Overnight Oats
Oats, milk, yogurt and chia soaked overnight into something thick and creamy, ready to eat straight from the jar. Five minutes of work for a week of breakfasts.
Photograph credit: Free overnight oats image · CC0 1.0 · Rawpixel
Rolled oats absorb roughly their own weight in liquid over several hours through simple hydration, softening without any heat. Chia seeds add a second thickening mechanism — they form a gel that holds up to twelve times their weight in water — which is why the mixture sets rather than staying soupy.
Quick Answers
How long does Overnight Oats take to make?
10 minutes of preparation and of cooking, plus 6 hours of chilling, so allow 6 hours 10 minutes from start to finish. The recipe serves 2.
Overnight Oats: Step by Step
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Combine the oats, milk, yogurt, chia seeds, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a jar or bowl.
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Stir thoroughly, making sure no chia seeds are clumped together at the bottom — clumps will never hydrate.
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Seal and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight.
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In the morning, stir well and check the consistency. Add a splash more milk if it has set firmer than you like.
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Taste and adjust the sweetness — cold mutes sweetness noticeably.
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Top with berries, a spoonful of nut butter, toasted nuts and coconut flakes just before eating so they stay crunchy.
Related guide: Prep, cook and total time.
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Worth Getting Right
- Rolled oats, not instant or steel-cut. Instant turns to paste and steel-cut stays hard.
- Make four jars at once on a Sunday — they keep all week and improve for the first two days.
- Add the crunchy toppings in the morning, never the night before.
What to Serve With It
Coffee or a cup of tea · Serve with a piece of fruit for a complete breakfast · Good before exercise
Leftovers and Storage
Refrigerate up to 5 days. The texture is best between days one and three. Do not freeze.
The Numbers per Serving
Per serving, an approximate calculation from the ingredient list. Treat it as a rough guide: part of the energy comes from foods, or weights per item, with no recorded source. How the figures are worked out.
Your notes on this recipe
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Compiled by Turab
Checked by script for timings, diet labels and nutrition arithmetic. How the recipes are checked. Found a mistake? Tell us.
First published ; last changed .
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