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Oatmeal has never tasted so good with this Chocolate Cherry Almond Oatmeal. The chocolate oatmeal is infused with tart cherries and topped with an easy cherry compote! Chocolate Cherry Almond Oatmeal is the perfect solution for a sweet, wholesome, and vegan breakfast.

White bowl filled with Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal, topped with melted dark chocolate, almond butter, almonds, cacao nibs, and cherry compote, on a white marble counter, with a spoon in it.

If you love the combo of chocolate and cherry, then this oatmeal recipe is for you! The chocolate oatmeal is infused with tart cherries and sweetened with a ripe banana, so no refined sugars here! Then it is decorated with cherry compote, melted dark chocolate, toasted almonds, and creamy almond butter. This super easy, crazy delicious Chocolate Cherry Almond Oatmeal will be your new favorite breakfast!

Types of Oats to Use

This delicious Chocolate Cherry Almond Oatmeal bowl can be made with rolled oats, steel cut oats, or even quick oats.

Rolled Oats: Rolled Oats, also known as old fashioned oats or whole oats, are my favorite type of oats to cook with. Their texture is great and they cook relatively quickly, compared to steel-cut oats.
Steel-Cut Oats: Steel-cut oats, usually take much longer to make, about 20 minutes. However, they contain more fiber.
Quick Oats: Quick oats are soft in texture and cook extremely quickly. They’re the best type of oats to use in the microwave versus cooking on the stove.

Whichever type of oats you select, before preparing, be sure to read the package instructions, for the liquid oat ratio, because the amounts may vary.

Now, who’s ready to get cooking?

Key Ingredients

For this Chocolate Almond Butter Oatmeal recipe, you only a few ingredients, to achieve the breakfast of your chocolate dreams.

Oats: I used old fashioned rolled oats, but steal-cut or quick oats work as well. However, be sure to read the package instructions for the liquid oat ratio and the cook time, because they will vary. This recipe is written for old fashioned rolled oats.
Cherries: The star of this chocolate oatmeal bowl. I love using frozen tart cherries but regular frozen cherries or a cherry & berry mix would be perfect.
Banana: Adding a ripe banana to the recipe makes this breakfast sweet. Also, the more ripe your banana is, the sweeter your breakfast will be.
Cacao Powder: To make the oats chocolatey! If you don’t have cacao powder, you can use cocoa powder or even vegan chocolate protein powder.
Flaxseeds: Flaxseeds are loaded with nutrients, high in omega-3 fats, rich in dietary fiber, and you can’t even taste them. They are completely optional, and be substituted with chia seeds, so no problem if you don’t have them…yet!
Chia Seeds: These tiny seeds are high in omega-3 fatty, magnesium, and so many other benefits.
Non-dairy Milk: In this oatmeal recipe, we only need a little milk, so use your favorite non-dairy milk. I used unsweetened almond milk.

Ingredients for Chocolate Orange Oatmeal. 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1/2 cup of white milk, 1 ripe banana, flaxseeds, chia seeds, and cacao powder in a small glass bowl, and frozen cherries in a glass bowl, sitting on a white marble counter.

How to make this Oatmeal Recipe

Preparing oatmeal for breakfast is super easy and this recipe is no different. There is only 3 steps to achieve your chocolatey breakfast.

In a small saucepan, combine the mashed banana, cacao powder, flaxseeds, chia seeds, rolled oats, and non-dairy milk. Stir in the cherries and let simmer until thick and creamy. Stirring frequently to prevent from burning for about 5-8 minutes.
Meanwhile, while the oats are cooking, add the frozen cherries into a separate pan, with a splash of water, and heat over a medium heat. Once cherries start to melt and become nice and juicy, reduce to a low heat.
Pour the chocolate cherry oatmeal in a serving bowl. Top with almond butter, chopped almonds, chopped dark chocolate, cacao nibs, cherry compote, and enjoy!

A small black saucepan filled with chocolate cherry oatmeal, on a white marble counter.

Tips for Making this Oatmeal Recipe Perfectly

To make the perfect Chocolate Cherry Almond Oatmeal recipe, be sure to follow these tips!

For the best texture, I suggest using rolled oats, but you can use quick oats, or if you have more time, you can also use steel cut oats.
If you prefer your oatmeal to be thicker, you can cook your oats on the stovetop for a couple more minutes. On the other hand, if you prefer it thinner, cook your oats for a slightly less time.
Be sure your banana is ripe. The more ripe your banana is, the sweeter your oatmeal will be.
I used frozen tart cherries, but fresh cherries or regular frozen cherries work great too.

Oatmeal Toppings

The toppings are what make this oatmeal recipe so delicious! I garnished my chocolate oatmeal with creamy almond butter, chopped almonds, dark chocolate, cacao nibs, and the cherry compote. Nevertheless, you can decorate your chocolate oatmeal bowl with any combination that you wish!

Cherry compote
Fresh or frozen berries: cherries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, etc.
Banana slices
Dark chocolate or non-dairy dark chocolate chips
Nut butter: almond butter, creamy peanut butter, pecan butter, cashew butter, hazelnut butter, etc.
Hemp seeds or chia seeds
Chopped nuts: almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds, pecans, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, etc.
Coconut flakes or shredded coconut

No matter what you top your chocolate oatmeal with, it will be a sweet breakfast!

More Oatmeal Recipes to Try:

If you tried this Chocolate Cherry Almond Oatmeal recipe or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment & rating below! Be sure to follow along on my Instagram, Pinterest, and subscribe to my email list for more recipes and updates. Also, tag me on Instagram if you make this recipe, so I can see your creation!