So good you feel like you’re eating dessert for breakfast!

**prep time** 5-10 mins
total time overnight
**serves** 1

I adore chocolate, and will take any excuse to enjoy it in the mornings. Adding these rich flavours to a classic overnight oats recipe makes for a decadent start to the day without actually eating dessert for breakfast. The sharpness of the lemon zest and raspberries adds something a little different that keeps it refreshing and light for the morning.

The basic ingredients for overnight oats are always the same for me:

Oats
Vanilla extract
Chia seeds
Cinnamon
Non-dairy yoghurt (my fave is always coconut for sweetness)
Non-dairy milk
Maple syrup
Sea salt

Added to the basic overnight recipe, for a delicious chocolate-y yet zesty flavour you’ll need:

Cacao or cocoa powder
Raspberries
Lemon zest
Chocolate chips

Start by prepping your basic overnight oats recipe. You can leave out the yoghurt if you prefer, as it isn’t totally essential. For this variation, stir through the cocoa/cacao powder, add in a handful of raspberries, some chocolate chips, and lemon zest. Mix everything together thoroughly, making sure the cocoa is fully stirred in. You can add extra raspberries, zest, and chocolate chips for the topping to make it extra pretty.

If you are a serious chocolate-fiend, then definitely add in extra cocoa powder or even more chocolate chips. You could even make a delicious chocolate sauce to drizzle over the top for the next day by mixing together maple syrup and cocoa powder together!

Ingredients

BASIC OVERNIGHT OATS RECIPE:

50g rolled oats
1 tbsp chia seeds
½ tsp cinnamon
Pinch of sea salt
100ml non-dairy milk of choice
2 tbsp vegan yogurt
½ tsp vanilla extract
1-2 tsp maple syrup

CHOCOLATE, RASPBERRY AND LEMON ADDITIONS

1 tsp of cacao/cocoa power
Handful of choc chips, plus extra for topping
Handful of raspberries, plus extra for topping
Zest of half a lemon, saving some for topping

METHOD

Mix the basic overnight oat ingredients in a glass, or if storing, a storeable container such as a jar with a lid, or tupperware.
Next, add the cacao/cocoa powder, the choc chips, raspberries and lemon zest, and mix everything together thoroughly, making sure that the cocoa powder is evenly distributed.
Sprinkle on extra choc chips, a few raspberries, and a sprinkling of lemon zest.
Set in the fridge overnight, or for at least 2-3 hours to set. Enjoy the next morning, perfect with an extra small drizzle of maple syrup on top!

NOTES

You can store these overnight oats in the fridge for a few days, so this is perfect for meal prep. I would advise doing it at most 2-3 days in advance just to be safe! It is so easy to whip up that you can do this on the weekend and again mid-week if you like to eat overnight oats each morning.