Overnight Oats
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Say goodbye to the morning rush with overnight oats—prep ahead, add your favorite toppings, and enjoy a nutritious breakfast on the go!
Overnight oats make a fantastic breakfast, especially on those busy mornings when you need something healthy and satisfying without the fuss. You can prepare them the night before—just mix up your ingredients, pop them in the fridge, and wake up to a delicious, ready-to-eat meal. Overnight oats are traditionally eaten cold, straight from the fridge, but if you prefer a warm breakfast, they’re easy to heat up in the microwave. And the best part? The toppings! You can customize your oats with whatever you’re in the mood for—fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, or a drizzle of maple syrup or honey.
For a little variety, I’ve got some fun flavor twists for you to try: Peanut Butter, Banana Bread, Apple Nut, and Pumpkin Spice (see the printable recipe for the variations). Each one is delicious in its own right, and they all keep well in the fridge for a few days, so you can make a batch ahead of time and switch up the toppings as you go.
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need To Make Overnight Oats
- Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: The core ingredient that forms the base of the dish, providing a chewy texture and a hearty, whole-grain source of fiber. (Be sure you’re using old-fashioned oats rather than instant oats or steel-cut oats.)
- Milk: Softens the oats overnight, creating a creamy consistency and lending richness to the oats. Cow’s milk, oat milk, and almond milk all work well; I don’t recommend coconut milk.
- Plain Greek Yogurt: Adds creaminess and a boost of protein, making the oats more satisfying and helping to balance the flavors.
- Chia Seeds (Optional): Enhances the texture by thickening the oats, similar to chia pudding, and offers a nutritious boost of omega-3 fatty acids and fiber.
- Maple Syrup: Naturally sweetens the oats, adding a subtle caramel-like flavor that complements the other ingredients.
- Cinnamon: Infuses warmth and depth into the oats.
- Optional Toppings: Add texture, flavor, and extra nutrients to make each serving uniquely delicious. The options are endless: fresh or dried fruit, nuts/seeds, granola, coconut, peanut butter, almond butter, apple butter, pumpkin butter, honey, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, protein powder, etc.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
In a small jar or airtight container, add the oats, milk, yogurt, chia seeds (if using), maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt.
Stir well to ensure everything is mixed evenly.
Seal the jar/container and place it in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least 4 hours, to allow the oats to soak up the liquid and soften.
In the morning, stir the mixture. If it seems too thick, add a splash of milk to reach your desired consistency. Top with your favorite optional toppings and enjoy.
Make-Ahead Instructions
The overnight oats can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Go ahead and make a big batch so you’ve got a delicious make-ahead breakfast on hand.
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Overnight Oats
Ingredients
For the Oats
- ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup milk (any kind except coconut milk)
- 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
- 1½ teaspoons chia seeds (optional)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- Pinch cinnamon
- Pinch salt
Optional Toppings
- Fresh or dried fruit
- Nuts/seeds
- Granola
- Shredded or toasted coconut
- Nut butter
- Apple butter or pumpkin butter
- Honey or maple syrup
- Cinnamon or nutmeg
Instructions
- Mix: In a small jar or airtight container, combine the oats, milk, yogurt, chia seeds (if using), maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt. Stir well to ensure everything is mixed evenly.
- Refrigerate: Seal the jar/container and place it in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least 4 hours, to allow the oats to absorb the liquid and soften.
- Serve: In the morning, stir the mixture. If it seems too thick, add a splash of milk to reach your desired consistency. Top with your favorite optional toppings and enjoy. Overnight oats can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
⅔ cup milk (any kind except coconut)
1½ tablespoons peanut butter
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1½ teaspoons chia seeds
Pinch salt
Chopped peanuts, for serving (optional) Banana Overnight Oats
½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup milk (any kind except coconut)
2 tablespoons mashed perfectly ripe (not overripe) banana
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1½ teaspoons chia seeds
Pinch cinnamon
Pinch salt
Sliced bananas, for serving
Walnuts or pecans, for serving
Chocolate chips, for serving (optional) Pumpkin Spice Overnight Oats
½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup milk (any kind except coconut)
2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1½ teaspoons chia seeds
Pinch cinnamon or pumpkin spice
Pinch salt
Chopped pecans, for serving Apple Nut Overnight Oats
½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup milk (any kind except coconut)
2 tablespoons sweetened or unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1½ teaspoons chia seeds
Pinch cinnamon
Pinch salt
Chopped apples, for serving
Pecans or walnuts, for serving
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
Comments
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Thank you for all of the wonderful recipes, Jenn! I can’t wait to try these, but one question about the pumpkin flavor, is 1/2 cup pumpkin puree correct? It seems like a lot compared to what the other flavors get.
Thanks for catching that, Annie! It should be 2 tablespoons – recipe has been updated.
Jenn nailed it with this recipe. I’ve tried several overnight oats recipes and been somewhat disappointed with either the texture and/or the flavor. This one is perfect. The oats are hearty and filling thanks to the Greek yogurt and chia seeds, and the slight sweetness and dash of cinnamon are a perfect complement to any topping.
Thanks for posting! we’ve tried the regular, peanut butter and banana, the kids luv em!
So simple to prepare the night before that my 12 year old daughter did it! So delicious! She made the banana version and added choc chips. Thank you Chef for making school breakfast much more interesting!
Quick, easy and delicious! One less thing to prepare in the morning. Thank you!
i made this last night with regular milk and cocojune and it was delicious! thank you for a fun healthy and easy delicious breakfast idea!! i can’t wait to make these when we are camping!
I love overnight oats, and am very happy to see how to up my basic combination of ingredients. So easy for a grab and go breakfast. Thank you for the inspiration and the add ins which will also increase the nutritional value. I have a confession, my dog loves oatmeal, so I usually dollop 2 tbsp of any oatmeal I eat into his bowl. I use only oatmeal and milk. I add some demerara sugar or cinnamon sugar to my oatmeal after I have given him his scoop. The additions you suggest will increase the protein and nutritional value of an already great, easy breakfast. My dog is terminally ill, once he passes, I will incorporate some of your add ins to my overnight oats…meanwhile, I will continue to share my very basic rendition with him. Thank you.