Perfect Chia Overnight Oats made with the yummiest ingredients and served chunky or creamy. An easy, healthy breakfast with only 5 minutes of prep!
Do you know what’s even better than discovering a new favorite recipe? Rediscovering an old favorite recipe. Remembering all the yummy reasons you used to love it, and wondering why you ever grew apart. Feeling compelled to shout and share with the entire world. Experiencing that glorious honeymoon phase all over again where you crave it daily and it hits the spot every time. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack – there are no rules when you find a new old fave.
That’s been me and overnight oats these past few weeks.
And because I can’t just make food without it unintentionally morphing into recipe development, I’ve found a damn near perfect method after this many batches. I know, I know, overnight oats have been done and over done at this point. But with a few little tweaks from the usual ratio/ingredients floating around the internet, your next batch could be NEXT LEVEL.
My requirements for the perfect jar of overnight oats:
- thick and creamy, not soupy (see: chia pudding for my opinions on that)
- truly breakfast appropriate – not overly sweet, not overly rich, not like I just ate dessert at 9am (who am I even?)
- as easy as possible, five minutes tops!
- nutritiously balanced – carbs, fat, protein, BAM
- versatile, so I can mix up the toppings and never get bored
This recipe checks all the bullet points. And comes with two options: 1) chunky like oats or 2) creamy like pudding. So extra killing it on the versatility part.
Here’s what’s happening…
- rolled oats, obviously
- chia seeds (but a little more than most recipes!)
- maple syrup
- cashew butter (or any nut/seed butter, if you must)
- non-dairy milk
- cinnamon (optional)
- salt!
The reason I am semi-adamant about the whole PLEASE USE CASHEW BUTTER thing is because it makes the oats hella creamy but also keeps the flavor really neutral. And if you use raw cashew butter it’s naturally sweeter. But of course peanut butter would be amazeballs too. Or almond butter is always yummy. Or sunflower seed butter for my nut-free friends.
For the normal chunky version you just stir/shake > refrigerate overnight > EAT. For the smooth version you are going to blend that chunky oat mixture with frozen fruit until it’s creeeeeeeeeamy. And colorful depending on what frozen fruit you pick (berries are my favorite!) Think: pudding-smoothie hybrid with extra oomph from those oats.
Oats have found their effortless summer look, and I am all about it.
Easiest. Breakfast. EVER.
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Perfect Chia Overnight Oats made with the yummiest ingredients and served chunky or creamy. An easy, healthy breakfast with only 5 minutes of prep!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (60g) rolled oats
- 1 cup (240g) non-dairy milk
- 2 tbsp (16g) chia seeds
- 1 tbsp maple syrup (to taste)
- 1 tbsp cashew butter*
- 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
- Optional: pinch of salt
- For the creamy version: 1/2 cup frozen fruit of choice**
- Toppings: fruit, nuts, seeds, toasted coconut, cereal, yogurt, etc.
Instructions
- Comine all the ingredients in a jar.
- Stir/shake to combine.
- Refrigerate overnight.
- The following day, add toppings and eat as is. OR blend with 1/2 cup frozen fruit of choice until creamy and smooth, then top and enjoy!
Notes
*You can use other nut/seed butters (or skip it), but raw cashew butter is my favorite. It makes the oats extra creamy and yummy. **I love frozen berries, especially blueberries, or half a frozen banana is delicious too. You could even use a couple of medjool dates instead of the frozen fruit for a caramel flavor.
Nutrition
- Calories: 472
- Sugar: 12
- Fat: 19
- Carbohydrates: 58
- Fiber: 16
- Protein: 14
Keywords: breakfast, meal prep, vegan, gluten-free, oatmeal
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I haven’t eaten oats in weeks – what is wrong with me? I think I got burnt out in the Fall. But I can totally get on board with the creamy blended version and lots of creamy and crunchy and colorful toppings! Oh, and I think this is my favorite video of yours! I could watch it all day 😉
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It’s basically like oats in as close to a smoothie as possible form haha. I totally get being burned out on certain foods too though, I’m always getting obsessed and then completely forgetting about certain foods–keeps it interesting, right 🙂
Wow,This overnight 2 ways of oats looks Awesome!!!I can’t wait to make it! Thank you!
I love recipes that are easy and versatile options🤗 This one has been a staple for me the past few weeks, I hope you try it out!
Love this unique twist on overnight oats and chia pudding combined! I’m with you on the thick oats…soupy/runny isn’t worth it in my opinion!
When it’s falling off the spoon before you can even get it to your face…NOT OKAY😆 Ha! But I love the chia/oat hybrid too, thanks for checking it out Audra!
Never seen such purdy overnight oats! I love that you shared a regular and a blended option, that is a fantastic idea! I much prefer my oatmeal with soaked oats, the texture is freaking amazing. I’m laughing at your comment about everything turning into recipe development, omg, same here. It’s almost like I can’t create anything new anymore just to do it, it HAS to become a post, hahaha. Almost like it is a waste if I don’t post it. I love what looks like cocoa crisp cereal on top of that raspberry oat smoothie thing, major yummo combo going on right there! Such a fantastic simple and healthy breakfast Natalie and it doesn’t hurt that they are super colorful and gorgeous to boot!
You do cooked oatmeal with soaking the oats first? Interesting! I just love overnight oats for how dang easy they are, but I do think there is something to easier digestion with the soaking step too. Ha oh I bet you are the same way in the kitchen judging by all your on-a-whim sauces that turn into recipes. I sometimes even feel wrong making the same recipe repeatedly just for personal eating because it feels like a missed opportunity to create something new…oh the food blogger struggles😆
It really is exciting when you rediscover old favorites!! For me, at the moment, it’s quinoa! I’m literally eating it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner 😂😂 I’m hoping to inch my way back to oats. Overnight oats are the best, too – being able to throw it together the night before and wake up to breakfast being ready is so nice!! We used to add chia and hemp seeds to ours, BUT I never thought to blend it all together!! Thanks for suggesting that option! Willow isn’t a fan of cold overnight oats, but maybe if I blend it until creamy and smooth, she’ll get on board! I really do need to get some cashew butter to change things up…it really does make everything ultra creamy and delicious 😍😍😍
Hahaha I love that the quinoa game is back on and STRONG! And actually I have been doing overnight oats almost daily since I rediscovered I feel okay with them , so I feel you and fingers and toes crossed you can ease your way back into oats soon too! But that quinoa flake cereal stuff would totally work overnight too I imagine. I just spent like $14 on a jar of raw cashew butter yesterday which feels insane and excessive but damn if it isn’t the dreamiest stuff😂
How long will they hold up in the fridge?
I try to eat it within 3-4 days, much past that it starts to get a little too mushy for me 🙂
Looking for a way to change up my overnight oats for the school year! Would steel cut oats work as well??
I’ve never tried overnight oats with steel cut, but as long as you soak them long enough I imagine it will work. Sounds yummy, now I’m curious to see what the texture will be like…🤔😋
You definitely had me with overnight oats! 😍
This recipe sounds absolutely amazing! And really love the pictures and your video! Especially the pink jar is just perfect for me haha 😃
Great recipe Nathalie!
Lots of love,
Bianca ❤️
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Thanks for hopping over here to see it, Bianca❤️ Somehow I think if you were to make it there would be about 10x the berries and probably some cute little stars or hearts snuck in too! xo
Delicious! Although I think this makes 2 portions rather than one. I will try the blender version next time. Thanks for a new breakfasts alternative.
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Good to know! I guess I’m a little greedy with my overnight oat consumption ha, but especially with toppings it could be 2😊😊
can you also store them in the refrigerator if you don’t have a jar? and I get that you are vegan so probably never tried it but does it also work with normal milk? thanks!
– Juliette
Yep you can store them in any sort of air tight container in the fridge, just make sure they are covered. And yes works just as well with normal milk 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
Loved this – I devoured this 20 miles into a 60 mile bike ride and it really provided so much energy without feeling full! It filled a 16 oz jar which I thought would be too much, but it wasn’t at all. I subbed a very ripe banana for the almond butter and it tasted delicious. I’m looking forward to trying other variations. Thanks for the recipe and the nutrition info.
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Okay. I am so happy to hear you loved the oats but um…SIXTY MILES??? Wow I am in awe! Can’t even imagine biking that kinda distance, so good for you wow🙌 Happy I could help with the fuel part😊
Hi! I liked the idea of pureeing it in the morning with a half cup of frozen fruit, yum! This is an interesting recipe so I followed to the T. Unfortunately the 1/4 tsp of salt was a bit too much to call for. The combination of salt, cinnamon and maple syrup in my opinion made it taste a bit odd, but there’s tastes for everybody! I’d keep it low on the salt, if you must add it, and probably use a full banana or even honey for sweetness instead of adding maple syrup. Just personal preference!
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Thanks for sharing your feedback, very helpful Mandy! I will not that in the recipe 🙂 Happy weekend!
Thank you for the recipe, Natalie! It set me up right from the start this morning. I have been full and with great energy! Thanks for incorporating the feedback!