How to Make Overnight Oats + 11 Flavors to Try

11 Awesome Flavors of Overnight Oats! Overnight oats are a delicious make-ahead breakfast the whole family will love. And with this many flavors (and inspiration for more!), you’ll never run out of ideas! (Gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan-friendly)

Overnight oats are nothing new–this healthy breakafast has been on the scene for years–but it seems like they’re going through a big revival lately, as I see recipes popping up all over the place. Everyone makes their oats a bit differently–some people love adding yogurt for a more muesli effect, some people always add chia seeds, some only add mix-ins right before serving.

But almost any way you make them, overnight oats make a delicious meal-prep breakfast you can make with pantry staples any time!

I thought I’d walk you through the basics of overnight oats, as well as 8 different ways to make them (one for every day of the week!). Let’s get to it!

OVERNIGHT OATS: THE BASICS

DO YOU REALLY HAVE TO SOAK THEM OVERNIGHT? Nope! I’ve found oats will start to soften in about 20-30 minutes, so if you’re in a pinch, you don’t need to refrigerate them overnight.

DO YOU EAT OVERNIGHT OATS HOT OR COLD? Most people eat overnight oats cold, straight from the fridge. The soaking process makes the oats easier to digest, and they’ll still taste great cold. If you don’t want to eat them cold, you can absolutely heat yours through. Since the oats are soaked, they’ll likely cook faster, so keep that in mind as you heat them on the stove or in the microwave.

WHAT KIND OF OATS DO YOU USE FOR OVERNIGHT OATS? I typically make my overnight oatmeal recipes with rolled oats (sometimes labeled “old-fashioned oats”). You can use quick oats in a pinch, though they get a bit softer, and some people prefer using steel-cut. I personally find steel-cut oats remain too chewy for my taste but do what works best for you!

WHAT ARE THE BEST JARS FOR OVERNIGHT OATS? I love my Weck jars and use them for All The Things, but I also use these glass containers with lids regularly. Anything you can cover will work!

MY BASIC RECIPE FOR OVERNIGHT OATS

WHAT’S IN YOUR BASIC OVERNIGHT OATS RECIPE? My easy overnight oats recipe has pretty straightforward, pantry-staple ingredients I always have on hand. We’re talking:

• 1/3 CUP ROLLED OATS. Rolled oats are my fave for overnight oats because they soften without getting mushy. If you’re gluten-free, be sure you’re using certified gluten-free oats!
• 2 TSP. CHIA SEEDS. Chia seeds make these oats nice and creamy, and–bonus!–add some healthy fats and proteins which help this breakfast stick with you. Not a chia person? You can skip them–your oats just won’t be quite as creamy)
• 1/2-3/4 CUP MILK. You can use whatever milk you typically drink for your overnight oats. You can use whatever milk you typically drink for your overnight oats. We’re dairy-free, so I usually opt for a non-dairy milk like almond milk, but you can use cashew milk, oat milk, or dairy milk depending on your needs. (Soy milk, rice milk, hemp, etc. all work, too!)
• 1-2 TSP. SWEETENER (I LIKE MAPLE SYRUP OR HONEY). You can go as light or heavy as your tastebuds dictate, but I typically go with 1-2 tsp. of pure maple syrup or honey in my oats. You can use whatever sweetener you like, to taste.
• A TINY PINCH OF SALT. To round out the flavors and keep my oats from tasting flat, I add a tiny (less than 1/8 tsp.) pinch of salt.
• A LITTLE VANILLA OR GOODIES!  To give my overnight oats a little flavor, I like adding a few drops of vanilla or cinnamon, but you can flavor these ALL kinds of ways! (Keep scrolling for ideas!)

You’ll mix everything together in a bowl, then chill at least 30-60 minutes, up to overnight. Give it all a good stir in the morning (add a splash of milk, if needed), and dive in!

From there, you get to choose your flavor by adding some mix-ins…

MIX-IN IDEAS FOR OVERNIGHT OATS

You can mix and match basically any goodies you like once you’ve mastered the basic overnight oats recipe, such as…

• NUTS & SEEDS (almonds, cashews, pecans, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, etc.)
• FRESH FRUIT (bananas, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, peaches, etc.(
• DRIED FRUIT (coconut, raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries, dried blueberries, etc.)
• FREEZE-DRIED FRUITS (freeze-dried strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, mango, pineapple, etc.)
• NUT BUTTER OR SEED BUTTER (peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, chocolate hazelnut butter, sunflower seed butter, etc.)
• FUN EXTRAS (vanilla extract, cinnamon, almond extract, chocolate chips, cacao nibs, cocoa powder, powdered peanut butter, protein powder, etc.)

THINGS GET REALLY FUN WITH A FEW CLASSIC COMBINATIONS. HERE ARE 11 FLAVORS OF OVERNIGHT OATS TO TRY…

What are YOUR favorite flavors?