My pumpkin pie overnight oats uses cottage cheese instead of Greek yogurt and no protein powder. Mixed with peanut butter, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice overnight, the cottage cheese disappears into a creamy, dense texture that eats like pumpkin pie filling. Vegetarian, 5 minutes to prep, no cooking, no powder needed!
Why I use cottage cheese instead of yogurt
Using Greek yogurt for protein gets you to about 10–14g per serving, but cottage cheese quietly does more work. Half a cup delivers about 14g protein on its own.
Mixed with the oats overnight, cottage cheese doesn’t taste like cottage cheese.
It breaks down into a thick, creamy texture that’s denser than yogurt and creamier than oats alone. If you don’t want visible curds, blend the cottage cheese smooth before mixing. But after sitting overnight with pumpkin puree and peanut butter, you won’t notice them. The peanut butter adds another 7g protein and the richness. This eats like dessert.
No chia seeds in this one. That’s deliberate, btw. Between the cottage cheese and peanut butter, the oats are already thick and creamy. Adding chia would push the texture past pudding into paste.
No chia seeds in this one. That’s deliberate — between the cottage cheese and peanut butter, the oats are already thick and creamy. Adding chia would push the texture past pudding into paste.
Ingredients worth discussing
Full ingredient list and detailed instructions in the recipe card.
- Cottage cheese. Use full-fat or 2 percent. Low-fat works but the texture is thinner. Blend it smooth first if curds bother you. Same approach I use in my cookie dough overnight oats, which is what convinced me cottage cheese belongs here.
- Canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Most common mistake. Pie filling has added sugar and spices that throw off the balance. The label should say “100 percent pumpkin.”
- Pumpkin pie spice. The premixed blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Most grocery stores carry it. Start with ½ teaspoon and adjust to taste.
- Peanut butter. Goes in the night before as a mix-in, not a topping. Any nut butter works, but peanut butter and pumpkin is the classic pairing for a reason. If you want a different flavor profile, my peanut butter banana overnight oats lean into it.
Shruthi’s Top Tips
Make it taste like pumpkin pie filling
- Blend the cottage cheese first if curds bother you. A quick blitz in a blender or food processor makes it smooth. After sitting overnight with peanut butter and pumpkin, most people won’t notice the curds anyway.
- Use canned pumpkin puree, not pie filling. This is the most common mistake. Pie filling has sugar and spices already added — the label should say “100% pumpkin.”
- Keeps 3 days refrigerated. Add toppings fresh each morning — pepitas go soft if they sit in the oats overnight.
How to make high protein pumpkin pie overnight oats
- Combine. Add the oats, cottage cheese, and milk to a jar or an airtight container. Stir until evenly mixed. Add the pumpkin puree, peanut butter, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir well — the mixture will turn a warm orange.
- Chill. Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least 6 hours.
- Serve. Top with pepitas, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a dusting of cinnamon. Eat cold or at room temperature.
How to serve high protein pumpkin overnight oats
These are filling on their own. For a fuller breakfast, serve with a boiled egg or a handful of nuts to balance the sweetness. Pairs with coffee or a chai latte. If you’re building out a fall breakfast rotation, my apple pie overnight oats sit in the same family.
Variations
- Make it vegan. Swap the cottage cheese for ½ cup plain unsweetened soy yogurt and add 1 tablespoon chia seeds to thicken. Drops protein to ~22g.
- Make it nut-free. Swap peanut butter for sunflower seed butter. Same protein, slightly different flavor.
Store covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Add pepitas, maple drizzle, and cinnamon fresh each morning. Best cold or at room temperature.
Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats
Ingredients
Base:
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup cottage cheese
- ¼ cup milk
Mix-ins:
- ¼ cup pumpkin puree, canned, not pumpkin pie filling
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, or to taste
Toppings (added before serving):
- 2 tablespoons pepitas, pumpkin seeds
- pure maple syrup, for drizzling
- pinch of ground cinnamon, for dusting
Instructions
- Combine the oats, cottage cheese, and milk in a jar or airtight container. Stir until evenly mixed.
- Add the pumpkin puree, peanut butter, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir well to combine — the mixture will turn a warm orange.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight or for at least 6 hours.
- Before serving, top with pepitas, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a light dusting of cinnamon. Eat cold or at room temperature.
Notes
- Use canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling — the pie filling has added sugar and spices that will throw off the balance.
- Blend the cottage cheese smooth before mixing if you prefer no visible curds.
- Keeps refrigerated up to 3 days. Add toppings fresh each morning.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
