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Vegan Overnight Oats

Name: Vegan Overnight Oats
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 125 min
Ingredients: ½ cup rolled oats (, gluten-free if needed (see note)); ¼ cup plain dairy free yogurt (, see note); 1 tablespoon chia seeds (, can omit if you don’t like them); 1-2 tablespoons sweetener of choice (, I used maple syrup (optional for added sweetness)); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; Pinch of salt; ½ - ¾ cup dairy free milk of choice (, the creamier the milk the richer the flavor will be); ¼ cup banana (, chopped or mashed); ¼ cup fresh or frozen strawberries (, chopped or mashed); 2 tablespoons dairy free chocolate chips; 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts; ½ teaspoon almond extract; 2 tablespoons jelly or jam; 1 tablespoon peanut butter; ½ cup fresh or frozen berries of choice (, chopped or mashed); ¼ cup granola (, gluten-free if needed); 1 tablespoon cashew or almond butter; Fresh or frozen fruit; Dried fruit; Shredded coconut; Nuts; Nut butter; Granola; Raisins; Chocolate chips; Jam; Spices like cinnamon or nutmeg

By Sophia DeSantis, Reviewed by Anjali Shah on June 1, 2025

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My family’s favorite Vegan Overnight Oats are a healthy, get-up-and-go breakfast packed with rolled oats, chia seeds, and plant-based yogurt for a super-filling start to the day. They take just 5 minutes to prep and are a fun way to get the kids involved in the kitchen.

Three glass jars filled with different flavors of overnight oats sitting on a pink napkin on a wooden surface

Honestly, mornings at my house are a bit of a circus, so anything that helps me stay one step ahead is a win. That’s exactly why I came up with this quick overnight oats recipe, kind of like this tiramisu overnight oats, but even simpler. I throw it together the night before, pop it in the fridge, and by morning, I’ve got a nutritious breakfast ready for my kids.

Table of Contents hide

👩🏽‍🍳 Why I Love This Recipe

🍽 Serving Suggestions

🧊 Storage Directions

❓Recipe FAQs

🥣 More Oat Breakfast Recipes!

📋 Recipe Card

I even get the boys to help prep the overnight oats with their favorite toppings and flavors. Peanut butter banana overnight oats is their top pick. The best part about overnight oats is how easy they are to make, and the mix-ins are completely customizable. Creamy oats paired with fruit, nuts, chocolate, or jam, that’s what breakfast looks like in my house, and I’m so happy to share this recipe with you.

👩🏽‍🍳 Why I Love This Recipe

My family loves having overnight oats for breakfast. They’re packed with healthy nutrients and give everyone a great boost of energy to start the day. I also love how fun and flexible this recipe is, I can switch up the flavors and toppings, like berry cobbler or banana split, to keep breakfast interesting with something new each morning.

Like I said, this one’s so easy the kids can totally jump in and help. When we want that berry cobbler flavor (which is our favorite), I let them fill up their own jars, oats, mashed frozen strawberries, a scoop of almond butter, some crunchy granola, and a quick shake with the lid on. We pop them in the fridge overnight, and by morning, breakfast is basically done and tastes like dessert!

These overnight oats are like the chill cousin of the stovetop kind, no pots, no stirring, no waiting around. I used to stand by the stove every morning, stirring oats while trying to pack lunches and find missing socks. Now? I just grab these from the fridge, hand them out to my hungry crew, and we’re all out the door without the chaos. Total breakfast win!

🥘 Ingredients

To make the base for these vegan overnight oats, I always start with just a few simple things I’ve got in my pantry. Here is what I use:

Rolled oats: I always use rolled oats because they absorb the liquid and provide a creamy texture. Quick oats don’t hold up as well overnight.

Plain dairy-free yogurt: I love adding a big scoop of unsweetened yogurt for creaminess and a little tang.

Chia seeds: Just a spoonful adds thickness and a boost of fiber. Plus, my kids think it’s cool how they gel up overnight.

Maple syrup: A splash of maple syrup is my favorite way to sweeten things up naturally.

Vanilla extract: I always add a dash for that vanilla smell and taste.

Pinch of salt: Just a tiny bit to balance the sweetness.

Dairy-free milk: I pour in just enough almond or oat milk to cover the oats.

🔪 How To Make

This vegan gluten-free overnight oats recipe is so simple, my kids practically make it for me now. Here’s how we do it, step by step:

Add the ingredients: I pour the oats, chia seeds, and salt into my jar first. Then I spoon in the yogurt and drizzle in the maple syrup right on top.

Hand pouring maple syrup in a glass jar filled with oats and chia seeds

Top with milk and mix: I pour in the dairy-free milk over everything and give it a good stir so the oats and chia seeds soak it all up evenly.

Milk pouring out of a glass pitcher into a jar with oats and chia seeds

Let it chill: I pop the jar in the fridge and let it sit overnight so everything thickens up and gets nice and creamy. In the morning, I just add our favorite toppings and dig in!

Glass jar filled half way with a milk, oat and chia seed mixture

💭 Expert Tips

My #1 Secret Tip for making these vegan overnight oats is to always stick with rolled oats. I’ve tried quick oats before and they just turn into mush, which my kids won’t touch. Rolled oats keep their texture really well, even after sitting in the fridge for a few days.

Other Tips To Keep In Mind:

Add toppings smartly: Nuts and granola can get mushy if added too early, so I save them for the morning. But I always stir in spices and nut butters ahead of time since they mix in beautifully overnight.
Yogurt makes it creamy: I like using yogurt but if I don’t have any, I’ll swap in canned coconut milk. It works great and gives it a rich texture.
Prep in stages: Sometimes I mix the dry stuff on Sunday and add the yogurt and milk the night before we eat it. It saves me even more time during the week.
Use the right jar: I love using mason jars with lids so everything stays sealed and fresh. There are even special jars with lines to help with filling if you want to make things even easier.

📖 Variations

Here are four easy variations of vegan overnight oats that I love making for my family:

Banana Bread Oats: I mash half a ripe banana into the mix and sprinkle in a little cinnamon and chopped walnuts. It tastes just like banana bread and my kids can’t get enough.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oats: A little cocoa powder and a swirl of peanut butter turns this into a rich, dessert-style breakfast. Sometimes I add mini chocolate chips on top just for fun.

Apple Pie Oats: I stir in grated apple, cinnamon, and a few raisins. It smells amazing by morning and tastes like a cozy bowl of pie. Yum!

🍽 Serving Suggestions

My healthy vegan overnight oats make the perfect filling breakfast, packed with nutrients to fuel your day. However, I do like to pair these oats with fruity smoothies or flavored coffees.

Smoothies: I’m always blending something in the mornings. If I need a little caffeine, this healthy protein coffee smoothie does the trick. When I want something fruity, I’ll go for a mango pineapple banana smoothie blend or that chocolate strawberry smoothie one that tastes like dessert.

Coffee: One way I like to start my day on the right is with a vegan specialty coffee to go with my overnight oats. Sometimes it’s an ube latte, other days I go for a mocha latte, or honey latte, but my absolute favorite is the biscoff latte. They’re so easy and delicious that you’ll be making them every day.

Add-ins: If you want to make your oats chocolatey, mix in some white chocolate hazelnut spread or this homemade vegan Nutella.

🧊 Storage Directions

Refrigeration: I keep my overnight oats in the fridge for up to 5 days. I like using jars with lids so they stay fresh and easy to grab.

Freezing: I don’t usually freeze them since the texture can get a little weird, but if you really want to, freeze the dry mix and just add milk and yogurt the night before.

Reheating: I eat mine cold straight from the fridge, but if I’m in the mood for something warm, I microwave them for 30 seconds to take the chill off.

❓Recipe FAQs

What if my oats turn out too thick or too runny?

If they’re too thick in the morning, I just add a little more milk and stir it up. If they’re too runny, it’s usually because I added too much liquid the night before, next time I either cut the milk a bit or toss in more chia seeds to thicken them up.

How long do overnight oats need to soak?

I usually make them the night before so they’re ready in the morning, but even 4 hours is enough if I’m short on time. I just check that the oats are soft before serving them, if they are, you’re good to go!

Are overnight oats gluten-free?

They can be, just make sure you’re using oats labeled gluten-free like the one I use in my recipe. Regular oats sometimes get cross-contaminated in the factory, so it’s always safest to check the packaging.

Boy in blue shirt smiling and eating from a jar of overnight oats

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