40g Protein Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats (Perfect for GLP-1 Mornings)

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When I first started taking Zepbound, I assumed eating less would be the easy part. And for the most part, it was. The challenge wasn’t avoiding food—it was eating enough of the right foods.

Some days I simply wasn’t hungry. Not “I’ll eat later” hungry. More like, “the thought of making a meal sounds exhausting” hungry.

That’s when protein became the biggest challenge.

I knew I needed it to help preserve muscle, keep my energy up, and support healthy weight loss, but sitting down to a full breakfast wasn’t always realistic.

This apple cinnamon overnight oats recipe became my solution.

I make a batch almost every week, usually the day before my injection, and keep it in the refrigerator in one large bowl instead of individual jars. Then, over the next couple of days, I can simply grab a spoon and eat a few bites whenever I feel like I can. I don’t have to cook, I don’t have to think about what to eat, and every bite gives me a little more protein.

For me, that’s made all the difference.

JUMP TO RECIPE

Why This Recipe Works So Well on GLP-1 Medications

One thing I’ve learned over the past year on Zepbound is that waiting until you’re “hungry enough” to eat protein isn’t always a great strategy.

Some days that hunger just never comes.

Instead, I try to make protein as easy as possible. This recipe checks a lot of boxes for me because it’s:

• High in protein without tasting like a protein shake
• Soft and easy to eat when my appetite is low
• Already made, so there’s zero effort involved
• Easy to eat a few spoonfuls at a time instead of forcing myself through a full meal

Those little bites really add up over the course of the day.

My Favorite Trick

Instead of portioning everything into mason jars, I simply mix the entire recipe in one large bowl with a lid. I leave it in the refrigerator and scoop out however much I feel like eating.

Sometimes that’s a full serving for breakfast. Sometimes it’s only three or four bites.

And honestly, on the day after my shot, those three or four bites are often enough to help me keep my protein intake moving in the right direction.

Why I Use Cottage Cheese

I’ve experimented with a lot of overnight oat recipes over the past year, and this version has become my favorite.

Blended cottage cheese makes the oats incredibly creamy without tasting like cottage cheese, and it boosts the protein far more than using yogurt alone.

Combined with vanilla protein powder, it turns what could be a simple bowl of oats into a breakfast with around 40 grams of protein.

That’s a huge win on days when eating enough feels like the hardest part of taking a GLP-1 medication.

If You’re Struggling to Eat on GLP-1…

One thing I’ve stopped doing is expecting myself to eat “normal” meals every day.

Some mornings that’s just not realistic. Instead, I keep a few high-protein foods ready to go so I can eat whenever my stomach says yes—even if it’s only for a few minutes.

This bowl of apple cinnamon overnight oats is one of those foods. It’s comforting, filling without feeling heavy, and easy to come back to throughout the morning.

For me, it’s become less of a breakfast recipe and more of a protein safety net.

If you’re finding it difficult to hit your protein goals while taking Zepbound, Wegovy, or another GLP-1 medication, I hope this recipe becomes one of those dependable staples for you, too.

Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats Recipe

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This version is creamy, cozy, packed with protein, and honestly tastes a little like apple pie filling meets cheesecake 😄 The blended cottage cheese makes it super thick and smooth without tasting “cottage cheesy,” and the vanilla protein powder gives it that sweet bakery-style flavor.

** If you aren’t a fan of cottage cheese, please know that the little curds seem to dissolve into the mix after about 24 hours.

Estimated Nutrition (Per Serving): Calories: 420 | Protein: 40 to 42g | Fiber: 9–11g | Carbs: 38g | Fat: 10g

(Varies depending on protein powder and milk used.)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
• 1/2 scoop to 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1/2 medium apple, diced small
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1–2 tsp maple syrup or honey (optional)
• Tiny pinch of salt

Optional Add-Ins

• 1 tbsp chopped pecans or walnuts
• Dash of nutmeg
• Sprinkle of granola on top before serving
• Extra cinnamon for topping

Instructions

Step 1: Blend the Creamy Base

Add cottage cheese, milk, vanilla extract, and protein powder to a blender and blend until smooth.

(You can skip blending if you don’t mind cottage cheese texture, but blending makes it taste way more like cheesecake filling.)

Step 2: Mix Everything Together

In a mason jar or container, combine:

• oats
• chia seeds
• cinnamon
• salt
• diced apples

Pour the blended mixture over top and stir well.

Step 3: Refrigerate Overnight

Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. The oats soften, the chia thickens everything up, and the apple/cinnamon flavor gets even better by morning.

Optional “Apple Pie” Upgrade 🍏

If you want this to taste extra indulgent:

Sauté the diced apples for 3–5 minutes with a tiny bit of butter, cinnamon and a splash of maple syrup. Then stir them into the oats.

This makes it taste ridiculously close to apple pie filling.

A Few Easy Protein Tweaks

Want even MORE protein in your apple cinnamon overnight oats? You can:

• use Fairlife milk instead of almond milk
• add a full scoop of protein powder (sometimes I have to add a bit more milk or cottage cheese so it doesn’t get chalky)
• stir in extra cottage cheese
• top with chopped nuts or hemp hearts

You can easily push this into the 45g protein range without making it feel overly “protein shake-ish.”

Hope you love this one as much as I do!

Other High Protein Recipes You’ll Love:

• 12 High Protein Breakfast Ideas – Easy, quick and packed with protein
• High-Protein Cottage Cheese Smoothie (40g Protein)
• Cottage Cheese and Berry Protein Bowl for Breakfast
• Mocha Energy Balls | No Bake, High Protein Coffee-Infused Snack

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