Basic, Healthy Overnight Oats Recipe Plus Five Variations and a Vegan Option

Looking for an easy breakfast solution? This recipe for healthy overnight oats is simple to make and yields the most delicious results.

There are numerous variations of overnight oats available online…and since I didn’t want to feel left out, I decided to share my own basic recipe.  For those of you that have never had overnight oats – you are missing out.

The idea is to whip up a bowl of oats before bed, allow them to soak up the liquid overnight, and breakfast is ready to go when you wake up.  It’s a super easy and healthy grab-and-go breakfast option…and tastes fabulous!

I used to love those boxed instant oatmeal packs but they aren't that healthy for you. They are full of sugar and preservatives. I do have to admit they are REALLY easy though. Well, this overnight recipe is easy too, and way better for you. Who wouldn't like oatmeal with yogurt and chia seeds * added to it?

It's really easy to make this recipe too. All you do is make the oatmeal recipe the night before which takes just a couple of minutes then put it in the refrigerator overnight and let it sit.  In the morning you'll think magic happened! In the morning all you do is add the spices and maple syrup * and you're good to go. Just like that! The refrigerator and time did all the work while you were sleeping.

If you follow this recipe to a "T", you’ll find that the measurements make exactly one serving. However, you can easily double or triple the ingredients to whip up a larger batch. It’s then easy to divide the larger serving into separate jars/containers. This way, by the next morning, each family member can grab their breakfast and go.

Ingredients

• old-fashioned oats
• almond milk - or any milk will work
• chia seeds * - I use just a little to help thicken them and give them a little protein and nutrition boost
• full-fat Greek yogurt - or any yogurt will work

How to Make

Flavor Ideas

Feel free to top your overnight oats with your favorite jams, fruits, and nuts. You can easily customize it to make it your own! It’s definitely the perfect breakfast solution for every family cookbook.

Peanut Butter and Jelly

This recipe for peanut butter and jelly overnight oats offers that perfect balance of guilt-free deliciousness. It tastes like a pb&j sandwich, and I love it!

Don’t be intimidated! Though it may look fancy, this overnight oats recipe is very simple to put together.

The fruit syrup is delicious! To make it, I started off with a bag of frozen berries - it included strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. The result? A tasty breakfast that my entire family enjoys (yes, even the picky eaters!).

My favorite part of these overnight oats is a dollop of peanut butter. Want to know my trade secret? I always eat the peanut butter first! I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do.

Cinnamon Spice

These cinnamon spice overnight oats make getting ready in the morning super fast and easy and they taste a lot like the boxed variety of oatmeal but with a better texture.

This recipe reminds me of my childhood.  I ate a lot of boxed instant oatmeal growing up and one of my favorite flavors was cinnamon spice.  It is also very simple to assemble in the morning and my husband loved it (he helped me taste test :).

I think you'll really like these oats, that is if you like cinnamon flavor and come to think about it, I don't know anyone that doesn't. Give them a try and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Pumpkin Pie

These pumpkin pie overnight oats are simple to start the night before and have a light pumpkin flavor perfect for a make-ahead fall breakfast.

Really, can anyone complain about eating pie for breakfast? I also like how it's not just straight pumpkin so it has a good texture and not too much pumpkin. I enjoy eating it all year round and love how I can get it started the night before and just finish it up in the morning.

The best part is that if you use the Basic Overnight Oats recipe. You'll be so glad you tried it. It's so easy to adapt it any way you like. You can add pumpkin this recipe or bananas or basically any fruit you'd like. Who wouldn't like oatmeal with yogurt and chia seeds * added to it?

It's really easy to make this recipe too. All you do is make the oatmeal recipe the night before which takes just a couple minutes then put it in the refrigerator overnight and let it sit.  In the morning you'll think magic happened!

In the morning all you do is add the spices and maple syrup * and you're good to go. Just like that the frig and some time did all the work while you were sleeping.

I think you'll really like these oats, that is if you like cinnamon flavor and come to think about it, I don't know anyone that doesn't. Give them a try and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Imagine having these oats for breakfast on Thanksgiving morning or even for Halloween. Of course, you can eat them any time of the year. I don't know why some people think you can only eat pumpkin in the fall. That's just silly. You can eat anything you like any time you like and it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.

Apple Cinnamon -

These apple cinnamon overnight oats are the perfect make-ahead breakfast for a chilly fall morning. They are easy to start the night before and amazing to wake up to in the morning.

This recipe is slightly more involved than some of my other overnight oat toppings (see below) but it's totally worth it.  It calls for sautéing the apples before adding them to the oats, but that only takes a minute or two, so it really isn’t hard. You could always cook the apples the night before or even skip that step and throw the apples in raw if you are in a hurry.  If you are going to do them raw, I recommend you grate them so you don't have big chunks of hard apple.

I left these oats sweetened completely by fruit, but feel free to add a drizzle of maple syrup * if you feel it needs a little bit extra sweetness. Part of what will determine the amount of syrup is how sweet the apple is and how sweet your tooth is (if you know what I mean).

Goat Cheese and Pear

Pear and creamy goat cheese together are one of my favorite combinations, especially when you add a drizzle of honey.  It sounds weird, but it’s delicious!

The thing that makes overnight oats so much fun, is the topping options are endless. Please comment below and let me know what your favorite overnight oats toppings or mix-ins are.

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