Healthy Overnight Oats Recipe - Customizable

This post is all about my favorite healthy overnight oats recipe.

Benefits Of Overnight Oats

• Easy to make with minimal prep time. It typically only takes 5 minutes to make them.
• Overnight oats are meal prep friendly, so you can make several servings and have breakfast ready for the whole week.
• Oats are high in fiber. They contain a soluble fiber called beta-glucan, which is great for lowering cholesterol. Fiber is also great for gut health and weight management. In fact, we know that people who eat more fiber are slimmer than those who don't!
• Cheap! A budget-friendly pantry staple in my house.
• Customizable. Whether you're gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, or have allergies, there's a substitution that you can make without sacrificing quality. Overnight oats are a recipe that can be tailored to any dietary restriction.
• There are lots of flavor options! There's a flavor combination for everyone, whether you love classic oats with fruit or more cheesecake-inspired overnight oats.

More oat-based recipes for you to try

• You may prefer warm baked oats; if so, check out my blended baked oats recipe here.
• Fancy carrot cake for breakfast? Check out my carrot cake-based oats with a high-protein creamy frosting
• My 5 Ingredient Oat Breakfast Bars are the perfect grab-and-go snack!

Ingredients:

Oats: Rolled oats or plain old-fashioned oats are the best in overnight oats recipes. Quick oats tend to soak up more liquids and get a little soggy (however, some people like this). Steel-cut oats will not work as they need to be cooked.

Chia seeds absorb liquid and help thicken the overnight oats. They are also a source of healthy fats and high in fiber, with 5g of fiber per tablespoon.

Greek yogurt. I always add Greek yogurt to my overnight oat recipes. The Greek yogurt adds an extra creamy texture and increases the protein content of the breakfast. While oats are a wonderful, fiber-rich whole grain, they likely won’t keep you full. Pairing them with a protein like Greek yogurt helps slow the digestive process, keeping us fuller and fueled for longer. I typically opt for unsweetened 0 or 2% Greek yogurt so I can customize the sweetness myself. This way, I have more control over the added sugar and can make it as sweet as I like. If you choose a sweetened or flavored yogurt, you may not need maple syrup or honey.

Milk. For the most protein, I recommend dairy milk or soy milk for a dairy-free option. 

Honey or maple syrup. This is optional but a great way to add sweetness.

Vanilla extract. For a little added flavor. I typically recommend pure vanilla extract in recipes we are not baking for the most authentic flavor.

Cinnamon. Use your favorite spices, such as cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, or nutmeg, for a little flavor.

Toppings. When I make my standard overnight oats I typically like to add peanut butter and raspberries but you can customize this to meet your preferences.

The complete ingredient list with measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

Increase the nutrition content of your overnight oats

Remember, most adults need about 20 grams (to 40 grams) of protein at each meal.

To add more protein, use cow, goat, sheep, pea, or soya milk rather than almond, hazelnut, rice, oat, or coconut milk. The plant-based milk alternatives, with the exception of pea or soya milk, provide negligible amounts of protein.

Additionally, instead of using natural yogurt or soya yogurt, you could choose a higher-protein yogurt option such as Greek yogurt, skyr, or quark. Generally, Greek yogurt, skyr, or quark provides twice, if not three times, the protein of natural or soya yogurt.

⚠️Watch out for Greek-style yogurts.

It’s worth looking at the protein content of your Greek yogurt. Greek-style yogurt can be sneaky and deceiving. In some cases, it can contain less protein than natural yogurt. What you can expect from a real full-fat Greek yogurt is at least 6 grams of protein per 100g. If it's a 0% fat Greek yogurt, you can expect 10 grams of protein per 100 g. Quark provides 12 grams of protein per 100 grams, while Skyr provides 10 grams of protein per 100g.

🥣 Instructions

1. In a mason jar, lunch box, or small bowl with a lid, add the dry ingredients (oats, chia seeds, cinnamon) and mix well. Add wet ingredients (Greek yogurt, milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract) and mix well again.
2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (ideally overnight).
3. Add your toppings of choice, and enjoy!

Substitutions and variations

To make gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free oats and ensure all other ingredients are certified gluten-free.

To make it dairy-free, Use non-dairy yogurt and milk, such as soy milk, almond milk, or oat milk. I recommend soy milk for the highest protein choice. I recommend choosing a fortified plant-based milk with added calcium and b12.

To make vegan: Follow dairy-free swaps and use maple syrup instead of honey.

To make nut-free: This recipe is naturally nut-free (if you haven't added any nuts!). However, I recommend checking that all your ingredients and toppings are nut-free.

🔧 Equipment

Any storage container, lunch box, or mason jar will work fine. However, I recommend choosing one with a strong seal to prevent leakage.

Standard mason jars work great for overnight oats, but when I want something more aesthetic, I use these glass containers with bamboo lids and matching spoons that I purchased from Amazon.

🫙 Storage

Overnight oats can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. They will continue to thicken and slightly soften the longer they sit, so you can always add a splash of milk when serving until they reach your desired consistency. After 3 days or so you may find that the liquid has separated slightly from the oats, just give it a quick stir before eating.

If you're using fresh fruit in the oats, add it on the day you plan to eat it. Fresh fruit can release a lot of water into the recipe, and over time, it may become less appetizing.

🔪 Meal Prep

This healthy overnight oats recipe features in so many of my weekly meal preps! You can easily double (or triple!) this recipe for the days ahead. I’ve done this many times, and it always turns out great.

Top Tip For Making This Recipe

Everyone has different preferences for their overnight oats, so use my recipe as a base to customize.

For thicker oats, reduce the milk by one tablespoon and add an additional tablespoon of yogurt. For thinner oats, increase the milk.

For sweeter oats, use one tablespoon of liquid sweetener (e.g., honey or maple syrup) or flavored Greek yogurt. For lower-sugar oats, skip the sweetener and use mashed banana instead.

Frequently Asked Questions