Overnight oats has become a growing breakfast trend all across the world.everyone swears by their humble bowl of overnight oats. This recipe has become a widely popular dish for breakfast due to many reasons. The health benefits of overnight oats cannot be emphasised enough. Further, the overnight oats can be customised with fruit, seeds or some of your favourite spreads and jams. The fact that you wake up to a ready meal for breakfast is definitely an added bonus.I’m sharing my best tips and my favorite overnight oats recipe today. Ready? These overnight oats are legitimately delicious, and so easy to make!
BASE OVERNIGHT OATS INGREDIENTS :
While technically you only need rolled oats and milk to make overnight oats, I always add chia seeds, yogurt, and a smidge of maple syrup in my base recipe. That’s what makes them ultra creamy and tasty!
- Rolled oats: Make sure to use old fashioned rolled oats for the best texture. And remember to look for certified gluten-free oats if you’re gluten-sensitive or celiac.
- Milk: You can use dairy or dairy-free milk (like almond milk, oat milk, or cashew milk), and yes, even water works. It just depends how creamy you’d like it
- Yogurt: A simple Greek yogurt or dairy-free yogurt makes provides extra creaminess, protein, and that perfect touch of tangy flavor.
- Chia Seeds: These magical little seeds will gel up in the oats to make it creamy and thick. Plus, they’re loaded with health benefits and give a nutrient boost.
- Maple Syrup: Natural sweeteners like maple syrup or honey blend in beautifully. You can always add as little or as much as you’d like.
HOW TO MAKE EASY OVERNIGHT OATS
For a single serving. It’s super easy to make overnight oats in a jar!
- Stir it all together. In a small jar, stir together the oats, milk, yogurt, chia seeds, and maple syrup.
- It’s soaking time. Place the jar in the fridge to let the oats soak for at least 2 hours, though overnight is best.
- Add toppings and serve. The next morning, add your favorite toppings and enjoy! Alternatively, you can scoop the oats out into a bowl and add toppings from there.
If you’re looking to make a bigger batch, just double, triple or quadruple the recipe. It’s as easy as that!
- Stir together. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oats, milk, yogurt, chia seeds, and maple syrup.
- Cover and soak. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and let it soak overnight in the fridge.
- Serve individually. Scoop out a portion (1-cup) from the bowl into a serving glass or bowl. Then add your favorite toppings!
WAYS TO MAKE OVERNIGHT OATS EXCITING
Now here comes the fun part – toppings and mix-ins! From fruits to seeds to yogurt, there’s no right or wrong way to make overnight oats. Creativity is the name of the game here. So whatever your heart desires, go for it. But if you need some inspiration, see below for my favorite flavor combinations!
- Fresh fruit: Make the most of seasonal fruits, including blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, bananas, peaches, pears, and apples. You can also blend them into a puree or make a chia seed jam to stir in.
- Dried fruit: Raisins, cranberries, goji berries, and chopped dates lend a chewy texture and fruity flavors.
- Nuts and Seeds: Sliced almonds, chopped pecans or walnuts, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, pepitas, and toasted sesame seeds add a subtle crunchy texture.
- Extra Flavor: Sprinkle on coconut flakes or cacao nibs. They’ll taste amazing with banana, strawberry, or tropical flavors.
- Spices: Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric, cardamom, or ginger to spice things up a bit!
- Yogurt: Mix in any type of yogurt for extra creaminess. Plus, it’ll add extra protein and a probiotic boost.
- Nut Butter: Choose your favorite nut butter (I always love almond butter), and stir it in or drizzle it on top. It too will provide a protein boost.
- Protein Powder: Still want an even bigger protein boost? Feel free to add protein powder or collagen powder.
THE BEST JARS TO USE
While many photos show overnight oats filled to the brim with toppings overflowing, that’s just not realistic in terms of mixing. You want a jar that’s large enough to stir everything together without making a mess. So with that in mind, I recommend a 16-ounce jar if you plan to add toppings. And a 12-ounce jar works for the base recipe with a small amount of mix-ins.
HOW TO STORE AND MEAL PREP
Whether you’re making a single serving or 5 days worth of breakfast, overnight oats is a meal prep savior.
- To Store: Overnight oats will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge. If you have fruit toppings or fruit mix-ins, I recommend no more than 3 days, as the fruit is likely to go bad first.
- For Freezing: Yes, you can freeze overnight oats! Similar to my meal prep chia pudding, overnight oats will stay good for several months in the freezer.
OVERNIGHT OATS QUESTIONS ANSWERED
- Can you use quick cooking oats? Yes, you can. But the texture will end up more mushy, like porridge.
- Do you have to use yogurt? No, you don’t have to. But I find that it lends a rich, creamy texture if that’s what you’re looking for!
- Can you eat overnight oats warm? Yes! Overnight oats don’t have to be eaten cold. Just warm them up in a bowl on the stovetop or microwave the next morning.
- Will oats expand as they soak? Yes, they’ll expand a little (about 10-15%). So don’t fill the jar to the brim.
- Can you eat overnight oats for dinner? Absolutely! As I always say… food can be eaten any time of any day!
Best Overnight Oats !!
Ingrédients
BASE OVERNIGHT OATS :
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup milk, dairy or dairy-free
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, or dairy-free yogurt
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
BANANA BREAD :
- 1/2 banana, mashed
- 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of ground flaxseed
SPICED PEAR :
- 1/2 pear, diced
- 1 tablespoon chopped pecans
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of nutmeg
Penut Butter & Jam
- 2 tablespoon raspberry jam or puree
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter , or almond butter
- 1 teaspoon chopped pistachios
PINA COLADA :
- 1/4 cup small diced pineapple
- 1 tablespoon shredded coconut
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- *note: use coconut milk in the base recipe
CARROT CAKE :
- 1/4 cup shredded carrot
- 1 tablespoon shredded coconut
- 1 tablespoon raisins
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
STRAWBERRY PROTEIN :
- 1/4 cup small diced strawberry
- 1 scoop protein powder or collagen powder
- 1 tablespoon sliced almonds
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients into a sealable jar or bowl and give it a stir until it's all combined.
- Let it soak in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but it's best to soak overnight for 8 hours. This will yield a creamier consistency.
- Top your overnight oats with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Notes
- If you make a large batch in a bowl, once it's set and thickened overnight scoop out 1 cup for a single serving.