These vanilla overnight oats are an easy and healthy breakfast idea that you can prep ahead of time to ensure you always have a delicious breakfast to grab in the morning. This basic recipe uses just 6 simple ingredients and will become your go-to breakfast for busy weekdays!
This recipe was originally published in April 2018 and has been updated with new photos and content but with the exact same, delicious recipe.
Before I published this recipe originally back in 2018, I was making these overnight oats everyday. At the time I was working a busy job in the city so having something already prepared and made that I could quickly grab (that was still super healthy) was essential.
Fast forward to now, and I seemed to have forgotten about them as I’d fallen into a breakfast rut of eating plain toast every single day. Thank goodness I remembered this recipe hidden in the archives because to be real, my days are so so much better when I have a healthy, nutritious breakfast and with these – the work is already done, I just grab it out of the fridge and enjoy!
So I thought it was about time that I brought your attention back to these vanilla overnight oats recipe.
Overnight oats have been around for a while with the concept pretty simple. You add rolled oats to liquid and let set overnight so the oats can soften meaning no cooking required! It’s really super simple and the result is a pudding-like delicious breakfast that you really can’t go wrong with.
I love that this is all prepped and ready to go in the morning, meaning that if you are running out the door you can grab it and take it with you. Or if you’re like me now and do work from home but trying to fit in working on a side hustle (for me, it’s this website) plus morning exercise before 9am work starts, then a healthy breakfast already to go just means one less thing to think about.
If you haven’t yet tried overnight oats and are looking for ways to easily meal prep for the week ahead to give yourself some time back, then I do urge you to give these a go. They are easy, inexpensive and so creamy, I know you’ll be just as addicted to them as I am!
Key Ingredients
This recipe uses just 6 ingredients for the base but is super flexible based on your preference.
- Rolled oats – old fashioned rolled oats are key to ensuring these work properly. Do not use quick oats or steel cut oats as the texture will not be right.
- Almond milk – my preference is to use unsweetened vanilla almond milk but you can use any dairy or non-dairy milk here with the same results.
- Vanilla yoghurt – again you can use your favourite yoghurt here. I like to use the lactose free Jalna pot set yoghurt as it’s super creamy, but if you’re vegan you can use a coconut yoghurt instead.
- Honey – you can use either honey or maple syrup to sweeten.
- Vanilla – just a little bit of vanilla extract ensures a delicious vanilla flavour.
- Chia seeds – adds not only a heap of nutritional value to this breakfast, but also helps give it a pudding-like consistency.
Step-By-Step Instructions
To make overnight oats you of course just need a bit of foresight and planning because as the name suggests – you need to make them at least the night before you plan to eat them.
You’ll also need some mason jars (or old jam jars like I have) to keep the oats in. Jars work well because they have a lid but you could just as easily use some smaller glass food containers with lids as well.
Start by getting a bowl and adding all of the ingredients. This recipe is for a single serve so think about how much you need to prep. Sometimes I make one jar at a time, other times I might multiply the recipe and make 3-4 servings so I have my breakfasts sorted for the week. It’s really up to you and this recipe works really well when multiplied.
Mix everything together in the bowl, making sure the chia seeds are evenly distributed and the yoghurt has been completely combined. I just find it so much easier to mix the ingredients together in a separate bowl rather than do it all in the jar.
Pour the mixture into your jar or container and place on the lid. Leave the oats in the fridge overnight as a minimum and up to 4 days.
To serve, remove the lid and top with fresh berries (or any other fruit you like/is in season) and an extra drizzle of honey or maple syrup. You could also top it with a sprinkle of granola or any seeds and nuts.
Honestly this breakfast could not be easier and is so filling and delicious – it’s almost treat-like for breakfast so puts me in a really good mood to start the day. Plus I don’t get snacky and it keeps me full right through to lunch.
Recipe FAQs
If you use coconut or soy yoghurt and use maple syrup as the sweetener, then yes these vanilla overnight oats are vegan.
No, this recipe requires the old fashioned rolled oats. Quick oats will become mushy and steel cut will still be chewy. For the best, creamiest texture, use rolled oats.
More breakfast ideas:
Honey Nut Granola
Dairy-Free Blueberry Muffins
Strawberry Yoghurt Parfait with Pistachio Granola
Banana Pancakes (Vegan, GF)
Vegan Banana Walnut Muffins
Vanilla Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup rolled oats
- ⅔ cup vanilla almond milk
- ⅓ cup vanilla yoghurt
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- fresh berries or other fruit to serve
Instructions
- Mix everything together in a small bowl until combined. Pour into a clean jar, secure lid and place in the fridge overnight.
- In the morning, top with fresh fruit and a drizzle of extra honey or maple syrup. Enjoy straight from the jar.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
sherry
i love overnight oats but i just can’t do chia seeds. i’ll just leave ’em out 🙂
Sally
They’ll still be delicious without!
Jen
Hi Sally…. I am loving the overnight oats. Just wondering if you know how many calories would be in it?
Thank you
Sally
Hi Jen. So glad to hear you are loving the oats! I don’t have that information sorry, but feel free to calculate it – there are many calculators available online. Thanks 🙂
Nicole Rigby
I love this breakfast, Going on day 5 for breakfast and still enjoying it, thanks for sharing sal. Will become my regular breakfast for sure. 🖒
Sally
So glad you loved it as much as I do!