Overnight Oats

This recipe for overnight oats makes an easy, healthy breakfast option that you can make ahead for busy mornings and customize with one of over 10 flavor options!

Overnight Oats are a staple breakfast recipe for busy mornings. They take minutes to prep and can be customized to fit any dietary restrictions!

What are Overnight Oats?

Overnight Oats are a make-ahead breakfast that is made with regular or old-fashioned oats that have been soaked in a liquid of some sort overnight. After 8-10 hours, the oatmeal is perfectly softened and ready to eat either plain or with additional add-ins.

Not only is this one of the easiest ways to make oatmeal, but there is also some proof that soaking oats actually makes them better for you. By soaking the oats, you break down the phytic acid, found in all grains. Phytic acid binds to nutrients making them harder to absorb. Soaking the oats overnight breaks that acid down and helps to increase the absorption of nutrients, like zinc and iron, absorbed better by your body.

Add goodies like flaxseed and chia seed, overnight oatmeal becomes a powerhouse of nutrients that will keep you going strong all morning long!

The Perfect Make-Ahead Breakfast

Not only are overnight oats one of the healthiest breakfasts, but they make an amazing make-ahead breakfast that is perfect for busy mornings.

• Easy to prep. It takes me less than five minutes to make a batch for several days.
• Full of nutrients and protein to fuel the day. This recipe is full of fiber, protein, healthy fats, and calcium.
• Made in individual servings. Hello, portion control!
• Perfectly portable. Perfect when you need to grab and devour on busy on-the-go mornings.
• Customizable. You can easily adapt the base recipe for Overnight Oatmeal to be gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan friendly. Plus the flavor options are endless.

Notes on Ingredients

• Oats: Old Fashioned oats are best for this recipe. Quick-Cooking Oats doesn't get as creamy or absorb as much of the liquid and steel-cut oats don't fully soften.
• Milk: -I recommend using dairy or non-dairy milk, like almond milk or soy milk for best results, but technically juice or water works for the liquid in this recipe as well.
• Sweetener: It is completely optional to sweeten the base of your overnight oats. I find that the flavor additions typically do more than enough to sweeten the oatmeal for me, but a bit of maple syrup and vanilla extract goes a long way to adding flavor and sweetness to overnight oats.
• Optional: I love adding ground flaxseed and chia seeds for texture, fiber, and healthy fats. You can also add in 1 tablespoon of your favorite protein powder if desired.

How to Make Overnight Oats

• Place the milk, salt, vanilla, maple syrup, chia seeds, and flaxseed in a pint-size jar and mix well to incorporate.
• Add in the oats and then place the lid on the jar and shake well.

• Place the lids on the jars and place them in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours and up to 5 days.
• Before serving, remove the lid and stir in your favorite add-ins like fruit, yogurt, or nuts.

Flavor Ideas

For best results, add in the flavors/mix-ins right before serving. That way you can easily customize your oatmeal based on what you are craving and this also ensures that if you are using fruit, it does not break down too much in your oats. 

• Chocolate Cherry: Add ¼ cup fresh, canned, or frozen cherries, and ½ tablespoon of chocolate chips to the prepared oats.
• Almond Joy: Instead of regular milk, use coconut milk to make the base of the overnight oats. Before serving, add ½ tablespoon chocolate chips, 1 tablespoon toasted coconut, and ½ tablespoon sliced almonds.
• Banana Pie: Mash ½ very ripe banana into the milk mixture before adding oats. Top with additional banana and crushed graham crackers if desired.
• Peanut Butter Banana Pie: Top overnight oat with sliced banana and a drizzle of peanut butter before serving.
• Apple Cinnamon: Before serving, stir in ½ tsp cinnamon and a couple of tablespoons of freshly diced apples or  ¼ cup apple sauce. Top with chopped walnuts if desired.
• Peanut Butter Cup: Top the overnight oat with 1 tablespoon each of chocolate chips and peanut butter.
• Peaches and Cream: Before enjoying the oatmeal, stir in 2-3 tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt and peach 2-3 tablespoons of diced peaches.
• Blueberries and Cream: To serve, stir in 2-3 tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt and peach 2-3 tablespoons of fresh blueberries
• Strawberries and Cream: Before serving, stir in 2-3 tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt and peach 2-3 tablespoons of diced peaches.
• Cinnamon Roll: Stir in ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon of ground nutmeg, and the tiniest pinch of ground cloves. Top with a dollop of vanilla yogurt if desired to mimic a cinnamon roll's frosting.
• Cinnamon Raisin: Stir in ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, 2 tablespoons of raisins, and 1 tablespoon of chopped nuts if desired.
• Pumpkin Pie: Stir in 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon fresh nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger, and 1-2 Tbs chopped walnuts.
• Maple Brown Sugar: Stir in 1 teaspoon brown sugar right before serving.

Tips to Remember

• Mason jars are a great vessel to use to prepare overnight oatmeal. I recommend using 8-ounce glass jars for individual servings.
• Be sure to use certified gluten-free oats if you need your oatmeal to be gluten-free.
• If you prefer your oatmeal warm, use a microwave-safe jar to prepare your overnight oats. When ready to eat, remove the lid and microwave for 1-2 minutes before serving.
• For Vegan-Friendly or Dairy-Free Overnight Oats, use non-dairy milk.
• The base recipe for overnight oats can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 

More Oatmeal Recipes

• Banana Baked Oatmeal
• Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
• Instant Pot Oatmeal
• Slow Cooker Oatmeal

If you tried this recipe for overnight oats, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below. I would also love to hear what your favorite flavor is! Mine happens to be Peanut Butter Banana--yum!

This recipe was originally posted in 2018 but was updated in 2021 with new photos and a video.