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Overnight Oats are an easy, make-ahead breakfast recipe made with uncooked rolled oats soaked in milk in the refrigerator until they absorb the liquid and soften into a creamy, slightly chewy oatmeal. This recipe walks you through that simple base, how to adjust the consistency, and 10+ flavor combinations so you don't have to eat the exact same breakfast all week.
Overnight Oats at a Glance
- Yield: 1 serving per jar; scale as needed
- Prep: 5 minutes
- Soak: At least 8 hours for the best texture.
- Meal-Prep Friendly: Store for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
- Tested Overnight Oat Formula + Flavor Variations. Start with a 1:1 oats-to-liquid ratio, then add your favorite flavorings as desired.
Kristen's Key Tips for Overnight Oats
I have made overnight oats more than any other breakfast recipe. I love it because it is a filling, fiber-packed breakfast that my family never tires of. And because I can prep several jars in about five minutes, it is an easy go-to for busy mornings!
Through the years, here is what I found is key for the best texture in overnight oats:
- Use old-fashioned rolled oats for the best texture. Quick oats work, but after sitting overnight, they become noticeably softer. If you prefer your overnight oats creamy with a bit of chew, stick with old-fashioned rolled oats.
- Stir or shake really well before refrigerating. Chia seeds tend to settle or clump if they aren't evenly distributed. Adding the chia to the liquid first helps, but I have found that shaking the jar well before refrigerating is the best way to distribute them evenly. It's even better if you can shake again an hour or so later.
- Add crunchy toppings and fruit that can brown in the morning. That way your nuts stay crunchy and sliced bananas don't turn to brown mush.
- Adjust consistency after soaking, not before. If the oats seem thick in the morning, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk of choice and stir before serving. If your oats are too thin, you likely need to soak longer.
- For the best texture, soak for at least 8 hours. Old-fashioned oats begin to soften within a couple of hours, but an overnight soak gives them time to fully absorb the liquid and become creamy.
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
Ingredients for Overnight Oats
- Rolled Oats: Use old-fashioned rolled oats for a soft base with a bit of texture left, or quick oats for a really soft base. If needed, ensure your oats are certified gluten-free.
- Liquid: Use milk or non-dairy milk for a creamy base. Any fat percentage or variety works.
- Chia Seeds: Absorb some of the milk as the oats sit, creating a thicker, creamier consistency while adding fiber.
- Ground Flaxseed: Use ground rather than whole flaxseed so it blends into the oats and is easier to digest.
- Salt: A pinch of kosher salt helps flavor without making the oats salty.
- Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract goes a long way to add flavor.
The Best Overnight Oats Ratio
For overnight oats with chia seeds, this is the ratio I have found gives me the best texture:
½ cup old-fashioned oats + ½ cup milk + ½ teaspoon vanilla extract + ½ tablespoon chia seeds + 1 teaspoon ground flaxseed + 1 pinch salt
- A 1:1 oats-to-milk ratio creates creamy oats without excess liquid.
- Chia and flax absorb additional moisture as the oats sit. If you want to increase either, add more milk to accommodate.
- If you omit the chia and/or flax, the texture will be slightly looser.
- If you want to sweeten the base, add ½ to 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, honey, sugar, or brown sugar to the milk mixture before adding oats.
How to Make Overnight Oats
- Combine. Add milk, chia, flax, vanilla, and salt to a jar and shake or mix well. Add oats and mix or shake again.
- Refrigerate. Cover and chill for at least 8 hours, giving the oats and chia time to absorb the liquid. If convenient, stir or shake once during chilling to redistribute the chia.
- Adjust and serve. When ready to enjoy, open and give the mixture a good stir. If the oats are thicker than you like, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time. Add fruit, nut butter, yogurt, nuts, or granola just before serving.
Like Your Oats Warm?
If your jar is heat-safe, remove the lid, microwave for 60-90 seconds, stir, add toppings, and serve. Alternatively, transfer the oats to a heat-safe bowl and microwave as directed above.
Overnight Oats Flavor Variations
Start with my Overnight Oats Base recipe and experiment with the following additions, or get creative and add your own!
Fruit-Forward
- Apple Cinnamon: Add ½ teaspoon of cinnamon to the base formula. Before serving, stir in diced apples and chopped walnuts.
- Fruit and Cream: Add 2-3 tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt along with 2-3 tablespoons of diced peaches, blueberries, or strawberries before or after soaking the oats.
- Peanut Butter Banana: Add sliced banana and a drizzle of peanut butter to the oats right before serving.
Dessert-Inspired
- Chocolate Cherry: After preparing the base, stir in ¼ cup fresh, canned, or frozen chopped cherries and ½ tablespoon chocolate chips, then refrigerate as directed.
- Banana Cream Pie: Mash ½ of a very ripe banana and combine with the oats and liquid before refrigerating. Before serving, top with crushed graham crackers and a dollop of yogurt or homemade whipped cream.
- Almond Joy: Prepare the base using coconut milk and sprinkle each serving with about ½ tablespoon of chocolate chips, 1 tablespoon of toasted coconut, and ½ tablespoon of sliced almonds right before serving.
- Peanut Butter Cup: Stir in ½ tablespoon each of peanut butter and chocolate chips right before serving.
Warm and Cozy
- Cinnamon Roll: Add ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon of ground nutmeg, and the tiniest pinch of ground cloves to the base recipe. Dollop with vanilla yogurt right before serving to mimic cinnamon roll frosting.
- Cinnamon Raisin: Add ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of raisins to the base recipe before shaking and refrigerating.
- Pumpkin Pie: Add 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree and ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice to the base. Top with 1-2 tablespoons of chopped walnuts before serving.
- Maple Brown Sugar: Add ½ tablespoon maple syrup and 1 teaspoon brown sugar to the base, then refrigerate as directed.
Troubleshooting Texture
If you are having trouble achieving creamy, not mushy, overnight oats, or want to add or omit ingredients, these tips should help.
- If your overnight oats are too thick after refrigeration, add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin before serving.
- If your oats are too thin, you likely need to soak longer. If you already soaked for the suggested 8 hours, add a bit more oats and let soak for another 2-3 hours.
- If your overnight oats are mushy, use old-fashioned oats rather than quick oats.
- If your overnight oats are too chewy, soak longer or heat for a minute or so in the microwave to soften.
- When increasing the chia or flax, add additional milk as needed because both absorb liquid as the oats sit. I typically find I need 2-3 tablespoons of milk for each additional ½ tablespoon of chia seeds and 1 tablespoon of milk for every teaspoon of flax.
- No chia or flax? Simply omit them. The oats will be slightly looser but will still soften overnight.
- If you want to add protein powder, add more milk. In my experience, I need about ¼ cup of additional milk per 2 tablespoons of protein powder, but that can vary by brand.
More Make-Ahead Breakfast Recipes
- Slow Cooker Oatmeal
- Homemade Egg McMuffins
- Overnight Breakfast Strata
- Egg Muffin Cups
- Baked Oatmeal Cups
- Breakfast Burritos
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Overnight Oats
Start with this Overnight Oats Base recipe for thick, creamy oats, then add toppings as desired.
Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup milk, or non-dairy milk (any variety)
- 1 pinch kosher salt, optional
- 1 teaspoon ground flaxseed
- ½ tablespoon chia seeds
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup rolled old-fashioned oats
Instructions
- Place ½ cup milk, 1 pinch kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground flaxseed, ½ tablespoon chia seeds, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract into a small jar. Close and shake well or mix. Add ½ cup rolled old-fashioned oats and shake or mix again until combined.
- Cover and refrigerate the oats for at least 8 hours, or up to 5 days.
- After soaking, if the oats are thicker than you like, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time. Then, add fruit, nut butter, yogurt, nuts, or granola just before serving.
Equipment
Notes
Oats: Old-fashioned rolled oats are best, but quick-cook oats will work; they will just be softer. Do not use steel-cut oats. Be sure oats are certified gluten-free if needed.
To Sweeten: Add ½ to 1 tablespoon of honey, maple syrup, sugar, or brown sugar per serving as desired. Increase chia or flax: Add extra milk as needed. I typically use 2-3 tablespoons per ½ tablespoon of chia and 1 tablespoon per teaspoon of flax. No chia or flax: Simply omit. The oats will be slightly looser. Protein powder: Add extra milk as needed. I typically use about ¼ cup per 2 tablespoons of protein powder, depending on the brand. Serving Warm: If your jar is heat-safe, remove the lid, microwave for 60-90 seconds, stir, add toppings, and serve. Alternatively, transfer the oats to a heat-safe bowl and microwave as directed above. Flavor Variations:
To Sweeten: Add ½ to 1 tablespoon of honey, maple syrup, sugar, or brown sugar per serving as desired. Increase chia or flax: Add extra milk as needed. I typically use 2-3 tablespoons per ½ tablespoon of chia and 1 tablespoon per teaspoon of flax. No chia or flax: Simply omit. The oats will be slightly looser. Protein powder: Add extra milk as needed. I typically use about ¼ cup per 2 tablespoons of protein powder, depending on the brand. Serving Warm: If your jar is heat-safe, remove the lid, microwave for 60-90 seconds, stir, add toppings, and serve. Alternatively, transfer the oats to a heat-safe bowl and microwave as directed above. Flavor Variations:
- Apple Cinnamon: Add ½ teaspoon cinnamon; top with diced apples and walnuts.
- Peanut Butter Banana: Top with sliced banana and peanut butter before serving.
- Chocolate Cherry: Add ¼ cup chopped cherries and ½ tablespoon chocolate chips.
- Pumpkin Pie: Add 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree and ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice.
Nutrition
Calories: 246kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 11gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 94mgPotassium: 402mgFiber: 7gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 257IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 229mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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So good! I'm a huge fan of the Strawberries & Cream variation. Easy and delicious breakfast. Wonderfully hearty, too!
My kids love overnight oats! I let them customize them with their choice of fruit every morning. They love that they can "make" their own breakfast every morning.
And I am sure you love that they can help out too Jacque 😉 So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Can this be done in tupperware or does glass work better for some reason? I'm going to try this but will be warming it up in the microwave.
Hi Lisa. I personally don't like to heat things in plastic, so I personally would opt for glass. If you don't have an issue with that, you can use Tupperware 🙂
Why are the toppings added before the oats and than shaken? Wouldn't the flavors be mixed in rather than on top?
Hi Molly! It really makes no difference! Just a personal preference. I prefer the ingredients all combined so each bite is flavorful. HOWEVER, I find that adding things like cinnamon, nutmeg, maple syrup, etc just mix better if added before the oats. If added on top of the oats, they just don't mix in quite as well.
"soaked in liquid of some sort overnight."
😄
When I saw the jars, I thought of my Instant Pot yogurt.
I put 10 oz of plain yogurt in 16 oz jars, leaving room for family members to add some honey, granola, Cheerios, jam, maple syrup...
I tried overnight oatmeal once, but that requires foresight and planning.
I'm having some "overnight" this morning, because my son didn't have time to eat his yesterday morning.
I love that you used this idea to inspire overnight yogurt!! So fun!
Overnight oats are my favorite way to start the day! I can't wait to try this recipe!
Hope you enjoy!
Oh my! There are so many ideas here and these would be great for busy mornings.
That was my goal--make mornings easy but not boring!!
As a busy mum of several young children, it is hard to not only find 'meal-prep time', but actual time for yourself. More often than not, mums are so strung out with tasks for the little ones (especially during morning hours), that a quick cup of cold coffee serves as breakfast 😛
Thank you for these posts!
I love love love the simplicity and endless modifications of overnight oats. I love that you've included a large amount of ideas to suit different tastes - some i have never considered! and that I have learned such a healthy, delicious, quick to prep-and-serve breakfast is limitless! It's so easy to manipulate, suiting most dietary needs, so no one gets left out (or stuck making a million bowls of this and that!), everyone is happy with their flavour choices, and both pittle and big busy people can appreciate being belly-full!
Oh Amanda, thank you for your kind words. My hope was to provide a recipe that any busy person could use for a healthy breakfast and not get sick of eating. I am so glad you found this helpful!
I love following your website 🙂 i had to say something to let you know it's appreciated eventually!
It's easy to navigate, wonderful to read, and full of helpful information that may not be normally considered, but can go a long way and used in many types of ways.
As a busy mum who loves to keep family on track with happiness and health, thank you! 🙂