Not a breakfast person? Start your day with a dessert-inspired breakfast like this double chocolate oatmeal layered with cherry chia seed jam.
Applying a dessert concept to breakfast foods is a great way to get enthusiastic about breakfast. There’s something undeniably indulgent about eating something sweet in the morning. It perks you up. Double chocolate oatmeal definitely has that effect. Every spoonful is nourishing and full of incredible textures, plus chocolate and cherry are an excellent duo. Earthy, bitter chocolate with sweet, tart cherries are opposing flavors that complement each other very well.
Why You’ll Love This Double Chocolate Oatmeal
Double the chocolate – I’m sold on anything double chocolate (I’m sure you agree). This recipe’s two sources of chocolatey goodness are chopped dark chocolate and cocoa powder.
Effortless – The jam comes together quickly, and oatmeal is easy to make. It doesn’t get much more straightforward.
Layered goodness – Don’t you love tasty layers? There’s something so palate-pleasing about thick, rich chocolate oatmeal accompanied by light, fruity jam.
Double Chocolate Oatmeal Ingredients Notes
To make double chocolate oatmeal, you need the following:
- Rolled oats: Rolled oats are great because they offer a nice texture. They’re tender yet chewy but don’t take as long to cook as steel-cut oats.
- Dark chocolate: You’ll get the best flavor with a high-quality bar that is 70% cocoa. It has a balanced taste and melts beautifully, which is important since the chocolate is stirred into the oats after they’re cooked.
- Cocoa powder: Unsweetened dark cocoa powder, also called Dutch processed, is used to make double chocolate oatmeal since it is less acidic than natural cocoa powder. Dark cocoa powder is less acidic because it is treated with an alkaline solution. That solution also deepens the color and smooths the texture.
- Cherries: This recipe uses frozen for thick, rich, almost creamy jam; however, fresh will work equally well. Just remember to pit the cherries before making the jam.
You’ll find the complete ingredients list with amounts in the recipe card below!
How to Make Double Chocolate Oatmeal
Making double chocolate oatmeal is a simple process that takes almost no time. To make it:
- Prepare the jam: Since chia seeds take time to work their thickening magic, the jam is first on the double chocolate oatmeal agenda. Add cherries, some water, and agave to a food processor, pulse until smooth, then stir (or whisk) in the chia seeds. The chia seeds go in last because you don’t want to break them down. After that, leave the jam in the fridge for at least six hours.
- Cook the oatmeal: Prepare the oatmeal with oats and water as instructed on the back of the packaging. Then stir in the chocolate, cocoa powder, and honey (for sweetness). It is as easy as that!
- Serve: Layer oatmeal and jam in bowls or serving cups and enjoy. To take the presentation to the next level, top each serving with granola, toasted oats, chopped chocolate, chocolate shavings, a dusting of cocoa powder, or a cherry. There are so many options!
Variations, Substitutions, and Cooking Tips
Switch up the jam – Fruit pairs well with double chocolate, so experiment to see what you like best. Raspberries would be delicious, as would blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, and oranges.
Try quick oats – They’re great when you want to save even more time.
Whisk in the chia seeds – A spoon will get the job done, but a whisk does an excellent job of evenly distributing the seeds and preventing clumps.
Stir the jam occasionally – Although not required, it’s a good idea to stir it occasionally during the first hour as it chills to ensure even distribution of the chia seeds.
Reduce cook time – Reduce the cooking time of the oatmeal by 1-2 minutes for the best texture. Like other foods, carry-over cooking occurs after you remove it from the heat.
What to Serve with Double Chocolate Oatmeal
Focus on beverages since double chocolate oatmeal is a decadent and filling breakfast. Espresso would complement the chocolate and cherries beautifully, as would an espresso-based drink. You also can’t go wrong with milk. Additionally, orange juice’s acidity is complementary and palate cleansing.
Storage and Freezer Tips
You can make double chocolate oatmeal in advance and store it. Just keep the oatmeal and jam in separate airtight containers and refrigerate. I do not recommend freezing since it will impact texture.
How to Reheat
You can eat oatmeal cold, but if you wish to reheat it, add it to a small saucepan over low and stir in either milk or water to return the oatmeal to its original texture. Reheating takes a few minutes. You can also reheat the oatmeal in the microwave. For this method, add oatmeal to a microwave-safe bowl with a splash of milk or water and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between intervals until warm.
- Oatmeal
- 1 cup thick rolled oats
- 2 cups water
- 2 tbs. chopped dark chocolate (I used 70% cocoa)
- 1 tbs. honey
- 2 tbs. unsweetened dark cocoa powder
- Chia Seed Jam
- 2 cups frozen cherries
- ½ cup cold water
- 3 tbs. agave (Adjust according to taste)
- ½ cup chia seeds
- To make the jam, simply combine all of the ingredients (except for the chia seeds) in a food processor/blender.
- Pulse together until completely smooth and creamy (about 5 minutes). Taste to make sure it's sweet enough, if you prefer sweeter simply add more agave
- Transfer to a bowl and stir in the chia seeds. Leave in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Cook oatmeal according to package instructions (I left out the salt).
- Once cooked, transfer to a large bowl and add the chopped dark chocolate, cocoa powder, and honey and stir together until the chocolate has completely melted and is well distributed.
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