works best for Black Forest Cake-Inspired Overnight Oats? For this recipe, we recommend four 10-ounce Mason jars with lids, or something similar, because it makes it easier to get the ingredients into the jars. How long will overnight oats keep in the fridge? The oats should be good in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in covered jars. EatingWell.com, August 2024 Rate It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 405 Calories 9g Fat 64g Carbs 17g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 4 Serving Size generous ¾ cup oat mixture, 3 Tbsp. cherries & 1½ tsp. chocolate mixture Calories 405 % Daily Value * Total Carbohydrate 64g 23% Dietary Fiber 8g 28% Total Sugars 28g Protein 17g 35% Total Fat 9g 12% Saturated Fat 4g 21% Cholesterol 9mg 3% Vitamin A 56µg Vitamin C 3mg 4% Vitamin D 2µg Vitamin E 0mg 2% Folate 36µg Vitamin K 2µg Sodium 168mg 7% Calcium 260mg 20% Iron 4mg 21% Magnesium 111mg 27% Potassium 585mg 12% Zinc 3mg 26% Vitamin B12 1µg Omega 3 1g Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate. * Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.) (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs. Additional reporting by Carrie Myers, M.S. Carrie Myers, M.S. Carrie Myers is a portfolio entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience in the health and wellness space. As a freelance writer and editor, Carrie has worked for both consumer and trade print and online publications. She's been quoted in several articles as a health and fitness expert. Carrie is also a certified life and wellness coach and exercise physiologist, and the founder of CarrieMichele Co., a lifestyle company that helps women create lives they love where they can be authentic. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines and Linda Frahm Linda Frahm Linda Frahm has been a copy editor and fact checker working with food and nutrition content for the past 30-plus years for consumer print and online publications, such as Cook’s Illustrated and Cook’s Country magazines, and has edited cookbooks for Dovetail Press and The Taste Curators. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines