Bounty Bar Overnight Oats

Let me present my (your?) new favourite breakfast, chocolate coconut overnight oats! It’s a decadent-feeling breakfast, especially when layered with extra coconut yogurt. There are sunflower and chia seeds added here for a protein boost and more texture, plus some other optional add-ins like cocoa nibs.

Usually when I want a bit of a special overnight porridge I make something more like apple cinnamon overnight oats – more fruit centred because I love fruit. This just came from staring at my pantry jars and wondering what I could throw into a muesli because I had just eaten the last apple in the house, and it turned into a really fun, unexpected breakfast.

Chocolate for breakfast is always a good idea (like this chocolate chia pudding) and adding coconut makes it taste like a bounty bar. A very oat-y bounty bar, but still – and with 9 grams of protein and 8 grams of fibre per serving, you can’t go wrong.

I first shared this recipe in 2018. It’s been updated with improvements to the recipe instructions and a retested and improved recipe, new photos, including step-by-step photos, and more helpful information.

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Ingredients You’ll Need and Why

The original recipe also included hemp hearts, but I found in retesting that they tended to get a little unpleasant after storing for a few days, so they’re omitted now. You can add them if you know you’ll be eating the overnight oats quickly.

• Oats: this should be rolled oats, certified gluten-free if necessary. Quick cook oats can be used if you don’t have rolled oats but the texture will be much softer.
• Seeds: the chia seeds are mandatory, to thicken the mixture properly. Other seeds or nuts can replace the sunflower seeds.
• Cocoa: this can be any type of baking or raw cocoa, but be sure not to use hot chocolate mix, which has sugar and sometimes milk solids added, and will make this too sweet. I like the rich, smoother taste of Dutch process here.
• Yogurt: while you can use another yogurt type that isn’t coconut, it will reduce the coconut flavour if changed. I sometimes use a mix of soya and coconut to get the extra protein (more filling) while also adding some extra coconut taste.
• Maple syrup: substitute honey if preferred. Note that honey is sweeter than maple syrup so you’ll likely need less of it.
• Milk: use any milk you like. I find that canned coconut milk is too thick but the type that comes in a carton is good, or oat, nut, or soya milk. Choose one that’s unsweetened so that you can more easily control how sweet you want the overnight oats to be.
• Coconut: omit the shredded coconut if you don’t like the texture. Toasted coconut is great too.
• Add-ins: try cocoa nibs, dark chocolate chips (I recommend mini chips), chopped dark chocolate, coconut butter, flake coconut, nut butter, and red berries.

How to Make Overnight Oats

Mixing the cocoa with the other dry ingredients first makes it easier to incorporate. Make sure you taste it before it’s soaked overnight because you might want to add more sweetener.

Step 1: mix the cocoa powder, oats, coconut, sunflower seeds, and chia seeds. If your cocoa powder is particularly lumpy, sift it through a fine mesh sieve before adding to avoid any pockets of cocoa in the overnight oats.

Step 2: add the yogurt, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Rest for a few minutes, then stir again. This helps to prevent clumps of chia seeds. Taste before chilling and sweeten to taste.

Step 3: refrigerate overnight, or for at least four hours, before serving. The mixture should be significantly thicker after chilling.

Step 4: optionally layer into jars or another container with extra yogurt, coconut, and optional chocolate or cocoa nibs. Strawberries and raspberries are great too.