These tiramisu overnight oats are made with layers of chocolate espresso oats, coconut yogurt and dusted with cocoa powder. A perfect make-ahead breakfast! Naturally vegan and gluten-free.
We all love oatmeal.
Whether you're looking for something fancy like cookie dough overnight oats or a simple turmeric oatmeal, humble oats never lose their breakfast appeal.
And that's why I wanted to transform them into these oh-so-delicious but healthy tiramisu overnight oats!
Layers of rich, chocolatey espresso oatmeal and decadent coconut yogurt 'mascarpone' make these oats seem like the classic favorite dessert, but in reality they're actually a nutritious breakfast.
Oats are high in fibre, protein and various vitamins and minerals, so they're a great minimal effort breakfast on busy mornings.
Give them a try - you won't regret it!
Benefits of overnight oats
Great meal prep breakfast - You can make a double batch so you have breakfast for days.
Hassle-free - Assemble all ingredients the night before, leave them to soak and that's it! For these creamy tiramisu oats, you're just additionally adding coconut yoghurt to make the 'mascarpone' layer.
Good source of fibre and protein - And aside from this, there are many health benefits of eating oats. If you add extra protein to this recipe (see suggestions below) it'll keep you full for hours.
Ingredients
Oats - I like using old-fashioned oats as they have a chewier texture than quick cook/instant oats, but any kind will work. (For a gluten free option, be sure to use gluten-free oats!)
Cocoa powder - Gives the oats a rich chocolate taste. You can use cocoa or cacao powder (cacao is just raw cocoa). You could also use carob if preferred.
Chia seeds - These help to bind the overnight oats. I like to use whole chia seeds, but ground will work too - the texture just might be slightly different.
Espresso/coffee - I like using espresso because it has a strong flavour. However, if you don't have an espresso machine, freshly brewed or instant coffee works fine. You can use decaf if preferred.
Milk - I prefer oat milk, almond milk, coconut milk or soy milk, but any type of milk will work! You could also use water, it just won't have a creamy texture.
Maple syrup - Adds a rich taste. Any other liquid sweetener will work too.
(For a sugar-free option, try using monk fruit, stevia, xylitol or erythritol.)
Vanilla - Totally optional (I know how expensive vanilla can be) but it rounds the flavour of the oats out a little more.
Coconut yogurt - I find coconut works better than other non-dairy plain yogurt for the 'mascarpone' as it's thick and creamy, like Greek yogurt. TIP: If you want to skip the vanilla extract, use a vanilla yogurt.
Variations
Not a coffee fan? Try these...
Chocolate banana overnight oats - Switch espresso for 1 small mashed banana (ensure banana is fully mashed before adding to oats).
Chocolate almond butter overnight oats - Switch espresso for approx. ¼ cup almond butter.
(You may need to add a little more milk with these substitutions if your oats look dry.)
Alternatively, try my Cookie Dough Overnight Oats or Blueberry Overnight Oats.
How to make tiramisu overnight oats
In a large bowl, mix together oats, cocoa powder, chia seeds and salt.
Add espresso (or instant coffee), milk, 2 tablespoon of maple syrup and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (reserve remaining ½ tablespoon maple syrup and ¼ teaspoon vanilla for later in recipe).
Mix together thoroughly until well combined.
Cover bowl, or pour into food storage container with lid and refrigerate for 4-8 hours.
Meanwhile, make 'mascarpone' layer, by adding coconut yoghurt and remaining ½ tablespoon maple syrup and ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract to a small bowl. Stir until well combined.
Remove overnight oats from fridge, and divide half the mixture between 2 glass jars, forming a layer in each.
Follow this with a layer of coconut yoghurt mascarpone in each.
Then repeat these steps once more (so you have two layers of both in each glass or mason jar).
Sift over a dusting of cocoa powder, and decorate with coffee beans if desired.
See how to make this tiramisu overnight oatmeal recipe step-by-step.
Expert Tips
Don't be tempted to add more liquid! (Unless your overnight oats are really dry.) It's better to have slightly thicker overnight oats than runnier, as you want your oats to form sturdy layers in the jar so the yoghurt doesn't sink into them.
Don't be tempted to add more sweetener. 2 tablespoons of maple syrup may not look like much, but it makes these espresso overnight oats nicely sweet! You can always drizzle more over at the end if you need to.
Storage
Store any uneaten overnight oats in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
It's best to store oat mixture and coconut yoghurt separately until needed, as they tend to mix eventually if put together.
How to make these into tiramisu protein overnight oats
Add any of the following to make these into high protein overnight oats:
Protein powder - I love using unflavoured pumpkin seed protein or hemp protein as they don't have much taste or texture.
Hemp hearts - Sprinkle a spoonful of hemp hearts on top of your overnight oats, or add them to the mixture itself.
Nut butter - Add almond, peanut, hazelnut or cashew butter butter to the mixture, or drizzle it on top.
FAQs
Yes! Overnight oats are healthy, and contain high amounts of fibre and moderate protein. They also contain various vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, copper and iron. They make a great, energy-sustaining breakfast.
You can use any type of oats for overnight oats - quick cook, slow cook, or steel cut. Personally I like to use slow cook rolled oats as I find they have a satisfying chewiness.
Technically you can warm overnight oats on the stove or in a microwave. However I don't recommend it as it can change the texture and make the oats less firm. Overnight oats are meant to be eaten cold. If you prefer a hot breakfast, I recommend warm turmeric oatmeal.
More oatmeal recipes
(Psst! If you're new to a vegan diet, check out my 28 Easy Vegan Recipes for Beginners.)
The BEST Tiramisu Overnight Oats
Special Equipment
- 2 small mason jars or glass jars
Ingredients
- 1 cup oats (quick oats or old fashioned oats)
- 3 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder + more to decorate
- 1½ tablespoon chia seeds
- Pinch of salt
- 3 tablespoon espresso or brewed coffee (equiv. 2 espresso shots), cooled
- 1¼ cups unsweetened almond milk (or other non-dairy milk, like soy)
- 2½ tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup coconut yogurt (or yogurt of choice)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together oats, cocoa powder, chia seeds and salt.
- Add espresso (or other coffee), milk, 2 tablespoon maple syrup and 1 teaspoon vanilla (reserve remaining maple syrup and vanilla for later). Mix together thoroughly.
- Pour into airtight container and refrigerate 4-8 hours.
- To make mascarpone, add coconut yogurt and remaining maple syrup and vanilla extract to a small bowl. Stir to combine.
- Remove overnight oats from fridge, and divide half the mixture between 2 glass or mason jars. Follow this with a layer of 'mascarpone', then repeat once more (so you have two layers of each in both jars).
- Sift over cocoa powder, and decorate with coffee beans if desired.
Notes
Nutritional information per serving
If you’ve tried this tiramisu overnight oats recipe, please leave a comment or tip for others below.
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Sara Welch
This was everything a gourmet dessert should be, and then some! Turned out light, fluffy and delicious; easily, a new favorite recipe!
Elizabeth
So glad you liked it Sara. 🙂
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome
This is so good! I’m making more for tomorrow. I added a little whipped cream.
Elizabeth
That sounds wonderful! I'm jealous.
Deborah
So yummy and so glad it's vegan. I devoured it.
Elizabeth
Thanks Deborah! So glad you liked it. 🙂
S
Totally bitter and inedible. Ratio of cocoa powder is completely off.
Elizabeth
Sorry you didn't enjoy it. That amount of cocoa powder worked really well for me - was it a particularly bitter brand, out of interest?
H.N
Can I replace chia seeds with flax seeds?
Elizabeth
You can! The texture might be a little different, and I would use ground flax seeds ideally, but it should work.
Erika Sz.
May I ask which brand COCONUT Yoghurt did you use and what flavor?
Elizabeth
I use a local Vancouver brand called Yoggu - it's very creamy. I use their plain unsweetened flavour. I think another brand like Coyo would be similar in texture - go for the creamiest plain or vanilla flavour you can find!
Ann Schupp
Can I leave out the salt, my hubby can't have salt? Does the coffee need to be cooled? Can you warm up the oats before layering? My hubby wanted me to ask about this?
Elizabeth
Great questions! No problem leaving out the salt - it's just to enhance the flavour. Coffee doesn't need to be fully cooled but aim not to use boiling - it should start to cool naturally as it's stirred into the oats. I wouldn't warm the oats up - they're meant to be eaten cold and warming them may make them less firm and more gloopy. Hope this helps!
Dana
Well greek yogurt work fine as a mascarpone?
Elizabeth
I think it should, yes!
Elisabeth
I'm in love with this! I've been trying for months to incorporate more oats into my diet (and find an effortless breakfast recipe for them), but struggled because I'm just not a fan of their texture. This literally feels like eating tiramisu, one of my favourite desserts ever! Plus the recipe is so forgiving, I forgot the salt and cocoa in the oat layer, left out the vanilla extract as I don't care for it, used a teaspoon of instant coffee granules instead of brewed coffee, and accidentally added a bit too much milk, but it was still delicious! Straight into the regular meal rotation! Thank you!
Elizabeth
So happy you loved it Elisabeth! I agree - it's like eating dessert for breakfast isn't it? And so great to know the recipe is that forgiving. Thanks so much for the wonderful feedback. 🙂
Marry
Can I add regular (dairy milk)
Elizabeth
You can! I'm plantbased so used dairy-free milk, but any will work. 🙂
AB
Can I grind up the oats and chia seeds before overnighting it?
Elizabeth
You can! Texture might be a bit different but go for it. 🙂
Meri
Surprised how much this tasted like tiramisu! For me personally, the texture is a bit off with the layering but once I mixed the yogurt and the oats together I was happy. Definitely worth a try!
Elizabeth
That makes total sense - it's tough to recreate the exact texture of tiramisu with oats etc! Glad you found a solution that worked for you and mixing them together sounds perfect :). Thanks for the great feedback!
Roxanne
Fun, tasty, and filling 😀 The coffee bean garnish adds much depth to both the flavour and textural profiles as well as bringing the complexity of a gentle bitterness; the cocoa topping does the same, and it brings this simple concoction into $16 specialty breakfast territory! I also recommend, when making the oatmeal, adding the cocoa powder first and mixing the hot coffee into it before proceeding, allowing it to bloom and unlock even more depth of flavour! Really indulgent for a simple breakfast—plus, the effort of assembling it left me feeling rather proud of my work! Delightful recipe! ^w^
Elizabeth
I'm so happy to hear this! Thank you. 🙂 I agree, it feels indulgent and special doesn't it? Love that tip of mixing the cocoa and coffee in first - I will try this next time I make it!
Chantel Scott
How many Cals is this recipe?
Elizabeth
317 per serving (find the nutritional info at the bottom of the recipe card!)
Marina
May I ask what brand of oats and cocoa you use? I'm having trouble finding ingredients that match the calorie information provided for this recipe. Thanks!
Elizabeth
Apologies for the delay! I use just regular quick cook or slow cook oats (they're my local store's own brand, nothing specific). And whichever cocoa powder I happen to have. 🙂 Nothing special!
daisy
i dont have chia seeds. can they be subbed with additional oats / less moisture?
Elizabeth
Don't worry - the texture might just be a little different but it's fine to leave them out/sub with extra oats. 🙂
suzanne jenkins
Just delicious! I blended it just because I had my ninja out and OMG it was so thick and creamy! I want a little more coffee flavor so will try replacing some of the milk with the coffee. xo