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    Home » Breakfast

    Overnight Oats

    By Jill Baird · Published May 5, 2023 · Updated October 21, 2023 · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe
    overnight oats recipe
    overnight oats recipe
    overnight oats recipe

    This easy make-ahead Overnight Morning Oats recipe is perfect for busy weeks when you need a healthy breakfast to get your day going. Prep the night before and wake up to thick, creamy, flavorful oatmeal that’s packed with protein and simple to customize with your favorite toppings.

    Overnight Oats in bowls topped with fresh fruit and berries. Rolled oats recipe, overnight oats recipes, how to make over night oats.
    Jump to:
    • Easy Overnight Oats Recipe
    • Ingredients for Overnight Oats
    • How to Make Overnight Oats
    • More Overnight Oat Recipes
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Storing
    • Simple Overnight Oats Recipe
    • More Healthy Breakfast Recipes

    Easy Overnight Oats Recipe

    This Morning Oats recipe is a no-bake way of making the most thick, creamy, delicious overnight oatmeal you have ever tasted. Just combine your oats, Greek yogurt, milk, and other flavorings in a mason jar, pop into the fridge overnight, and wake up to a ready-to-eat breakfast that is packed with protein.

    You can feel free to use this as a base recipe, then customize however you’d like. I’ve given you a handful of ideas below, but you can mix and match all sorts of flavors and mix-ins. Best of all, Overnight Oats last for at least a few days, making it a perfect meal prepping recipe.

    how to make the best overnight oats recipe.

    Ingredients for Overnight Oats

    • Oats - it’s super important that you only use old-fashioned rolled oats for Morning Oats recipes. Instant oats will become very mushy and steel cut oats will remain too tough.
    • Chia Seeds - chia seeds are packed with nutrition, but they also give the oats an amazing soft and creamy texture. They are optional, but I highly recommend using them in any Overnight Oats.
    • Yogurt - adding plain Greek yogurt makes the oats tangy and creamy. Plus, yogurt is full of protein and healthy fats.
    • Cinnamon - this is an optional flavor to use. You can skip it, or substitute with other baking spices like cardamom or nutmeg.
    • Salt - just a little pinch of sea salt tastes great.
    • Protein Powder - this is entirely optional, but as the name suggests adding just a little bit of protein powder adds a lot of protein to your oats. You can use your favorite kind - flavored or unflavored. If you do add protein powder, you can feel free to skip that additional sweetener in the recipe. 
    • Milk - you can use regular milk, almond milk, or any other kind of dairy-free milk that you like.
    • Maple Syrup - either maple syrup or honey are natural sweeteners that taste great, but you can feel free to skip if you prefer.

    Overnight Oats Toppings

    Other than berries and coconut, here are a few more topping ideas for your Overnight Oats:

    • Vanilla extract 
    • Fruit - any kind of fresh fruit or dried fruit can be added as a topping so use whatever you love and have on hand
    • Nut butters - almond butter, peanut butter, or cashew butter add lots of flavor and protein
    • Nuts - any type of chopped toasted nuts taste great sprinkled over the top
    • Seeds - sunflower seeds, pepitas, or even sesame seeds are great toppings
    • Granola - you can buy your favorite kind or make your very own Healthy Granola

    How to Make Overnight Oats

    1. Mix ingredients in individual jars. Grab 4 mason jars or glass cups. Into each jar add ½ cup oats, 1 tablespoon chia seeds, ½ cup yogurt, a pinch of cinnamon, a pinch of salt, and ½ tablespoon of protein powder (if using).  Mix, then add ½ cup milk and 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey (Note: if you add protein powder, you can omit the sweetener). Stir until all the ingredients are well-combined.  
    2. Refrigerate overnight. Add lids or plastic wrap to cover the jars and place in the fridge overnight.  
    3. Add toppings and serve. The next morning, serve with fresh berries, your favorite kind of fruit, shredded coconut, or your other favorite toppings.  Enjoy!
    Mason jars showing how to make simple overnight oats. Over night oats, protein overnight oats.

    More Overnight Oat Recipes

    Peanut Butter Overnight Oats

    Stir about ½-1 tablespoon of peanut butter into each jar of oat mixture. For serving, top with a drizzle of peanut butter and chopped peanuts.

    Berry Overnight Oats

    Stir 1-2 tablespoons of your favorite berries into each jar of oat mixture. For serving, top with more berries and a drizzle of maple syrup or honey.

    Banana Nutella Overnight Oats

    Stir about ½-1 tablespoon  of Nutella into each jar of oat mixture. For serving, top with a drizzle of Nutella and sliced bananas.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What are the best oats to use for Simple Overnight Oats?

    It is super important that you only use old-fashioned rolled oats for this Overnight Oats recipe. Steel cut oats will be too tough while instant oats will turn into a mushy mess. 

    Can you freeze Overnight Oats?

    Yes! You may be surprised to learn that you can absolutely freeze Overnight Oats. It’s best to freeze them in freezer-safe glass jars without any toppings added. They can be stored frozen for up to 2 months, then thawed in the fridge overnight.

    How long do Overnight Oats need to soak?

    While it’s ideal to let them soak overnight, the minimum time Overnight Oats need to soak in the fridge is 2 hours. If you allow them to soak overnight, the texture will be much more pudding-like but they will still be delicious with a shorter soaking time.

    Storing

    • Refrigerator: store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. 
    • Freezer: store frozen in freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months. Transfer to the fridge overnight to thaw.
    Print

    Simple Overnight Oats Recipe

    This easy make-ahead Overnight Oats recipe is perfect for busy weeks when you are looking for healthy breakfast ideas to get your day going. Prep the night before and wake up to thick, creamy, flavorful oatmeal that’s packed with protein and simple to customize with your favorite toppings.
    Course Breakfast
    Cuisine American
    Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time 10 minutes minutes
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 417kcal
    Author The Carefree Kitchen
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    Ingredients

    • 2 cups Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats
    • 4 Tablespoons Chia Seeds
    • 2 cups Greek Yogurt
    • ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon Salt
    • 2 Tablespoons Protein Powder optional
    • 2 cups Milk
    • 4 Tablespoons Maple Syrup or honey (if you added protein powder, no need to add additional sweetener)

    Overnight Oats Toppings

    • ½ cup Berries or another fruit
    • 1 Tablespoon Shredded Coconut optional

    Instructions

    • Grab 4 mason jars or glass cups. Into each jar add ½ cup oats, 1 tablespoon chia seeds, ½ cup yogurt, a pinch of cinnamon, a pinch of salt, and ½ tablespoon of protein powder (if using). Mix, then add ½ cup milk and 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey (Note: if you add protein powder, you can omit the sweetener). Stir until all the ingredients are well-combined.
    • Add lids or plastic wrap to cover the jars and place in the fridge overnight.
    • The next morning, serve with fresh berries, your favorite kind of fruit, shredded coconut, or your other favorite toppings. Enjoy!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 417kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 389mg | Potassium: 458mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 20IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 460mg | Iron: 3mg

    More Healthy Breakfast Recipes

    • Easy Homemade Granola
    • Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole
    • Triple Chocolate Oatmeal Energy Bites
    • Mini Cheese Quiche
    • Potato Crust Quiche
    • Acai Bowl
    • Blue Smoothie Bowl
    • Baked Denver Omelet
    • More Breakfast Recipes
    • More Healthy Meal Prep Recipes

    If you’ve tried this recipe, please rate it and leave a comment on this post. I love hearing feedback from you. It helps me and other readers too! If you love Pinterest,  feel free to leave a comment and photo there too.  Also, if you like to share, use the hashtag #thecarefreekitchen on Instagram and tag me @thecarefreekitchen so I can find you and give your post some love. You can also find me on Facebook at The Carefree Kitchen. Thank you!!

    This quick and easy Overnight Oatmeal Recipe is a convenient and super healthy breakfast that is filled with protein. You can customize to create all sorts of different flavors, topping with berries, fruit, granola, nets, seeds, and more.

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    Hi! I'm Jill.

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