Overnight oats are perfect to make ahead for a healthy breakfast or snack. Make the base overnight oats recipe then customize with add-ins and toppings!
Overnight Oats Recipe
To stay organized and on track throughout the week, I love to meal prep. These easy overnight oats are one of my favorite breakfasts to meal prep, as well as mini egg frittatas, no-bake breakfast cookies and my homemade granola bar recipe.
This overnight oat recipe is one of my favorite healthy breakfasts to make for the week ahead! It’s perfect to grab and go and can be customized with fresh fruit, nut butters, honey, chocolate chips, coconut and homemade granola. The options are endless!
Ingredients
- Oats: I love to use old fashioned oats, however quick oats work too. Use uncooked for this recipe.
- Milk: I love to use almond milk, but you can use any type of nut of cows milk).
- Greek yogurt: I love to add this to help thicken the oats.
- Vanilla + cinnamon: This adds great flavor. Feel free to add brown sugar to sweeten as well.
How to Make Overnight Oats
Start by making the base recipe for the overnight oats, then let it chill in the fridge overnight. The next day, add all your favorite toppings and dig in!
- Mix. In a medium bowl, combine oats, milk, Greek yogurt, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. If desired, add in protein powder, chia seeds or a Tablespoon of nut butter, brown sugar, honey or fruit.
- Pour. Pour oat mixture into 4 jars and cover with a lid.
- Chill. Place the overnight oat base in fridge overnight.
Overnight Oats Recipe Combinations
Once the base has set in the fridge overnight, add your favorite toppings. I sometimes even add a little more almond milk, depending on how much the oats have thickened up.
- Peanut butter, banana and chocolate chips
- Greek yogurt, blueberries, sliced almonds, cinnamon and honey
- Fresh berries and yogurt with granola for berry overnight oats
- Apples, cinnamon, sugar and honey taste like apple pie overnight oats!
- Brown sugar, cinnamon, pecans and maple syrup
- Mango, mandarin oranges and coconut for tropical overnight oats.
Additional Add-Ins
Feel free to mix in some extras to your base mixture though, like protein powder, chia seeds, nut butter, brown sugar, honey or fruit. These will hold up just fine when mixed in with the oats and stored in the fridge. If the mixture has thickened up too much in the fridge, add in a little milk to thin it back out.
Storage
These easy overnight oats will stay fresh in your fridge for up to 1 week. For storing, I used these Pyrex containers in the photos, however mason jars work great too. As long as the oats are stored in an airtight container with a lid, they will be fine!
When storing, I typically only store the base mixture. Then right before eating, I’ll add in my toppings of choice. This helps the toppings to remain fresh and not get soggy.
Other healthy breakfast recipes we love include baked oatmeal, this green smoothie recipe and oatmeal breakfast bars.
More Healthy Breakfast Recipes
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Overnight Oats Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
- 2 cups almond milk (sub: cows, cashew or coconut milk)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- Pinch salt and cinnamon
- Optional: Add 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder and 2 teaspoons chia seeds, if desired
Optional mix in or toppings: Greek yogurt, brown sugar, fresh berries, bananas, peanut butter or almond butter, nuts, honey, chocolate chips, granola, coconut
Instructions
- Mix together 1 1/2 cups rolled oats, 2 cups milk, 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, pinch of cinnamon and salt in a bowl. Add protein powder and/or chia seeds if desired. You can also mix in a Tablespoon of nut butter, brown sugar, honey and fruit here as well.
- Pour into 4 jars and cover with a lid. Place in the fridge overnight.
- Add toppings. The next morning, stir in more almond milk if desired. You can also warm in the microwave if you prefer. Sweeten to taste (I always add a teaspoon of honey). Then top with your favorite toppings. My favorites are greek yogurt, almond butter, fresh berries and sliced almonds. Then I like to drizzle honey across the top.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Breakfast, Make Ahead, Meal Prep, Snacks, Sweet Breakfast, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Can these be warmed in the microwave before eating?
Hi Laurie! I haven’t ever heated them up, overnight oats are typically served cold right out of the fridge. Hope this helps :)
Almond doesn’t agree with my stomach. Can I substitute with whole or 2 percent milk?
Yes of course, you can substitute cows milk, cashew or coconut milk!
First off, these are absolutely BEAUTIFUL. I love the way they look and the flavor combos you have going. And they look easy to make too…I’ve never done so, and you have inspired me to try.
I want all of these! They are all faaantastic!! YUM!
Have you ever tried to make it without yogurt? I have a dairy and egg allergy and didn’t know how they would set up!
Hi Keri! It should work with dairy free yogurt! I recommend Silk soy milk yogurt. :)
I love it
These would disappear in our house!
So simple yet incredibly delicious! What a perfect way to start our day, need to make this!
It sounds not only healthy, but very very delicious! Now I know what I will make for breakfast this week!
I have to put these on my menu. I love to start the day in a healthy way!
This is such a genius idea and I really need to start implementing it to make my mornings go smoother!
I love these for healthy breakfast planning!
Thank you for all of the options! This will help keep me out of my normal breakfast rut!