10 Incredibly Easy Overnight Oats for Beginners!

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Last Updated on March 28, 2025 by Toya

If you’ve been on the lookout for overnight oats that actually taste good, you’re in the right place! In this post, II will share 10 mouthwatering overnight oats flavor combinations that are easy to make, healthy, and takes minutes to whip up.

When it comes to making quick and easy breakfast ideas that are good for you, there isn’t much that comes close to a jar of overnight oats!

I’ve been making these for breakfast and even as healthy snacks for quite some time so today I’m showing you 10 easy ways to enjoy overnight oats with only a few minutes of prep and the simplest ingredients!

These amazing overnight oats are made with a simple base recipe that only requires rolled oats, milk, plain Greek yogurt, chia seeds, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. This base recipe gives you around 15 grams of protein per serving and is rich, creamy, and delicious on its own. However, if you want some more interesting flavors, I’ll show you how to customize this yummy base to create mouthwatering combinations that will have you hooked! And the best part? You don’t need to cook anything!

So, whether you’re trying to eat healthier, boost your protein intake, or simply enjoy a convenient breakfast, this guide covers everything you need to know about how to make overnight oats, including recipes, tips, and even some handy storage suggestions!

What Are Overnight Oats?

Overnight oats are a no-cook method of preparing oatmeal by soaking oats in liquid overnight (or for at least 4 hours). Instead of cooking them on the stove or in the microwave, the raw oats soak up the liquid, usually milk, and soften to create a creamy texture by morning.

This is a type of meal-prep breakfast option that is super popular because it’s easy to make, highly customizable (you can include any type of add in flavor that you desire), rich, creamy, delicious and nutrient dense!

With overnight oats, you get the best of all worlds: no-cook convenience, flavors that are fully customizable, and a nutrient rich goodness —a true win-win-win!

Why You Should Try Overnight Oats

• Time-Saving: You can prep them the night before for a quick grab-and-go breakfast the next morning. This is perfect if you have a hard time eating breakfast in the morning due to lack of time. Plus most overnight oats recipes take about 5 minutes to make!
• Healthy & Nutritious: These overnight oats are rich in fiber, protein, and essential vitamins. And if you add some protein powder to the overnight oats, it can be a protein powerhouse too!
• Customizable: Overnight oats are one of the most customizable breakfast options since you get to choose your favorite flavors, toppings, and add-ins.
• Great for Meal Prep: Also, overnight oats are great for meal prep as you can easily (within 10 minutes!) make multiple servings at once for the week ahead.
• No Cooking Required: The best part about overnight oats is that you don’t need to cook them! Just mix, refrigerate, and enjoy!
• Simple Ingredients: You only need old fashion rolled oats, milk, a sweetener, and some Greek yogurt to make overnight oats so they can be pretty cheap to make! Anything else you add is totally optional! 

What are the Best Oats for Overnight Oats?

• Rolled Oats (Old-Fashioned Oats): These are the best option for overnight oats as they soften perfectly overnight or within 4 -8 hours.

• Quick Oats: Although some people do not mind using quick oats, it absorbs liquid faster so your overnight oats with quick oats may become too mushy.
• Steel-Cut Oats: This type of oats requires longer soaking time (about 10 hours) and more liquid to soften properly.

Let me show you my favorite base recipe!

How to Make the Best Overnight Oats Base (Step-by-Step Guide)

To create the perfect overnight oats, start with this simple base recipe. It’s the tastiest and has the perfect ratio of ingredients. This recipe makes one serving of overnight oats.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup rolled oats (I recommend Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Old Fashioned Rolled Oats)
• ½ cup milk (any kind)
• ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
• ½ tablespoon (I use and recommend Viva Naturals chia seeds)
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Grab a mason jar or a container with a lid and add the rolled oats, milk, chia seeds, yogurt, maple syrup (or honey), and vanilla extract. Mix until there are no clumps.
2. Seal the jar and let the oats soak for at least 4 hours (or overnight) in the fridge.
3. In the morning, stir and add fresh fruit, nuts, nut butter, or any extra toppings of your choice!

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My Top 10 Delicious Overnight Oats Recipes

1. Strawberry Yogurt

This is one of the creamiest, most luscious overnight oats recipe. You will need 2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt and 4-6 medium strawberries. To make it, grab a jar of the overnight oats base recipe shown above. Then, slice, dice, or mash 2-3 fresh, sweet strawberries and mix them into the overnight oats base. Next, slice (or leave whole) the remaining 2-3 strawberries.

Lastly, layer the oats with Greek yogurt and sliced strawberries, and enjoy! It has a sweet, tangy taste that is irresistible.

Note: Mashing some of the strawberries into the mixture will give the oats a stronger strawberry flavor!

2. Banana Yogurt

For a delicious banana yogurt overnight oats recipe, you’ll need 1 ripe banana, 1-2 extra tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt, and some honey, along with the ingredients for my favorite overnight oats base recipe listed above.

Combine all the ingredients—½ cup of rolled oats, ½ cup of milk (any kind), ¼ – ½ cup of plain Greek yogurt, ½ tablespoon of chia seeds, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup or honey, ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract, ½ of the banana (sliced), and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup—into a lidded mason jar.

Refrigerate overnight and enjoy the next day, topped with the remaining banana slices and extra honey or maple syrup if desired.

3. Blueberry Yogurt

Love blueberries? This blueberry yogurt overnight oats combo is for you.

To make this flavor combo, you will need about 1/2 cup of blueberries and 1 -2 tablespoons of plain greek yogurt. Mash half of the blueberries into the oats base and stir to incorporate, then refrigerate.

When you’re ready to eat your blueberry yogurt overnight oats, top the oats with the Greek yogurt and the remaining blueberries.

4. Mixed Berry Overnight Oats

Why even choose between blueberries or strawberries when you can have both? Add a mix of fresh strawberries and blueberries into the oats and reserve some for topping. Drizzle with maple syrup or honey for extra sweetness!

5. Peanut Butter Yogurt

If you’re a love peanut butter cookies, oatmeal, or make-ahead breakfast ideas, this recipe is just for you.

To make it, start with the ingredients for my overnight oats base, then add 2 tablespoons of peanut butter (or powdered peanut butter) and a handful of chopped peanuts.

Combine all the ingredients in a lidded mason jar and shake well. Refrigerate overnight. The next morning, simply stir, top with extra peanut butter and Greek yogurt (or whipped cream if you’re feeling indulgent), and enjoy!

6. Birthday Cake

This is the perfect way to start your birthday celebration or to treat someone for their birthday! This simple, yummy breakfast takes minutes and you only need 1 tablespoon of rainbow sprinkles and some extra greek yogurt or some whipped cream to make this flavor combo.

To make it, grab the ingredients for my overnight oats base above almond with some rainbow sprinkles.

Add all the ingredients into a lidded mason jar and shake to combine. The next day, stir the oats, then op with a dollop of yogurt (or some whipped cream) and some extra rainbow sprinkles.

This the best of both worlds! Indulgent and Nutritious!

7. Chocolate Peanut Butter

If you love peanut butter cups, or peanut butter cookies, then you will love this overnight oats flavor combo.

To make my easy chocolate peanut butter overnight oats, simply grab the ingredients above for my overnight oats base, along with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter and 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder.

Add all the ingredients into a lidded container or mason jar and stir or shake well to combine. Then refrigerate overnight. The next day, top with yogurt toppings such as melted peanut butter, mini chocolate chops peanuts or anything else you may like.

8. Brown Sugar Overnight Oats

This last on deviates slightly from the base overnight oats recipe. Instead of using just maple syrup as a sweetener, brown sugar is used as the preferred sweetener.

To make it, combine ½ cup of rolled oats, ½ cup of milk (any kind), and ¼ cup of plain Greek yogurt, ½ tablespoon of chia seeds, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon powder aand ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract in a lidded jar and stir or shake.

Refrigerate and enjoy the next day with your favorite toppings.

9. Mango Coconut Overnight Oats

To make Mango Coconut Overnight Oats, combine ½ cup rolled oats, ½ cup coconut milk (or milk of choice), ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt, ½ tablespoon chia seeds, 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract along with ½ cup diced mango and 2 tablespoons shredded coconut in a lidded jar or container. Shake or stir everything well to combine.

Refrigerate overnight (or for at least 6 hours) to allow the oats to absorb the liquid and thicken. The next morning, give it a good stir and top with extra coconut flakes and more mango slices.

10. Orange Overnight Oats

For a refreshing overnight oats recipe like this delicious orange overnight oats, you’ll need 1 mandarin orange, ½ teaspoon of orange zest, and your choice of seeds, along with the ingredients for my favorite overnight oats base recipe listed above.

Combine all the ingredients—½ cup of rolled oats, ½ cup of milk (any kind), ¼ cup of plain Greek yogurt, ½ tablespoon of chia seeds, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup or honey, ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract, half of the mandarin pieces (peeled and skinned), the orange zest, and seeds—into a lidded mason jar.

Refrigerate overnight and enjoy the next day, topped with the remaining mandarin pieces and extra seeds.

Tips & Tricks for the Best Overnight Oats

• Fixing Oats the Next Day: If you allow the overnight oats to sit overnight, they may soak up all the liquid and be super thick the next day. You simply need to add and few extra splashes of milk and give the oats a good stir before you eat them. This’ll loosen up the texture of the oats a bit. 
• For Crunch: Most of the overnight oat flavor combinations above do not include nuts and seeds. But you can add nuts, seeds, or granola right before serving for some extra crunch.
• To Make it Sugar-Free: The oats use Maple syrup or honey as the sweetener of choice. But you are free to use natural sweeteners like mashed fruit or stevia if you have specialty dietary restrictions.

Common Questions About Overnight Oats

• Can you heat up overnight oats? Yes! Microwave them for 30-60 seconds if you prefer them warm.
• How long do overnight oats last? They last up to 3-4 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
• Can I make them dairy-free? Absolutely! Use almond milk, coconut milk, or oat milk instead of dairy milk, and choose dairy-free yogurt if desired.
• What’s the best container to use? Mason jars or any airtight container work great for storage.

Overnight oats are an easy, healthy, and delicious way to start your day. Whether you prefer classic flavors, protein-packed versions, or dairy-free options, this versatile breakfast can be customized to fit your taste and dietary needs. Try one of the recipes above or create your own mix-and-match version!

Which flavor will you try first? Let me know in the comments!

Be sure to pin this post for later so you can easily come back to these delicious overnight oats recipes! 📌