Pumpkin Protein Overnight Oats: 38g Pumpkin Pie

By Jon Klipstein, U.S. Army Combat Veteran & Founder of Die Tryin Co., and David Ortiz, Recipe Developer & U.S. Army Combat Veteran

FALL BREAKFAST THAT ACTUALLY FUELS THE DAY

Pumpkin spice everything is a marketing trap — 90% of "pumpkin" food in October has zero actual pumpkin and 35g of sugar per serving. This recipe is the opposite. Real pumpkin, real protein, real fiber, real macros. Five minutes the night before, 90 seconds in the morning, and you've got a 38g-protein breakfast that tastes like pumpkin pie without wrecking your day.

Same overnight oats base our chocolate version uses — the pumpkin puree and spice take it somewhere new for fall.

PUMPKIN PIE PROTEIN OVERNIGHT OATS

Yield: 1 serving · Prep: 5 minutes · Chill: 4 hours (or overnight)

Macros (per serving): 440 cal · 38g protein · 58g carbs · 8g fat

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 scoop Post Iso Vanilla
• 1 tbsp sugar-free/fat-free butterscotch Jello pudding mix
• 1/4 cup pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tbsp Splenda brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a bowl or mason jar with a lid.
2. Stir until everything is fully combined — no dry powder clumps.
3. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. The pudding mix is what gives this its thick, pumpkin-pie texture instead of soupy oats.
4. Pull it out in the morning, give it a stir, eat cold or warm 30 seconds in the microwave.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• Pure pumpkin = real fiber. 1/4 cup of pure pumpkin puree adds ~2g of fiber, vitamin A, and natural sweetness without any added sugar. Pumpkin pie filling is the trap — it's just sugar with pumpkin in it.
• Sugar-free pudding mix is the texture cheat code. Most overnight oats end up soupy. The pudding mix thickens the almond milk into a custard-like base that holds the oats together — pumpkin-pie consistency, no eggs required.
• Post Iso doesn't go gritty cold. Whey isolate blends smooth in cold milk. Casein turns rubbery, plant proteins get chalky. The DigeZyme enzymes also make it sit easy on an empty stomach.
• Cinnamon + pumpkin pie spice = real fall flavor. Most pumpkin recipes only use one or the other. Both layered together is what makes this taste like actual pie instead of a generic "spiced" oatmeal.

FLAVOR VARIATIONS

Same overnight oats base, different fall and winter angles:

• Apple cinnamon — skip the pumpkin + pumpkin pie spice, sub 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce + 1 tsp extra cinnamon.
• Pumpkin chocolate chip — fold in 2 tbsp mini chocolate chips before chilling.
• Pumpkin pecan — top with 1 tbsp chopped pecans before serving for crunch.
• Maple pumpkin — swap Splenda brown sugar for 1 tbsp sugar-free maple syrup.
• Pumpkin cheesecake — blend in 2 tbsp light cream cheese before chilling for a richer, cheesecake-like texture.

WHY HIGH-PROTEIN BREAKFAST MATTERS

Most "healthy" fall breakfasts (oatmeal, pumpkin muffins, granola) deliver 5–10g of protein and a sugar spike. This one hits 38g of protein and lasting fiber, which means you stay full until lunch instead of crashing at 10 a.m. The International Society of Sports Nutrition's position stand recommends 1.4–2.0g of protein per kg of bodyweight daily for active people (ISSN, 2017).

For a 180 lb lifter (~82 kg), that's 115–165g of protein per day. One bowl of this gets you 25–30% of the way there before 9 a.m.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree?

Don't. Pumpkin pie filling is mostly added sugar — it'll spike calories by ~80 and carbs by ~20g per serving. The recipe is already spiced; you just want pure pumpkin.

Can I use a different protein powder?

Whey isolate blends smoothest in cold milk — texture is the whole point of overnight oats. Casein turns dense and rubbery, plant proteins get gritty. Post Iso is the call.

What if I don't have pudding mix?

Sub 1 tbsp chia seeds — they swell overnight and create a similar thick texture. Macros shift up slightly: ~470 cal / 39g protein / 60g carbs / 11g fat.

How do I store these?

Airtight in the fridge for up to 4 days. The oats actually taste better on day 2 — the spices meld and the texture sets up perfectly. Don't freeze; the oats get mushy on thaw.

Can I eat this warm?

Yes — microwave 60–90 seconds. The pudding mix loses some thickness when heated but the flavor stays. Add a splash more almond milk if it gets too thick after warming.

Is the pudding mix necessary?

It's optional but it's what gives this its signature pumpkin-pie texture. Without it, you've got thick pumpkin oatmeal — still good, just not the same. The pudding mix adds ~10 calories and zero meaningful macros.

READY TO GEAR UP?

The recipe lives on a clean-tasting protein powder. Post Iso Vanilla — 24g protein, 110 calories, DigeZyme enzymes, blends smooth into cold milk without clumping. Grab a tub.

More recipes to stock the kitchen: chocolate protein overnight oats, fudgy protein brownies, pumpkin chocolate chip protein donuts, 56g protein french toast, protein rice krispie treats, protein waffles, or chocolate peanut butter protein mousse. Want to nail your daily macro number? Start with the guide to counting macros. Not sure where to start? Take the quiz.

ALWAYS FORWARD.