Overnight Oats

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This Overnight Oats recipe is the easiest breakfast recipe known to mankind. Only four ingredients needed with no cooking required! Serve warm or cold and adjust as you like.

I’m always on the hunt for quick, easy, and healthy breakfasts on those busy weekday mornings before sending my kids off to school and this recipe fits the bill. I make my basic recipe in a big bowl the night before and let my kids pick their toppings the morning of. It’s the perfect, nutritious meal that adapts easily from day to day. Serve with some tasty Bacon or Breakfast Casserole for a well balanced, extra filling breakfast.

But first, what are Overnight Oats?

Overnight oats are a no-cook breakfast or snack that is made by soaking and refrigerating rolled oats in milk.

Many people prefer the ease of this recipe as well as the taste and texture of the soaked, uncooked oats versus a cooked Oatmeal.

What kind of Oats can I use?

The best oats to use are just the plain Old Fashioned Oats. Old fashioned oats soak up some liquid without getting too mushy. Quick oats will get too soggy when soaked in milk. Steel cut oats often don’t get soft enough.

How much does this recipe make?

The recipe I have posted is enough for four servings which I stir together in one big bowl and refrigerate overnight. Many overnight oats recipes call for the use of small mason jars. While I don’t think this is totally necessary, it certainly does make for a cuter presentation. I find these 8 oz. glass baby food jars are the best for portioning for kids.

How to make Overnight Oats

You will die at how easy this recipe is to make. You just need a bowl to mix and 5 minutes (or less!) of work time. For full recipe details see the printable recipe card below.

Measure Rolled Oats

Measure rolled oats into a large bowl.

Stir in Remaining Ingredients

Stir in milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt (optional). Make sure oats are well submerged in the milk.

Refrigerate 6+ Hours

Cover and refrigerate 6+ hours to overnight.

Add Toppings + Serve

Remove from the fridge, portion out, add toppings, and serve. See the next section on how to serve Overnight Oats warm or cold.

How to serve Overnight Oats

The beauty of overnight oats is it works warm or cold. To serve it cold, simply spoon some into a bowl, top with fruit, nuts or seeds, and serve.

To serve warm, simply spoon some into a bowl and microwave 30 seconds to 1 minute or until hot. Top with any desired toppings and serve.

My favorite toppings

Here are a few of our favorite toppings we love to add to any overnight oats concoction. The combinations are endless!

• raspberries
• blueberries
• sliced strawberries
• sliced bananas
• coconut flakes
• diced apple and cinnamon
• extra maple syrup or honey
• an extra splash of milk
• chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts or cashews
• chia seeds, pepitas or flax seeds

Variations

Man oh man, there are thousands of variations for Overnight Oats! Here are a few different options listed, but just about anything you can think of would work in this!

• Milk: if you don’t want to use cow’s milk, an unsweetened almond, soy or coconut milk would work just as well!
• Nuts and Seeds: try adding in walnuts, almonds, pecans, pepitas, flax seeds, or chia seeds for a textural variation.
• Sweetener: I used real maple syrup for my basic overnight oats recipe, but feel free to reduce the amount or switch it out for honey, agave, sugar, brown sugar or an artificial sweetener if you’d prefer. Always add it to taste.
• Spices: I use cinnamon because its a classic oatmeal add-in, but try mixing it up with nutmeg, cloves, or cardamom. Try zesting a lemon or orange for a bright pop of flavor.
• Nut Butters: Stir in a little peanut, cashew, or almond butter to increase the caloric intake and add a creamy bite.

How Long Will Overnight Oats Last?

As long as it stays refrigerated, I find this to stay good for at least 4 days. The rolled oats have a tendency to lose more texture the longer they sit in the milk. If this doesn’t bother you, then they can last longer than 4 days, but I have found we like them best 4 days or earlier.

Overnight Oat Flavors to Try

Not very creative? Not to worry, here are a few tasty flavor ideas to try:

• Carrot Cake: Stir in 1/2 cup finely grated carrot, 1/4 cup drained and crushed pineapple and 2 tablespoons walnuts or pecans to your mixture before sitting overnight.
• Peanut Butter Banana: Swirl in 1/4 cup all-natural peanut butter to the overnight oat mixture and sit overnight. Top with lots of fresh banana.
• Lemon Blueberry: Add 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest and 1 cup fresh blueberries to the overnight oat mixture before refrigerating.
• Coconut Cream: Make your overnight oats with coconut milk and stir in 1/2 cup desiccated coconut before refrigerating. Top with a dollop of Greek yogurt and extra toasted coconut.

Love this breakfast idea? Here are some others you will love:

• Steel Cut Oatmeal with Cobbler Topping
• Microwave Breakfast Quinoa
• Homemade Breakfast Sausages
• Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs
• Caramel Coconut Cream Oatmeal
• Morning Glory Muffins
• Carrot Cake Oatmeal

There you have it folks, just about everything you’ll need to know to make overnight oats! Printable recipe card is below, enjoy!