The Best Overnight Oatmeal (Plus 9 Awesome Mix-In Ideas!)

A tutorial to make the BEST Overnight Oatmeal to save you time in the morning and keep you powered all throughout the day. Check out my ideas for 9 Awesome Oatmeal Mix-Ins so you NEVER get bored.

I've been eating overnight oatmeal since before it even became a ''thing" on the internet. It's been my staple work-day breakfast for at least six years now, and here's why:

• It is deeeelicious.
• It keeps me full longer than any other healthy breakfast.
• It has an awesome texture - I really dislike the mushiness of cooked oatmeal.
• It is SO easy to make! Less than 5 minutes of prep for several days of breakfast. Works for me!
• It's so easy to take with me to work, so I don't have to spend time on breakfast at home. Extra sleep!
• I can eat it cold, warm, or hot, depending on my mood for the day. Cold is actually my favorite, but some days I need a little something warm in the morning.
• It is heart-healthy.
• Fiber!! I am a big fan of fiber.
• There are hundreds of combinations of mix-ins to keep me from getting tired of it.

So you can see why I am a fan. I usually make a big batch of it on Sunday night, and that is my breakfast through Thursday (Fridays I work at home so it is less essential to have breakfast ready to go in the morning). Sometimes I make a batch of oatmeal with all the mix-ins added from the start, sometimes I make a batch of ''plain" oatmeal and mix it up every morning. Either way is super easy!

My ''base" recipe for overnight oatmeal has chia seeds and ground flax seeds for some extra energy, fiber, and healthy fats. I also add a bit of agave so that it has a touch of sweetness. After the oatmeal sits overnight I add some mix-ins for just a bit more sweetness, flavor, and crunch.

Here are my favorite mix-ins for overnight oatmeal:

1. Brown sugar + cinnamon + raisins
2. Agave syrup + dried cranberries (craisins) + cinnamon
3. Unsweetened dried coconut + pineapple chunks + coconut extract (like a piña colada!!)
4. Freeze dried raspberries + sweetened dried coconut
5. Sliced bananas + maple syrup
6. Peanut butter (or lately, PB Fit powder) + cocoa powder
7. Sliced strawberries + condensed milk
8. Sweetened cacao nibs (Wild Sweet Nibs) + peanut butter
9. Sliced almonds + honey

If you are trying to find healthy breakfast options and struggle with time in the morning, this is definitely a recipe worth trying. You might need to experiment with the oatmeal-to-milk ratio at first (depending on your preference), but the recipe below should give you a good start.

Other easy breakfast ideas:

• Mango oatmeal - make this overnight or in the morning!
• Instant Pot chocolate cherry oats
• Greek yogurt oat pancakes
• Breakfast grits with peach compote
• Cottage cheese breakfast bowls
• Mango whipped cottage cheese

If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know with a comment and a star rating below. And don't forget to share it on Facebook and save it on Pinterest for later!

Print Recipe

5 from 7 votes

Overnight Oats

A tutorial to make the BEST Overnight Oatmeal to save you time in the morning and keep you powered all throughout the day. Check out my ideas for 10 Awesome Oatmeal Mix-Ins so you NEVER get bored.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time0 minutes mins

Overnight rest:8 hours hrs

Total Time8 hours hrs

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Kate

  Cook Mode: Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

Overnight Oats "Base"

• 3 cups oatmeal - , instant
• 4 cups milk - (almond milk or 1% cows milk is my favorite)
• 6 tablespoons agave nectar
• 3 tablespoons chia seeds
• 3 tablespoons gound flaxseed - (you can also grind your own)

Mix ins (such as fresh or dried fruit, nuts, honey, dried coconut, etc.):

• ⅓ - ½ cup (about 1 rounded tablespoon per serving)

Instructions

• Mix all the ingredients for the overnight oats base in a large bowl. Cover and place in the fridge overnight. In the morning, add any combination of mix ins that you like. Heat in the microwave (30 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on your microwave strength. If heating for 2 minutes, stir halfway through).

Nutrition

Calories: 430kcal (22%) | Carbohydrates: 61g (20%) | Protein: 15g (30%) | Fat: 15g (23%) | Saturated Fat: 5g (25%) | Cholesterol: 24mg (8%) | Sodium: 115mg (5%) | Potassium: 482mg (14%) | Fiber: 7g (28%) | Sugar: 34g (38%) | Vitamin A: 395IU (8%) | Calcium: 348mg (35%) | Iron: 2.3mg (13%)

The nutritional information displayed is an estimate and not to be used as dietary or nutritional advice. Consult a nutritionist or dietician for nutritional info based on the exact ingredients you use.