How To Make Overnight Oats & 3 Delicious Toppings

Don’t have time in the morning to fix yourself breakfast? Overnight oats are a great quick healthy breakfast option that you can prepare the night before.

If you’re not sure what overnight oats are, they are basically a no-cook method of preparing oats. Instead of cooking the oats on the stove, you soak the oats in milk. The milk is absorbed and the oats are left softened and ready to eat! 

You can leave them to soak in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours, but it is ideal and easier to prepare the night before. They are called overnight oats for a reason! 

Jump to:

• Basic overnight oats recipe
• Strawberry pistachio overnight oats
• Peanut butter and jelly overnight oats
• Pumpkin pie overnight oats

Breakfast is important to setting us up for the day ahead. It can boost energy stores and kick start our metabolism. A filling breakfast like oats may also reduce the chance of turning to high-calorie food choices later in the day!

This makes overnight oats a great go-to whole grain breakfast option. As a whole grain, oats are slowly absorbed by the body for a longer-lasting energy boost. 

They’re also high in fibre and protein so they can help you feel fuller for longer. For an extra protein boost, top with nuts, nut butter or yoghurt like the toppings I have included below.

Check out my basic overnight oats recipe and three of my favourite toppings to try below!

Basic Overnight Oats Recipe

Total time: 5 mins + overnight chilling time
Serves: 1
Dietary preferences: Vegetarian, Vegan-option

Ingredients:

• 60g rolled oats
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 125ml low-fat milk or non-dairy milk of choice
• 1 tsp honey or pure maple syrup
• ½ tsp pure vanilla extract

Method:

1. Place the oats, chia seeds, milk, honey and vanilla extract in a bowl and mix until well combined.

2. Pour the oat mixture into a jar or container. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill overnight.

3. To serve, stir the oats and top with your toppings of choice. Enjoy!

Overnight Oats Toppings

Strawberry Pistachio Overnight Oats

• 20g chopped pistachio nuts or walnuts
• 2 medium strawberries, quartered
• Coconut flakes

Slice strawberries and place on overnight oats. Sprinkle with coconut flakes and chopped nuts.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Overnight Oats

• 1 tbsp 100% natural peanut butter, melted
• Fresh raspberries, to serve
• Homemade Raw Raspberry Jam (optional)

Dollop on or stir the melted peanut butter into your overnight oats. Top with fresh raspberries and Homemade Raw Raspberry Jam. 

Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats

• 1 tbsp low-fat yoghurt or coconut yoghurt
• 50g cooked pumpkin, pureed
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch of ground ginger
• pinch of ground nutmeg
• pinch of allspice
• pinch of ground cloves
• 20g raw walnuts, roughly chopped

For the pumpkin pie topping, place the pureed pumpkin in a small bowl and stir through the spices. Top your overnight oats with the pumpkin mixture, yoghurt and walnuts.

You can experiment with your overnight oats! 

Even though I have shared a few of my favourite topping ideas, the best thing about these overnight oats recipes is that you can experiment with any flavour combination you like. Try adding different fruits, nuts, seeds or nut butter. 

Other delicious breakfast ideas that you can meal prep ahead of time are my Chocolate and Raspberry or Coconut Mango Chia Puddings or this Healthy Bircher Muesli.  

Share your favourite overnight oats flavour combinations below!