For the longest time, I was convinced I wouldn’t like overnight oats.
The name just made me think of cold, soggy porridge that had been forgotten about in the fridge overnight. It didn’t sound remotely appealing and, despite hearing people rave about them for years, I never felt tempted to give them a go.
But I needed to get better at breakfast and in order to do that, I needed to be able to just grab something from the fridge and eat it as I knew I just wouldn’t bother if it wasn’t easy as I’ve never been a breakfast person.
I gave them a try, and I couldn’t have been more wrong. Overnight oats have become one of my favourite breakfasts because they’re quick to make, keep me feeling full all morning and save so much time on busy weekdays. I often make mine the night before, grab one from the fridge as I’m leaving for work and either eat it at home or pop it in my bag for breakfast later.
It keeps for a couple of days and I’ve just made this week’s batch that will be my breakfast for the next three days so I was feeling pretty smug when I lined them up in the front which made me think it was time to share my recipe with you.
If you’re new to overnight oats, this is the perfect place to start. This is the simple base recipe I use for almost all of my overnight oat flavours and, once you’ve mastered it, you can adapt it in dozens of different ways throughout the year.
What Are Overnight Oats?
Overnight oats are simply porridge oats that are mixed with milk and yoghurt and left in the fridge overnight. While you sleep, the oats soften and absorb the liquid, so by the morning they’re creamy and ready to eat with no cooking required.
They’re brilliant for meal prep, they’re budget friendly and they’re also a great way to use up fruit that’s starting to look a little past its best.
Why I Love Overnight Oats
There are plenty of reasons why overnight oats have become a regular breakfast in our house.
- They take less than five minutes to make.
- Breakfast is already sorted before I go to bed.
- They’re easy to take to work if I’m running late.
- They’re really filling, so I’m not reaching for snacks an hour later.
- They’re a great way to use up fruit before it ends up in the bin.
- By changing just a couple of ingredients, you can make a completely different flavour every week.
The Base Recipe
This is my go-to recipe and the one I’ll be using for all of the overnight oat flavours that I’ll be sharing over the coming months. I’m sharing it today as part of my all new Start Here series, where I share simple base recipes that can be adapted into lots of different flavours and variations. Learn the basic recipe first and come back throughout the year as I share new twists, seasonal ideas and different ways to make it your own.
Ingredients
- 50g porridge oats (I use rolled oats as they’re better for me as a diabetic)
- 100ml milk (any kind)
- 100g Greek yoghurt or vanilla yoghurt
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds (optional)
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup (optional)
Method
Add all of the ingredients to a jar or airtight container and give everything a really good stir until it’s well combined.
Pop the lid on and leave it in the fridge overnight.
In the morning, give it another quick stir and add your favourite toppings before serving. My batch today was frozen berries and cherries from the freezer but you can use whatever you have to hand.
That’s all there is to it!
My Favourite Toppings
One of the best things about overnight oats is that you can make them different every single time.
Some of my favourite additions are:
- Fresh strawberries
- Blueberries
- Banana
- Grated apple
- Frozen berries
- Cinnamon
- Cocoa powder
- Peanut butter
- Biscoff spread
- Chopped nuts
- Chocolate chips
- Crushed biscuits for an occasional treat
Easy Swaps
Don’t worry if you don’t have exactly the same ingredients as I do.
You can use dairy-free milk if you prefer, swap Greek yoghurt for vanilla yoghurt if you like a sweeter breakfast or leave the chia seeds out completely if you don’t have any in the cupboard.
Frozen fruit works just as well as fresh fruit and is often a cheaper option too.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do overnight oats last?
They’ll keep in the fridge for up to three days, making them perfect for meal prepping a few breakfasts in advance.
Can I use frozen fruit?
Absolutely. I often use frozen berries because they’re usually cheaper than fresh and they thaw overnight in the fridge.
Do I have to use Greek yoghurt?
Not at all. Greek yoghurt gives a lovely creamy texture, but vanilla yoghurt works really well if you prefer a sweeter flavour.
Can I warm them up?
Yes! Although they’re designed to be eaten cold, you can heat them gently in the microwave if that’s your preference.
Start Here… Then Try These Flavours
Once you’ve got the hang of the basic recipe, it’s really easy to create different flavours by adding just a couple of extra ingredients.
Some of the variations I’ll be sharing include:
- Chocolate Overnight Oats
- Biscoff Overnight Oats
- Apple Pie Overnight Oats
- Strawberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats
- Lemon Cheesecake Overnight Oats
- Banana Bread Overnight Oats
- Gingerbread Overnight Oats
- Chocolate Orange Overnight Oats
I’ll add the links here as I publish each one so you can easily work your way through the collection.
My Top Tip
If I spot bananas with yellow stickers in the supermarket, I’ll often buy them specifically for overnight oats. A mashed banana naturally sweetens the mixture, they’re usually much cheaper when reduced and it’s a great way to stop perfectly good food from going to waste.
If you’ve never tried overnight oats before, I hope this recipe changes your mind like it changed mine. It’s one of those breakfasts that looks almost too simple to be worth making, but once you’ve made your first jar, I have a feeling you’ll understand why so many people swear by them.
I’d love you to follow me on Twitter and it would be amazing to see you over on my Facebook page and on Instagram. If you’re interested, you can find out more about me here and while I’ve got your attention, if you’re wondering why some of my posts lately are a little bit less frugal then have a read of this post. 😉
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I’m preparing my shopping list… I eat oats the traditional way so often, I’m glad to try overnight oats. Thanks for these recipes!
If you want to be extra frugal, you can swap the muller light for plain 0% fat yoghurt.
I use 40g oats, 100g (ish) 0% plain yoghurt, a handful of frozen fruit, and enough water to make a loose mix. In the morning, the oats have absorbed the extra water, and it's thickened up. I grate in an apple, or add whatever fruit is to hand, apricot, peach etc in summer, plums more in the Autumn.
I rarely manage to finish the whole thing, it's soooo filling
do you eat these cold???? I'm not sure I could eat cold oats….but everyone says they are delicious…
Is it healthy too eat eggs the following day on oats you cooked in the microwave
Never heard of doing this before, it sounds delicious……..now to remember to do it
I need to get into this, have been meaning to for ages now. Love Jamie Oliver ones with grated apple! LOVE your pics Cass, so pretty x
I’ve not heard of this but it looks interesting – will have to give it a go
This looks so good and I love that it is healthy too. I have lots of blackberries to eat and this would be a great way to use them up for breakfast. Delicious!
My kind of breakfast … Tastes delicious, looks great, healthy and can be made the night before.
I keep coming back to birch oats (there is a recipe on my site) which has apple jiuce and grated apple. it is just delicious
I really want to try these!! easy to prepare and you can pretty much add anything you want. Now to decide what to put in with the oats…..
mm sounds and looks delicious! And easy to prepare… what's not to love? x
You should try bircher, lovely type of overnight oats made with grated apple nom nom nom
Oooh grated apple sounds delicious x
These are delicious; I have them often on my SW plan. Sometimes I find they go a bit stodgy overnight, but if that is the case, I grate a pear or an apple in to it and give it a good mix before eating – this boosts your five-a-day too. Yummy!