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Breakfast · Global

Overnight Oats

Two minutes tonight, breakfast already waiting tomorrow.

Hands-on
10 min
Hands-off
8 h
Total
8 h 10 min
Makes
1 jar
Serves
1

Total = 10 min active + 8 hours in the fridge.

  • easy
  • vegetarian
  • no-cook
  • make-ahead
  • kid-friendly

Verified against at least two trusted test kitchens or food-safety guides · Last checked · What this means

Illustration of Overnight Oats
Amount
Units

Ingredients

You need: jar or container with a lid · spoon · measuring cups or kitchen scale · small knife and board for the fruit

Contains: milk

Method

  1. Oats in the jar

    Tip the rolled oats into a jar or container that has a lid.

  2. Add the milk

    Pour in the milk - equal amounts of oats and milk - and stir until all the oats are wet.

  3. Add the fruit

    Rinse the fruit, chop it if needed, and add it to the jar.

  4. Into the fridge

    Close the lid and put the jar in the fridge (4°C / 40°F or colder) for at least 8 hours, or overnight.

    Otto tried this firstOtto parks the jar on the counter for the night - milky oats belong in the fridge, not out of it for more than 2 hours.

  5. Morning stir

    Give it a stir and eat it cold. Add any nuts or crunchy toppings now, not the night before.

Swaps

  • Instead of milk: yogurt or a dairy-free milk, same amount Keep the 1:1 ratio with the oats.
  • Instead of fresh fruit: frozen fruit It thaws in the jar overnight and its juices flavour the oats.

Make ahead, store & reheat

Make ahead
This is the make-ahead breakfast: mix it the night before. It keeps up to 24 hours in the fridge.
Storage
Keep in the fridge at 4°C (40°F) or colder, and eat within 24 hours. Don't leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour above 32°C / 90°F).

If something goes wrong

  • Soggy toppings
    Keep nuts and crunchy toppings aside and add them in the morning.
  • Oats still a bit firm
    Give them the full 8 hours in the fridge; a few hours works, but 8 lets them soak up the most milk.

Good to know

  • Old-fashioned rolled oats give the best texture.
  • A full 8 hours lets the oats soak up all the milk, but a few hours still works.
  • Frozen fruit works well - it thaws in the jar overnight and its juices flavour the oats.

Safety

  • Made with milk, this needs the fridge: don't let it sit out more than 2 hours (1 hour on a very hot day).
  • Oats are often handled alongside wheat and barley. If you avoid gluten, use oats labelled gluten-free.
  • Using a dairy-free milk? Check its label - many are made from soy or nuts.