Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oats
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Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oats are so delicious they taste like dessert. This easy to grab and go breakfast is packed with nutritious ingredients like steel-cut oats, yogurt, nut butter, flaxseed, fruit, cinnamon, and nuts. Prep time is just 5 minutes the night before, making this the perfect breakfast for busy mornings!
After I finally tasted overnight oats, I understood what all the hype was about. They are massively filling, easy to make, and every spoonful is so incredibly satisfying! Oh, and the best part is that you can completely customize it based on your mood and taste preferences.
While I don’t always do a lot of meal prepping, there are times when I like to plan ahead. Making these banana overnight oats for the week is a great way to always have an easy breakfast on hand. Since you don’t need a microwave or stovetop, they’re a great on-the-go or travel breakfast.
That way, those days when we are running behind and need a break, they swoop in and save the day!
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Tools and Equipment You’ll Need
- Mason Jars or Food Containers
- Measuring Cups & Spoons
Recipe Ingredients & Notes
- Steel Cut Oats: The key here is to cook the steel cut oats before you combine them with the other ingredients. If you don’t have the time to cook the steel cut oats, then I recommend using old fashioned rolled oats which you don’t need to be cooked beforehand.
- Milk: I used regular milk, but you can also use unsweetened almond milk or any plant based milk for this recipe.
- Greek Yogurt: I like using plain Greek yogurt, because it adds a ton of creaminess and protein and has no added sugar. To make this recipe vegan friendly, you can use a plant based yogurt or omit the yogurt and add more milk.
- Peanut Butter: You can’t have peanut butter banana overnight oats without peanut butter! But you can use any nut butter you like for this recipe.
- Ground Flaxseed: For some added fiber, healthy fats, and protein! They also help give the oats a thicker consistency.
- Nuts: More healthy fats, great texture, fiber & protein.
- Berries & Banana: For added sweetness and texture! But you can change up the mix-ins however you like!
How to Make Banana Overnight Oats – Step by Step
Cook Ahead: Cook the steel cut oats ahead of time. Tip: I cook steel cut oats in bulk and freeze them in 1 cup portions to use later!
Combine and Store: Combine the cooked oats and the rest of the ingredients through the banana in a mason jar or Tupperware. Stir until combined.
Serve in the Morning! In the morning, add 1 tablespoon sliced almonds or walnuts, cinnamon/nutmeg, stir up these healthy overnight oats, and enjoy!
What Makes These Banana Overnight Oats Healthy?
- Vitamins and Minerals: These overnight oats with peanut butter and banana are a powerhouse of nutrients. They contain thiamine, copper, magnesium, B vitamins, iron, potassium, zinc, and more!
- High in Protein: If you need a boost of protein, this is the perfect meal idea. It has 27 grams of protein in each serving!
- High in Fiber: Another wonderful reason to get a spoon and start digging in is the fiber content! Almost 11 grams of fiber per serving.
Will Kids Enjoy These Peanut Butter Overnight Oats?
Oh yes! If your children eat oatmeal, they are going to enjoy these so much. Not only will they keep your kiddo full, but they will also please their tastebuds too. Because one helping of the oats is so filling, your child may only need half if they don’t have a huge appetite.
Recipe FAQs
What Are Overnight Oats?
Overnight oats are a great, easy breakfast, snack, or even lunch! You make them by soaking raw rolled oats, or cooked steel cut oats in any sort of milk or liquid overnight. They’re the perfect no-cook option for those hectic mornings!
Do I Eat Overnight Oats Hot or Cold?
This recipe for peanut butter overnight oats is intended to be eaten cold. However, if you prefer your oats to be warm, you can certainly put them in the microwave for 45-75 seconds or so until they are the temperature you want.
How Long Do Oats Last In The Fridge?
One of the things I love the most about these banana overnight oats is that they will actually last up to 5 days! That’s INCREDIBLE! So you can whip them up one day and enjoy them all week long. Talk about a game-changer in the breakfast department.
Can I Swap Steel Cut Oats for Old-Fashioned Oats?
Yes, absolutely! You can use old-fashioned oats in this recipe. If you choose rolled oats, you should add them in raw (don’t pre-cook them), or they will end up mushy. I don’t recommend using quick oats for these overnight oats, though. They aren’t made to hold up to soaking with the other ingredients all night. So, stick with steel-cut or old-fashioned, and you should be good to go.
What are the healthiest oats to use? Are steel cut oats healthier than rolled or quick oats?
Not necessarily. Steel cut oats are just closer to the original oat grain than rolled oats. But that doesn’t mean that rolled oats are heavily processed! Steel cut oats are made by taking the oat kernels and chopping them into thicker pieces, rather than rolling the oat kernel out and steaming it (which is what rolled oats are).
Steel cut oats may have a bit more protein than rolled oats, but the serving size is also a bit larger. Both are nutritionally equivalent, and both will keep you full for a long time.
The difference comes with instant oats — which are the most processed of the three oat varieties. They are pre-cooked, dried, and then rolled, cut up, and pressed more thinly than rolled oats. They cook more quickly than steel-cut or rolled oats, but retain pretty much no texture – so they often just taste mushy when cooked. They are higher on the glycemic index than steel cut or rolled oats, so they won’t keep you full as long. But they still have a good amount of fiber, and are healthier than sugary cereal or other quick breakfast options!
How to Store and Keep
Store these banana overnight oats in the fridge in an airtight container. You can make individual servings in separate mason jars for an easy grab-and-go option. They will keep for up to 3 days.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Make it Vegan: To make these overnight oats vegan, replace the milk with a plant-based milk, and replace the yogurt with a vegan yogurt (or omit the yogurt and add more of your favorite plant based milk)
- Make it Gluten Free: Use gluten-free certified oats and you can turn this into a gluten-free banana overnight oats recipe!
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats: Instead of banana, add 1-3 tsp of unsweetened cocoa powder and a dash of vanilla. Berries are optional!
- Apple Pie Overnight Oats: Swap all the fruit for 1/2 cup diced apples, add a dash of vanilla extract, and don’t forget to add in the cinnamon!
- Banana Bread Oats: Leave out the peanut butter and add in a dash of vanilla and almond extract.
- PB&J: Leave out the banana and add some pureed strawberries or strawberry compote to these peanut butter overnight oats!
- Carrot Cake: Replace the bananas & berries with 1/2 cup shredded carrots, add 1-2 tsp raisins, a dash of all spice and vanilla extract, and omit the peanut butter.
- Pina Colada: Replace the banana and berries with 1/2 cup diced pineapple, 1 tablespoon of shredded coconut, and leave out the nut butter
- Peaches & Cream: Replace the banana & berries with 1/2 cup diced peaches, add 1-2 tablespoons of coconut cream and a dash of maple syrup!
Top Tips For Making Banana Overnight Oats
- Be sure to pre-cook the steel-cut oats, or they won’t be the texture you are probably going for. They will puff up as they sit overnight but will be pretty crunchy by morning unless they are pre-cooked.
- Don’t add the toppings until right before serving. Otherwise, they won’t hold up and aren’t as appetizing after they have soaked all night.
- Follow the recipe closely when it comes to the liquid versus the oats. If you don’t add enough liquid, they can’t absorb the milk and yogurt properly and the consistency will be off.
- Be sure to mix the ingredients completely before storing overnight so that all of the oats are immersed in the liquid.
- You don’t have to eat these healthy overnight oats cold. You can transfer them to a microwave safe bowl and heat them in the microwave for 45-75 seconds, or transfer them to a pot and warm them on the stove. If your oats get too dry after heating, add more milk!
- I don’t recommend freezing these peanut butter overnight oats. The yogurt doesn’t freeze well and defrost to be the same consistency it was before it was frozen!
Check Out These Other Delicious Breakfast Recipes!
- Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal with Berries
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Oatmeal
- Protein Baked Oats
- Quinoa Oatmeal with Berries and Chopped Nuts
- Strawberry Shortcake Oatmeal
- Vegan Breakfast Cookies
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🎥 Watch How to Make It
Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oats are so delicious they taste like dessert. This easy to grab and go breakfast is packed with nutritious ingredients like steel-cut oats, yogurt, nut butter, flaxseed, fruit, cinnamon, and nuts. Prep time is just 5 minutes the night before, making this the perfect breakfast for busy mornings!
Servings: 1 serving
Calories: 470kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked steel cut oats ¼ cup uncooked
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ cup plain low fat greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp almond or peanut butter
- 1 tbsp ground flax seed
- ½-¾ cup sliced berries or your favorite fruit
- 1 pinch sea salt
- ¼ banana
- 1 tbsp sliced almonds or walnuts
- Dash of cinnamon and nutmeg optional
Instructions
- Cook the steel cut oats ahead of time (Tip: I cook steel cut oats in bulk and freeze them in 1 cup portions to use later!)
- Combine the cooked oats, and the rest of the ingredients through the banana in a mason jar or tupperware. Stir until combined.
- Put the container in the fridge and store overnight.
- In the morning, add 1 tbsp sliced almonds or walnuts, cinnamon/nutmeg, stir and enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Make it Vegan: To make these overnight oats vegan, replace the milk with a plant-based milk, and replace the yogurt with a vegan yogurt (or omit the yogurt and add more of your favorite plant based milk)
- Make it Gluten Free: Use gluten-free certified oats and you can turn this into a gluten-free banana overnight oats recipe!
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats: Instead of banana, add 1-3 tsp of unsweetened cocoa powder and a dash of vanilla. Berries are optional!
- Apple Pie Overnight Oats: Swap all the fruit for 1/2 cup diced apples, add a dash of vanilla extract, and don’t forget to add in the cinnamon!
- Banana Bread Oats: Leave out the peanut butter and add in a dash of vanilla and almond extract.
- PB&J: Leave out the banana and add some pureed strawberries or strawberry compote to these peanut butter overnight oats!
- Carrot Cake: Replace the bananas & berries with 1/2 cup shredded carrots, add 1-2 tsp raisins, a dash of all spice and vanilla extract, and omit the peanut butter.
- Pina Colada: Replace the banana and berries with 1/2 cup diced pineapple, 1 tablespoon of shredded coconut, and leave out the nut butter
- Peaches & Cream: Replace the banana & berries with 1/2 cup diced peaches, add 1-2 tablespoons of coconut cream and a dash of maple syrup!
- Be sure to pre-cook the steel-cut oats, or they won’t be the texture you are probably going for. They will puff up as they sit overnight but will be pretty crunchy by morning unless they are pre-cooked.
- Don’t add the toppings until right before serving. Otherwise, they won’t hold up and aren’t as appetizing after they have soaked all night.
- Follow the recipe closely when it comes to the liquid versus the oats. If you don’t add enough liquid, they can’t absorb the milk and yogurt properly and the consistency will be off.
- Be sure to mix the ingredients completely before storing overnight so that all of the oats are immersed in the liquid.
- You don’t have to eat these healthy overnight oats cold. You can transfer them to a microwave safe bowl and heat them in the microwave for 45-75 seconds, or transfer them to a pot and warm them on the stove. If your oats get too dry after heating, add more milk!
- I don’t recommend freezing these peanut butter overnight oats. The yogurt doesn’t freeze well and defrost to be the same consistency it was before it was frozen!
Nutrition
Serving: 1jar | Calories: 470kcal | Carbohydrates: 55.5g | Protein: 27.2g | Fat: 18.9g | Saturated Fat: 3.3g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 309.6mg | Potassium: 523.2mg | Fiber: 10.8g | Sugar: 18.7g
Hi Anjali,
If I were to use old fashioned oats for this recipe, what quantity should I be using? Please advise. Also, is this recipe suitable for a 14 months old toddler?
Hi Pinky! You can use old fashioned oats — I’d recommend trying 1/2 cup uncooked (and don’t pre-cook them before adding them to the other ingredients in this recipe the way you would steel cut oats). And yes! You can give this to a toddler (assuming you have already checked to make sure your toddler doesn’t have any nut allergies). The only modification I’d make for a toddler is to dice up the fruit very small, and omit the whole nuts. Hope that helps!
We’ve been going on early morning hikes and having a jar of these in the fridge to grab and go with is perfect! They taste like dessert, but are so good for you!
Yes!! Exactly! That’s why I love this recipe so much!
Love how quick and easy it is to make! Perfect breakfast in my eyes!
Thanks so much Tania! Enjoy!
I love overnight oats but haven’t tried adding peanut butter to mine. Gotta give your recipe a go!
Yay! I’m sure you’ll love this recipe Julia!
I haven’t had steel cut oatmeal since I was a kid and loved this recipe. It has a hint of banana and a hint of peanut butter in every bite. I enjoyed eating it cold…and such a treat compared to the boring container of yogurt + banana I usually grab on my way out the door. I was thrilled by the large serving size, too. I’m learning that you don’t have to sacrifice portion when the ingredients are all so good for you!
That’s so awesome Beth! I’m so glad you liked this recipe – it’s one of my favorite grab-and-go meals too!
As a “certified” picky eater (lol), your blog jumped out, so I popped over. Its 6am and breakfast is on my mind. Anyway.. saw this recipe and its one that appeals. Ive read about the health benefits of oats, but never really jumped to using them .. I know athletes eat them a fair bit, so Im going to add this one to my list of to-do recipes.. thank you :)( (I will pin this to my pinterest account too)
Shaun
Thanks so much Shaun! It’s great to meet you! I hope you loved this recipe – it’s definitely a favorite in our family!
Overnight oats, in my experience, are not eaten cold. They are soaked overnight to remove lectins (look at Weston Price/Nourishing Traditions). Lectins disrupt your digestive process and contribute to leaky gut because your gut doesn’t realize they aren’t simple sugars. This prompts the cells in your gut to pass the lectins through your intestinal wall into your bloodstream which causes inflammation and can provoke your body into an autoimmune response. Many people soak, sprout or ferment their grains because of the health value.
Hi Kate! Overnight oats can be eaten cold or warm! I know lots of people who eat them cold – similar to Muesli. But you’re right that soaking legumes and grains can help improve their digestibility too – which is another benefit of overnight oats! 🙂
This sounds delicious, it’s also on my list of must-try recipes. Buying and cooking healthy staples in bulk make it easier to choose the right foods, too.
Thanks so much! I’m sure you’ll love this recipe! And I totally agree — buying and cooking in bulk means you’ll always have something healthy on-hand to eat!
wow these sound awesome, Anjali. Thanks so much for this recipe. can’t wait to make these.
Thanks Sabrina! I’m sure you’ll love these oats! 🙂