A few years ago, my dad and I flew to the East Coast towards the end of the Major League Baseball season to catch a few games and check more stadiums off of our list. (We’re trying to see all 30 together, and we’ve visited 22 so far!) We started in Philadelphia, where the two teams battled it out in extra innings that continued well past midnight, drove to Baltimore early the next morning for our second game, which resulted in a blowout win for the Orioles, and finished in Washington, D.C.
We stayed in the Capitol longer than the other two cities, mainly to act like tourists and go sightseeing since I had never before visited DC. Although Dad travels there quite often for work, he still agreed to walk around the various monuments in the National Mall, wander around the National Air and Space Museum, and snap pictures outside of the White House… Among plenty of other activities!
On our last full day, Dad scheduled multiple meetings in both the morning and afternoon with his collaborators in Washington, so I played tourist by myself. I hopped on the Metro, rode the subway to the Foggy Bottom stop, and walked to the Lincoln Memorial. Since Dad and I picked a hotel at the opposite end of the National Mall, we ran out of time to trek all the way out that far during our sightseeing the days before.
That afternoon and evening, clouds started to roll in, so when we woke up the following morning, the air felt cool and brisk with a hint of fall whispering in the breeze. While Dad checked out with the hotel concierge, I quickly walked down the street to Starbucks. With such an early alarm and a long day of travel ahead of us, I needed the caffeine boost!
But when I reached the front of the line to place my order, I paused before speaking to the barista. Although I almost always asked for a skinny caramel latte back then, the tiny traces of autumn weather outside made me reconsider… The pumpkin spice latte sounded so appealing!
With the baseball season winding down, I started thinking about that trip recently, especially that last morning’s latte. Since it’s still 80° here in California where I live, I’m not yet ready to give up my iced coffee… So I made these Pumpkin Spice Latte Protein Overnight Oats as a compromise. They have the same irresistible flavor of that iconic Starbucks drink, and their 16g of protein will keep you full all morning long!
For those of you unfamiliar with overnight oats, they’re incredibly easy to make! Just add the ingredients to a glass jar or plastic container with a tight-fitting lid, stir them together until smooth and creamy, and pop that in the fridge until morning. That’s it!
So yes, overnight oats are meant to be eaten cold! Straight from the fridge. No need to heat them up! The liquid ingredients in the recipe soften the oats as much as if you had cooked them in the microwave or on the stove, so your breakfast will be ready as soon as you wake up and wander into the kitchen. Perfect for busy on-the-go mornings! (And you can find the rest of my protein overnight oat recipes here!)
First up, you’ll need oats. Both old-fashioned oats and instant oats will work. Instant oats are also known as “quick-cooking” or “one-minute” oats, and they’re sold in canisters right next to the old-fashioned oats at the grocery store. (They’re what I use to make all of my clean eating oatmeal cookie recipes!) Do not substitute steel-cut oats because they do not soften enough and remain rather crunchy.
For the big protein boost, you’ll mix in Greek yogurt. It’s one of my favorite ingredients, and I use it in everything from muffins and scones to cupcakes and brownies… And even frosting! Greek yogurt contains around 21g of protein per cup, as compared to regular yogurt with around 10g. I always buy the big tubs, rather than the single-serving cups, because I go through it so quickly!
To create the latte flavor, you’ll mix instant coffee into the Greek yogurt. It requires quite a bit of stirring to fully dissolve the coffee, but I promise it’s well worth it! I highly recommend instant coffee rather than regular coffee brewed from grounds because the latter will make your overnight oats watery, rather than thick and creamy. This is the instant coffee that I use, and it’s shelf-stable and keeps for ages!
Next comes the pumpkin spice flavor! You’ll stir in pumpkin purée and spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. (Pumpkin pie spice would also work, but I prefer to make my own blend from the individual spices.) Make sure you use regular pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix! The latter contains refined sugar, which we’re avoiding in this healthy recipe.
Instead, you’ll sweeten the oats with another one of my favorite ingredients: vanilla crème stevia. Stevia is a plant-based, no-calorie sweetener that’s clean eating friendly, and it’s highly concentrated. A little goes a long way—you only need a generous ¼ teaspoon for the entire jar of oats! This is the kind I buy because I love its warm vanilla flavor and don’t notice any strange aftertastes like with some other stevia products. You can find it at many health-oriented grocery stores, but I almost always buy it online here. (And you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine, too!)
Breakfast is served! And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! ?) I’d love to see your overnight oats and feature them in my Sunday Spotlight series!
| Pumpkin Spice Latte Protein Overnight Oats | | Print |
- ½ cup (120g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp instant coffee granules
- ½ cup (122g) pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie mix)
- ¼ cup (25g) old-fashioned oats (gluten-free if necessary)
- scant ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- itty bitty pinch ground nutmeg
- itty bitty pinch ground ginger
- ⅛ tsp vanilla crème stevia, or adjusted to taste
- Add the Greek yogurt and instant coffee to a glass jar or tupperware container with a tight-fitting lid. Stir until the instant coffee is fully dissolved. (It will take a few minutes—be patient!) Add the remaining ingredients, and stir until completely combined. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
I highly recommend instant coffee rather than regular coffee brewed from grounds because the latter will make your overnight oats watery, rather than thick and creamy. As written, the oats have a more prominent pumpkin flavor than coffee. For a stronger coffee flavor, add an additional ¼ to ½ teaspoon of instant coffee.
Instant oats (aka quick-cooking or one-minute oats) may be substituted for the old-fashioned oats. Do not substitute steel-cut oats; they do not soften enough.
Be careful when adding the nutmeg and ginger! It’s easy to add too much, especially of the nutmeg. If you prefer, ¼ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice may be substituted for the cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
Any sweetener may be substituted for the stevia. You’ll want the equivalent of about 3-4 teaspoons of granulated sugar.
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low sugar, high protein}
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You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♥ Pumpkin Pie Protein Overnight Oats
♥ Clean Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
♥ Clean & Skinny Pumpkin Spice Latte
♥ Pumpkin Pie Protein Cookies
♥ Clean & Skinny Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer
♥ Maple Pumpkin Scones
♥ Pumpkin Pie Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Amy, could I substitute almond, soy or coconut milk for the yogurt for a vegan options?
For the best taste and texture, I recommend non-dairy yogurt, rather than non-dairy milk. Otherwise, you can substitute half the amount of non-dairy milk for the Greek yogurt. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these oats Bonnie!