Chocolate Cherry Overnight Oats (Black Forest, High Protein)

These chocolate cherry overnight oats taste like Black Forest cake in jar form — fresh cherries, dark chocolate, and 25 grams of protein per serving. Made for peak cherry season, ready in 5 minutes of prep.

Chocolate cherry overnight oats — also known as Black Forest overnight oats — are cold soaked chocolate oats with fresh cherries and dark chocolate chips, layered with coconut cream or Greek yogurt — basically Black Forest cake in breakfast form.

This version has 25 grams of protein per serving (most cherry overnight oats recipes have 7-14g) and takes 5 minutes to prep.

The trick that takes this from “good chocolate cherry oats” to “actual Black Forest cake” is the chocolate + cherry combo. It’s the same flavor combo bakeries use in cherry pastries and Black Forest cake. Don’t skip it.

Peak cherry season (June-August) is when these recipes hit hardest — fresh sweet cherries before the season ends.

If you love protein overnight oats try my 29 Protein Overnight Oats Recipes.

Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Cherry Overnight Oats

• 25 grams of protein per serving — 2-3x the protein of most cherry overnight oats recipes
• Tastes like Black Forest cake — chocolate + cherries = bakery-grade flavor
• 5 minutes of prep — front-load the work, breakfast handles itself
• Peak cherry season staple — June-August is when these are best
• Easily vegan-friendly — use plant-based protein powder and dairy-free chocolate
• Naturally gluten-free — with certified GF oats

Ingredients You’ll Need

(Exact measurements are in the recipe card below. These are notes only.)

For the chocolate oat base:

• Rolled oats or quick oats — both work. Skip steel-cut (too chewy) and instant (turn to mush). Certified gluten-free if needed.
• Chia seeds — they thicken the oats and add fiber. Don’t skip them.
• Chocolate protein powder — does the protein heavy lifting and amplifies the chocolate base. I use PEScience Chocolate Truffle (code BAILEY for a discount). Plant-based chocolate protein works for vegan.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder — Dutch-processed for the deepest chocolate flavor. Builds the chocolate base alongside the protein powder.
• Unsweetened almond milk — any milk works. Soy milk adds the most protein (5g extra per cup). Oat milk adds richness.
• Pure maple syrup — natural sweetness. Skip if your protein powder is already sweet enough.
• Vanilla extract — real vanilla.
• Pinch of salt — makes the chocolate taste more chocolatey.

For the cherry layer and toppings:

• Fresh cherries — pitted and chopped. Peak season (June-August) is best. Frozen cherries work too — thaw first and drain excess liquid.
• Dark chocolate chips or cacao nibs — for melty pockets. Sub with chopped dark chocolate.
• Coconut cream (optional) — a dollop on top mimics the whipped cream layer in Black Forest cake.

Optional add-ins: Greek yogurt for extra protein and creaminess, slivered almonds for crunch (pairs with the almond extract), cacao nibs for texture, shaved dark chocolate curls on top (bakery presentation).

How to Make Chocolate Cherry Overnight Oats

1. Mix the dry ingredients first. In a mason jar, add oats, chia seeds, protein powder, cocoa powder, and salt. Stir to combine. (Cocoa powder clumps if you add liquid first — mix dry first to prevent this.)
2. Add the wet ingredients. Add almond milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Stir well until everything is fully combined and the cocoa is fully integrated. The mixture should look uniformly chocolatey.
3. Add the cherries and chocolate. Stir in chopped cherries and dark chocolate chips. Save a few of each for topping.
4. Chill overnight. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. The longer they sit, the thicker and more flavorful they get.
5. Top and serve. In the morning, top with reserved cherries, dark chocolate chips, an optional dollop of coconut cream or Greek yogurt, and shaved chocolate curls for bakery presentation. Eat cold.

Tips for the Best Chocolate Cherry Overnight Oats

• Mix dry ingredients FIRST. Cocoa powder clumps when liquid hits it. Combining oats + chia + cocoa + salt before adding milk prevents weird cocoa-clumps throughout.
• Use Dutch-processed cocoa for the deepest chocolate flavor. Regular cocoa works fine; Dutch-processed has a smoother, fudgier flavor. Hershey’s Special Dark or Valrhona both work.
• Frozen cherries work great — especially out of season. Thaw them and drain the excess liquid before adding to prevent watery oats. Bonus: frozen cherries are often sweeter than mediocre fresh ones.
• Use a cherry pitter. Pitting cherries by hand is brutal. A $10 cherry pitter on Amazon saves you 15 minutes of finger-staining work.
• Layer for Black Forest presentation. For Pinterest-worthy jars, layer oats + cherries + chocolate + coconut cream in alternating layers instead of mixing everything together.
• Make extra. This recipe scales perfectly for meal prep. Multiply ingredients by 4 and make 4 jars at once.
• Sweeten with frozen cherry juice. If using frozen cherries, the thaw juice is naturally sweet — stir it into the oats instead of pouring it off. Adds cherry intensity without extra sugar.

Variations and Substitutions

• Higher protein (35g+): Add ¼ cup Greek yogurt to the oat base and use a full scoop of protein powder. Use soy milk instead of almond.
• Vegan: Use plant-based chocolate protein powder, dairy-free chocolate chips, oat or soy milk, and coconut cream instead of Greek yogurt. The recipe is essentially designed to be vegan-friendly.
• Lower sugar: Skip the maple syrup, use sugar-free chocolate chips, and use sugar-free chocolate protein powder. Cherries are naturally sweet enough.
• Gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free oats.
• Black Forest layered version: Layer oats + cherries + chocolate + coconut cream in alternating layers in a clear jar for the full Black Forest presentation.
• Almond Joy version: Add 1 tablespoon shredded coconut and 1 tablespoon slivered almonds to the oats. Coconut + almond + chocolate = Almond Joy meets cherry.
• Mocha cherry version: Add 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder for a coffee-chocolate-cherry combo.
• Cherry vanilla version: Skip the cocoa powder and use vanilla protein powder. Lighter, more “cherry vanilla” focused.
• Family-size batch: Multiply by 4 and make 4 jars at once for the whole week.

Storage and Make-Ahead

These chocolate cherry overnight oats keep for 4-5 days in an airtight container in the fridge. They actually get BETTER on day 2 as the cocoa fully infuses and the cherries soften. Add fresh cherry topping day-of for best texture — pre-topped fresh cherries can soften over multiple days.

Freezer storage: Freeze just the oat base (without fresh cherry topping or coconut cream) for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then add fresh toppings.

Meal prep tip: Make 4 jars Sunday night for breakfast through Thursday. Keep the dark chocolate chips and coconut cream toppings separate; add them fresh in the morning.

FAQs

How much protein is in chocolate cherry overnight oats? This recipe has 25 grams of protein per serving — from chocolate protein powder, chia seeds, oats, and milk. For even more protein (35g+), use a full scoop of protein powder, add Greek yogurt to the base, and use soy milk instead of almond.

Can I use frozen cherries? Yes — frozen cherries work great, especially out of season. Thaw and drain the excess liquid before adding to prevent watery oats. The thaw juice is naturally sweet and can be stirred back into the oats for extra cherry flavor.

Can I make these without protein powder? Yes. Skip the protein powder and add 2 tablespoons more oats. Macros change — drops from 25g protein to around 9g.

More High Protein Overnight Oats Recipes

• Strawberries and Cream Overnight Oats
• Raspberry White Chocolate Overnight Oats
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
• Tiramisu Protein Overnight Oats
• PB&J Overnight Oats
• Peaches and Cream Overnight Oats

If you make these chocolate cherry overnight oats, please leave a star rating and a comment below — I read every single one. Share your jar on Instagram or Pinterest and tag @basicswithbails or #basicswithbails so I can come find you.