Overnight oats are a game-changer for busy mornings. If you’re a fan of an easy avocado toast for breakfast, but looking to mix up your routine, try this! All you need to do is stir together a few basic ingredients to make an oatmeal base, then jazz it up with your favorite flavor combinations, and let your refrigerator work its magic overnight. They’ll transform from loose oats and milk into a creamy, pudding-like delight!
Make-ahead breakfasts like these oats or my Instant Pot steel cut oats recipe are an absolute lifesaver if you’re anything like me and have gone way too many mornings rushing out the door with a rumbling tummy. Plus, my sons absolutely love these oats, so I keep this kid-approved recipe in the breakfast rotation along with their favorite morning glory muffins. I let them choose their flavors before I pack each serving up into a mason jar. Whether that’s chocolate and peanut butter, fresh berries, or a PB&J twist, there’s an overnight oats recipe for everyone!
Table of Contents
5 Basic Ingredients Needed
These are the simple ingredients you need to make the base oats recipe. You can find the measurements along with flavoring ideas in the recipe card below.
Old-fashioned oats — old-fashioned rolled oats are the best option for overnight oats because they absorb liquid really well and become thick and creamy with time. Steel-cut oats don’t absorb liquid quite as well without added heat and will stay hard, and instant oats (also known as quick oats) will become very mushy, so avoid both for this recipe.
Milk — use any milk you like. Both dairy and non-dairy milk (oat milk, coconut milk, almond milk, flax milk, etc.) work well. You can even use water, but the oats won’t have quite the same creamy texture.
Greek yogurt — while optional, Greek yogurt takes the creaminess of the oats to the next level. It also adds protein!
Maple syrup — I love a tablespoon of maple syrup for a bit of sweetness. You can also use honey, agave nectar, or other sweeteners of choice. Or, feel free to ditch the sweeteners altogether and rely on mix-ins for a little sweetness instead (read on for ideas).
Chia seeds — these tiny seeds are optional but highly recommended if you want a pudding-like texture. Chia seeds are master liquid-absorbers, so your oats will be perfectly thick.
Follow This Ratio For Perfect Overnight Oats
You need equal parts or a 1:1 ratio of oats and milk. These two basic ingredients are actually all you need to make overnight oats— the rest are flavor and texture enhancers! Once you have the oat to milk ratio, you can easily scale and adapt the base recipe to your preferences (perfect for meal prep!).
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
Make high-protein overnight oats by adding protein powder. Add a scoop of protein powder to the jar along with the oats in Step 1. You may need to add a splash of milk to compensate for the additional dry ingredient.
Refrigerate the oatmeal long enough to thicken up and soften the oats. The oats need at least 8 hours to absorb all the milk and soften. Make them in the evening before bed or while you’re waiting for dinner to finish so they’re ready for breakfast the next morning.
For weekly meal prep, make a large batch and divide it among jars for individual servings. This recipe is one of my favorite breakfast recipes because I can make a big batch to enjoy throughout the week. Decide on how many servings you want, scale up the base recipe using the ratio I mentioned above, and mix the ingredients in a large bowl. Add any desired mix-ins or flavorings to the big batch, or layer them in the jars with the base oats.
How To Make Overnight Oats
1. Add the basic overnight oats ingredients to a large glass jar or container with a lid.
2. Stir well to combine.
3. If you want to make flavored oats, add any of the suggested flavor combos mentioned below, or add whatever mix-ins you like. I went with chocolate chip peanut butter overnight oats this time! Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 5 days.
4. Before digging in, stir the oats and add a splash of milk of choice if you want to thin them out. Feel free to add any additional toppings at this point as well. Enjoy!
Overnight Oats Recipe
Equipment
- Pint-sized jar or container
Ingredients
Base Oats:
- ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats (56g)
- ½ cup milk of choice (120ml)
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt (optional) (60g)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds (optional)
- Pinch of salt (optional)
Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter:
- 2 tablespoons chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
Berry:
- ¼ cup blueberries or sliced strawberries mashed
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
PB & Jelly:
- 1 tablespoon fruit jam
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- ¼ cup diced strawberries (optional)
Banana Nut:
- ½ banana mashed
- 2 tablespoons chopped nuts
- 2 tablespoons shredded coconut or toasted coconut
- 1 tablespoon almond butter or peanut butter
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
For the Base Oats:
- In a large glass jar or container with a lid, combine the oats, milk, yogurt, maple syrup, chia seeds, and salt. Stir to combine.
- To make flavored oats, add any of the suggested flavor combination ingredients or add your own mix-ins as desired and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 5 days.
- When ready to eat, stir the oats again and thin with more milk, if needed. Add any additional toppings or flavorings as desired.
Notes
- If your oats have thickened up more than you prefer, stir in some extra milk to thin the consistency. This can happen if you used thicker or drier mix-ins, or if your oats have been chilling for a few days.
- The nutrition information is for the base oats only, without mix-ins.
Nutrition
How To Flavor And Top Overnight Oats
Overnight oats are highly adaptable to all kinds of flavorings and mix-ins. I have made these a number of times by stirring in fresh fruit or fruit jam, using flavored yogurt, and adding natural flavorings like extracts, spices, or cocoa powder. These are some of my favorite combinations to flavor the base oats:
- Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter: This iconic pairing makes overnight oats taste like dessert! Stir in both to the base oats before chilling overnight. I tend to use semisweet chocolate chips so the oats aren’t too sweet, but you can go ahead and use whatever kind you like. You can also swap out the peanut butter for other nut butters like almond butter or cashew butter. For a nut-free option, try sun butter!
- Fresh Berry: Bright and fruity, berry overnight oats are simply sublime! Just mash up some of your favorite berries, like blueberries or strawberries, and add them to the base oats recipe. A tiny splash of good vanilla extract rounds everything out beautifully.
- Peanut Butter and Jelly: For a twist on a classic childhood sandwich, add your favorite fruit jam, like strawberry jam, blueberry jam, raspberry jam, etc., and chunky or creamy peanut butter. I like to throw in small diced strawberries or other fresh fruit for color and textural interest as well.
- Banana Nut: Mashed banana, chopped nuts, shredded or toasted coconut, almond or peanut butter, and a dash of ground cinnamon make comforting, lightly spiced oats that taste as amazing as they smell! Stir all of these in before chilling, and add more nuts and coconut on top when you’re ready to eat!
You can also simply make the base recipe and top it with various fresh fruits, jams, spreads, or nuts when serving. I like to add a crunchy or chewy topping on the overnight oats for some textural contrast — toasted walnuts, granola, sunflower seeds, or dried cranberries are all excellent on the oats.
Can I Warm The Overnight Oats?
Yes, if you prefer a hot oatmeal, just microwave the oats for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until warm enough for you. The oats might thicken up more, so you may need an additional splash of milk. You can also reheat them in a small saucepan on the stove on medium heat for a few minutes. Keep in mind that certain mix-ins, like chocolate chips, will melt when heated. Either leave them out or sprinkle them on top of the hot oats.
Frequently Asked Questions
Each serving lasts for 5 days in the refrigerator, making them an excellent make-ahead breakfast option!
Yes, which makes meal prep even easier! Because different fruits, spices, and other mix-ins can change texture or flavor during freezing, I recommend freezing the base oats plain and adding in your favorite toppings or flavorings once thawed and ready to enjoy.
Just choose freezer-safe jars or containers. Or, freeze in silicone muffin cups, pop them out when solid, and store them in freezer bags. Frozen oats will keep for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge for 12–24 hours before eating.
If you’ve tried this overnight oats recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
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