It’s my birthday week, and I’m celebrating with sprinkles for breakfast!! 🎂
Meet your new favorite dessert-for-breakfast: birthday cake overnight oats. This recipe is straight from the may breakfast and lunch prep plan, and I couldn’t think of a better way to give you a peek at week one than with the most celebratory breakfast I’ve ever put in a jar.
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I’ve been meal prepping overnight oats for breakfast for years, and the concept never gets old because there are endless flavor variations. Fun fact: overnight oats are actually the first recipe in my cookbook (which is BOGO 50% off today!), Spend just ten minutes or less mixing everything together the night before, and wake up to a ready-to-eat breakfast waiting for you in the fridge. No rushing or cooking required.
Prefer your oats warm? There's a note in the recipe for that!
A few simple additions transform a jar of oats into a birthday cake-y treat. Vanilla protein powder and Greek yogurt make it protein-packed, oats and chia seeds bring the fiber, and the sprinkles—stirred right in—make the whole jar feel so fun. Don’t forget the almond extract, it’s what gives it that unmistakable birthday cake flavor!
Not a breakfast person? Enjoy these oats as an afternoon snack or dessert. There are no rules when it comes to birthday cake!! 🎉
Let’s prep!
Tell me this isn’t the happiest ingredient spread you’ve ever seen!! Our Birthday Cake Overnight Oats use all the staples—oats, chia, protein powder, maple syrup, and almond milk (or your milk of choice!), plus sprinkles to add a signature pop of color.
You’ll spend 10 minutes or less prepping this breakfast!! You’re truly just putting it all in a big bowl (dry ingredients first) and mixing it up. I like to use a whisk to make sure there’s no large clumps of oats, protein, or chia seeds.
Once everything is combined, transfer the mixture to four 12-ounce jars. You can use a large serving spoon, a measuring cup with a spout, or a funnel if you have one!!
Birthday Cake Overnight Oats
serves 4 | prep time: 10 minutes | chilling time: 6+ hours
gluten-free, vegetarian
INGREDIENTS
2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
1 scoop (50g) vanilla protein powder
1⁄4 cup chia seeds
1⁄4 cup rainbow sprinkles, additional for topping if desired
1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1⁄2 cups milk of choice
1 tablespoon cashew butter, additional for drizzling on top if desired (I used this!!)
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons almond extract
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups low-fat or whole milk Greek yogurt, for serving
INSTRUCTIONS
In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, protein powder, chia seeds, sprinkles, and salt.
Whisk in the milk, cashew butter, maple syrup, almond extract, and vanilla extract until combined.
Dividing evenly, spoon the oat mixture into four 10- or 12-ounce lidded jars or containers and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
For serving, top each jar with 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt, plus a drizzle of cashew butter and sprinkles (if desired).
Store it: Refrigerate in sealed jars or containers for up to 4 days. Keep refrigerated until serving.
recipe notes
Make it dairy-free or vegan: Use a dairy-free milk and top with dairy-free yogurt, or omit the yogurt, and use a plant-based protein powder.
Make it warm: If you prefer warm oats, prepare a single serving of oats. Divide the other ingredients by four, and add the measurements to your bowl. Option to omit the chia seeds if you follow this method, or let the chia seeds soak up some liquid before eating. Top with extra sprinkles!
Sprinkles: I recommend soft sprinkles, not hard or crunchy ones, for the best texture. Depending on the brand and coloring, the color on the sprinkles may run off as the oats sit.
The best jars for overnight oats!
If you make today’s recipe, let me know and share it with a friend!
Cookie Dough Overnight Oats and Lemon Blueberry Overnight Oats (pg. 61 and 62 of Don’t Think About Dinner)
Spinach and Cheese Breakfast Sandwiches (from week one of the may prep plan)
what I’m prepping
Crispy Quinoa Edamame Salad: Not kidding when I say the dressing on this one will have you licking the bowl. This salad is equal parts crunchy, plant-packed, and holds up so well for meal prep. Another one that’s in DTAD!
Egg Roll in a Bowl Skillet: This prep-friendly skillet is one of our lunches for the May prep plan this week!! It’s one of those meals where really anything goes, so use up what you may have on hand to save money! It comes together in just 30 minutes.
what I’m loving
Red light therapy mask: Honestly, this was one I wasn’t totally sold on until I tried it out for myself! Brian is also loving it. It’s a little taste of a spa treatment at home. A bigger ticket item currently on major sale for Mother’s Day!!
Kosas lip plumper: Another one I was skeptical of before giving it a real shot. What surprised me most was tingly sensation that can happen, but a little goes a long way here! I’ve been using for a little extra oomph for special events and date nights.
what I’m recommending
Outdoor potting bench: If you’ve been following along on IG stories, you know that I’m in my gardening era 👩🌾 The goal this year: keep the plants alive!! This bench has great storage space for tools and the wheels are so helpful for easy maneuvering.
The Great Divide: The whole JEG team has been listening non-stop to Noah Kahan’s new album this week, we’re fully obsessed. If you’ve listened, let me know your favorites! Brian and I snagged Fenway concert tickets for this summer and I’m already counting down the days!!! Anyone else going?!
I hope you all have a great Sunday! Let me know if you make today’s recipe and don’t forget to send pics in our chat. If you’re looking for the May breakfast and lunch prep plan, head here! If you’re looking for the dinner plan archive, head here.
HBD Jenn!! Thanks for this post - my daughters bday is tomorrow, making this tonight ;)
Happy birthday! Totally agree -- the new Noah Kahan album is perfection. On repeat in our household while I'm cooking with my toddler too.