This simple, satisfying overnight oats recipe is the perfect solution if you often find yourself short on time in the mornings. It takes mere minutes to throw together, and your refrigerator does the hard work for you!
While I often turn to my tried and true Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats recipe, overnight oats work for me when I just want to meal-prep and not have to think about planning breakfast for a few days. It’s also a smart option for warmer weather, when you may not necessarily want a hot breakfast.
One of the things that first drew me to overnight oats was the texture — something magical happens when you mix oats and milk, and pop it into the fridge overnight. You end up with a thick, creamy, luxurious mixture that you can flavor any way you like! (And I have plenty of ideas for you below.) My basic overnight oats recipe can also be flavored with any of your favorite toppings or mix-ins.
So if you’ve spent too many mornings rushing out of the house with a rumbling tummy while chugging a cup of coffee, consider trying these grab-and-go overnight oats. If you would like more easy breakfast recipes, then try out my morning glory muffins recipe, homemade granola recipe, or my avocado toast recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Base Oats Recipe
Old-fashioned rolled oats — old-fashioned oats are the best option for making overnight oats. They absorb liquid really well, so you end up with a thick mixture when it’s time to chow down. Steel-cut oats, quick oats, or instant oats don’t absorb liquid quite as well, so steer clear of those for this recipe.
Milk — any milk will do. I chose to use oat milk, but dairy milk or non-dairy milk (almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk, cashew milk, etc.) will work as well.
Plain yogurt — While this is optional, I think it amps up the creaminess of the oats, as well as adding a subtle tang. But you can skip it and use more milk instead. You can also use an equal amount of Greek yogurt.
Maple syrup — a tablespoon of maple syrup adds a bit of sweetness. You can also use honey, agave nectar, or other sweeteners of choice. You could also ditch the sweeteners altogether and rely on your mix-ins for a little sweetness instead (more on that below).
Chia seeds — another optional ingredient, chia seeds are a nutritional powerhouse that I like adding to my breakfast oats for an extra boost. They’re a good source of protein, fiber, and fatty acids. Chia seeds also absorb liquid really easily, so they’re a good way to make sure you end up with thick, almost chia pudding-esque overnight oats, with no excess liquid.
Salt — a small pinch of salt brings out all the other flavors in this overnight oats recipe.
You can stick with the ingredients above for delicious oats, but if you’re looking for more flavor and different textures, keep reading for a few simple add-ins that will take your breakfast to the next level.
Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
Chocolate chips — I like semi-sweet chocolate chips as they aren’t too sweet. Feel free to use whatever kind of chocolate chips you like, whether they lie on the sweeter or more bitter ends of the spectrum.
Peanut butter — who doesn’t love chocolate and peanut butter? But beyond the addictive flavor combo, peanut butter is a great source of protein, so you can start the day off on the right foot. Other nut butters are delicious here too, like almond butter and cashew butter.
Berry Overnight Oats
Berries — simply mash up some of your favorite berries and toss them in! I went with blueberries, but strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries would taste great!
Vanilla extract — vanilla lends this recipe a bit of a dessert-like flavor that complements the berries.
PB & Jelly Overnight Oats
Fruit jam — use your favorite fruit jam, be it strawberry, blueberry, plum, peach…really, whatever you like!
Peanut butter — you can use either creamy or chunky peanut butter.
Strawberries — diced strawberries are optional, but they add a pop of bright color, a little tartess, and textural interest to the recipe.
Banana Nut Overnight Oats
Banana — you’ll need ½ a banana, mashed up with a fork.
Nuts — chop up some nuts of your choice. Whatever you have on hand will be perfect for a little crunch.
Shredded coconut — if you’re a fan of some subtle coconut flavor, you’ll love this! Shredded coconut also absorbs liquid well, so it will help to thicken up your overnight oats.
Nut butter — try peanut butter or almond butter.
Ground cinnamon — a small amount of ground cinnamon rounds out all the flavors in this breakfast recipe.
How to Make Overnight Oats
1. To make the base recipe for overnight oats, grab a Mason jar or other container with a tight-fitting lid and add old-fashioned rolled oats. Pour in your milk of choice as well as yogurt (if using).
2. Add maple syrup, salt, and chia seeds, and stir well to combine. Once the base is complete, you can close the jar and refrigerate overnight. If you want to get a bit creative with flavor, follow the steps below.
3. For chocolate chip peanut butter oats: Scoop in peanut butter and chocolate chips and mix to incorporate.
4. For berry overnight oats: Mash up either blueberries or strawberries (I used blueberries) and spoon them into the glass jar. Stir well.
5. To give your breakfast a PB&J sandwich sort of twist, Add your chosen fruit jam and peanut butter to the container. If you like fresh fruit in your oats, dice up some strawberries and toss those in, too.
6. If you like banana nut muffins, you’ll love these add-ins! Mash up a banana well with a fork. Chop up a couple of tablespoons of nuts and add them to the oats, along with an equal amount of shredded coconut. Add peanut or almond butter, and ground cinnamon. Add the mashed banana and mix everything together.
Once your extras have been added, close the Mason jar and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, you may need to add a little milk to thin it out, but otherwise, it is ready to enjoy
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- For best results, use old-fashioned oats. Steel-cut, instant, and quick-cooking oats don’t absorb liquid as well as rolled oats.
- To up the protein ante, add a scoop of protein powder to the jar along with the oats. You may need to add a little more liquid to compensate for the extra dry ingredient, but it’s a great way to add a protein boost to your breakfast.
- Go nuts with toppings! No, really. Chopped nuts are a delightful topping for this recipe because they add crunch and texture. Another crunchy option is granola. Or you can add sliced fresh fruit, chocolate chips, and drizzles of nut butter.
- Refrigerate the oats overnight. The oats need a lot of time to absorb all the liquid and become thick and creamy.
- If your oats have thickened up more than you expected, add a little milk to thin it out. Start with a tablespoon at a time until you have the desired consistency. Be careful of adding too much milk or you will end up with runny oats.
Frequently Asked Questions
Overnight oats are a great make-ahead option as they will keep well in the refrigerator for five days.
This recipe yields a single serving, but if you have leftovers, simply close the jar and pop it back into the refrigerator.
Yes! You can make the base recipe and freeze it after refrigerating overnight. Fruits, spices, and other mix-ins can change their texture and flavor after being frozen, and freezing the plain oats avoids that issue. Just add your flavorings once you’ve thawed the oats.
You can freeze single servings in freezer-safe jars or containers. Or, spoon the oats into silicone muffin cups, freeze, and pop them out and store in freezer bags.
They will keep for up to 3 months. Thaw the oats in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours before eating.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Overnight Oats
Equipment
- Pint-sized jar or container
Ingredients
Base Oats:
- ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats (56g)
- ½ cup milk of choice (120ml)
- ¼ cup plain yogurt (optional, or more milk) (60g)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds optional
- Pinch of salt
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
- 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
- For best results, use old-fashioned oats. Steel-cut, instant, and quick-cooking oats don’t absorb liquid as well as rolled oats.
- To up the protein ante, add a scoop of protein powder to the jar along with the oats. You may need to add a little more liquid to compensate for the extra dry ingredient, but it’s a great way to add a protein boost to your breakfast.
- Go nuts with toppings! No, really. Chopped nuts are a delightful topping for overnight oats because they add crunch and texture. Another crunchy option is granola. Or you can add sliced fresh fruit, chocolate chips, and drizzles of nut butter.
- Refrigerate the oats overnight. The oats need a lot of time to absorb all the liquid and become thick and creamy.
- If your oats have thickened up more than you expected, add a little milk to thin it out. Start with a tablespoon at a time until you have the desired consistency. Be careful of adding too much milk or you will end up with runny oats.
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