Overnight oats are the easy breakfast meal prep that dreams are made of. Our base formula makes it easy to customize the oats any way you want (and we’ve included a bunch of community-favorite flavor ideas to get you started). With just 5 minutes of prep work, these overnight oat recipes are simple to make and so delicious!
We’re big fans of oatmeal around here. Maybe its because they’re so customizable (savory oatmeal anyone?). Or maybe it’s because they’re packed with fiber, keeping us full all morning (the nutritionist in me loves that!). Or maybe it’s because they take so little time to prepare (just 5 minutes!)
Whatever the reason, I just know you’re going to love this guide to overnight oats. They’ve been a reader-favorite for years!
Reader rating
“These are so good! We’ve made several and they were all delicious! They’ve become our new favorite breakfast food.” —Jenny
Table of Contents
- What Are Overnight Oats?
- Base Ingredients For Overnight Oats
- How To Make Overnight Oats
- How Far In Advance Can You Prep Overnight Oats?
- Community-Favorite Overnight Oat Flavors
- More Oat Recipes
What Are Overnight Oats?
Overnight oats are a not-morning-person’s best friend. Mix together some oats, chia seeds, fruits, and milk at night. Stick it in the fridge. When you wake up…breakfast is ready!
I’m all about efficiency. Oat-y, tasty efficiency. So, I crafted a formula for making overnight oats so you can make virtually any flavor, all made with the same 5 ingredient base! Just prep the base and then add your flavorings!
Base Ingredients For Overnight Oats
First, let’s talk about the foundation of the oats. No matter which flavor you end up making, there are 5 main ingredients in overnight oats.
- Oats: First, you need ½ cup of old fashioned rolled oats (difference between rolled oats, steel cut, and instant)
- Milk: Follow the oats with ½ cup of milk. You can use whatever you like, whether it be soy, almond, cow, sweetened, unsweetened… whatever is to your liking (or whatever is in your fridge)!
- Chia Seeds: Next, add 1 tablespoon of chia seeds. Doing so adds a bit of thickness to the recipe, along with a whole lot of vitamins and minerals.
- Sweetener: Add some sweetness with 1 tablespoon of your preferred sweetener. I recommend honey, maple, or brown sugar.
- Salt: Finally, finish things off with a pinch of salt! This may seem like an odd ingredient, but the salt actually enhance all the flavors in the oatmeal.
Best Overnight Oats Jars
After trying out a bunch of different jars for overnight oats, these are my favorites!
How To Make Overnight Oats
Once you’ve chosen your flavor combo, you’re ready for assembly. It’s as simple as layering everything and then letting it sit!
- Assemble: In a mason jar or bowl, combine the base ingredients with your flavor add-ins. Stir to combine.
- Rest: Seal shut and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours (or overnight), until the oats are soft.
- Serve: When ready to eat, give it a good stir and then dig in. You do not need to cook overnight oats! If the oats appear dry, add a splash of milk.
How Far In Advance Can You Prep Overnight Oats?
Kim asked: “Can I make the Overnight Oats on Sunday and have them for the week or do you need to make them each night for the next morning?” Overnight oats stay good for 2 to 3 days in the fridge, so perhaps make a big batch on Sunday and another batch on Wednesday to get you through the week
Community-Favorite Overnight Oat Flavors
The options are virtually endless when it comes to flavoring your overnight oats, but here are a few of our favorites!
Banana Bread Overnight Oats
First up, we have banana bread overnight oats! This one’s a classic, and it’s perfect if you’re a banana bread lover. 👉 Banana Bread Overnight Oats
Cookie Dough Overnight Oats
Next we have cookie dough oats, which basically gives you the excuse to enjoy dessert for breakfast! 👉 Cookie Dough Overnight Oats
Peaches & Cream Overnight Oats
Peaches and cream overnight oats taste like a creamsicle or your grandma’s classic peach cobbler. It’s quite the treat! 👉 Peaches and Cream Overnight Oats
Reader rating
“We made peaches and cream and PB&J. Used almond milk and even chocolate almond milk instead of regular milk. Delicious!! I have this recipe memorized and have been making overnight oats for a few weeks now. Thank you.” —Julie
Nut Butter & Jelly Overnight Oats
Craving an old school pb&j? Enjoy an breakfast version by combining it with overnight oats! 👉 PB&J Overnight Oats
Pina Colada Overnight Oats
Give yourself the tropical vibes with piña colada overnight oats. This one is so fun and one of my favorites! 👉 Pina Colada Overnight Oats
Strawberries & Cream Overnight Oats
Last but not least, strawberries and cream! Load up on the strawberries and yogurt, it’s like strawberry shortcake for breakfast! 👉 Strawberries and Cream Overnight Oats
More Oat Recipes
The oat-filled breakfasts don’t stop there! If you’re looking for some more ways to incorporate the flavor and benefits of oatmeal into your morning meals, try some of these oat recipes.
- Savory Oatmeal with Avocado and Poached Egg
- Cherry Oat Smoothie
- Egg White Oatmeal
- Coffee and Oat Smoothie
Or make a to-go version of the overnight oats concept with these homemade instant oatmeal packets!
Ingredients
Overnight Oats Base
- ½ cup rolled oats 40 g
- ½ cup milk 120 mL
- 1 Tbsp sweetener 15 g
- 1 Tbsp chia seeds 7 g
- Pinch salt
Optional Flavors (see recipe notes for all flavor ideas)
- ¼ cup chopped or mashed fruit
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ to ½ tsp spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves
Instructions
- Assemble: In a 16-oz mason jar or bowl combine base ingredients with your desired flavors. Stir to combine.
- Rest: Seal shut and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours (or overnight), until oats are soft.
- Serve: When ready to eat, give it a good stir then dig in! If oats appear dry, add a splash of milk. You don't need to cook overnight oats, but can warm them in the microwave if desired.
Mary Briggs says
I’m going to try the apple pie and peach cobbler overnight oats. This sounds delicious Sarah!
Sarah says
Enjoy!! The apple pie was my favorite 🙂
Kim says
I have a question. Can I make the Overnight Oats on Sunday and have them for the week or do you need to make them each night for the next morning?
Sarah says
Hi Kim, great question! Overnight oats stay good for 2 to 3 days in the fridge, so perhaps make a big batch on Sunday and another batch on Wednesday to get you through the week 🙂
donna says
So what do you D o in the am to cook it?
Sarah says
No need to cook it! That’s the beauty of overnight oats. The soak overnight has the same softening effect on the oats as cooking them. If you prefer warm oats, you can of course pop it in the microwave for a minute or two.
Kate P says
Hi, I was wondering if I could use homemade apple sauce in place of the apple mixture? Or would that make it too wet?
Can I use instant oats or gluten free oats in place of old fashioned rolled oats?
Thank you!
Sarah says
Hi Kate, I think this could work, especially if it’s a chunkier applesauce. Perhaps just reduce the amount of liquid you add to the oats to compensate for the wet applesauce. And yes, you should be able to sub instant and gluten free oats! 🙂
Julie J says
We made peaches and cream and PB&J. Used almond milk and even chocolate almond milk instead of regular milk. Delicious!! I have this recipe memorized and have been making overnight oats for a few weeks now. Thank you.
Sarah says
The measurements for the jam in the pb&j recipe is different than the measurements in the first set you gave. I wasn’t sure which one to use, so that was a little confusing.
Sarah Bond says
Oops, thanks for pointing that out! It can really be either though honestly, but 2 Tbsp of jelly would be tastier 🙂
jenny says
These are so good! We’ve made several and they were all delicious! They’ve become our new favorite breakfast food.
Marina says
Not sure why the calories aren’t listed for this recipe. What are the calories?
Sarah Bond says
I didn’t list them because there are so many flavors to pick from, and they all have different nutritional values. I just updated the post to include nutrition for the base recipe, though!