Easy Overnight Oats

4.61

325

Save to FavoritesPrintJump to Recipe

This post may include affiliate links. Thank you for your support.

Here’s how to make perfect overnight oats with an easy base recipe, proper ratio, and fun flavor variations. They’re such an easy grab-and-go breakfast and perfect for meal prep.

Overnight oats have held a special place in my heart since I discovered them in 2009 and you can tell I’m obsessed just by looking at how many different overnight oat recipes I have posted over the years.

They’re such an easy and tasty breakfast that you can meal prep for the week. And the prep is so fast as it only takes about 5 minutes to mix your oats together! I’ve experimented with so many flavors, but in this post I’m sharing my basic overnight oats recipe (plus a few fun variations) and answering all your overnight oats questions.

Four glass jars of overnight oats topped with fresh berries.

What are Overnight Oats?

Overnight oats are an easy, make-ahead breakfast that combines rolled oats with some sort of liquid, usually milk (it can be dairy based or non-dairy like almond milk, oat milk or coconut milk). They’re usually sweetened and additional flavors are typically added as well.

// ★★★★★ REVIEW //

My go-to overnight oats recipe! I usually use either cows milk or oat milk (whichever I have on hand) and honey to sweeten. I eat these plain 99% of the time and they are delicious. I don’t have an appetite in the morning but try to eat breakfast to avoid overeating later. These are the perfect, light breakfast. And I love that I can prep them ahead of time.” – Samantha

Ingredients measured out to make overnight oats: almond milk, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, oats, sea salt, vanilla and chia seeds.

Ingredients Needed

Rolled oats and milk are really all you need, but I love adding a little yogurt, chia seeds and maple syrup to my base recipe. The oats turn out super creamy and the perfect consistency.

  • rolled oats – old-fashioned rolled oats are a must for overnight oats. They soak up the liquid, which gives you a lovely creamy texture. Instant, quick-cooking and steel cut oats don’t work because they don’t absorb the liquid in the same way that rolled oats do.
  • milk – you can make overnight oats with any type of milk you prefer. I personally like non-dairy options and usually use unsweetened almond milk for my overnight oats.
  • yogurt  this gives the oats a extra creamy texture while adding a bit of protein. I personally like using plain Greek yogurt since it’s the highest in protein and lowest in sugar. To make vegan or dairy-free overnight oats you can use a non-dairy yogurt (I like Siggi’s plant-based or Culina) or skip the yogurt all together and use additional milk.
  • chia seeds  while these are optional, I love adding chia seeds to my overnight oats because they add a bit of fiber and protein. Plus they help absorb some of the liquid which gives the oats a thicker consistency.
  • Add-ins + toppings  Here’s where you can get creative. Just like with regular stove top oats, there are some classic add-ins like vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, maple syrup (or honey) and a pinch of sea salt that really elevate the flavor and make overnight oats super tasty.

Base Recipe (The Perfect Ratio)

The base “recipe” for overnight oats is so simple! I recommend a 1:1 ratio of rolled oats to milk, plus half as much yogurt. So for 1/2 cup of oats, I use 1/2 cup of milk + 1/4 cup of yogurt (or an additional 1/4 cup of milk). These proportions seem to give the oats the perfect consistency, not too thick, but not soupy.

A hand shaking a sealed mason jar with overnight oats.

How to Make Overnight Oats

Add oats, milk, yogurt, maple syrup, chia seeds, vanilla and sea salt into a jar, storage container with a lid or a bowl. Stir ingredients together. Place in the fridge overnight. If you’re in a rush you can shorten the soak time to 2-4 hours.

Milk being poured into a bowl with oats and chia seeds. Photo of the ingredient mixed together in the bowl.

The next morning (or when ready to eat), remove lid and give oats a big stir. Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy. You can eat the oats straight from the jar or pour into a bowl for serving.

Overnight oats in a glass jar topped with fresh berries, nut butter, and nuts.

Overnight Oat Variations

Like I said, you can mix in different ingredients or add toppings to really take your overnight oats to the next level. Here I’m sharing three fun variations:

Peanut butter

I love peanut butter so this is probably my favorite flavor to make. Just mix a little peanut butter into the overnight oats as you make them and then top with another drizzle of peanut butter. I also like adding some chopped peanuts and blueberries.

A glass jar with overnight oats that are topped with fresh blueberries.

Berry

For a berry version, I love adding fresh berries and a little jam. You can do whatever berries you enjoy most and whatever flavor of jam you have on hand. I love using my strawberry chia jam.

Overnight oats in a glass jar topped with fresh berries, nut butter, and nuts.

Chocolate chip

Having a little chocolate with breakfast always feels like a treat and this version is super easy. Just mix a few chocolate chips into the mixture and add a few on top when you’re ready to serve it up. I also like adding a drizzle of nut butter and some banana slices.

Overnight oats in a glass jar topped with fresh berries, nut butter, and nuts.

Make Overnight Oats More Fun with Add-Ins & Toppings

I love the flavors I shared above, but the flavor options for overnight oats are practically endless. Here are some additional ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

  • Fruit – you can’t go wrong with bananas and berries, but almost any fruit will work. I even have a tropical overnight oats recipe with pineapple, mango and toasted coconut.
  • Nut butter – I use peanut butter and almond butter most often, but any and all nut/seed butters will taste amazing drizzled on your overnight oats.
  • Nuts and seeds – this goes right along with the nut butter. You can use nuts too! Almonds, peanuts, pecans, walnuts, sunflower seeds, coconut, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds… you’re options here are endless.
  • Granola – I’m a granola girl and love adding crunchy granola on my overnight oats for a little texture. I highly recommend my homemade granola recipe.
  • Protein feel free to add additional Greek yogurt, cottage cheese or protein powder to bump up the protein of your oats. Also see my protein overnight oats if you want a specific recipe.
  • Chocolate I’m all about sneaking a little chocolate into my breakfast. Feel free to use chocolate chips or even a chopped chocolate bar. If you love chocolate, try my brownie batter overnight oats.
Four glass jars with overnight oats. The oats are topped with fresh berries and nut butter.

How to Store

Store your overnight oats in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. They will soften more the longer they sit so I find they’re best on days 1-3, but they’re still safe to eat on days 4 and 5. With this said, overnight oats are great for meal prep and you can make them on Sunday for the work-week.

What Jars to Use

In terms of what type of container to store your overnight oats in, there are a lot of options. I personally like wide mouth 16 oz Mason jars because they’re relatively inexpensive and they offer plenty of space for stirring everything together and for adding toppings.

I’ve also found that these Le Parfait Jam Pots (photographed here) and 9.8 oz Weck jars are perfect for a single batch of overnight oats. They’re durable glass and practical for other uses in the kitchen too.

Of course, regular meal prep containers work great or you can get jars made specifically for overnight oats like these cute jars with colored screw tops.

Overnight Oats In a Jar

I also love making my overnight oats in an almost empty jar of peanut butter. You just add all your ingredients right to the jar, combine, let soak and then enjoy straight from the jar. It’s the perfect way to use up every last bit of the peanut butter in your jar.

Four glass jars with overnight oats. The oats are topped with fresh berries and nut butter.

FAQ

How long do the oats need to soak?

Given the name, you’d assume overnight oats need to soak overnight, but you can actually get by with only letting them soak 2 hours or so. While it does take some time for the oats to absorb the liquid, they don’t necessarily have to be soaked overnight.

Can I use steel cut oats?

I don’t recommend using steel cut oats unless you follow a specific recipe. See my steel cut overnight oats.

Can I use quick oats?

I don’t recommend using quick oats as they won’t absorb as much of the milk and will be liquidy as a result.

Can you warm them up?

Short answer, yes! You can definitely warm up overnight oats, but the whole point of overnight oats is to eat them cold like muesli. Even if you think cold oats sound strange, I recommend giving it shot before you write them off. Of course, if you simply can’t do the cold oats you can always heat them up. Just pop the soaked oats in your microwave, cooking in 30 second increments until the oats are warm throughout.

Can I make overnight oats with water?

While you can use water instead of milk, I don’t recommend it. It will be virtually flavorless and lack creaminess, similar to eating cereal with water.

Why did my overnight oats turn out so thick?

You likely didn’t follow the proper ratio or perhaps you added an additional ingredient (like protein powder) which soaks up a lot of the liquid. If this happens you can always add a splash of milk to loosen the oats.

More Easy Breakfast Recipes

Want to save this recipe? Enter your email below and we’ll send the recipe to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes every week!
4.61 from 398 votes

Easy Overnight Oats

Here's how to make perfect overnight oats with an easy base recipe, proper ratio, and fun flavor variations. They're such an easy grab-and-go breakfast and perfect for meal prep.
Prep Time: 8 hours
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 8 hours
Servings: 1

Ingredients  

Base Recipe

  • ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats
  • ½ cup milk, I like unsweetened almond milk
  • ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt, or ¼ cup more milk
  • 1-2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey, or your preferred sweetener
  • 1 teaspoon chia seeds, optional
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
  • pinch of sea salt
  • toppings of choice: fruit, nut butter, nuts, seeds, etc.

Chocolate Chip

  • 2 Tablespoons chocolate chips

Peanut Butter

  • 1 Tablespoon peanut butter

Berry

  • ¼ cup fresh berries, I like sliced strawberries and blueberries best
  • 1 Tablespoon strawberry jam or chia jam

Instructions 

  • Add oats, milk, yogurt, maple syrup, chia seeds, vanilla and sea salt into a jar or storage container with a lid. Stir ingredients together. Place in the fridge overnight. If you’re in a rush you can shorten the soak time to 2-4 hours.
  • The next morning (or when ready to eat), remove lid and give oats a big stir. If they seem too thick you can add a little more milk to loosen the mixture. Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy. You can eat the oats straight from the jar or pour into a bowl for serving.
  • Overnight oats should last up to 5 days in the fridge in a sealed airtight container.

Chocolate Chip

  • Stir 1 Tablespoon of chocolate chips into the overnight oat mixture when prepping and then sprinkle oats with remaining chocolate chips to serve.

Peanut Butter

  • Stir 1/2 Tablespoon of peanut butter into the overnight oat mixture when prepping and then drizzle oats with remaining peanut butter to serve.

Berry

  • Stir 2 Tablespoons of berries into the overnight oat mixture when prepping and then top layer of jam and remaining fresh berries.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving w/o toppings | Calories: 272kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 257mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: overnight oats, overnight oats recipe
Did you make this recipe?Mention @eatingbirdfood and tag #eatingbirdfood!

Overnight Oat Flavors to Try:

About Brittany

Hey there, I’m Brittany, the creator of Eating Bird Food, cookbook author, health coach and mama of two littles. Here you’ll find quick and easy recipes that make healthy fun and enjoyable for you and your family!

More about Brittany
Chicken fajita filling on a sheet pan with a wooden spoon. Tortillas are resting on the bottom of the sheet pan.
Get Your FREE High-Protein Meal Plan
Struggling to eat enough protein? Subscribe to my email list and I’ll send you a 3-Day High-Protein Meal Plan with a Shopping List!

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




325 Comments

  1. Made some last night 1 cup oats 1 and half cups almond milk handful of blackberries and it’s still sloppy/soupy/milky this morning 😢 I’m tempted to put more oats in but don’t want it to go the other way 🥴

      1. 5 stars
        My go-to overnight oats recipe! I usually use either cows milk or oat milk (whichever I have on hand) and honey to sweeten. I eat these plain 99% of the time and they are delicious. I don’t have an appetite in the morning but try to eat breakfast to avoid overeating later. These are the perfect, light breakfast. And I love that I can prep them ahead of time.

        1. YUM! I am SO glad you are loving this recipe, Samantha. Thank you for coming back and sharing your review & star rating, it means a lot to me!

      1. Yay! Thank you so much, glad you’re loving this recipe and it is a hit! I appreciate your review + star rating, it means so much to me!

  2. If I made a big base mix how long would it stay good for in an airtight container in the pantry? Obviously just the dry ingredients, then the other toppings/wet ingredients get portioned when going to be used.

    1. Hi Kim – That is a great question. I would say, it should last as long as the expiration date of your oats (and other ingredients). Hope this helps and you enjoy this recipe!

  3. 5 stars
    Made it last night and added some roasted apples to it – tastes like apple pie. Just the right consistency and kept me full for hours- an impossible task!! Love it!

    1. Ahh love this so much, Beth. I am so glad you gave this a try and it is a hit. Love the idea of roasted apple, such a delicious addition. Thank you for sharing your review & star rating, I truly appreciate it!

  4. 5 stars
    I love the daily harvest overnight oats but at $7 each that’s not exactly sustainable. This tastes exactly the same-delicious!! I used simply organic vanilla bean paste, so good.

    1. Amazing! I am SO glad you found this recipe and are loving these overnight oats, Sophie. Thank you for coming back and sharing your review + star rating, I appreciate it!

  5. I have been wanting to make some Overnight oats for a long time, now I will. I was wondering, if you can make overnight oats and keep them if your frig. for longer then overnight? Maybe 2 nights?? I am going shopping for my supplies.

    1. So sorry to hear you did not love this recipe, J R. Some people prefer their oats this way and others prefer it cooked. I have lots of cooked oats variations on my site if you’re interested!

See More Comments