By food contributor Kiersten of Oh My Veggies
Overnight oats just might be the easiest breakfast ever. There’s very little effort involved and all that effort happens the night before. For me, this is awesome because I am never in the mood to put forth effort in the morning. And if you have kids, overnight oats are a fun little project for them. Let them choose mix-ins and shake them up in the jar before bedtime and serve them hot or cold before school the next morning.
Of course, when you eat overnight oats as much as I do, you need new ideas for them all the time! Here are 4 ways to do overnight oats – all perfect for fall!
4 overnight oat recipes
First, you’ll start each of these recipes with 1/2 cup of old-fashioned oats (rolled or regular both work) and 1/2 cup of your favorite milk. I’m really fond of this refrigerated coconut milk lately. Vanilla flavored milk works well too!
Then add your mix-ins:
Pumpkin Walnut Overnight Oats // Add 2 tablespoons of pumpkin puree, 1 tablespoon of chopped walnuts, and 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.
Read on for three more yummy recipes!
Cranberry Dark Chocolate Almond Overnight Oats // Add 1/4 cup of dried cranberries, 1 tablespoon of chopped dark chocolate, and 1 tablespoon of almonds.
Spiced Apple Overnight Oats // Add half a cup of chunky spiced or cinnamon applesauce. (I love the one they sell at Trader Joe’s, but you can make your own applesauce too.)
Chai Pear Overnight Oats // This recipe is a little bit different. Instead of milk, use a half cup of strongly brewed chai in this one. Stir in a small diced pear in the morning.
Once your oats and mix-ins are assembled, stir and refrigerate overnight in a jar or Tupperware container.
In the morning, you can add sweetener (I like using honey or maple syrup) or more milk if you like. You can also customize your overnight oats by adding things like Greek yogurt, flax or chia seeds, protein powder–whatever you want! I like eating my oats cold, but you can pop them in the microwave for a warm breakfast on those chilly fall mornings.
Do you make overnight oats? What’s your favorite thing to mix in?
I’ve been living on these for breakfast since you first posted about them this summer. I’m usually not very creative but I’ve actually tried most of these on my own. I’m really excited to add the chai/pear into my rotation for some more variety. And I haven’t added the chocolate to the cranberry/almond yet – I just can’t have random chocolate floating around the house. It’ll never make it into a recipe – I’ll eat it first. I admit I have self control issues when it comes to food.
YUM
When you say strongly brewed chai – do you mean chai tea leaves or bag?
Or the chai latte syrup/powder?
Yummo! A friend introduced me to overnight oats last year and now I make them every time I know I’ll be in a hurry the next morning (or have to eat breakfast on the go). My favourite is apple and cinnamon with a couple of raspberries and a sprinkling of walnuts!
Okay, the Hudgins are officially doing the Pumpkin Walnut ones this week!!! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!
I make quick oatmeal in the microwave in the moring with the addition of cranraisins or dried cherries and Grapenuts cereal to give it some crunch…chopped walnuts are good too. I like all your ideas too!
Thanks for the new ideas! I like that your overnight oats recipes don’t require chia seeds – I’m not a big fan of the texture they produce. I wanted to make overnight oats with my current can of pumpkin puree but I wasn’t sure of proportions, so this is perfect!
I’m totally trying pumpkin walnut tomorrow morning!
OH! what a perfect idea! I usually make mine in the microwave but most mornings before going out i have no time to let it cool down or no patience to even start making it…
fabulous timing! I was just wondering how to make a oat melange cereal!! And boom! it’s in my inbox! I love when these things happen.
The chai pear one sounds absolutely delicious!
these all look so yummy – especially the spiced apple. that one just looks so darn good.
<3 katherine