Overnight Oats

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This Overnight Oats Recipe is the ultimate solution to busy mornings. The ratios are right, the texture stays soft instead of gluey, and the flavor is balanced enough to work with just about any topping you throw on top. It’s simple, reliable, and built to taste good straight from the fridge.

Ingredient Notes + Variations

This recipe keeps things classic and flexible, which is exactly why it works so well. Each ingredient plays a role in texture and flavor, so the oats soak evenly and don’t end up bland by morning.

• Rolled oats– Old fashioned rolled oats are the move here. They soften overnight but still hold their shape so you get a creamy bite with a little structure.
• Milk– Cow’s milk makes it rich, almond milk keeps it light, soy milk adds protein, and coconut milk brings extra creaminess. Use what you like, just stick with unsweetened.
• Real maple syrup– Adds gentle sweetness without overpowering the oats. Honey works too, but maple syrup keeps the flavor clean.
• Ground cinnamon– A little warmth goes a long way. This keeps the oats from tasting flat.
• Salt– Just a pinch, but it sharpens everything and makes the sweetness pop.

How to Make Overnight Oats

You will be amazed at how easy this recipe is to make. You just need a bowl to mix and 5 minutes (or less!) of work time. For full recipe details, including ingredients and measurements, see the printable recipe card below.

1. Measure Rolled Oats

Measure rolled oats into a large bowl.

2. Stir in Remaining Ingredients

Stir in milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt (optional). Make sure oats are well submerged in the milk.

3. Refrigerate

Cover and refrigerate 6+ hours to overnight.

4. Add Toppings + Serve

Remove from the refrigerator, portion out, add optional toppings.

Pro Tip: The beauty of overnight oats is it works warm or cold. To serve it cold, simply spoon some into a bowl or jar, top with fruit, nuts or seeds, and serve. To serve warm, simply spoon some into a bowl and microwave 30 seconds to 1 minute or until hot. Top with any desired toppings and serve.

Tips for Success

• Stir really well before chilling so the cinnamon doesn’t clump.
• If the oats feel thick in the morning, add a splash of milk and stir.
• For extra creaminess, let them sit closer to 8 hours instead of rushing it.

Overnight Oats Flavor Combinations

Not feeling very creative? Not to worry, here are several tasty flavor combinations to try:

• Carrot Cake: Stir in 1/2 cup finely grated carrot, 1/4 cup drained and crushed pineapple and 2 tablespoons walnuts or pecans to your mixture before sitting overnight.
• Peanut Butter Banana: Swirl in 1/4 cup all-natural peanut butter to the overnight oat mixture and sit overnight. Top with lots of fresh banana.
• Lemon Blueberry: Add 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest and 1 cup fresh blueberries to the overnight oat mixture before refrigerating.
• Coconut Cream: Make your overnight oats with coconut milk and stir in 1/2 cup desiccated coconut before refrigerating. Top with a dollop of Greek yogurt and extra toasted coconut.
• Blueberry and Vanilla: Mix together rolled oats, milk, vanilla extract, and a handful of fresh or frozen blueberries.
• Chocolate and Peanut Butter: Combine rolled oats, milk, cocoa powder, peanut butter, and a sweetener such as honey or maple syrup.
• Strawberry and Cream: Mix together rolled oats, milk, vanilla extract, and diced strawberries.
• Banana and Cinnamon: Stir together rolled oats, milk, mashed banana, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
• Apple and Caramel: Combine rolled oats, milk, diced apples, and a drizzle of caramel sauce.
• Coconut and Mango: Mix together rolled oats, coconut milk, diced mango, and a sprinkle of shredded coconut.
• Lemon and Poppyseed: Stir together rolled oats, milk, lemon zest, and a sprinkle of poppy seeds.

These overnight oats are dependable, creamy, and easy to make on repeat. Once you get the base down, the topping options are endless. The printable recipe card is below. Enjoy, friends!

Variations

Man oh man, there are thousands of variations for Overnight Oats! Here are a few different options listed, but just about anything you can think of would work in this!

• Milk: If you don’t want to use dairy milk, an unsweetened almond milk, cashew milk, soy milk, coconut milk or other plant-based milk you love would work just as well! Some folks love to use yogurt in theirs.
• Fruit: Add in some fresh or frozen fruit to the classic oats mixture for a burst of flavor. Berries, apples, bananas or tropical fruits are all good options.
• Nuts and Seeds: Try adding in walnuts, almonds, pecans, pepitas, flax seeds, or chia seeds for a textural variation.
• Sweetener: I used real maple syrup for my basic overnight oats recipe, but feel free to reduce the amount or switch it out for honey, agave syrup, sugar, brown sugar or an artificial sweetener if you’d prefer. Always add it to taste.
• Spices: I use cinnamon because its a classic oatmeal add-in, but try mixing it up with nutmeg, cloves, or cardamom. Try zesting a lemon or orange for a bright pop of flavor.
• Nut Butters: Stir in a little peanut, cashew, or almond butter to add a protein-rich twist and a creamy bite. My favorite is peanut butter banana!
• Chocolate: Mix in some cocoa powder or chocolate chips for a decadent, chocolatey treat.
• Protein: boost the protein content of your oats by stirring in some protein powder or adding a scoop of Greek yogurt.
• Savory: Oats don’t have to be sweet! Try making savory oats by mixing in some savory ingredients such as cooked vegetables, cheese, and herbs.
• Carrot Cake: Add classic carrot cake ingredients like shredded carrots, crushed pineapple and pecan pieces.
• Oatless oats: For a grain-free version, try using rolled oats made from other grains such as quinoa or oats made from seeds like chia, flax or hemp seeds.

FAQ for Overnight Oats

More Recipes to Try

• Steel Cut Oatmeal with Cobbler Topping
• Homemade Breakfast Sausage
• Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
• Morning Glory Muffins
• Overnight Breakfast Casserole

If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.