Learn how to make overnight oats for a delicious prep-ahead breakfast!
Protein-packed oats, yogurt, fruit, and honey will keep everyone energized all morning long!
Easy Make-Ahead Breakfast!
- These little on-the-go jars are a balanced and nutritious way to start the day.
- Breakfast-in-a-jar, this overnight oats recipe can be made with almost any kind of milk or fruit.
- They’re easy to prepare and will keep in the fridge for several days – prep a batch on the weekend and enjoy them all week.
Ingredients for Overnight Oats
Oats – I prefer the texture of rolled oats (also called old-fashioned oats or large flake oats) but you can use quick oats. Quick oats will have a slightly less chewy texture, and the results aren’t quite as thick. Steel-cut oats will need an extra day to soften and provide a chewier texture.
Chia Seeds – Chia seeds are optional, but they do help thicken the mixture as it sits overnight. Replace chia seeds with hemp seeds, flax seeds, oat bran, or any kind of chopped nuts.
Yogurt – Plain, flavored, or Greek yogurt works. Non-dairy yogurts are also an option.
Milk – Liquid brings everything together and helps soften the oatmeal and chia seeds. Non-dairy milk like almond milk, oat milk, coconut milk, or cashew milk are great options in this recipe
Sweetener – If using a flavored or sweetened yogurt, you can make these overnight oats without honey or sweetener. Alternatively, replace honey with maple syrup, brown sugar, or any sugar-free sweetener.
How to Make Overnight Oats
Healthy, energizing, and so easy to make, overnight oats are prepped the night before and can be enjoyed cold or warm for busy mornings!
- Combine oats, chia seeds, milk, yogurt, and honey in a bowl, as per the recipe below.
- Stir in nuts or other flavorings like peanut butter or fruit spread.
- Layer fruit or nuts on the bottom of a jar (or any container with a lid) and top with oatmeal mixture.
- Refrigerate overnight and enjoy all week long!
Add-Ins, Flavors & Variations
Fruit – Fresh, frozen, or dried fruit can be mixed and matched. We love blueberries, raspberries, and bananas. Toss bananas with a little lemon juice to keep them from turning brown, or mash them with the yogurt in Step 2. No fruit? No problem! Swirl in your fave toast toppers like jam, jelly, or preserves.
Nuts & Seeds – For extra crunch, add chopped walnuts, almonds, pecans, pumpkin, or sunflower seeds. You can also swirl in some nut butter, like almond butter.
Extras – Mini chocolate chips, toasted coconut, or vanilla extract.
Variations – Make fall-inspired pumpkin overnight oats to warm up on chilly mornings or a summer pina colada version using yogurt, toasted coconut, and pineapple chunks.
Overnight oats are a mixture of oats, yogurt, chia seeds, and milk with a little bit of sweetener. The oat mixture is layered with fruits and nuts and left to sit in the fridge overnight.
Yes, you can use steel-cut oats in this recipe, the texture will be different and they will need to sit for 2 days in the fridge before eating (instead of just 1).
Large flake or rolled oats have the best texture but honestly, any kind of oat will work just fine!
Overnight oats can be kept in the refrigerator for about 5 days (as long as the dairy is fresh).
You can freeze overnight oats, they’ll need to be stirred after thawing.
Leftover overnight oats can also be blended, frozen into cubes, and added to your favorite smoothie recipes.
More Make-Ahead Breakfasts
What do you add to your overnight oats? Leave us a comment below!
Overnight Oats
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cups rolled oats or large flake oats
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds optional but recommended
- 1 ⅓ cups milk or non-dairy milk
- 1 ⅓ cups yogurt or greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup, to taste
- 4 cups fruit
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine oats, chia seeds, milk, yogurt, and honey. Stir in nuts, extracts, or flavoring if desired (such as vanilla, peanut butter, or mashed banana below).
- Place ½ cup of fruit/nuts in the bottom of 4 mason jars (or other containers). Top with yogurt mixture and seal and an additional ½ cup of fruit.
- Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
Video
Notes
- Yogurt: Use flavored or unflavored yogurt. If using plain yogurt, you might like to add extra sweetener.
- Oats: Old Fashioned Rolled Oats work best for this recipe. Steel cut oats work but will provide a different texture and need to be refrigerated for 2 days before eating.
- Chia Seeds: Chia seeds make the best texture in this recipe. If you don’t have chia seeds, substitute ground flax seeds, finely chopped nuts, or even oat bran. This will change the texture.
- Fruit: If using fruit that browns like apples or bananas, add a touch of lemon juice and place all of the fruit in the bottom of the jar so it is covered with the oat mixture.
Flavor Variations
Pina Colada1 cup pineapple & 4 tablespoons coconut
Stir 2 tablespoons coconut into the yogurt mixture. Divide pineapple over 4 jars. Top with yogurt mixture and remaining coconut. Banana Nut
3 bananas & ⅓ cup walnuts (or pecans), chopped
Mash one of the bananas and mix it into the yogurt mixture. Slice remaining bananas and divide over 4 jars. Top with yogurt mixture and nuts. Mixed Berries
1 ⅓ cup berries, fresh or frozen & ½ teaspoon vanilla
Mix vanilla into yogurt mixture. Divide berries over 4 jars and top with yogurt mixture. Strawberry Banana
1 cup sliced strawberries & 2 bananas
Mash one of the bananas and stir into yogurt mixture. Slice remaining banana and divide over 4 jars along with strawberries. Top with yogurt mixture. Apple Cinnamon
1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon vanilla, 1 granny smith apple, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon brown sugar (or use homemade apple pie filling) Chop apple and toss with lemon juice and brown sugar. Stir cinnamon and vanilla into yogurt mixture. Divide chopped apple over 4 jars. Top with yogurt mixture. Nutrition information does not include toppings.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Made this a few times but modified to accommodate my sweet tooth. So added 20g of honey and 20 g of maple syrup (I prefer weights with things that don’t easily pour out of a measuring cup or spoon). Threw some roasted sesame seeds on top just to be different and because they were there doing nothing. Made it with strawberries and blueberries. Great for breakfast, dessert and late night snack.
That sounds delicious, Gilles! I am glad you enjoyed it.
I love your recipes. All I have made have been terrific.
So happy to hear that, Shirley!
This is so good! I’ve made it a couple of times using blueberries & strawberries on the bottom & then add banana & few strawberries or blueberries on top for colour just before serving. I don’t have mason jars & used my glass salad bowls. Not only delicious but healthy. Thankyou for another great recipe.
You’re welcome Dana, sounds perfect to me!
Thank you for the different recipe variations. Excited to try them all! One suggestion with the chia seeds, you’ll get a much nicer pudding texture if you whisk them with the milk for several minutes and let them get very well saturated before mixng in the other ingredients.
Thanks for the suggestion, DV! Glad you are enjoying trying out the different variations.
I make this with water, and add cheddar and ham later for savory breakfast. It’s good.
That’s an amazing idea! Thanks for sharing.
What can you use instead of chia seeds.
You could substitute flax seeds or leave them out. The chia seeds do help with thickening so you might like to add a little bit less dairy if you swap them.
What size jar? Pint?
These are made in one cup mason jars Sharon. But you can make in any container you have :)
Love your recipes!!
Thanks Doris!
Holly I have been following you for several years now and even though I have an empty nest I use your recipes regularly and share your information frequently. Your are an excellent source for delicious healthy food. Thank you.
Thank you Donna, you have made my day!
I like the idea & it would be a great go to snack however Im not a yogurt person. Can this be done without the yogurt or something in its place?
I haven’t tried it without yogurt, it give it a creamy sort of texture. You could try it with just oats, milk, fruit and chia. Let us know how it goes!