Our 10 Most Popular Overnight Oat Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to overnight oats? ›

Add Twice as Much Milk as Oats

Whether you prefer whole milk, rice milk or coconut milk, you can use it. Just make sure to add twice as much milk as oats. Note: You can also use whey, buttermilk or thinned yogurt for a tangier flavor.

The Best Oats for Overnight Oats: Old-fashioned oats, also known as rolled oats, become tender and creamy when soaked. Quick-cooking oats, which are smaller, can end up pasty and steel-cut oats, which are sturdier, stay quite firm even after soaking.

But, anything from whole to skim milk works, or a non-dairy option like soy milk, almond milk, or another option that you prefer. Here you can see (on the right) the more soupy-liquid version is the overnight oats before they have soaked overnight.

As Best points out, "some of the worst ingredients that are mistakenly added to healthy overnight oat recipes include chocolate sauce, sugar, syrup, and dried fruit."

A bowl of overnight oats might help to strengthen your immune system. The inclusion of beta-glucan in oats aids in increasing the activity of our body's white blood cells (WBCs), which are responsible for defending us from sickness. Because oats are high in zinc and selenium, they help fight infections.

Why Do You Put Chia Seeds in Overnight Oats? Chia seeds up the nutrition content in overnight oats. They're loaded with good-for-your-gut fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, which help calm inflammation in your body and may protect you from chronic disease. They also add a nice protein boost to this recipe.

Overnight oats offer a range of health benefits, due to their rich fibre and protein content. They also contain a number of vitamins and minerals, some of which include manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. This makes overnight oats healthy for your gut, as well as for overall health and well-being.

In a large glass jar, combine the oats, milk, yogurt, maple syrup or honey, chia seeds, vanilla cinnamon, and sea salt. Stir well to make sure all the ingredients are combined. Cover with a lid and place in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, remove from the refrigerator and stir.

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.

For richer, creamier results, we also like adding regular yogurt or plant-based yogurt. The best ratio of milk to oats is 1:1 oats to milk. If you want to add additional creaminess with yogurt, you can add half as much yogurt as milk, for a ratio of 2:2:1 for oats:milk:yogurt.

What happens if you add too much milk to overnight oats? ›

Some oats will be very soft while others might still be chewy. On the other hand, if you add too much milk the overnight oats will have a soupy oat mixture because the oats can only absorb so much liquid.

The night before, place the oats, Granola Dust and a pinch of cinnamon into a lidded container. Pour over the milk, mix well then cover and pop in the fridge overnight. In the morning, grate in most of the apple and pear and give the mixture a good stir, adding a splash more milk to loosen, if needed.

Overnight oats are prepared by soaking oats in liquid and flavorings overnight, resulting in a soft, creamy texture, while regular oatmeal is cooked oats with a thicker, traditional porridge-like consistency. The main differences are in preparation method, texture, and convenience.

You only need to let the oats soak and rest in the fridge for 2 hours. But, it's ideal if you soak it overnight…hence the name overnight oats! The next morning you have a ready-to-eat, delicious, creamy bowl or jar of “oatmeal.” The consistency is like a porridge or pudding.

If you don't add enough liquid, your oats will be dry and clumpy in the morning, making them less enjoyable to eat. Make sure to add enough milk or yogurt to fully cover your oats and give them a creamy consistency.

For richer, creamier results, we also like adding regular yogurt or plant-based yogurt. The best ratio of milk to oats is 1:1 oats to milk. If you want to add additional creaminess with yogurt, you can add half as much yogurt as milk, for a ratio of 2:2:1 for oats:milk:yogurt.

Make sure you have at least double the liquid per each serving of oats (so, 1 cup of milk to ½-cup of oats), increasing the amount if you want a soupier texture.

Use plain old fashioned rolled oats, not quick oats. Quick oats will get too soggy when soaked with milk. And do not use steel cut oats because they won't soften enough to eat just with milk unfortunately.