Fall Fruit And Cocoa Overnight Oats Recipe

Overnight oats in general are something that developer Tess Le Moing describes as being "perfect for a busy week" and one that can make for  "a filling breakfast to keep you fed all week" if you make up a few batches in advance. This chocolate-flavored, fruit-packed version is "not merely a means to an end," but "a special breakfast" the deserves proper celebrating. Not only do you get all of the vitamins and nutrients from the fruit, healthy fat from the seeds, and fiber and protein from the oats, but you'll also get a mouthful of fall flavor in every bite.

Le Moing says she got the idea for this recipe when she was trying to think of a new way to use pomegranate seeds. "They're great pops of color in any dish," she tells us, adding, "I personally love how they look with a dark brown chocolate." She felt that their juicy crunch would be nicely offset by oatmeal's heartier texture while the oranges would be "visually appealing, not to mention delicious," and the dried cranberries give the dish what she describes as "a nice sweet-tart bite."

To make the overnight oats you'll need old-fashioned oats, unsweetened cocoa powder, ground cinnamon, salt, vanilla extract, and milk (dairy or plant-based). You will also be soaking the dried cranberries along with the oats to rehydrate them. Once the oats are done with their overnight soak, you'll then stir in orange segments, pomegranate seeds, toasted pumpkin seeds, and chopped dark chocolate and, if you want, drizzle the top with maple syrup.

In a jar or airtight container, mix together oats, cocoa powder, dried cranberries, cinnamon, and salt.

Stir in the milk and vanilla extract. The cocoa powder may not fully dissolve, and that's fine.

Seal the jar or container and refrigerate overnight (at least 6 hours). At this stage, the oats will keep for up to 5 days.

When you're ready to eat, stir the oats well and either them place into a bowl or keep them in the jar for a to-go breakfast.

To serve, top with orange segments, pomegranate seeds, pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate, and a drizzle of maple syrup if desired.

"One thing I love about this recipe is that you can have it hot, cold, or room temperature," Le Moing tells us. If you prefer the first option, she says the overnight oats can be heated for 1 to 2 minutes in the microwave. While she admits that she usually makes them in a small container and just eats them right out of that, she does say that a Mason jar might make for "a more aesthetic look" if you are concerned about such things and will be eating your breakfast in front of other people. Keep it classy and chic!

As cute as Mason jars might be, Le Moing cautions, "I find you can't put as many toppings on [the oats]." Instead, if you are planning on serving this meal to guests or eating it on your own when you have the time to enjoy a leisurely meal, she suggests pouring the oats into a bowl, that way you have more surface area for all the toppings you please.

For the most part, we really wouldn't suggest messing with the recipe too much, as this particular combination of fruits, seeds, and chocolate is practically perfection, especially in the fall. You do, however, have a choice of using any type of milk you wish. Le Moing points out that some non-dairy milks, such as coconut, oat, or soy, may tend to make your oats thicker than dairy milk would. If your oats seem too thick when you take them out of the refrigerator after that overnight soak, her advice is to stir in a little more milk until they reach the desired consistency. She also notes that if the milk you are using is vanilla-flavored, you can leave the vanilla extract out of this recipe.

Le Moing does caution, however, that you shouldn't use anything other than old-fashioned (aka rolled) oats. As she explains, the quick-cooking kind "dissolve and end up pasty," while steel-cut oats "stay firm and won't soften."