Prep a batch of PB&J Overnight Oats Parfaits over the weekend and take the stress out of busy weekday mornings. Made with protein-packed peanut butter and kefir, these PB&J Overnight Oat Parfaits are a delicious grab & go breakfast option that will keep you feeling full and energized all morning long!
With back to school season upon us, it’s time to start stocking up on easy, easy recipes that can be prepared in a hurry. Bring on all the sheet pan dinners, no-cook lunches, and make-ahead breakfasts!
Overnight oats are one of my absolute favorite make-ahead breakfast options for busy mornings. Not only can you whip up an entire week’s worth of breakfasts in less than 10 minutes, but you can even take them with you on the go in the morning. Because I’m a firm believer that you should never have to sacrifice feeding your body in order to get out of the door on time. Who’s with me?
What are overnight oats?
Overnight oats are essentially just old-fashioned rolled oats that have been dressed up with some yummy ingredients and soaked in liquid overnight. Unlike traditional oatmeal, they do not require any cooking, which makes them ideal for busy mornings. To prepare these oats ahead of time, simply combine all of the ingredients in a jar or a bowl, stir, and refrigerate overnight. As they sit, the oats soften and the chia seeds absorb the liquid, resulting in a thick and creamy oatmeal-like consistency. Overnight oats are typically eaten cold, straight from the fridge, but you can pop them in the microwave for a minute or two if cold oats aren’t really your thang.
How to make PB&J Overnight Oats Parfaits
These PB&J Overnight Oats Parfaits are a breeze to make, requiring just a few simple ingredients and less than 5 minutes of active prep time. Plus, they can be made up to 5 days in advance, so they are perfect for weekly meal prep. The recipe I’m sharing today makes 2 servings, but can easily be multiplied (or halved) to fit your needs.
Like any good parfait, the secret to these delicious PB&J Overnight Oats Parfaits lies in the layers (okay, and a generous helping of peanut butter)..
- Peanut Butter Overnight Oats. The heart and soul of this recipe. Rolled oats, chia seeds, kefir, peanut butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla extract all soaked together overnight until thick and creamy. Stupid easy, stupid good.
- Jelly or Jam. You can certainly use store-bought here, but once you realize how easy it is to make my Frozen Berry Chia Jam at home, I don’t think you’ll want to. And not to mention, you can rest easy knowing you’re actually getting some fruit in your fruit jam.
- Peanut Butter. Creamy or chunky – whatever floats your boat. To get the most nutritional bang for your buck, look for peanut butters that contain only peanuts and salt.
- Additional toppings, as desired. Take these parfaits to the next level by topping them off with sliced bananas, granola, crushed peanuts, etc. Not necessary, but I like texture that toppings add!
To make PB&J Overnight Oats Parfaits, begin by prepping the peanut butter overnight oats. Combine all of the ingredients in a mason jar, bowl, or other container with a lid and stir to combine. Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight (or for at least 4 hours) to thicken. Yup, that’s it. Told you it was stupid easy.
In the morning (or once your oats have set), assemble your parfaits. Divide the oats into two portions and layer with your favorite jelly and a drizzle of peanut butter. If you’re short on time, you can skip the layering step and simply toss the peanut butter and jelly right on top of your oats. Not quite as aesthetically pleasing, but I can assure you still tastes just as good!
What is kefir?
You may have noticed that this recipe uses kefir in place of more traditional cow’s milk or non-dairy milk. If you’re not familiar with kefir, it is a fermented milk drink that is made by adding kefir grains to either cow’s milk or goat’s milk. Through the fermentation process, the kefir grains convert the lactose in the milk into lactic acid, resulting in a thick, creamy, and slightly tart beverage that resembles that of a drinkable plain yogurt.
Similar to yogurt, kefir is high in protein (10 g per cup) and contains large amounts of probiotic bacteria (3x that of most yogurts!) that are beneficial to our digestive health. And as an added bonus, the conversion of lactose to lactic acid means that kefir is about 99% lactose-free and can be tolerated by almost anyone, even those suffering from lactose intolerance. How cool is that?
While you can certainly replace the kefir in this recipe with your favorite milk or non-dairy alternative, I highly recommend giving kefir a try. Not only is it chock-full of nutritional benefits, but it also results in the creamiest and dreamiest overnight oats. If you do choose to replace the kefir with milk, I recommend adding in a spoonful or two of full-fat Greek yogurt to help achieve that same creamy consistency.
Looking for more easy morning meals? Be sure to check out this post for 30 healthy grab & go breakfasts.
PB&J Overnight Oats Parfait
Ingredients
For the Peanut Butter Overnight Oats:
- ⅔ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1⅓ cup plain low-fat kefir or 1/3 cup Greek yogurt + 1 cup milk of choice
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1½ tablespoon peanut butter or other nut butter
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the PB&J Overnight Oats Parfaits:
- 2-3 tablespoons chia jam (or other favorite jam/jelly) *see notes
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- optional toppings (crushed peanuts, sliced bananas, granola, etc.)
Instructions
For the Peanut Butter Overnight Oats:
- In a pint-sized mason jar or similar size bowl with a lid, add overnight oats ingredients and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate overnight (or at least 4 hours).
For the PB&J Overnight Oats Parfaits:
- Remove overnight oats from fridge. Divide oats among two bowls, adding more kefir or milk as necessary to acheive desired consistency. Top or layer with your favorite jam/jelly and finish with a drizzle of peanut butter. Garnish with optional toppings and enjoy!
