This healthy overnight oats recipe has all the best bits of a snickers candy/chocolate bar, minus the added fats, butter and nasties AND packed with protein! Because of the ingredients used, it is also completely gluten free, vegan, dairy free and sugar free!
Vegan Snickers Overnight Oats
There are some intense candy bar debates happening right now and I’m just here eating oatmeal….Snickers style.
Have you ever been part of the Snickers VS Mars Bar debate?
For the longest of times, I actually thought they were the exact same things. Actually, I think I favored Mars bars because my childhood best friend liked them and I literally mimicked their every move.
The other day, my sister and I were debating which was better. She was team Mars and I was team venus Snickers. Niki claimed that mars bars were superior because they contained a finer quality caramel and nougat. She was, as usual, incorrect.
Snickers basics- Nougat, caramel, peanuts with a chocolate coating.
Mars bars basics- Nougat, caramel, and a chocolate coating.
Snickers bars, based on my palettes- Better tasting caramel, less nougat, just enough peanuts and basic (betch) chocolate.
Mars bars, based on my palettes- Basic (betch) caramel, TOO MUCH Nougat (as in, you would give your mouth a workout) and basic (betch) caramel. NO PEANUTS.
Why else would Snickers bars get precedence over Mars bars? Well, Australian mars bars DECREASED in size in a bid to decrease obesity.
Yes, don’t get me started.
How to make vegan snickers overnight oats
Anyway, let’s talk the main parts of a snickers candy bar again- Nougat, salted peanuts, chocolate coating and caramel.
When it comes to any of my oatmeal recipes, I aim for it to not be boring oatmeal with related toppings. No- It needs to try to have a similar texture too.
Nougat- For health (and availability!) reasons, the notion of adding actual nougat in the oatmeal was not feasible. Also, I wanted this to be a hearty, filling breakfast which does NOT leaving you in a sugar crash. Hence, I aimed to make the oatmeal base having a soft, doughy like texture similar to nougat. This is aided by using flaxseed meal and of course, coconut flour.
Caramel- Before I went to America, I always had a stash of homemade caramel on hand. This is because I would make this 3 ingredient no bake salted caramel slice on a weekly basis. The caramel sauce is also what I use in this recipe, and an amazing caramel to have on hand! To keep it completely sugar free, use a sugar free caramel sauce, like this one.
Chocolate coating- There are a few options for this. Either a high quality packaged one (I love this one which is just agave and cocoa), or if you don’t mind stevia sweetened ones, I have tried this one before too. Alternatively, you can easily make your own using coconut milk (or milk of choice) cocoa powder, granulated sweetener of choice (I used a monk fruit stevia blend) and a pinch of sea salt.
Salted peanuts- I made my own salted peanuts by getting in “formation” with Beyonce.
Okay, enough jibber jabber. I got hot sauce in my bag (swag!) and an epic recipe for you.
So..how do these snickers protein oats taste?
This healthy snickers overnight oats recipe is packed with protein and tastes like dessert, you’d actually feel sinful eating it…but you shouldn’t!
The texture of this oatmeal recipe is unlike any you’ve eaten, thanks to a few cheeky additions. By replacing sugar, butter and hydrogenized oils (typically found in many candy bars) with some smart swaps, you can enjoy dessert for breakfast every single day!
Because of the ingredients used, this healthy snickers overnight oats recipe is naturally gluten free, vegan, dairy free and refined sugar free!
Can I add protein powder to this oatmeal?
While optional, I DO recommend adding the optional protein powder. For oatmeal recipes, I always use my favorite casein protein powder, brown rice vegan protein powder or this blend which is a mix of whey, casein and egg protein (the paleo one doesn’t work well with oatmeal). As always, I do not recommend strictly whey based protein powder as the ones I tested typically make the texture very sticky.
Healthy High Protein Snickers Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup gluten free rolled oats
- 1 tablespoon coconut flour can sub for 1 T oat flour or almond flour
- 1-2 tablespoon granulated sweetener of choice*
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder optional
- 1 tablespoon ground flax can sub for chia seeds
- pinch sea salt
- drop vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon crushed salted peanuts divided
- 1/2-3/4 cup + milk of choice I used unsweetened almond
- 1 tablespoon caramel sauce of choice see above
- 1 tablespoon chocolate sauce see above
- Sea salt to garnish
Instructions
- In a cereal bowl or small container, combine your rolled oats, coconut flour, vanilla protein powder, ground flax, sea salt and mix well. Add 1/2 cup first, vanilla extract and mix well. If mixture is too crumbly (it may be due to coconut flour and protein powder), add extra dairy free milk until an inch or so remains above the oats. Add 1 tablespoon of the salted peanuts and refrigerate for at least an hour, or overnight.
- The next morning, remove- Oat mixture should be thick and creamy. If too thick, add milk to thin out to desired consistency. Top with caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, extra tablespoon of salted peanuts and a dash of sea salt and enjoy!
Notes
Want to enjoy this oatmeal warm? This can easily be done as it doesn't contain yogurt! Simply add an extra 1/4 cup of milk prior. Oatmeal is also freezer friendly.
More delicious oatmeal recipes? Gotcha covered!
Healthy Double Chocolate Overnight Oatmeal
Healthy Chocolate Cake Oatmeal
Healthy Brownie Batter Oatmeal
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Oh, my!!! I NEED this breakfast ASAP! Love the flavor combination — such a great way to start the day. 🙂
😀 Thanks so much, Blair!
Hand the spoon over and I’ll finish that in a heartbeat. In fact I’ll take the one in the background as well. Thanks!
I have no idea why Mars is so popular. I never liked it. Snickers is #1! Okay #2 right behind Kit Kat!
P.S. The whole post made me laugh 🙂
Right? I think Mars just oversaturated the airwaves and TV network!
Please tell me that you have had a Snickers Ice cream bar. Or we might not be able to remain friends.
YES I LOVE THOSE. Sorry to shout, just had to get that out 🙂
This is stunningly awesome-looking. Loving the texture – and that sauce!
Hahahaha how good are they?! You need to try a crunchy bar, so so good. (I hope you guys have them there!)
Absolutely, I’ve tried all the ice cream bars based off candy bars- the Crunchy is really good too!
Omg Team Snickers all the way! I cannot get over the gorgeousness of these photos, look at that SAUCE. Fantastic Arman! I cannot wait until your cookbook comes out! 🙂
😀 Thanks so much, Marina- That means a TON!
Definitely team Snickers, it was my favorite growing up and will always have the number one spot in my heart – looks too good!
😀 Love it! Thanks so much, Michele!
First of all, what exactly is a nougat!? Is it like part marshmallow or something. And Snickers are wayyyy better, especially when frozen! This oatmeal is one epic dessert-for-brekky!
Hahaha oh gosh, I need to show this comment to my mum- She will tell you off! Nougat…hmmm it’s hard to explain but it’s like fudge but more dense and flavored with rose water and almonds and it’s yum but a pain in the ass to make!
What about Twix? This bar are my favorite. I broke my teeth in Snickers one day and Mars is just “bleh”. I can be very picky eater when it comes to candy?
I LOVE Twix! I have a twist on that coming up!
You know I’m all about the savory for breakfast, but I would totally eat this as my breakfast dessert 😉
I can’t remember the last time I had a snickers or mars bar, actually. I do know that snickers is way better! Much better caramel, for sure.
Have a great weekend, friend!
YES. Oh my yes.
🙂
Healthy and snickers in the same sentence?? I love it! I am team snickers! There is something about peanuts, chocolate and caramel that I cannot resist. This is a recipe I will be trying this weekend. Thank you for sharing!
YES!!! 😀 Please do, Amanda!
Team snickers all the way. This is drool worthy!!!! Pinning for future amazing breakfasts :p
🙂 Thanks so much, Lauren!
MMMMM! Can’t wait to make this! =D
Please do, Marsha!
I have NEVER actually tried a Mars bar, so I really only know the taste of Snickers! They did taste superb though. I’m so glad I can replicate a candy bar into oatmeal now! Cannot wait to dig in dessert–I mean, breakfast!
😀 YES!!! Please do, Cassie!
Damn it, Arman! This looks too amazing!!!! I’m Team Snickers all the way. Something used to be wrong with me because I didn’t like Mars OR Snickers until I was about 20. I had no sweet tooth at all!
Oh man, in America, they had flavored snickers, heavy on the peanut butter!
How is this recipe sugar free? Caramel is 100% sugar.
Hi Jeroen, please read the post- To keep it sugar free, there is a sugar free caramel sauce.