Are you a faithful breakfast eater? Do you eat mostly the same thing for breakfast each morning, or do you like variety? I most definitely have to eat breakfast every morning, or I’m a shaky lightheaded mess by 9am. I usually have either an egg and cheese sandwich on an english muffin, or a bowl of cereal – a LARGE bowl of Honey Bunches of Oats with Almonds and whole milk, just in case you were wondering.
I was inspired to try something new when Lindsay over at Pinch of Yum, one of my favorite food bloggers, shared her recipe for Flax and Blueberry Vanilla Overnight Oats. This is one of those recipes that super versatile, and there are about 101 possibilities when it comes to mix-ins and toppings. These are a few of my favorites…
The toasted coconut (directions below) was soooo over the top delicious. I pretty much just kept taking a bite, adding more toasted coconut, then taking a bite, and then a little more…
Adding the raisins to the yogurt and oatmeal before it sits overnight makes them get nice and soft and plump. Simple but good.
If you like your oatmeal on the sweeter side, a drizzle of honey is the perfect thing. A generous sprinkle of chopped almonds adds a nice crunch too. Maybe some sliced bananas?
I’ve actually been eating this for lunch more than breakfast, simply because I can’t seem to remember to make it the night before! So I make it early in the morning, divide it into mason jars, and put them in the fridge for later. Then when I’m heading out to run errands, or take the boys to the park, I just put one in my purse to eat on the go. Just don’t forget a spoon like I did! I love that these cute little jars keep me from being tempted to hit the drive-thru when I’m out and about and that lunch time hunger strikes. I like using steel cut oats because it retains a nice chewy texture, but if you prefer a softer texture you can definitely substitute old fashioned rolled oats as well.
PrintOvernight Steel Cut Oatmeal (Plus Mix-In Ideas)
This is one of those recipes that is super versatile, and there are 101 possibilities when it comes to mix-ins. These are a few of my favorites…
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 3 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Overnight Oatmeal
- 1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup steel cut oats
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Toppings
- Berries
- Toasted Coconut
- Chopped Almonds
- Honey
- Cinnamon
- Raisins
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together yogurt, milk, oats and brown sugar. Add berries or cinnamon and raisins at this point if desired.
- Divide into three jars or containers, and refrigerated at least 4-6 hours or overnight.
- Add additional toppings such as toasted coconut, almonds, or honey.
Toasted Coconut
- To toast your coconut, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Spread sweetened coconut flakes on a Silpat or parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake the coconut for about five minutes, watching for most of the flakes to turn golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.
Notes
***Since I’ve made this a few more times, I’ve noticed that the oats soften quite a bit more when the jar is allowed to set at room temperature, for example, when I take it out of the fridge before leaving the house in the morning and then eat it later for lunch. So if you feel like the oats are too crunchy, allow it to sit at room temperature for a while. If this does not work well with your schedule, you may want to substitute old fashioned rolled oats instead of steel cut oats, or a mixture of the two. ***I’ve also tried microwaving the mixed oats, yogurt, brown sugar and milk for a minute or so before pouring into the jars to refrigerate. This really made the oats soften up by the next morning, even without sitting out at room temp. So you can kind of play with the recipe to get it to the texture you prefer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Serving (toppings not included)
- Calories: 194
- Sugar: 9.9g
- Sodium: 52mg
- Fat: 2.8g
- Saturated Fat: 0.9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2.7g
- Protein: 13g
- Cholesterol: 7mg
I add flax seed meal to mine and it gives it a real creamy consistency. Yummy.
Hello Julie, Thanks for this terrific recipe for overnight oatmeal. I have tried the original recipe and then have altered for my finicky taste. I like to use ramekins, so I use 4 ramekins for 4 days worth of flavor. I also place my fruit in the bottom of the cup instead of blending into the liquid mixture. I usually use blackberries as they are not as sweet as blueberries or raspberries. I have also tried sliced strawberries. On occasion I have used old fashioned oats instead of steel cut oats which also works fine in a pinch. I mix Almond milk, light brown sugar, chia seeds, stir in Greek Yogurt and oatmeal. Mix with a wire whisk and pour over berries in the cup. Next morning when ready to eat I add some sliced almonds and about an 1/8 tsp of honey to the top. Mix and eat. I have been eating this for over a year now and I am so glad you posted this recipe. I am a very finicky eater and struggle with food. So Thanks for this.
Hi Julie,
I didn’t have quick oats only steel cut oats and wasn’t sure if I could do overnight oatmeal with these. I found your website and did as you suggested and cooked the oatmeal and milk for just under one minute as it started to rise to the top of my jar. I then added Greek vanilla yogurt, hemp and chia seeds and topped with frozen blueberries. I will see how this turns out as I usually eat this around 9:00 am when I’m at work. Thank you for the tip on cooking it as I was worried they still might be hard in the morning. 🙂
Hi Julie,
I have been using your recipe for a few years now and it just occurred to me leave a comment. I first came across it searching for a version with steel cut because the texture of rolled oats made me want to throw up. (I was pregnant at the time but I still much prefer steel cut) The first time I made this, I inadvertently bought Quick Steel Cut Oats and it was great, then when I bought again I got the regular ones and it was really really chewy! I see from your notes you added that you were looking for ways to make them softer. I really recommend the quick steel cut for, in my opinion, the perfect balance of soft and chewy. I get these from Aldi.
I also double the recipe and it lasts the family a few days. I usually add a couple tablespoons of chia seeds and flaxmeal. I have even made a quadruple batch for a lake house full of relatives, with a variety of fruit and toppings for people to choose from. I usually leave it unsweetened in this case and then each person can do as they wish.
Thanks for the inspiration!
I just tried this today, not a fan of plain yogurt but I hope this tastes great
How are you coming up with this nutritional info? Half a cup of steel cut oats would contain 300-340 calories alone without adding in yogurt, milk, and brown sugar?
I wonder if soaking the steel cut oats for at least 8 hours before making the recipe would help with the chewy texture. Thank you for this recipe. I am going to experiment with ways to make the oats a little softer.