These Easy Overnight Oats recipes are perfect for busy mornings – try nine different flavours including carrot cake and banana bread!
Ingredients and substitutions
Rolled oats base
- Rolled oats – old-fashioned oats or thick rolled oats are best. Quick oats can be used but make sure not to soak them as long.
- Almond milk – use another dairy-free milk of your choice like coconut milk or soy milk.
- Greek yogurt – you can leave this out, it just makes the oats creamier and adds more protein.
- Chia seeds – add in some flax seeds or hemp seeds. You could also skip the seeds altogether.
Peanut butter
- Peanut butter – try another nut butter like sunflower or almond butter.
Chocolate
- Cocoa powder – Nutella would also be good but will have a different flavour.
- Chocolate shavings – chocolate chips work too.
Strawberry
- Strawberries – try another berry like raspberries, blackberries or blueberries.
Blueberry
- Mashed blueberries – swap out for another berry or fruit like mashed banana.
Pumpkin
- Pumpkin puree – you could try using pumpkin pie filling, but it will alter the flavour.
- Cinnamon – add more nutmeg instead.
- Nutmeg – use pumpkin spice if you have any on hand.
Apple cinnamon
- Green apple – or another apple variety of your choice.
- Cinnamon – nutmeg would also be good here.
Carrot cake
- Shredded carrot – buy the pre-shredded stuff or grate your own using whole carrots.
- Unsweetened shredded coconut – chopped macadamia nuts would also work.
- Cinnamon – nutmeg is the best substitute for cinnamon.
Coconut
- Unsweetened shredded coconut – you can try using sweetened coconut, but it might be overly sweet.
Banana bread
- Mashed bananas – swap out for another mashed fruit of your choice, although your oats won’t have the banana flavour.
- Vanilla – a bit of almond extract or maple syrup would also work here.
- Cinnamon – try using a little bit of nutmeg instead.
How to make overnight oats
- Mix together the base ingredients.
- Stir in the add-ins.
- Divide amongst mason jars.
- Let them sit in the fridge overnight.
- Serve and enjoy!
Which oats are best for overnight oats?
Old-fashioned regular or thick rolled oats are best for this overnight oats recipe. While steel cut oats are popular for cooked oatmeal, their texture makes them too firm for this recipe.
One-minute oats are a quick and convenient option to use when making this recipe. However, keep in mind that the consistency and soaking time will change. Quick oats only need to soak for about 30 minutes. They will also be thinner when completed, regardless of soaking time – although maybe you prefer your oats that way!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Overnight oats are a great way to start your day since they’re high in protein, which keeps you full for longer; and high in fibre, which makes them easier to digest. Since overnight oats are never heated, they soak up the moisture from the liquid they seep in, which means they retain the healthy fibre.
I'm technically not a weight loss resource and instead focus on healthy eating and clean eating in general. However, if you are trying to focus on your diet and nutrition, I will say that overnight oats are a great breakfast in SO many ways. They are high in fibre, and with the added protein sources such as Greek yogurt and hemp hearts (or other seeds), you will stay fuller for longer. When you add overnight oats to a healthy diet and lifestyle, they may assist in the weight loss process.
Overnight oats will need to sit in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but I recommend soaking them overnight for the best results. Plus, you’ll have breakfast ready to go in the fridge when you wake up with zero morning prep time!
By definition, overnight oats are intended to be eaten cold. They do not need to be heated to absorb the liquid into the oats because they soak for at least two hours. If you prefer hot oatmeal, pop the whole jar into the microwave before eating. Keep in mind that heating does decrease the amount of healthy starch in the oats, and I would not recommend heating if you have added Greek yogurt.
Storing and reheating
I like to make overnight oats ahead of time on Sundays for the busy work week ahead. The great part is that these jars will last in the fridge for up to 5 days so all you need to do is make the base (milk, oats and Greek yogurt if desired), then add your flavourings of choice. You could in theory make all five of the jars with different flavours, so long as you have the right ingredients on hand!
Overnight oats are intended to be eaten cold, so you don’t have to worry about reheating them. You can pop them in the microwave for a couple of minutes if you want, but that will reduce some of the health benefits, and if you’ve added Greek yogurt, the texture will be off.
Can you freeze overnight oats?
Any kind of cooked oatmeal, including these overnight oats, can be frozen for up to 6 months in an airtight container. Add a little bit of water before freezing for best results.
Freezing the oats in a muffin tin and then transferring individual serving sizes to a freezer-friendly Ziploc bag will provide your family with portions appropriate for breakfast that will just need to be reheated. Reheat the oats in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes depending on serving size for a healthy and quick breakfast. You can also just let them defrost in the fridge overnight then eat them cold the next day.
Wanna Learn How To Meal Prep?
My meal planning service, Dinner Prep Pro, removes the guesswork and helps you get dinner on the table in 15-20 minutes each night. My meal prep checklists only take 1 hour each week!
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- These are the mason jars I used in this recipe.
- You can get larger 32oz mason jars too.
- Freeze this recipe in glass microwave-safe bowls up to 3 months.
Easy Overnight Oats 9 Ways {Recipes + Tips}
Ingredients
Overnight oats base (makes 4 jars)
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 3 cups almond or coconut milk
- 1 cup Greek yogurt (optional)
- 1/4 cup chia, flax or hemp seeds (optional)
Peanut butter
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
Chocolate
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp chocolate shavings
Strawberry
- 2 cups finely chopped strawberries
Blueberry
- 2 cups mashed blueberries
Pumpkin
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
Apple cinnamon
- 2 cups finely chopped green apple
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
Carrot cake
- 2 cup shredded carrot
- 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 2 tsp cinnamon
Coconut
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- NOTE: use coconut milk instead of almond milk for your base
Banana bread
- 2 bananas, mashed
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Mix together base ingredients of choice in a large bowl. Note that Greek yogurt and seeds are optional – you really only need to mix together milk of choice and oats, then add your flavored add-ins.
- Once you have mixed up your base, add your add-ins. Most flavors only require 1-3 ingredients. For instance, if wanting to make the carrot cake overnight oats, mix the carrots, coconut and cinnamon into your overnight oats base.
- Divide mixture among 4 mason jars then let sit in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Jars will last in the fridge up to 5 days so they are perfect for meal prep!
Comments & Reviews
Alejandra Hernandez says
Hi
For how many day can the oatmeal stay in the fridge
Taylor Stinson says
Up to 6 days 🙂
Kelly says
I’ve been making this lately using “pea milk” because it has so much more protein than other dairy substitutes. It’s really good and creamy! The regular vanilla flavor adds just the right amount of sweetness.
Ashiqa says
Can we use low fat milk and oats and almond that crushed??can we skip fruits??
Taylor Stinson says
Hi Ashiqa – you can definitely use low fat milk and add in some crushed almonds. Feel free to make it your own!
John says
Hi Taylor
Do you the toppings when you prep the oats or do you do it the next morning before you eat them. Or do you do add a little the night before and add more right before. Example of what. Trying to say… strawberry, do you add some when you prep and then some more right before eating?
Thanks.
John
Taylor Stinson says
Hey John! I prep the toppings and add them to the jars right away – the texture and taste doesn’t change too much when they’re in the oats themselves.
Dee says
Does the fruit (apples, strawberries or bananas) turn soft or brown like chopped fruit tends to do, especially if made and left in the fridge for several days?
Also, do you cover the jars?
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Dee – because the fruit is in the oats itself, I don’t find that it turns brown. That said, the jars should only be kept up to 5 days. You can use the mason jar lids to keep them covered.
Lorraine Horton says
Can you heat these in the microwave? What would be the power and time?
Taylor Stinson says
I would not recommend heating them because of the yogurt – if you leave it out you could try reheating for 1-2 minutes on high 🙂