Overnight Oats are perfect for busy mornings, all you need is 5 minutes of prep time before going to bed and you can have a delicious, filling, and healthy breakfast the next morning.
For every minute spent in organizing, an hour is earned.
Benjamin Franklin
Are you a morning person? It can be hard to get out of bed and face a busy day, but having a delicious breakfast ready to eat helps! Overnight Oats are one of our favorite ways to plan for a successful start to the day. They take just a couple of minutes of prep the night before, they’re nutritious and delicious, and there are so many ways to customize them to your favorite flavors. What’s not to love? Let’s get into it!
What are Overnight Oats?
Overnight night oats are a healthy no-cook make-ahead breakfast. The basic overnight oats recipe is made by soaking rolled oats overnight with your favorite plant-based milk or regular milk and letting them sit in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning you will have a ready-to-eat grab-and-go breakfast.
Using this method the oats soak up all the liquid and they soften without heat for a creamy satisfying consistency. We also recommend adding seeds, nuts, fruit, and a sweetener. While overnight oats are typically eaten cold, they can also be heated for a quick and healthy breakfast in the colder months.
How to make overnight oats
1. Start with a basic recipe for overnight oats and adjust it to your liking. To the basic overnight oatmeal, you can add fruit, nut butter, nuts, replace sweetener for mashed banana, etc.
1 cup old fashioned oats +1 cup plant-based Milk + 2 tablespoons chia seeds + 1-2 tablespoons sweetener
YOUR BASIC OVERNIGHT OATS RECIPE
2. Mix all the ingredients well in a large bowl and divide them into 4 glass jars or containers with lids. Refrigerate overnight. ( See options and add-ons below)
3. As you get used to making overnight oats you can adjust the ingredients depending on your taste. You can add more oats for thicker oats, more milk for looser oats, more or less sweeteners, and chia seeds. That’s up to you.
4. In the morning you could add fresh fruit and nuts or have them already mixed into the oats.
Ingredients in overnight oats
The best thing about overnight oats is that you can make them as simple or elaborate as you’d like! There are endless variations to customize your breakfast, and none of them require work in the morning. It’s a win-win! The basics of overnight oats, though, are liquid and oats. You only need those two ingredients to start with:
- Oats: Use old-fashioned oats for best results, not quick oats ( they will be too mushy) or steel-cut oats ( they will not soften). Old-fashioned oats have the best texture for an overnight oats recipe. Make sure you’re buying certified gluten-free oats if you’re sensitive to gluten.
- Non-Dairy Milk: You may use your favorite plant-based milk. We’ve had success with the following dairy-free milk cashew milk, almond milk, coconut milk, and even oat milk! You can also try soy milk, flax milk, quinoa, cashew, or just plain regular milk.
Variations for Overnight Oats
This is where you can have fun and make them your own! Spices and sweeteners can be mixed in the night before. If everyone in your household wants a different option, we recommend saving fresh fruit and crunchy toppings like nuts or seeds for topping right before eating.
- Seeds: Hemp seeds, chia seeds, pepitas (pumpkin seeds), flax seeds, sunflower seeds, and even sesame seeds would be great. Chia seeds add fiber and protein, they are filling and give the overnight oats a thicker consistency.
- Nuts: Pecans, walnuts, cashews, toasted hazelnuts, pistachios, slivered almonds...nuts add a satisfying crunch and nutritious protein at the same time. Sprinkle any nuts of your choice right before eating. Feeling indulgent try adding our candied pecans. You could also use any nut butter such as almond butter, peanut butter, or Nutella! Peanut butter overnight oats are a kid's favorite.
- Fresh Fruit: The sky’s the limit! Berries, bananas, apples, peaches, pears...any fruit you enjoy would be great on top of overnight oats. You have the option to use fresh or frozen fruit. We recommend adding the frozen fruit to the oats overnight and adding the fresh fruit as you are making the oats or right before eating them the next morning.
- Dried Fruit: Craisins, raisins, apricots, dates, mango, or shredded coconut would all taste amazing.
- Sweeteners: We recommend a liquid sweetener such as honey, agave, or maple syrup to make it easier to mix in. Coconut sugar also works well. For a sugar-free option may try stevia, mashed banana, or some dried fruit. You can even use a spoonful of sugar to sweeten your overnight oats. Jams and jellies are another delicious way to sweeten and add flavor!
- Spices: Cinnamon is a go-to, but you can also add spice and warmth with cardamom, turmeric, or ginger!
- Other toppings: You can be as creative as you like with your toppings. How about some vanilla extract for extra flavor, chocolate chips if you are feeling indulgent, or cocoa nibs for a sugar-free chocolate flavor? Let us know what your favorite toppings are in the comments!
Adding Protein to Overnight Oats
Oats already have more protein than most other whole grains, so it’s a great breakfast! For even more body-strengthening protein overnight oats, try adding one of these.
- Yogurt: Greek yogurt or plant-based yogurt adds a creamy texture, plus digestion benefits from the live cultures and probiotics. Overnight oats with yogurt are a double win!
- Nuts: We mentioned a bunch of delicious possibilities above, but almonds, walnuts, or pecans would all add protein.
- Protein Powder: Mix a scoop into your overnight oats
- Chia Seeds: Add protein, fiber, and great texture to your make-ahead oats.
FAQ
Are Overnight Oats Healthy?
Yes! They are a stress-free, nutritious breakfast. Just grab your oats out of the refrigerator and you’re ready to go! Oats contain fiber, antioxidants, protein, vitamins, and minerals. They’ll keep you full longer and help control hunger, and soaking the oats also helps break down the starches and makes them easier to digest.
Here's what we love about our easy overnight oats.
- High in fiber.
- Satisfying. It keeps you full longer and helps control hunger.
- Delicious.
- A healthy breakfast.
- Easy and quick to make.
- Last in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- They can be customized to your liking.
Are Overnight Oats Gluten-Free?
Yes! Just make sure you’re buying certified gluten-free oats. They can also be vegan if you use plant-based milk and yogurt. The beauty of overnight oats is how easy they are to customize to your own needs and preferences!
More Tips for the Best Overnight Oats Recipe
We’ve made enough overnight oats that we now have some solid advice for the very best batch! Here are some of the secrets we’ve learned for perfect overnight oats:
- Make them ahead of time! Overnight oats are perfect for prepping for a big family or for having your breakfast made for the week all at once.
- Make the base in one big batch, then portion it into individual servings. You can store overnight oats for 5-6 days in the refrigerator, so a couple of minutes of work on Sunday night can get you breakfast all week.
- Wait to add fresh fruit and nuts - To keep the fruit as fresh as possible, wait to add it until you’re ready to sit down and eat! The same goes for nuts; add them in the morning so they’re perfectly crunchy.
- Add frozen fruit if you don't have fresh fruit available and you can add the frozen fruit when making this make-ahead breakfast. Frozen fruit is great in the winter months when there is less variety to choose from.
- Try it warm! Most people eat overnight oats cold, but you can heat them in the microwave for 45-60 seconds or on the stovetop for a warm bowl of goodness.
The Best Jars to Use for Overnight Oats
Classic Mason jars are the go-to for overnight oats, we like to save our preserves jars and use them for overnight oats as well. They’re easy to find and you can take them with you in the morning if you’re on the go. We like jars with a wide mouth since they’re easier to scoop ingredients into. Any container with a sealed lid would work, too.
Other Overnight Oatmeal Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, it would help us tremendously if you left us a star rating in the comments below or on the recipe card. Do you have any questions about the recipe? Do you need a swap for any of the ingredients? We are here to help, just leave us a question in the comments below.
overnight oats
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
If you have 5 minutes before going to bed, you can have a delicious, healthy and filling overnight oat breakfast the next morning.
Ingredients
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk or any plant-based milk of your choice
- 2 organic apples
- 2 tbsp honey (vegans sub for maple syrup or agave)
- 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 cup plain or vanilla greek yogurt (vegans sub for vegan yogurt)
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds
- 4 tbsp toasted slivered almonds
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine oats, chia seeds and almond milk. Mix well and set aside
- Peel and grate the apples. Add lemon juice and honey and mix well
- Add greek yogurt and apples to the oat mixture. Mix well, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Alternatevely you can divide the mixture into 4 glass containers with a lid or even better divide into indidual containers in the morning when the oats are set.
- Before serving, top with ¼ cup pomegranate seeds and 1 tablespoon almonds per cup of overnight oats.
Notes
- For a breakfast on the go prepare the oatmeal in individual glass jars.
Not pomegranate season? Add strawberries, blueberries, peaches, or any seasonal fruit. - To reduce the amount of sugar use unsweetened almond milk and plain yogurt.
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Topping for overnight oats:
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Seeds: Hemp, chia, pepitas, sunflower, and even sesame seeds would be great. Chia seeds add fiber, and protein, they are filling and give the overnight oats a thicker consistency.
Nuts: Pecans, walnuts, cashews, toasted hazelnuts, pistachios, slivered almonds...nuts add a satisfying crunch and nutritious protein at the same time. Sprinkle any nuts of your choice right before eating. Feeling indulgent try adding our candied pecans. You could also use any nut butter such as almond, peanut butter, or Nutella! Peanut butter overnight oats are a kid favorite.
Fresh Fruit: The sky’s the limit! Berries, bananas, apples, peaches, pears...any fruit you enjoy would be great on top of overnight oats. You have the option to use fresh or frozen fruit. We recommend adding the frozen fruit to the oats overnight and adding the fresh fruit as you are making the oats or right before eating them the next morning..
Dried Fruit: Craisins, raisins, apricots, dates, mango, or shredded coconut would all taste amazing.
Sweeteners: We recommend a liquid sweetener such as honey, agave, or maple syrup to make it easier to mix in. Coconut sugar also works well. For a sugar-free option may try stevia, mashed banana, or some dried fruit. You can even use a spoonful of sugar to sweeten your overnight oats. Jams and jellies are another delicious way to sweeten and add flavor!
Spices: Cinnamon is a go-to, but you can also add spice and warmth with cardamom, turmeric, or ginger!
- Prep Time: 7 mins
- Cook Time: overnight
- Category: breakfast
- Method: raw
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 309
- Sugar: 25.9
- Sodium: 65
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: .9
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.9
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 49.6
- Fiber: 9.3
- Protein: 11.2
- Cholesterol: 0
Apples and Arteries
I've switched to oats for breakfast and let them cook while I'm putting on my make-up. I finish getting ready and by the time I'm ready for breakfast, the oats are cooked and cool enough to eat!
mayihavethatrecipe
Thank you for the tip. I will try it when the weather gets colder. Wish me luck ! 🙂
Johanna B.
I will do the same , ,and good for you,I will follow the recipes from the May I have the recipe,Im creasy about every one of their book ,I have their book on my kitchen table and I always wanted to do a healthy breakfast this way.so I ,will start right now
Vicky and Ruth
Thank you!
Jenny @ BAKE
what a brilliant idea! and I love the bowl in the last photo!
mayihavethatrecipe
Thanks! Great time saver, quick and easy. Perfect for me 🙂
Glad you like it!
Elizabeth Eshelman
Jenny, I've got the same bowl - it's from Anthropologie and they still have them!
Our Kitchen Inventions
That looks lovely! I have a baked oatmeal recipe on our blog, and it is perfect for winter and pre-made breakfast - plus it is great for dessert, too! What's not to love about that, right?!? LOL!
It keeps well in the fridge, and is super easy to reheat.
Susan
mayihavethatrecipe
Hmm... Sounds good to me!!! Thanks 🙂
Ann
Baked oatmeal sounds great. Can you publish the recipe?
thewindykitchen
I debated this make ahead breakfast, but it never happened so I just found an instant oatmeal at Trader Joe's that I like (heart healthy blueberry!). But one day maybe I'll get myself organized enough to do this 🙂
mayihavethatrecipe
Hahaha believe me, if I can do it, anyone can!!
the wicked noodle (@thewickednoodle)
Your oatmeal looks soooo good! And I just watched the Jennifer Aniston secret security tape video - so funny!
mayihavethatrecipe
Thanks!! We just watched it too, she's soo funny! Love her!
kitchenriffs
Good recipe! I've found that cooking old fashioned oats in the microwave actually works. I put them in a big (4-cup) Pyrex measuring cup (they bubble up as they cook, and can overflow a bowl) and nuke for about 2 1/2 minutes (time varies depending on your microwave). Easy, fast, tasty! But I haven't been putting in all the great flavor that you add to your oatmeal - I need to do that!
mayihavethatrecipe
Thanks for the tip! I'm gonna have to try that in the winter!
Heather
Any suggestions for substituting the Pomegranate?? They aren't easily accessible or on the affordable side where I am at. Thx!! 🙂
mayihavethatrecipe
Absolutely! Any kind of berry would work great here. As we get into the fall and berries are not easy to find, dried fruits works really well too. We love dried cranberries or cherries, they add a really nice tart flavor. Hope this helps! 🙂
Michelle Wentling
I am gonna use Quinoa Flakes vs oats and try this soon, thanks 🙂
mayihavethatrecipe
Ooohhh... That sounds good! Great idea! 🙂
Minerva Grinage
Why would I want to use silk if I am going to add yogurt from cows milk?. No thank you!.
mayihavethatrecipe
That's a good point. If you scroll down after the ingredient list, we have a note on how to make this recipe vegan. You can use your favorite vegan yogurt and agave nectar instead of honey. Hope this helps.
Camila
Thank you so much for posting this! It is my new go to breakfast. With two jobs and school it is hard for me to get healthy breakfasts in when I am running about getting ready. This is great!
Vicky & Ruth
You are welcome. We love it!
Diane
This was completely delicious. What a great time saver and I think the flavors go very well together. Thanks for such a great way to simplify the morning rush with this nutritious twist on oatmeal!
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you, we love this make ahead oatmeal breakfast!
María
Hola Vicky y Ruth, tengo una pregunta sobre la preparación. La avena cuando se combina con la chía y la leche ya está preparada, es decir, como se comería normalmente? O en la preparación de la avena cruda, se sustituye el agua por la leche?
Vicky & Ruth
Hola Maria, no estoy muy segura si entiendo bien la pregunta. En la receta de avena hecha la noche anterior, lo combinamos todo en crudo. Si quieres preparar avena al momento tienes que cocinarla a fuego lento (con leche, agua, zumo) hasta que se ablande y absorba todo el liquido, puedes a nadir mas liquido si lo necesitas. Después si quieres puedes añadir las chía, que habrás remojado en agua o leche para que se hinchen el yoghurt, las manzanas, las granadas y las almendras. Si no he contestado exactamente a tu pregunta, enviamos otro mensaje o comentario.
María
Hola, sì lo siento, ya una vez escrita mi pregunta pensé que no la había formulado muy bien. Lo que pasa es que sólo sé preparar la avena con agua hirviendo y luego cuando quede como un tipo polenta, le agrego leche y los demás ingredientes. Pero tiene sentido que vaya todo crudo y se pueda cocer todo junto. Muchas gracias y felicidades por el blog, muy lindo. Gracias por responder.
Vicky & Ruth
Si tienes algún otra pregunta, estamos a tu disposición. Feliz Año nuevo!
Tati
Maria, no Es necesario que lo cocines...todos Los ingredientes crudos se "cocinan" overnight con la leche y el yogurt, como un muesli! Es delicioso, mi esposo le agrega frutas secas tipo pasas y mangos. Inclusive le puedes poner zumo fresco de naranja!
Ashley @ Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen
This looks wonderful! I've been making overnight chia oats for a while, but always use the same recipe. This looks like a great way to switch things up! Yum 🙂
Vicky & Ruth
So glad we can inspire you to change things around. Happy New Year!
Selina
How long will this last in the fridge? I'm cooking for myself and I could reduce the recipe size, but I'm just wondering if this can be kept for several days?
Vicky & Ruth
It will last 3- 4 days in the fridge. Just give it a good stir before eating, because the water from the yogurt may separate a little. Enjoy!
Celeste
I absolutely LOVE this recipe! I was hesitant at first because yogurt isn't really my "thing" but it is delicious. I used vanilla soy milk instead of vanilla almond milk, because I already had some and it was mmm mmm good! Thanks for this recipe.
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you!! So glad you decided to give it a try! Enjoy 🙂
Carmen
Do the oats need to be cooked first? It doesn't say but from reading the comments it sounds as if they do need to be cooked.
Vicky & Ruth
No you so not need to cook the oats. You put them in raw they "cook" overnight.
Carmen
thank you! I can't wait to try it!
Vicky & Ruth
Great! Let us know what you think.
Gracie too
I had actually seen the recipe first made in individual mason jars. I made mine with mango and blueberries, chobani Greek yogurt and almond milk, chia seeds and granola. So yummy.
Vicky & Ruth
We have also seen make ahead oatmeal in individual mason jars. They are so cute. We decide it to make it "family style".
Damion
I made this a few weeks ago and my wife really enjoyed it! I used Dred cranberries instead of pomegranate as Don't enjoy that flavor much.
I made the oatmeal tonight again and added a tbsp. of coconut! I'll see if the wife notices the something extra! This is a great dish that we thoroughly enjoy! Thanks for sharing it! 🙂
Vicky & Ruth
Glad you guys enjoyd it! We love when our readers put their own spin in our recipes 🙂
Judy
I have just found your site and recipes and I love them. I'm am preparing this for tomorrow's breakfast. Does it last for a few days or am I best to reduce the quantities to only make one serve.nthanks
Vicky & Ruth
Hi!
Thank you for your email. We're so glad you found us! The make ahead oatmeal will last 3-4 days. Please let us know if you have any more questions! Enjoy 🙂
Andrea
What is the nutrition count? I love this recipe
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you very much! We don't have a calorie count for this recipe but you can easily calculate it on this site http://nutritiondata.self.com
Michelle
I recently found your recipe and WOW! I have already made this 3 times. I take it to work and I don't have any for the next day because everyone wants some. I used some sliced strawberries because I didn't have any pomegranate seeds, SO GOOD! Thank you!
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you so, so happy that you liked it. It is also delicious with some fresh blueberries when they are in season.
Sarah Williams
HI! This may be a weird question, but I'm wondering if you heat the oatmeal up in the morning before you eat it, or is it eaten cold? I'm assuming since it doesn't say to heat it up that it's eaten cold, but I just wanted to make sure (never eaten cold oatmeal before! :)). Thank you! I am excited to try it.
Vicky & Ruth
We eat it cold. Let us know what you think when you try it.
Patricia
This is absolutely amazing and wonderful. I made it yesterday and had it this morning. I used my favorite apples, grany smith and the flavor was terrific.
Can you share the calorie count? Couldn't find it anywhere. For context, I am a retired senior living alone and don't cook often or eat properly. This has inspired me to pay attention to what I eat. I will spend a lot of time on your site. Thank you
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you so much Patricia :)! We are so glad to hear that, we love being able to inspire people to live a healthier lifestyle! We don't have a calorie count for this recipe but you can easily calculate it on this site http://nutritiondata.self.com
johanna
i have been making this for me and my boyfriend's breakfast for a couple of weeks. it's good in the fridge for 3 days - the 4th day, it gets a little weird.
anyway, I LOVE IT! awesome recipe!
Jessica
Could this be made ahead and then microwaved in the morning for a warm meal? Not a huge fan of the overnight oats.
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Jessica,
Yes, you can absolutely warm the overnight oats. We do it during the winter when we would rather have a warm breakfast.